Jen

Q4. (2 Corinthians 8:21-22) What is the balance between living our lives wholly before God without being men-pleasers, and doing what is right in the sight of men We do as Christ asks of us. There is no balance here. We obey our Lord wholly and completely. What He expects of one might not be what He expects of another. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q3. (2 Corinthians 8:9) What riches did Christ have according to this verse? How did he become poor? In what way were we poor? In what way have we become rich? Christ owns it all for all of eternity. He gave up His riches temporarily to come down and dwell with us in poverty (in more ways than one was our poverty. Without Christ we are poor. We have a terrible eternity of suffering ahead and whille on this earth we are mean and selfish. There is no good thing in us without Christ, without the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. We have gained it all in Christ. We have peace with God whether rich or poor, we have joy inour Lord. We are indeed rich. I like what Matthew Henry says: "We should be charitable toward the poor out of what we have, because we ourselves live on the charity of the Lord Jesus Christ." Amen to that! God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q4. (2 Corinthians 11:23-28) How do Paul’s sufferings help authenticate his claim to be an apostle? What do these sufferings tell us about Paul’s commitment? How does this account inspire you – or convict you? How will you be different from having pondered it? They show he is genuine for the Lord and His gospel. Paul has a thing called zeal and there is no lukewarmness in him. He is not in it for money or prestige. He understands just what is at stake and the task and difficulties he will face. Paul walks the walk he talks. His concern for the church is not to be outdone by any except our Lord. It was a heavy burden on Him so He rejoiced when they did well and mourned (deeply) when they strayed and was quick to set them straight. It is all the more impressive because Paul I think didn't like conflict however he confronted anyway. He was a little out of his comfort zone in many areas. He let nothing deter him from his mission of spreading the gospel, seeing souls saved and supporting his little churches. Maybe we aren't doing what Paul did however God has placed each of us in our present circumstances and place and He expects us to be little Pauls where we are planted. Maywe each be inspired to persevere in tough times and to love our Lord always with fervent love. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q3. (2 Corinthians 11:7-9) Why do you think Paul refused to require the Corinthians to support him? How did this help his ministry? How did it contribute to them taking him for granted? How can we honor Christian workers, clergy and lay, who give of their time sacrificially to minister for Christ? How will Christ honor them? Paul refused to ask money from the Corinthians to avoid being accused of being in it for the money. Which seems odd as they could see how much he had suffered. What good would money do if you were constantly being harrassed, imprisioned, in fear for your life, left for dead after being beaten by mobs. No Paul was genuine in his love for the Lord and spreading His gospel and for the churches he started and it showed. We can honor Christian clergy by praying for them, supporting in whatever way we can, words of encouragement and loving the Lord ourselves as an example for others to see. Christ will honor them fully for their service for all eternity. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q2. (2 Corinthians 12:10) What was the life-changing lesson that Paul learned from God when God denied his prayer? How does our self-sufficiency limit God’s power through our lives? Can we become dependent upon God without having to experience some “thorn in the flesh” ourselves? The life changing lesson to me was that God's grace was (and is) sufficient. I remember one time questioning God's grace (how does it help me?). Then I learned a definition of God's grace, His favor, lovingkindness and mercy. Wow!! I will take His grace anytime. I already know I am weak. I know that I am here for a reason and that the purpose for my life is up to God to perform and not me. I don't even know what it is except no matter where we live I live for HIm. However His grace, now this is something I can get into. His grace is sufficient for me in all circumstances. THank you Lord for your grace. Amazing Grace! I guess if we want to do it He will let us and we will fail (maybe time and time again until we finally get it). CAn we become dependent upon God without having to experience some thorn ourselves? I don't know however I doubt it. "Let me O Lord be fully dependent on you". May I have the wisdom to know that I am fully dependant on Him. