Good Morning, Family!

Today’s readings are 2 Corinthians 5-9

Read today’s Bible readings at BibleGateway by clicking here.

Rabbit Trails

Super quick notes today. This is your reward for putting up with my longer winded days.

2 Cor 5:1 When we read about the tent that is our earthly home, the Greek word is skenouse which means tabernacle or temporary dwelling. This made my heart smile with the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) almost here!* It’s my favorite of all of the Biblical Feasts. Of course, in this context it is referring to our earthly bodies.

*I wrote these notes when our cycle concluded in October. Tabernacles is in the fall. ❤️

2 Cor 5:7 We walk by faith and not by sight and Paul tells us this should bring us courage. Like I said yesterday, we need to put our full faith in YHWH – and leave it there!  Refresher below, have you said it today?

2 Cor 5:16 We should be regarding no one in their flesh. One of the best ways to achieve this is to ask the Father to help you to see and love people as He sees and loves them. This is a life changing (and heart expanding) prayer!

2 Cor 5:17 What is the new? YHWH’s law written on our hearts. The Holy Spirit dwelling within us. Our debt is paid and we are washed clean in our Messiah! But do we go on sinning? Not if we are sincere. We follow Messiah’s directive in John 8:11.

2 Cor 6:3 Paul declares that he and his fellow preachers of the gospel have gone to great lengths to make sure they did not do anything that would be a stumbling block for anyone. His goal is to bring people to the Messiah. How do we do that? By letting His light shine from within us.

What are stumbling blocks we could inadvertently put in the way of others? Harshness is one. Being abrasive and argumentative. Claiming to follow YHWH but speaking with an unkind mouth or holding up idols that contradict YHWH’s Word. Judging those new or young in the faith, or those seeking to learn of the faith. In this day and age, I would encourage you, as always, to go counter culture. See which way the world is going and then go in the opposite direction. With that in mind, I would argue that compassion and kindness should rule this day for Believers.

2 Cor 6:8 took my breath away!

We are treated as imposters, yet are true…

The world is on a crash course and that crash course is a wide path. Unfortunately, millions who call themselves by His name yet don’t give Him authority in their lives are taking that path as well. The Father tells us that His followers will be but a remnant (Isaiah 10:20-21 for starters). Stand ready to be condemned as an imposter by the wide path crowd. If it hasn’t happened already, you have my word that it will. When they do that, don’t bite back. Follow the example of our Yeshua and show them love and compassion instead. That is the light that will bring others to Him.

I realize that 2 Cor 6:14-16 feels harsh and even unkind by the world’s view, but I have seen firsthand, experienced, and know that this wisdom is pure and it proves true. Whoever you associate with in your inner will either bring you closer to the Father or pull you away from Him. MAKE SURE AS MANY OF YOUR CONNECTIONS AS POSSIBLE ARE WHOLEHEARTEDLY SEEKNG AFTER HIM.

These are the people who will inspire you as you run your race! They will challenge you to try harder, love deeper, and seek Him with every fiber of your being. Likewise, be alert and discerning with those who seek to pull you away, the ones who discourage you, who give you misinformation about the Word, or who twist YHWH’s word to suit them (even if unintentionally). These people should be shown kindness but kept at arms length at best. It seems innocent but we have been warned repeatedly of the falling away which often begins innocently by us having our fervor and passion for the Father snuffed out by a lukewarm water carrier.

2 Cor 7:9-10

As it is, I rejoice, not because you were grieved, but because you were grieved into repenting. For you felt a godly grief, so that you suffered no loss through us. For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Cor 7:9-10

Have you had times in your life in which you were admonished for your behavior and, rather than accept the wisdom, you got offended? I sure have. A person who is led by the Holy Spirit understands that any sin is a sin against the Father and He will lead them to repent, not so that they will feel bad or sink into a depression, but so that they can turn from that sin because it separates them from Him – and come more fully into His presence. Godly grief produces repentance that leads to salvation, without regret. The reward for repentance is more of Him!

2 Cor 8:10 And in this matter I give my judgment: this benefits you, who a year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it

Where does the desire to live according to YHWH’s Will come from? The Holy Spirit within us. It’s not just a matter of checking off the boxes. It’s a matter of wanting to walk in His will because we love Him so much. Some people will say we don’t “have to” obey the commandments or live by the Bible and that is true. We don’t have to. But the Holy spirit gives us the “want to” and then it doesn’t feel like a “we have to” but instead a “we get to!”.

We GET to serve our King today! May we honor Him in word and deed, in our comings and our goings, this day and all those still to come.

Test everything, hold tight to what is good.~ 1 Thess 5:21

We are saved by Grace alone: Obedience is not the root of our salvation, it is the fruit!

May YHWH bless the reading of His Word!

Print This Post Print This Post

Christy Jordan
Latest posts by Christy Jordan (see all)