“I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you; and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so” (2 Corinthians 11:8-9).

Being thankful is a part of living the good life.  We are dependent and there really is no such thing as true independence.  If there were, only the Lord could be truly independent, but He has created this existence to share with us His love.  No, He is not dependent upon us, but we are upon Him.  Therefore, give thanks in all things for the provision of the Lord and do not act as though these good gifts are just there.

Lord, the world acts with great expectation with individuals feeling they deserve goodness.  All goodness comes from You and it is a gift.  Help me to see through the lies of this age and be thankful for those who have provided necessities that I may know You.  Help me to be thankful in all things and for all things.  Guide me in the way of Your goodness, sharing as I have been shared with.

Come Holy Spirit and work on my heart.  You know those places where I take things for granted and do not give as freely as I receive.  Lead me in the way of truth that I may now and always give and receive as You give and receive.  Teach me to be a cheerful giver and one who is always thankful for the good things You grant in this life.  Above all, help me to always be thankful for the salvation You make possible.

“Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? (2 Corinthians 11:7)

In many ways things are no different now then they were then.  If we are gifted something we often act as if it has no value.  Yes, the Gospel is given to us freely, but it is of more value than the world.  If someone serves us, we often act as though it is nothing.  Do not act as the world does, but value all of the gifts  you’re given.  Treasure what is of value and respect those who share the Good News.

Lord, I often treat as trivial what is great and great what is trivial.  Change how I value things that I would see things as they are and live in the truth that You alone are God and are to be praised and thanked above all things.  Guide me in Your goodness that I would now and always live into the life of faith You have given me by grace.  Let me rejoice in Your voice spoken no matter when or through whom or whether or not it came at a cost to me.

Lord Jesus, how easy it is to discount the grace You purchased with Your own body.  Help me to see the great cost and the invaluable gift You have given by setting me free from sin, death, and the devil.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in You is all hope and life and that as You have given freely to me, so should I also freely give to others that they may have the pearl of great price.  Amen.

“For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles.  But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things” (2 Corinthians 11:5-6)

How we love to compare one to another.  Well, “So and so said thus and such.”  Why do you argue about opinions when the sweet words of the Gospel have been spoken.  No matter how or by whom, the good Gospel is yours through Christ.  Receive what He has given and come into His presence now and forever.  In Him, the One who made you, you have life and liberty.

Lord, the Good News is often obscured by our pride and sense of propriety.  Help me to hear the Gospel whenever it is spoken or read.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that You have spoken the words of eternal life and that in You is all hope.  Let me receive whenever and through whomever Your Good News is spoken.  May I learn to faithfully receive the evidence You send my way.

Lord Jesus, You were often questioned by those who did not receive what You said, nor accept what You did.  Help me, I pray, to not be hindered by those around me who want whatever it is they want.  Help me to receive the Good News You have given that I may now and always walk humbly with You and rejoice that You have sent those who speak the sweet words of truth.  Amen.

“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.  For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully” (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).

The simple truth of Jesus joining us with Him forever is often lost by those who proclaim either another Jesus, or else some addition to the simplicity of following Jesus.  Hold fast to what was first given you that You may not be led astray by all of the false things that are all around.  Jesus said, “Come, follow me.”  He meant it.  Know that the shades of gray are not the truth.  Jesus is!

Lord, as You have given the Gospel with utter simplicity, so also You have made the path easy.  Help me to not get caught up in all of the nonsense of this world, nor listen to all of the mental wrangling that goes on.  Guide me in Your goodness to see that in You alone is all hope, for it is You who made us and made possible the way of grace.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth.

Lord Jesus, You said that You are the way, the only way, and that those who know Your voice will follow You.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I would now and forever look to You, my Lord and Savior, as the One who is to be followed.  Guide me in Your goodness as You know I need to be guided and hold me fast to the true Gospel that I may be one reflecting Your light into the darkness of this world.  Amen.

“I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me.  For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin” (2 Corinthians 11:1-2).

If you look at the truth simply it should not be difficult to see that Paul is telling us something profoundly true.  We are swayed by this world and it is poison.  Why should we hold back when another is eating the poison of this world and we passionately speak to them of the truth.  We have been purified in Christ and He desires that we be His.  Should we not learn to be faithful?

Lord, this world tells us to sow wild oats, go for the gusto, and feel all we can feel.  But You have come that we may have life and have it abundantly.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I may walk blamelessly before You.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in You alone is all hope and an eternal future.  Lead me in, toward, and through You in all of my life for Your sake.

Lord Jesus, You gave up Your life upon this earth for us that we may live into the life You offer by Your grace.  There is no business more serious than this.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I may walk humbly with You and live into the life You give.  Lead me that I too would be jealous for the right and good things You offer.  Help me learn from You what it is to be faithful.  Amen.

“But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord.  For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends” (2 Corinthians 10:17-18).