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q1. (2 Corinthians 12:7) Why was this “thorn in the flesh” given to Paul? What purpose did God want to achieve through this in Paul’s character? How can something be both used by God and be caused by Satan’s destructive work? How does this verse relate to Romans 8:28 and Genesis 50:20? The thorn was given to keep Paul humble because of the exceedingly great revelation(s) he had received. The character issue could have been many things. Kindness and patience in pain, relying on God more fully, the beautiful work that humility performs in our character, submitting more fully to God , a guiet, gentle spirit. God can use anything for our good. It doesn't mean that the thing was good only that God can use it for good IF we submit to His will and guidance. Satan is always trying to trip up God's children and God always can outwit our vindictive enemy. Our God has the ultimate power and knows all. What an awesome God we serve! God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q2. (2 Corinthians 11:1-5) What does it feel like when a congregation loses its pure devotion to Jesus Christ, and instead takes on other motivations for its religious observance? In what ways is this like the church at Ephesus losing its “first love” (Revelation 2:4)? How can this purity of devotion be restored? It is artificial, doesn't last, boring, lukewarm, a new toy can easily replace it. Jesus is our first love. I don't believe any of us "really" knew love before Jesus. This church has lost its love for Jesus and replaced it with perishable, artificial phonyness (did I spell that right?). Repent, ask forgiveness and to be filled with the Holy Spirit. Paul knew what was important and we need to also. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q1. (2 Corinthians 10:3-6) Why does Paul liken his dealing with his opponents in Corinth with reducing a city wall by siege and then taking its citizens captive? Is Paul talking about a victory by the use of incisive logic or is there a spiritual stronghold here, one that derives its power from Satan’s kingdom? Paul recognized the battle, the stakes, and the enemy and his nature. The battle was spiritual and prayer and logic were used here. The strongholds are spiritual and the battle is spiritual. It is not fought in the flesh but on our knees. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q2. (2 Corinthians 8:4, 7-9, 19) What does grace have to do with giving? What does giving look like when it isn’t accompanied by grace? What does it look like when grace prompts your giving? I need God's grace for everything in the Christian walk. It is by His grace we are saved and by His grace we are kept. Why would it be any different with giving (we can be so stingy and selfish, at least I have seen it in myself), or loving when we are not loved, or bing gracious when unappreciated. We need God's grace! What does giving look like when not accompanied by grace? Ugly at best. What does it look like when prompted by God's grace? Joyful and loving! God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Do not be misled: "Bad company corrupts good character." 1 Corinthians 15:33 Run from it before it drags you down! God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q3. (2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1) What kind of separation is Paul calling the Corinthians to? How can they strike a balance between separating themselves from sinful practices that mess up their spiritual lives while at the same time maintaining friendships with pagan neighbors and co-workers? We are to desire holy living and so we are to separate ourselves from any unholy living or life standards. We are in this world to bring glory to God's name, to win souls for Him, and to learn how to live holy lives ourselves. It requires knowing what is a holy life, what is clean and unclean. It also requires areas of ackwardness as we leave groups that are practicing the "ways of this world" or speak out publicly against somethings that are wrong but popular. We are to love God and what He desires more than our own comfort or desire to fit in so as not to feel lonely or feel the sting of persecution and pain. I am in a difficult circumstance right now with someone else. Please remember that person and me in your prayers. And I do feel fear and thank God for it (the fear) because it will drive me right to my knees and to the throne of grace for mercy to help in time of need. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q1. (2 Corinthians 8:1-5) Why is it so difficult to give when we are stressed by circumstances and bills and pressures? What can we learn from the example of the Macedonians and the poor widow? How will this lesson affect your own giving? Our circumstances are ever so present with us and the outside pressures. I think we have a responsibility to pay what we owe. Otherwise how would God look. Sometimes we can't help getting behind with medical or special needs. However if we have anything left do we keep for ourselves or give generously to those unfortunates who are suffering needs that we could help with. I think we are happier when we give to others as we are able. The joy of having some money is being able to help others. In a way it shows what we love or who we love. I have never had a lot of money so I don't know how I would handle it however I would hope I would be joyfully generous. And I believe that I feel that way with little also. When I have gotten a selfish streak in me I am a most miserable soul so I don't enjoy it anyway. