The Devotional – 1097 – Foot Steps in Second Corinthians, On Going

The Devotional – 1097 – Foot Steps in Second Corinthians, On Going

One major disappointment to a pastor or teacher is for someone to say to them; “What is the need for all of this Bible Study?” or “I have had enough of Bible Study, see you later, I’m out of here!” comments like these are occurring more and more these days. Are these folks right? Is it time to rewrite the Holy Bible? Have we determined that it is superfluous (unnecessary or overly excessive) to study the Holy and Living Word of God? The Word from the Bible says this: “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” The Word from the Bible says this too: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap (pile) up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from truth, and turn to fables – 2 Timothy 2:15 and 4:3. 

CHALLENGES & COMMENTS – 2 Corinthians 9:1-5

Last evening in our study, we had a brief overview of the man “Barnabas” a biographical look at what Luke the writer of the Book of Acts had to say of him. Acts 11:24 – For he was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith. And a great many people were added to the LORD. This one small verse of scripture has a lot to say about Barnabas whose real name is Joseph. He was called by the apostles, Barnabas meaning the son of encouragement.

A good person, well this is generally attributed to most all of us and we will even tell people right up front. “I am a good person” yet Romans 3:10 says that there is none righteous, no, not one and for a full understanding we must read the context or Romans 3:9-26. So the Holy Bible has a different view of the goodness of people, it has a supernatural view of Righteousness and not a self-righteous human view.

Also the verse in Acts 11:24 says, “and a great many people were added to the LORD.” This, as a result of the human character of Joseph. No! Not at all; granted Joseph may have had a descent personally as a human being, but there is something else about this man of God that the apostles noticed to label him the “Son of encouragement” Barnabas. Encouragement does not begin with a person, encouragement begins with the middle section of the verse, Acts 11:24.

“Full of the Holy Spirit and Faith” without the enabling power of God at work in us we will not be an encouragement to others and a great many people will not be added to the LORD. Now we can say what has this information of Barnabas have to do with the passage in 2 Corinthians? Is it not excessive that, over and over and over teachers and preachers of the Holy Bible speaks repeatedly about Holy Spirit and Faith, zeal and encouragement?

I mean after all do we not have a willingness to do the Will of God, we make promises, but only to break them, we like to work for God, but not in the power of the Holy Spirit or in Faith, but out of fear that we do not measure up. We are repeatedly like those that the writer of Hebrews describes 6:1-8, we are not progressing or pressing on to maturity, therefore we have become grumblers rather than encouragers and have turned the ear to listening to fables.

And in our passage this morning the apostle Paul is seeking to secure the spiritual zeal and faith of the Corinthians to what it was the year before. We need to stop this trend of coveting the flesh and open our heart to the power of the Holy Spirit and Faith. Only solid biblical teaching and the practical coming together in fellowship with the LORD and each other will we be the encouragement others ned to see to follow in our footsteps. 

Therefore in conclusion there is no reason for any Believer in Jesus Christ to be anything less than an encouragement to those around them! If you are not an encouragement to others the Holy Bible says that you are just the opposite; you are out of fellowship with God the Holy Spirit and God is grieved because the people around you are not encouraged by their view of the faith you say you have and our giving by faith becomes a visible obligation of GRUDGE!