Faith Joy & Coffee

“Now I, Paul, myself am pleading with you
by the meekness and gentleness of Christ”
– 2 Corinthians 10:1 –

In 2 Corinthians 10, the apostle Paul reminds us that he always behaved as a servant to God and other people. But, once in a while, religious leaders need to show resoluteness and authority.

Three basic teachings are highlighted:

1. Submitting our life in obedience to God (vv. 2-6). All the Heavenly Father’s sons and daughters should live in obedience and commitment to God’s leading.
2. Boasting in the Lord. If we have some success, if we do something well, if we stand out in something, the credit is not ours; the credit is always God’s because He gives us the ability to be successful in life.
   Those who praise themselves are not receiving approval, but only the ones who the Lord praises. Success can make us think that we are good, or that we are better than others. We need to be conscious that praising ourselves is a deadly path to pride and arrogance. What is the solution, then?
3. Living in the light of God’s approval (vv. 14-18). All the honor, credit, all our gratitude and commitment to God, everything we have and are, is thanks to God. This entire path of blessings begins with a profound prayer life. Pastor Luther Gibbs suggests practicing the following alphabet  of prayer:

Adoration. Recognize that we are in the presence of God, who is holy, majestic, and powerful; capable of supplying all needs.
Blessing. Recognize what God has done for us and thank and praise His Name.
Confession. Acknowledging our sins and asking God for forgiveness for those sins. Confession must be both general because of our sinful nature, and specific about the current faults we have committed.
Desire. Recognize our needs and desires and elevate these petitions to God. We should pray for others, but we must also do it for ourselves.

“Consecrate yourself to God in the morning; make this your very first work.
Let your prayer be, ‘Take me, O Lord, as wholly Thine.
I lay all my plans at Thy feet. Use me today in Thy service.
Abide with me, and let all my work be wrought in Thee.’
This is a daily matter. Each morning consecrate yourself to God
for that day. Surrender all your plans to Him, to be carried out
or given up as His providence shall indicate. Thus day by day
you may be giving your life into the hands of God, and thus
your life will be molded more and more after the life of Christ”
(Steps to Christ, p. 70).

Be blessed…

“So let each one give as he purposes in his heart,
not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver”
– 2 Corinthians 9:7 –

Is it the amount or the disposition to give which counts? What does a “cheerful giver” mean? It means to give spontaneously, with pleasure, proportionally, and voluntarily. This principle should be applied both to the tithe and offerings. In the cas of tithe, we return the part which belongs to the Lord; therefore, it requires faithfulness. For offerings, generosity is required. In both cases, the giver should be “cheerful.”

People are happy when they receive, not when they give.
Being cheerful while giving is having the Spirit of Jesus.

Why does God love the cheerful giver? Does God in fact have favorites? He loves everyone, but He feels a special satisfaction when He is honored by the motivation of the cheerful giver. The moon reflects the light and brightness coming from the sun. It does not selfishly keep the light to itself.

The greatest argument for the reason He loves a cheerful giver is that God is a cheerful giver, to the point that He did not spare His own Son. Would we give our children to save our enemies? He gives to us without us asking and without us deserving it. Everything we have and are we owe to Him. It is only because He is a cheerful giver to us, we can become cheerful givers to Him.

Charles Spurgeon asked, “Have you placed your trust in Jesus? If your heart belongs to the Lord, and you have been washed in His bloos, always remember that God loves a cheerful giver.”

The spirit of selfishness is the spirit of satan. The principle illustrated in the lives of worldlings is to get, get, and get. Thus, they hope to secure happiness and ease, but the fruit of their sowing is misery and death. The spirit of liberality is the spirit of heaven. This spirit finds its highest manifestation in Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. In our behalf the Father gave His only begotten Son; and Christ, having given up all that He had, then gave Himself, that man might be saved. The cross of Calvary should appeal to the benevolence of every follower of the Savior. The principle there illustrated is to give, give, and give. “He that saith he abides in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked” (The Acts of the Apostles, p. 339).

Whoever has the spirit of Heaven is a cheerful giver
who blesses others, blesses himself, and glorifies God.

Let us be cheerful givers, may the Love and Peace of our Lord be with you…

“Now concerning the ministering to the saints,
it is superfluous for me to write to you”
– 2 Corinthians 9:1 –

In 2 Corinthians 9, Paul keeps encouraging generosity. He highlights the value of trusting in God and serving people, which will lead us to better fulfill the mission.

The apostle says that the harvest will correspond to sowing (v. 6). We must plant a lot if we want abundant fruits. The chapter concludes with gratitude for “His indescribable Gift” (v. 15), which is Christ, our Lord.

That is why we should be like Maradona. No, I am not referring to Diego Maradona, the former soccer player, but to Dr. Esteban Laureano Maradona, a man who was upright, helpful, caring, and generous like few others.

