Romans 13:1-7

 1Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no
authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have
been established by God. 2Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is
rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment
on themselves. 3For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who
do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what
is right and he will commend you. 4For he is God’s servant to do you good. But if
you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword for nothing. He is God’s
servant, an agent of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. 5Therefore, it
is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment
but also because of conscience. 6This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities
are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing. 7Give everyone what
you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then
respect; if honour, then honour.

Meditation
1. In this passage, Paul commands, “Fulfill your obligations as a citizen.  Pay
your taxes, pay your bills, respect your leaders.”  What is my obligation as a
citizen to this country and to the kingdom of God?  In what specific ways can
I respect my leaders?
2. Find a list of names of my local officials (mayor, city councillor) as well as my
MPP and MP.  Pray for each one of them by name.  Pray that God would use
them to lead wisely and justly.

Personal Note:
I respect them by paying my taxes and bills.  I say respectable things about them.  I am obligated to follow their leadership.  The MP for Unionville is John McCallum and for Oak-Ridge Region is Paul Calandra.  The MPP is Michael Chan.  I prayed for them to lead with wisdom and justice.

Romans 12:1-3

 1Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as
living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
2Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by
the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s
will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
 3For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself
more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in
accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

Meditation
1. The problem with a “living” sacrifice is that it always wants to get off the altar.
On a scale of 1 to 10 (“easy” to “hard”), rank the difficulty I think I would have
in giving my entire being – thoughts, words, and actions – to God.？
2. As I go about my work this week, I will offer myself each morning as a living
sacrifice and as an act of worship. Pray that God will help me not to conform
to the pattern of this world but to be transformed. Then, throughout the day,
in the words I say, the thoughts I have and my actions, I will seek God’s help
to choose according to the pattern and character of Jesus rather than the
pattern of this world.
3. What would be my feelings then?  Excited and willing?  Or Wanting to jump
off the altar and escape?  Why?

Personal Note:
I can relate to how I would like to love and have faith for God, but without offering myself as a living sacrifice.  When I view God's mercy (not getting the punishment I deserve), the natural response is to offer myself as a living sacrifice for God.  On a scale of 1 - 10, with 1 being easy, I would say I am at 9, in offering my entire being through thoughts, words, and actions to God. God has given me love and lots of blessings in life, and why do I still not trust Him fully and whole heartedly?

My hope in renewing my mind is to dwell myself in the presence of Jesus Christ.  Anything else other that Christ  come from the patterns of this world.  Then I would be able to test and engage in God's will.  We know what God's will is: Grow as a mature disciples in Christ and make more disciples in Christ.  The feelings should be exciting and willing.

Romans 11:22-27

 22Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who
fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise,
you also will be cut off. 23And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be
grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. 24After all, if you were cut out
of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a
cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these, the natural branches, be
grafted into their own olive tree!
 25I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not
be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of
the Gentiles has come in. 26And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written:
“The deliverer will come from Zion;
 he will turn godlessness away from Jacob.
 27And this is my covenant with them
 when I take away their sins.”

Meditation
1. How has arrogance between groups of Christians hurt my church experience?
When have I shown this type of attitude to “outsiders”?
2. Pray: Confess that I have acted arrogantly to others.  Pray for those that have
been hurt in the conflict.  Pray also for the church that the Lord will guard us
against such arrogance and division among members of the church.

Personal Note:
There are church groups that believe that their doctrine is the only correct doctrines and others are all heretics.  No Christian group can claim that they are totally correct in their doctrine.  Christians who think they know it all just hurts people around them and stumble others.  It is so important to guard our heart so that our teaching and leading will not cause division and harm towards furthering of the Gospel.

Romans 10:8-15

8But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your
heart, “that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9That if you confess with
your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from
the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are
justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved. 11As the
Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”12For there
is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly
blesses all who call on him, 13for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord
will be saved.”
 14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can
they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear
without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are
sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”

Meditation
1. Beyond the fact that I am saved, why is it important for me to publicly confess
with my lips that Jesus is Lord and believe that God raised him from the dead
(vv. 9-13)?
2. Realizing the implications of verses such as Romans 10:14-15, William
Carey, the father of modern missions, responded to God’s call and went to
India. Where do I feel called to go with the gospel?
3. What steps can I take (or have I taken) to be obedient to that call?

Personal Note:
If I am unable to publicly confess my faith in Christ, I doubt I even have faith in Him.  I feel called to go to equip and care for brothers and sisters in Crossroad with the Gospel.  Also, I am called to witness and share the good news of Christ to my friends.  I am taking the step to plan, to serve, to teach, to share, to lead our youth group so Crossroad is a group that glorify God's name.

