The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Corinthians 12:14-15,
"Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?"
The love Paul had for the brothers and sisters in the fellowships he founded is a wonder to behold. Here is a man who, years earlier, persecuted believers. "Meanwhile, Saul [Paul] was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem." Acts 9:1-2.
But he encountered Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus! "As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' 'Who are you, Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' he replied." Acts 9:3-5.
Paul was called by the Lord to be his apostle to the Gentiles and received the Holy Spirit who indwelt him and energized him, changing him from within.
We read of the kinds of things the Holy Spirit does in the lives of those whom he indwells (all of us believers have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, "And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ." Romans 8:9b). The change within us includes things like, "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23. Paul certainly had these in full measure.
How wonderful it is to find Christian leaders today who follow in Paul's footsteps, who are energized by the Holy Spirit, who reflect that in their love for others. Rather than seeing others from the standpoint of what others can do for his or her ministry, seeing them from a standpoint of how he or she can serve them, expending themselves in the lives of others, just as Paul did!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less?"
The love Paul had for the brothers and sisters in the fellowships he founded is a wonder to behold. Here is a man who, years earlier, persecuted believers. "Meanwhile, Saul [Paul] was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord's disciples. He went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem." Acts 9:1-2.
But he encountered Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus! "As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' 'Who are you, Lord?' Saul asked. 'I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,' he replied." Acts 9:3-5.
Paul was called by the Lord to be his apostle to the Gentiles and received the Holy Spirit who indwelt him and energized him, changing him from within.
We read of the kinds of things the Holy Spirit does in the lives of those whom he indwells (all of us believers have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us, "And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ." Romans 8:9b). The change within us includes things like, "love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control." Galatians 5:22-23. Paul certainly had these in full measure.
How wonderful it is to find Christian leaders today who follow in Paul's footsteps, who are energized by the Holy Spirit, who reflect that in their love for others. Rather than seeing others from the standpoint of what others can do for his or her ministry, seeing them from a standpoint of how he or she can serve them, expending themselves in the lives of others, just as Paul did!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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