Dr. Maradona was born in 1895, in the city of Esperanza, Santa Fe, in Argentina, and studied to become a doctor at the University of Buenos Aires. He was also a scientist, professor, botanist, writer, and reporter.

When he was forty years old, the course of his life changed forever. He was travelling by train toward the north of Argentina, to visit his brother. The old locomotive stoppped in the small town of Formosa. In the hills, a woman in labor was teetering between life and death. And that is where the doctor headed. Maradona was able to save the mother and the baby.

When he returned, the train had already left. A multitude of sick people asked to be helped, and yes, he stayed there. During the next fifty years he cured lepers, dealt with bullet wounds and gangrene, helped with deliveries by moonlight, and was a pediatrician without running water. He never accepted payment. “With the oxygen in the air and the water that falls from heaven I have enough. I don’t have any reason to complain,” would Dr. Maradona say over and over again.

He died in 1995, at ninety-nine years of age. He was nominated three times for the Nobel Prize and was awarded the United Nations Public Service Award. But his greatest accomplishment was working with Indigenous people and the poor, who surrounded him with affection and recognition for his humility and his dedication to his profession.

He summarized his own life this way: “If any merits assist me in the performance of my profession, they are very limited. I have done nothing but fulfill the classic oath to do good. It has often been said that living in austerity and solidarity means giving up oneself. In reality, it means completely fulfilling the magnificent purpose of which we were created.”

Like Dr. Maradona, or better yet, Paul and Jesus,
let us live by giving ourselves completely,
because “That is what I consider true generosity:
you give your all, and yet you always feel
as if it costs you nothing” – Simone de Beauvoir –

Let us give our all, may you be blessed…

“And not only as we had hoped, but they first gave themselves to the Lord,
and then to us by the will of God”
– 2 Corinthians 8:5 –

A merciful life is spiritual, holy, and faithful, and places everything we have and are at the feet of the Lord. It is a response to God’s mercy. Love and faithfulness toward God are manifested as love and faithfulness to others. From this love toward God flows a fraternal love among men.

In this chapter, the grace of God and the mercy of the believers are evident in their generous actions toward the needy. For Paul, a merciful life aims to fulfill the needs of others, and is evidenced in the following ways:

1. A sincere contribution: A believer’s generosity is the result of God’s blessings and an opportunity to demonstrate the authenticity of that love. It implies the sincerity to recognize oneself as the administrator and not the proprietor of God’s resources.
2. A voluntary contribution: The good example of the Macedonians was not meant to create rivalry or competition. The contribution had to be free. No cause, however good it may be, can be motivated by pride, vanity, and selfishness.
3. A realistic contribution: According to the possibilities each one had, proportionally. With good will, even a small amount is acceptable.
4. A trustworthy contribution: The reference should always be Christ who, being rich due to His attributes as part of the Deity, made Himself poor (Phil. 2:7) – in other words, was incarnated into our misery – in order to enrich us and provide us a new life and an inheritance.

“The Pieta” is a sculpture from the Italian Renaissance created by Michalangelo Buonarrotu in 1499, when he was only twenty-four years old. the work is now found in the St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. The sculpture represents a scene which does not appear in the Gospels, where Mary holds the dead body of Christ after He was taken down from the cross.

The sculpture is made of Carrara marble. Marble is a compact rock, which when heated at high temperatures has a high degree of crystallization. After polishing, the marble achieves a high level of nature shine.

Our society is filled with brilliant people whose hearts are herd and cold as stone. Beleivers are not made of marble, but flesh and bone. They are called by God to shine and shimmer, through a life that is pious, dedicated and generous. This is only possible if you submit to the Rock, which is Jesus.

Let us not be a stone like marble, with our own shine;
it is better to live dependent and sustained by the Rock.
Then our shine will be a reflection of Jesus’s brilliance.

Be blessed…

“That in a great trial of affliction the abundance of their joy
and their deep poverty abounded in the riches of their liberality”
– 2 Corinthians 8:2 –

In 2 Corinthians 8, the apostle Paul encourages the saints to contribute to the poor in Jerusalem; in doing so, he shows how important it is to help the needy. To motivate them, he recognizes their precious efforts and quotes the example of “our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich” (v. 9).

Also, the apostle recommends his friend Titus to the church (v. 6), a young minister and friend in the work of preaching the gospel.

Two lessons are highlighted in this chapter. The first refers to solidarity. When someone is in need, the local church should unite to help them. We should not wait for the government, other organizations, or “the organization” to offer help; the people closest to the one in need should demonstrate solidarity and support.

The second lesson refers to how Paul feels for his friend Titus, whom he recognizes and recommends as a faithful collaborator.

Solidarity and unconditional support to the causes and interests of others, especially in situations that are difficult. Solidarity is born in the heart of God, who renounced Himself and demonstrated His love by coming down, placing Himself at our level, and offering His life to pay our debt. He gave up His riches so that “through His poverty [we] might become rich” (2 Cor. 8:9).