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q4. (2 Corinthians 7:5) What are the distinctions between fear, faith, and courage? Why is being honest about our fears better than pretending we don’t have any fears? How did Paul deal with his fears? Fist let me say that I can't add much to the answers already given. Thank you all for you help me when there is no time to think in silence. Fear is what we feel when there is danger or maybe the unknown. It can strike suddenly and without warning. Faith is believing God, that He is who He says He is and will keep His promises. Courage is going on in spite of the fears because we have confidence in and from God. When we voice our fears we are honest with other believers who have many times like feelings. I love Paul's honesty. And sometimes, somehow when we voice our fears they aren't so fearful anymore. Paul faced his fears head on because He was focused wholly on His God. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q2. (2 Corinthians 6:14-18) What are the reasons Paul gives us – both in his letter and by quoting Old Testament scriptures – that we should live holy lives? What kinds of temptations did the Corinthians face in their notorious city. God walks among believers and we are His people. He who is 100% Holy walks among us. That ought to make us think. Thank you God that you walk among us because no one else does. Thank you for never leaving us, never forsaking us in this dark place. We are holy ourselves. How am I holy? I have the Holy Spirit residing in me and Christ paid that prices of prices for me. Thank you Lord, when no one else cares you are there and I want my walk with you to be holy. Believers are God's own special children. I, me, I who am an outsider here am one of your own special children. The Corinthians were attached to idols and sexual sins. How opposite of God. Our adversary much have thrown all at them to get them to return to their sty of sin and darkness the same as he throws all at us. Thank you Lord that you are my strength, my salvation which I can never loose. " How marvelous, How wonderful is my Saviors love for me." God Bless all! Jen Romans 15:13

Q4. (2 Corinthians 5:18-6:2) If you, then, are called to be an urgent agent of reconcilia-tion, how is this likely to affect your daily life? How will it affect how people perceive you? How will it affect how God perceives you? I strive to do the task set before me in a way that will bring glory to God, not on my own strength rather relying on the power of the Holy Spirit. I believe they look upon me as an object of curiosity (Psalm 71:7). A faithful servant, a friend. I am still a work in process and He and I both know that. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q1. (2 Corinthians 6:3-13) Why do you think Paul shares so much about his various struggles with the Corinthians? How does this help them accept his apostleship as authentic? Have you ever complained about what you’ve had to put up with in your ministry? How does it compare to what Paul faced? I think the Corinthians added Christ on to their lives and kept everything as it was. Paul showed them what was expected as a Christian. Our lives are to change. Our characters are to be developed to be more like Christ and we are to live lives that honor and serve Him, not ourselves. We will find much opposition from others when this happens. There is a difference between groaning and grumbling. Sometimes I find myself grumbling and then I need an attutude fix. We will groan as Christians. The work is hard, grueling and unrewarding in human terms. However in God's eyes there is an approval if we continue in the faith and work. We need the help of the Holy Spirit. We need to pray for each other. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q3. (2 Corinthians 5:21) In what sense did Jesus “become sin” on our behalf? In what sense do we “become righteousness”? Jesus who was sinless took on Himself our sin when He paid the price for our sin and when we accepted His sacrifice for us as the only way to God we (who had no righteousness) took on ourselves His righteousness. It was a free gift from God and it was accomplished wholly by God. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q1. (2 Corinthians 5:16-17) What does verse 17 teach us about the nature of a new believer? What changes in a person when he puts his faith in Christ? Why don’t old habits disappear immediately if everything has become new? Our old way of looking at life and living it has changed. We now look at things through God's eyes by the power of the Holy Spirit. We desire to live for Christ, we are excited by His Word, we eagerly desire to learn more about God and His love for us, His grace, His mercy. We are still in this body of sin and decay and the old nature still fights to retain control. Old habits can be hard to break and we still have to learn that somethings are no longer right for us. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q4. (2 Corinthians 5:10-11a) How does Paul’s mention of the Judgment Seat of Christ fit the context here? How should our belief that we Christians will appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ to be judged for our works affect (1) our desire to please him? (2) Our motivation to persuade people to receive Christ? We will all appear before the Judgement seat of Christ. As believers it will be for rewards and as non believers it will be for eternal judgement. I cannot imagine the terror for those who don't know Him. It will be terror. So I ask God to grant me the grace to live ina way that is pleasing to Him in an effort to win those who don't know Him not for rewards for me because it will be of His grace given but for those poor souls in that terrible place before the Holy and Just God of the universe. God Bless! Jen Romans 6:24-26 We need to pray for each other.

