Daily Devotions
February 16th, 2012 by Pastor Solley2 Cor 13:1-5
13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established. 2 I told you before, and foretell you, as if I were present, the second time; and being absent now I write to them which heretofore have sinned, and to all other, that, if I come again, I will not spare: 3 Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me, which to you-ward is not weak, but is mighty in you. 4 For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you. 5 Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?
Do you detect a tone of weariness in Paul in these verses? It is the third time he found himself addressing the believers at Corinth going over the same problems again and again. Some would continue to question his authority, others continued in sin, some held up men above the Word, it was the same thing again and again. Paul even admonished them to examine themselves to see if they were really born again. They wearied Paul. I often wonder then how many times I weary the Spirit of God as He tries to direct in my life, how many times the children of God cause a weariness in the heart of God? Paul was wiling to go time and again to the believers at Corinth and so is God willing to deal time and again with the Christian. But there does come a time dear friend when we need to put away the world, put away sin, and follow God. The church at Corinth had reached that point I believe. It was time for them to step out of the world and away from evil. (2 Cor 13:7) It was time for them to stop working against God and start serving God. I often wonder what those ones receiving this letter did? Did they then allow God to speak and work in their lives or did they continue on in the ways of the world? But more important is what we do today. Will we allow God to speak to us and serve Him, or will we be like so many Christians today continue to walk in the ways of the world?