Romans 9:1-3

 1I speak the truth in Christ—I am not lying, my conscience confirms it in the
Holy Spirit— 2I have great sorrow and unceasing anguish in my heart.  3For I
could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my
brothers, those of my own race,

Meditation
1. These two verses illustrated clearly Paul’s love for the people of Israel.  In
order for his people to have God’s salvation, he’s even willing to bear their
punishment.  How deep his love for them!  This is just like Christ- willing to
sacrifice Himself for others.
2. How do I care for those unbelieving people, especially my family, relatives,
and good friends?  In order for them to receive salvation, am I willing to
sacrifice my time, money, energy and comfortable life?
3. How do I care for my fellow people, whether they may be in my school,
game room, sports team, music program, or anywhere in the word?
4. Ask the Lord to place the burden of a specific group of people in my heart.
Use this passage to pray for their salvation.  Ask the Holy Spirit to teach me how to respond to
the burden in preaching the gospel among my fellow people.

Personal Note:
I do desire my family and close friends to receive Jesus Christ as personal Lord and saviour.  If I really care and love the people I care and hang out with, I would love them to receive salvation from Jesus Christ.  I have burdens for my close friends, for my basketball buddies, and for the young people I am hanging out with in Crossroad.

Romans 8:31-39

 31What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be
against us? 32He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how
will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? 33Who will bring
any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. 34Who
is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised
to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. 35Who shall
separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or
famine or nakedness or danger or sword? 36As it is written:
“For your sake we face death all day long;
 we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37No, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through him who loved us. 38For I am convinced that neither
death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor
any powers, 39neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be
able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Meditation
1. How might trouble, hardship, persecution, famine, nakedness, danger or the
threat of death cause us to question God’s love for us (vv. 35-36)?
2. In spite of these things, why does Paul proclaim that we are “more than
conquerors” (vv. 37-39)?
3. Look again at the powerful words of verses 38-39. How does this give me
courage to persevere?

Personal Note:
Trouble and hardship caused me to question God's love for me.  I used to think that being a Christian means a safe, protected, and smooth life.  I learn that God's love allows me to have peace and joy despite the hardships that I am facing.  I have only knew a few people who suffered persecution, famine, nakedness, danger, and threat of death because of Jesus Christ.  We are more than conquerors because Jesus Christ has conquer death.  We as God's children through accepting the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ cannot be separated from God.  No trouble in life can separate me from the love of God that is in Jesus Christ.

Romans 7:18-25

18I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have
the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. 19For what I do is not the
good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do—this I keep on doing. 20Now
if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in
me that does it.
 21So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.
22For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; 23but I see another law at work
in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making
me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. 24What a wretched
man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? 25Thanks be to God—
through Jesus Christ our Lord!
 So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God’s law, but in the sinful nature a
slave to the law of sin.

Meditation
1. There is no use looking for a “secret” to the spiritual life that exempts us from
trouble and conflict, defeat and doubt, despair and inadequacy.  No doubt we
are “at war” (v23).  There are fierce difficulties with the resurrection life.  Have
I uttered the cry as Paul did: “Who will rescue me”?
2. Read slowly:
God uses failure, sickness, breakdown, sin, personal tragedy, and sorrow to reduce
His people to usefulness.  Unless the servant of God learns to depend utterly on
God and to forsake self-dependence of any kind, he or she remains too strong to be
of much value.  – Robert C. Girard
3. Prayer
Lord, I come humbly to you and admit that I am weak, cold and easy to fall
into sin.  Depending on myself, I will only be worse and sink deeper. Thank
you for your salvation and the continued deliverance that I will be able to
overcome sin and temptation.  Thank you, Lord.

Personal Note:
We all need a saviour.  At various times in my life, I have choose different things to "save me" and rescue my self esteem.  In the past, I chose to rely on myself to save myself.  I tried to save myself by being a smart student, having a high paying job, appearing to be cool and popular, and seeking to feel secure from having a girlfriend.  Of course, when I depended on those things instead of depend on God, I failed, broke down, sin,  and I went into sorrow and defeat.  I repented and realized that on my own strength, I will keep on doing what is evil in the eyes of God.  My only hope is in Jesus Christ my personal Lord and saviour.

I admit that I am far from perfect.  I am weak and easy to fall into sin.  It is your grace and your continual leading that allow me to overcome sin and temptation.  I thank you God for your love and mercy.

