Are We There Yet?

Ruth 3; Ruth 4; Psalm 64; Psalm 65; 2 Corinthians 6
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Scripture

2 Corinthians 6

3 We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. 4 In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 5 We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. 6 We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love.

7 We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us.
We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. 8 We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. 9 We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed.

10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

Observation

As I read this about Paul’s life I realize that I am definitely not there yet! I am so far away of having the commitment to Christ that Paul lived out. Verse ten especially speaks to me this morning, “Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.”

Paul was evidently from a family that had possessions and stuff. He intentionally left all of that to live a life of an itinerant evangelist. He made a decision to be poor so that others could be spiritually rich. I am not there yet. How about you?

Jesus gave us the same example as He lived out His life. He had no home of His own.

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death-- even death on a cross! 9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Philippians 2:5-11

Application

I will look for someone to share my spiritual and physical riches with this week.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to follow the example of Paul and Jesus. Help me not to be worried about accumulating stuff. It is good to intentionally do without so others can be rich. I am so far from having a heart like Paul or Jesus in this area, but it is my desire to be more and more like them.

I am rich. I don’t lack one thing. I have everything. There is not one thing that I need that I do not have and if there becomes a need in my life I know where to go to have that need met. Thank you for making me so rich. I am so blessed. Thank you for a great Lord’s Day yesterday. I pray that this Easter Sunday would be a day that brings You much glory.

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