2 Corinthians 6:1-5 Now, is the time
Format for Your Devotions
Instructions: Do not read my example devotion until you have completed your own devotional time in the scriptures. Reading my thoughts first may limit your own understanding. Let the Holy Spirit speak to you alone before looking to see what anyone else has to say, whether it is me, a Bible commentary, or a friend. Let God speak to you before you let another person speak to you. I have provided a format, but modify it to fit your needs. For example, I usually combine my application and prayer together talking to God about the application to my own life. You can go through this devotion process mentally, speaking out loud, or in writing as you wish. Don’t worry if you are not following this process exactly. Sometimes, I add extra information and sometimes I emphasize one part more than others. However, you should always think about what you learn about God from this passage.
Step 1: Pray–Ask for the Holy Spirit’s guidance first of all and that God may reveal the lessons that He wants you to have that day. Request that God protect you from Satan’s distractions (and the devil will try to distract you whether it is pinching the baby or putting you to sleep). Ask to see God more clearly as you read and think about the passage.
Step 2: Read the passage–Read to get an overview of the information first. Then start looking at specific parts after the first reading. You may read a larger or smaller section than I have here because you do not have to follow my organization at all.
Step 3: Understand the passage–You can summarize, ask and answer your own questions about the passage, visualize the story, analyze the characters, and relate this passage to other scriptures and personal experiences.
Step 4: What does this reveal about God?–What do you learn about the Father, Son, and/or Holy Spirit from this passage?
Step 5: Apply this to your own life.
Step 6: Prayer
My Example Devotion: April 29, 2020 2 Corinthians 6:1-5
Note: In the devotion examples, I leave my questions and thought processes in the text because I am trying to demonstrate that a devotional time is a dialogue with God about what you are reading from His word. As such, any questions or ideas that you have should be explored by talking it out with God. These example devotions are not my attempts to teach you what the meaning of a particular scripture is. They are an attempt to teach you the process of devotions, which is a combination of prayer and Bible study where you explore ideas with God as you read His word.
Working together with him, then, we appeal to you not to receive the grace of God in vain. For he says, “In a favorable time I listened to you, and in a day of salvation I have helped you.” Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger;
(Understanding the Text) Paul has just said that God has commissioned us as His ambassadors to give His message of reconciliation to the world. Now Paul says that he is working in conjunction with God to appeal to the Corinthians to let the grace of God transform them. Paul is telling them that they need to commit totally to God now. They have been holding back from totally committing themselves, staying baby Christians. Paul is telling them that they need to become ambassadors for God also by letting Him into their lives totally.
(Revelation of God) God’s end goal for all of His children is that they will grow into the grace that He has given them. He sees their selfishness and hardheartedness. He does not wait for them to rise above those handicaps. Instead, He offers rescue before it is even apparent that there is something of value to be rescued. His offer is sure and has no time limits on it. However, our own condition sets a time limit. We are deteriorating rapidly. Only a connection with God can reverse that trend. Now, is the time to accept God’s offer, and to begin that process of growing into being children of the Most High God.
(Understanding the Text) Then Paul gives examples from his own life of what he wants the Corinthians to do. First of all, he puts no obstacle in anyone’s way. In the past, the Corinthians had been unloving to each other. They had argued about whose leader was better. They had been selfish in their choices of eating meat offered to idols. Paul had had to give them a long letter about what love really was. Now, Paul reminds them of who they should be and says that the first step is to make sure that they don’t keep someone from listening to God’s message by their own selfishness. Paul says that they will have to live this way through lots of bad times and lists them. He tells them that they will have to have great endurance.
Paul endured unspecified afflictions and hardships and calamities. Then he specifically mentions punishments that he endured for preaching the gospel: beatings, imprisonment, and riots. Then he speaks of hard work for others, sleepless nights, and lack of food. I guess he is following the threefold model of the Bible. He mentions three sets of threes. I’m not sure what the significance of that is.
(Application / Prayer) My application for myself is that I am working together with You and need to remember that that is the biggest persuasion of Your message. I need to remember that it is my responsibility to let You remove anything from my life that will hinder another person from coming to You. I need to endure through the bad times. They are temporary and some day when the time of trouble is past, there will be a time of peace without sin when I can rest. In the meantime, I need to learn to rest in You. Give me that rest please.