Romans 6:15-23

 15What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no
means! 16Don’t you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him
as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey—whether you are slaves to sin,
which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17But thanks
be to God that, though you used to be slaves to sin, you wholeheartedly obeyed
the form of teaching to which you were entrusted. 18You have been set free from
sin and have become slaves to righteousness.
 19I put this in human terms because you are weak in your natural selves. Just as you
used to offer the parts of your body in slavery to impurity and to ever-increasing
wickedness, so now offer them in slavery to righteousness leading to holiness.
20When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the control of righteousness.
21What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed
of ? Those things result in death! 22But now that you have been set free from sin
and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the
result is eternal life. 23For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal
life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Meditation
1. Search myself for an area where I don’t walk in freedom but continue to
struggle with sin.  When do I easily give in to temptation?  What comfort,
relief or pleasure does the sin give me?  What pain or discomfort does it
bring?  What do I fear I would lose if I gave up the sin?
2. Read this passage with this specific sin(s) in mind.  Read the passage through
my life experience.  Do I identify with “Shall we sin because we are not
under law but under grace”?  What about “now offer (your body) in slavery
to righteousness”?  Take time to identify what my do and don’t agree with.
3. Pray and ask God to take over my struggle and unresolved problems.  As I
determine to obey God’s command, I will ask God for my freedom.

Personal Note:
Like the topic of the workshop I will give in TC2012, three areas of struggle for myself and most guys (if they are really honest) are money, sex, and power.  I give in to temptation when I feel lost and hopeless.  I could be struggling at work, at a relationship, at ministry, over my self-esteem.  Giving in could take the form of not being generous towards God in offering, dwelling on thoughts of how to get rich fast, checking out lustful media, dwelling on memories of lustful images, create plans and execute actions that promote my own status, dwelling in thoughts of how to become like those successful people I read about.  There seems to be temporary comfort, relief, or pleasure that result from the actions mentioned above.  Realistically, the discomfort increases as it fuels more worries, envy, lust, insecurity, anxiety... I asked why myself why do I keep dwelling on the sin.  I realized that the sins mentioned were my coping mechanism.  I fear that if I live in faithful submission to God's leading, I would not be in control and having the comfort I desired.

I am totally convinced that I am under grace (getting a gift I do not deserve) instead of under the law.  I should not think that I can sin all I want because of God's grace and mercy.  I have a new heart and mind thanks to the work of Jesus Christ on the cross.  I no longer desire to engage in the sinful activities, which may appear to be pleasurable, but they ultimately leads me to death.  I agree that I am to offer my body including my eyes, ears, mouth, hands, legs, heart, brain...  to be slave for righteousness.  I trust God that He is faithful and will walk with me to overcome my struggles.

Romans 5:1-11

 1Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God
through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have gained access by faith
into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory
of God. 3Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that
suffering produces perseverance; 4perseverance, character; and character, hope.
5And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our
hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
 6You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the
ungodly. 7Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man
someone might possibly dare to die. 8But God demonstrates his own love for us
in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
 9Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be
saved from God’s wrath through him! 10For if, when we were God’s enemies,
we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having
been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11Not only is this so, but we
also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now
received reconciliation.

Meditation
1. What does a Christian see if he looks back? If he looks ahead?  If he looks
around?  Reconciliation.  Looking back, we have been saved and reconciled to
God (v10).  Looking ahead, we will stand by God throughout eternity (v9).
Looking around, we are being saved.  Jesus is even now at work within me to
give me the power to live a holy life.  Our past, our present and our future are
all transformed because of Him.  And when we are reconciled with God, it
paves the way for us to be reconciled with ourselves and with others.
2. Thank God for this Reconciliation Gospel.  Pray that God will help me to live
always in reconciliation with God, with myself and with others.

Personal Note:
When I look back, I see a life without hope and purpose.  My life was like living in Vanity Fair from The Pilgrim's Progress.  I was living for the purpose of self pleasure and happiness, which ultimately is meaningless.  When I look ahead, I see that I am guided by the creator of the universe who loves me dearly.  When I look around, I see brothers and sisters are being transformed by the Spirit of God when they accepted the gift of salvation and are willing to obey to Jesus's leading.  I see life and hope in those who are willing to obey and follow the ways of Jesus Christ.

It is only because I have been reconciled (made right) with God that I have relationship with God.  I am grateful for the life I am living because of God's love.  Because of God's love, I can reconcile and be at peace with others.