Q3. (2 Corinthians 5:7) What does it mean to walk by faith, not by sight? Why can’t nonbelievers understand this kind of living? What aspects of your life are guided by your senses rather than by your faith? How can you bring a faith perspective into these areas? I really like 1 Peter 1:8 Even though I have never seen Him I love HIm. Amazing! There is a praise song maybe by Maranatha (don't remember) about this verse. I think it was in their scripture memory albums. Nonbelievers have the "wool" pulled over their eyes by that dastardly adversary and we need to pray for them so they too can love Him whom they have not seen. What a privilege He has given us to love Him and believe in Him before we see Him. I guess we shall fall at His feet in total adoration and worship. WE have our senses for a reason. We need our eyes to see where we are going, our ears to hear and our mouths to communicate. These are for our earthly living in these bodies. Faith guides us along paths which others cannot see and might contradict what senses tell them. We let our faith be our trail blazer to take us where God wants us for His glory, our good, and souls for Him. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q2. (2 Corinthians 5:6-8) How do Paul's words comfort you when you consider your death? What do Christians believe happens when we die? What will happen to us if we die before Christ returns? What will happen to us when Christ returns? Absent from the body and at home with the Lord. What can be more comforting than that. Ironside emphasizes the difference between the our man and the innerman.The outer detertiorates ,eventually is no longer, the inner man is renewed. It is the inner man that is immediately after this earthly tent is no longer living that goes to be with the Lord. If we die before Christ returns our spirits go immediately to be with the Lord. As I understand when Christ returns our spirits, souls will be reunited with our perfected bodies to be forever with our Savior. As I think of those who have gone on, they are alive now. They are walkng around, busy and at home with their Lord, the Lord Jesus Christ. They are more alive than we are right now. That is how I see it and it is exciting, and we need not fear when we are in Christ. We need only to anticipate when our stop comes. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q1. (2 Corinthians 5:1-5) In what sense are our bodies like tents? If we were to truly look forward to our “house not made with hands,” how would it affect our daily lives here? Everyone had such nice answers. I guess what I think about in tents is cloth eventually getting holes and torn and needing repair until there is no more that can be done and then it is tossed into the junk heap. Our bodies need constant care here with good food and exercise but eventually things start going wrong until it seems it just gives out. It is temporary because this life is temporary however when this gives out we go to our new home with a new body that will never need repair and is permanent. Some of that I find hard to imagine. We have moved many times and I always had a little fear and trepidation of the unknown. Maybe that is why sometimes I feel a little trepidation about what I know is coming or maybe its changes I see in me that I am uncertain about. I can no longer keep the pace I used too. However I know I need not fear either here or moving home. Anyway to answer the question (at last) I do not focus so much on little do dads but on essentials for life here knowing eventually everything here will be in the burned up and more on doing the job God has given me during my brief stay here. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q5. (2 Corinthians 4:15-18) In what way do problems and physical deterioration help us toward “an eternal weight of glory”? Why is it so easy to focus on temporal matters to the exclusion of eternal things? Why is a focus on eternal things so important to our spiritual growth? What can we do to help shift our focus? Our faith grows and we mature in Christ through our problems. If I never had any I would be a shallow wingding. So I thank my God for my struggles, afflictions and that when I get home I will have something to show for my fleeting moments on this earth to those who have gone before who have suffered much for their Lord. Temporal things are kind of in your face matters that are ever distracting us from our true Help. I forget to go to Him sometimes and think it is up to me. How silly! I can't solve most things however I know the One who can. Ohh when we focus on Him we are more like Him. How sweet it is! To shift our focus pick up our Bible, be constant in prayer and listen to the still small voice of the Spirit within us. God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13

Q4. (2 Corinthians 4:8-12) How does it encourage you to know that Paul went through tremendous stress and pressure? What effect did these sufferings have on the way people could see Christ in Paul? Why is pain necessary to spiritual growth? How does our pain allow others to assess our authenticity as Christians? I'm not sure how it encourages me but it does. We are an army for God (peaceful and armed with the truth, faith, and the gospel of our Lord). I guess it encourages me in that Paul didn't give up but kept on with forward vision and with a clear goal, our Lord's glory. As Christ suffered we are expected to suffer to the death if called to that. We are an army. It is through pain that we grow. It forms our character to the likeness of Christ. Our pain shows that we have something worthwhile to suffer for. A great treasure that cannot be described in words but through our actions, sticktoitivness. Our God is worthy. We are an army. God Bless!! Jen Romans 15:13 "Let the world despise and leave me, They have left my Savior too, Human hearts and looks deceive me, Thou art not like them untrue."

Q3. (2 Corinthians 4:7) What truth is Paul seeking to communicate by this analogy of a treasure in a pottery jar? What does the clay jar represent? What does the treasure represent? What’s the paradox here? We are perishable, Jesus is imperishable, we are corruptible, Jesus is incorruptible, we are mortal, Jesus is immortal. We are earthly, Jesus is heavenly. We are opposite now of what we will be when we go to heaven and be with and have bodies like our hope, our Lord Jesus Christ! God Bless! Jen Romans 15:13