In our daily interactions we miss out on a lot due to lack of mutual solidarity. Some are left trapped in their own selfishness without seeing the needs of others, and in this way, we do not fulfill the mission or the example the Lord has left for us. If God is our Father, we are all brothers and sisters, and depend on each other to be happy.

“He who seeks to transform humanity must himself understand humanity. Only through sympathy, faith, and love men can be reached and uplifted. Here Christ stands revealed as the Master Teacher; of all that ever dwelt on the earth, He alone has perfect understanding of the human soul” (Mind, Character, and Personality, p. 438).

Helping people in need is not an option,
but a lifestyle for those who have learned
that all the riches and opportunities that we have
should be used to help those in need.
“The purpose of human life is to serve, and to show
compassion and the will to help others” – Albert Schweitzer. –

Let us be supportive and sensitive to our brethren, may the Lord bless you…

“Therefore, having these promises, beloved,
let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit,
perfecting holiness in the fear of God”
– 2 Corinthians 7:1 –

In 2 Corinthians 7, the apostle Paul encourages the church toward purity and affection. He recognizes the he himself is going through tribulations, but always feels comforted in his afflictions. Paul mentions two factors that helped him face his afflictions: the arrival of his friend Titus and the affection of the church.

Paul also feels satisfaction because the Corinthians were gentle and kind to his friend and collaborator Titus. The chapter ends with these beautiful words: “Therefore I rejoice that I have confidence in you in everything” (v. 16). The apostle’s disposition is noteworthy: despite his ordeals, he sees everything with joy, strengthens his relationships with his brothers and sisters in the faith, trusts them, and emphasizes a religion put into practice.

When Jesus wanted to highlight this same theme, He told the parable of the Good Samaritan. Both the priest and the Levite, representatives of the “religious” class according to their customs, carried on their wrist or their neck a parchment made of leather with the motto of their religion:

“Love God above all things
and your neighbor as yourself.”

The problem was that they did not have this message etched on their heart or in their daily life. Surprisingly, a Samaritan, who did not have the appearance of being religious, was truly religious.

Let us make a simple application of this parable adapted in our time. A person was traveling from the capital of a city to a poor neighborhood, and as he left the city, thieves caught him, stripped him of all he had, injured him, and left him for dead.

A short while later, the director of a well-respected church passed by, but he did not stop; he had urgent theological matters to attend to. A few minutes later, another prestigious religious person arrived, glanced sideways at the man, and went on her way; important administrative and ceremonial matters awaited her. Finally, a common man approached. He was not wearing religious clothing and did not seem educated, much less wealthy.

But he stopped, showed interest, provided first aid, offered what he had at hand, took the man to a medical center, and paid for all the fees in his recovery.

We need more religious people in work clothes.
True religion is not measured by how much we know
about the Bible or how many ceremonies we practice.
True religion is evident by how much we love and serve our neighbor.

Let us be the difference, brothers and sisters. May the Lord bless you…

“In an acceptable time I have heard you.
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation”
– 2 Corinthians 6:2 –

The Global Positioning System (GPS) functions thanks to twent-four man-made satellites. This system helps terrestrial, aerial, and nautical vehicles navigate.

Along the same lines, we have a spititual GPS that receives and transmits messages and guidance from the Universal Command Center, which watches over our journey and ensures that we will get to our final destination.

The number of direct promises in the Bible is no less than three thousand. There is no condition or situation in life which cannot be covered by one of God’s promises. Like Paul, we can say that today is the acceptable time and the day of salvation. All other blessings are then added into place; and the GPS, in other words, all the Great Promises of our Savior, make up our indispensable support, which guides us toward eternity.

In order to travel safely, we need the grace of Jesus (2 Cor. 6:1-2). It is a gift and the departure point of our grand journey. Facing life and its many challenges is an ongoing battle, which is why we need the power of the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 6:6-7). And by His grace and power, we can grow in holiness, because we are the temple of the living God (1 Cor. 6:19).

We respond with a spirit of Gratitude, with Passion for Spiritual things, fulfilling alongside Jesus the mandate to seek and Save the lost.

All around are sinful people who need the Son of justice to illuminate their lives, guide their lives with direction and hope, in order to be free of sin and its consequences.

“A revival of true godliness among us is the greatest
and most urgent of all our needs. To seek this
should be our first work. There must be earnest effort
to obtain the blessing of the Lord, not because God is not willing
to bestow His blessings upon us, but because we are unprepared
to receive it” (Last Day Events, p. 189).

The GPS is designed by the “Author and Finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2) is at our disposal
to help produce this true revival and reform. In His Word, we have the Great
Promises of the Savior for us. His Grace, His Power, and His Sanctity are at our disposal.
We need to express Gratitude and live Passionately,
sharing with others the source of Salvation. There are many sinners
who need to be illuminated by the Sun of Justice.
We soon will see Him return for us and His glory will last forever.
Meanwhile, use the GPS.

May the Lord be with you…