The world loves to brag about all that it has or will accomplish.  The world tells the same story over and over again.  The Lord tells You that everything is His, for He made it.  What kind of people then ought we to be?  We have been set free from the death of sin in order to live in love and harmony with the One through whom and for whom all things were made.  Live or die, that is the question.

Lord, I live this life from the inside out.  You have come to free me from this trap that I may live in the truth that all is Yours.  Guide me away from self-thinking that I may walk freely in the truth You have revealed for all.  You are the way, truth, and life and where can we go but to You who is the One through whom and for whom all things exist.  Lead me upward in You that I may live as You have created life to be.

Lord Jesus, there are many things I do not understand, nor do I need to.  Lead me in the way of truth, Lord, that I would walk humbly with You every day, beginning with today.  You have created me and called me to live into the life You are remaking through salvation.  Guide me that I may learn more in preparation for the new life You have promised.  Amen.

“For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ; not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you, so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another” (2 Corinthians 10:14-16).

On being a Christian: it is not about any other person but Christ Jesus who has come to lead all who will follow into eternal life with and through Him.  If we stay in our sins, we think in terms of me, myself, and I.  If we realize that Christ has come to free us from sin, death, and the devil, we realize that our life is about the eternal kingdom.  Come then into freedom and life.

Lord, I do so focus upon myself, what I think, and how I think things ought to be.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I would walk with You, knowing that You have already overcome sin and are building up those who will be with You forever.  Lead me as Your disciple that I would walk with You doing what You give me to do, knowing that in You is all hope and an eternal future.

Lord Jesus, when You said, “It is finished,” You were serious.  Help me realize that I do not always know what I am doing, but that You do.  Help me to live into this life that You have given me that I would walk humbly with You my Savior and listen as You speak.  Help me share the simple message of truth that You have given once for all of us and live in the Gospel way.  Amen.

“For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding.  But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you” (2 Corinthians 10:12-13).

To whom will you compare yourself?  Is it to others?  Fellow sinners?  The world does this, comparing the imperfect with the imperfect.  Christ has called for us to follow Him.  He knows you are not perfect, but says, “Come and I will make you.”  Follow the Lord and let the One who knows do all that is needed that you may be like He is.  Do not be led astray by those who are opposed to the simplicity of salvation.

Lord, I get caught up by those who look powerful, or by those with smooth speech.  Help me instead to listen to You who has spoken the words of eternal life.  Guide me in Your goodness that I would not settle for anything less that walking with You all the days of my life.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I may be guided by You above all the other voices around me in this world.

Lord Jesus, You have spoken the words of eternal life.  You call us to You that we may now and always be guided by Your goodness.  Lead me this day, O Lord, that I may now and always see and hear what You reveal and speak.  Give me eyes to see the insanity of this world and ears to hear Your word of truth amidst the noise of this age.  In You alone, O Lord, is my hope and eternity.  Amen.

“For they say, “His letters are weighty and strong, but his personal presence is unimpressive and his speech contemptible.”  Let such a person consider this, that what we are in word by letters when absent, such persons we are also in deed when present” (2 Corinthians 10:10-11).

How we sinners love to weigh others in our own eyes.  He or she is this or that because of whatever.  We do not know the heart of another, but when we experience them, we do know something.  Listen and learn.  Be willing to receive when the Lord speaks.  Whether you like another or not, they are an image bearer and are loved by the Lord as you are.  Come through this age of sin and learn that the Lord will not leave you as you are.

Lord, I am so influenced by all of the attitudes that fly around me.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I would be guided by You and not by the whims of this world.  Help me now and always to see that in You is all hope.  Help me to not judge others, but to instead see that in and through You we are all saved.  Guide me to do my part as You call and direct me.

Lord Jesus, it is said in the Word that You were not anything special to look at.  But Your Words have been impossible to refute.  Yet You too were constantly being discredited by those who did not want to hear Your Word of truth.  Lead me, O Lord, in the truth that I may humbly walk with You now and forever.  Help me receive, by whomever and whenever, Your Word.  Amen.

“For even if I boast somewhat further about our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be put to shame, for I do not wish to seem as if I would terrify you by my letters” (2 Corinthians 10:8-9).

The law does confront and destroys the illusion that without Christ we can do things the right way.  Yes, we all need to be confronted, but not to be destroyed, but in order that we may be lifted up.  Look closely at this simple difference and do not fall into the camp that is terrified by the law, but be overwhelmed by the love, grace, and mercy of our Lord and Savior.

Lord, the church has been fighting all along about how much law and how much grace is necessary.  Help me to live with You as You direct me in everything day by day.  Guide me in Your goodness that I would now and always look to You, the author of my faith, to lead me in the direction I need to go.  In Your goodness, lift me up and direct the footsteps of my path.

Lord Jesus, You are the only One the law could not convict.  You did for us what we cannot do for ourselves.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I would now and forever be guided by Your goodness to seek each day to so follow You that I become a little more like You.  Keep me from fear of men and lead me by Your goodness, grace and mercy.  Help me now and always to learn from You what it means to be faithful.  Amen.