Romans 4:16-25

 16Therefore, the promise comes by faith, so that it may be by grace and may be
guaranteed to all Abraham’s offspring—not only to those who are of the law but
also to those who are of the faith of Abraham. He is the father of us all. 17As it is
written: “I have made you a father of many nations.” He is our father in the sight
of God, in whom he believed—the God who gives life to the dead and calls things
that are not as though they were.
 18Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many
nations, just as it had been said to him, “So shall your offspring be.” 19Without
weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—
since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah’s womb was also dead.
20Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was
strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, 21being fully persuaded that
God had power to do what he had promised. 22This is why “it was credited to
him as righteousness.” 23The words “it was credited to him” were written not for
him alone, 24but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who
believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. 25He was delivered over
to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.

Meditation
1. How does Abraham illustrate our own hopeless predicament as non-Christians
and the solution provided in Jesus Christ (vv.18-25)?
2. What situation am I currently facing that requires faith in the God of resurrection and creation?
3. How can I demonstrate faith and hope in that situation?

Personal Note:
God promised Abraham to be the father of all nations.  He had no offspring until he was 100 years old and his wife's womb was barren.  He had faith in God's promise and God miraculously delivered His promise to them.  We live in a hopeless and meaningless world, and God promised us life to the fullest through faith in His son Jesus Christ.  I believe that God is the creator of the universe and He came to us and paid for the penalty of death and he resurrected and overcame death and sin.  The situation I am facing is living out this truth from the bottom of my heart.  Most brothers and sisters know about the fact of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  Faith requires me to know (believe and accept) this core truth of God's love to me.  I am called to multiply disciples and my only hope in leading and bringing young people to become followers of Jesus Christ is the hope of God's power and grace in the ministry.  I can demonstrate faith and hope when I persistently pray for the hearts of the young people, continue to love and spend quality time in building their relationship with Christ, and faithfully plan and prepare in all lessons and messages.

Romans 3:23-28

23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by

his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him

as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate

his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand

unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to

be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of

observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is

justified by faith apart from observing the law.


Meditation

1. Like prisoners on death row, all people are guilty, condemned and awaiting

the execution of God’s wrath. They sit silently in the miserable darkness of

their cell, all hope extinguished. Then abruptly, the door swings open and

darkness becomes light, death becomes life, and bondage becomes freedom.

“You are pardoned,” a voice tells them. But how? Why? This passage tells us

that this is exactly our situation. But how did I get pardoned? Why would

it happen?

2. When did the message of God’s grace become real to me? What impact is it

having on my life right now?


Personal Note:

I along with everyone else on earth have all failed to live up to God's standard of perfection. We sin when we missed God's standard. The wages of sin is death and we are all guilty. Some people may think that God is unfair. He is the one who created us and we are doomed to fail on our own. Our alienation and guilt resulted from our will to separate ourselves from God and we would like to be god ourselves. For example, a famous philosopher Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche said that God is dead and we killed Him. It is unfortunate that some people decided to follow the ways of the wicked. The ways of the wicked lead to miserable darkness.

God loves me and He knows that I cannot save myself. That is why he sent Jesus Christ to die for our sins and take the punishment on the cross for the sins that we deserved.

The message of God's grace become real to me eight years ago when I was led to Christ. From that point on, I experienced how God transformed my life from someone who lives for my own pleasure to someone who lives for God's glory. Of course, this takes time and today, I am far from being a total humble and faithful servant of Jesus Christ. I do have faith that God is at work in shaping myself to be more obedient to His Words and His leading. There is great joy and peace when I trust in God's love and faithfulness.

Romans 2:17-24

17Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your
relationship to God; 18if you know his will and approve of what is superior because
you are instructed by the law; 19if you are convinced that you are a guide for the
blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20an instructor of the foolish, a teacher
of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—
21you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself ? You who preach against
stealing, do you steal? 22You who say that people should not commit adultery,
do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23You who
brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24As it is written:
“God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Meditation
1. In this passage, Paul is pointing his fingers at the hypocritical Jews.  How does
this kind of person view self and others?
The Jews bragged about their being in God’s covenant.  They knew God’s will
and even approved of it.  But the issue is they didn’t do God’s will.
2. When was the last time I said or taught one thing yet acted quite differently?
3. Could Paul also be pointing at me?  How does this realization affect me?

Personal Note:
The hypocritical Jews thought they were superior and yet they were not followers of what they taught.  The point really narrows down to whether we do God's will.  I taught that we are to be humble, to love others around us, and be passionate to share the good news of Christ to others.  When I feel arrogant, not caring for others, and lacking motivation to share the Gospel, I become a hypocrite.

My only hope in not being a wicked hypocrite is to love God with all my heart and soul, and trust that God loves me and obeying His will is the best thing I can do in my life.

Romans 1:1-4, 14-17

1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel
of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy
Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life[a] was a descendant of
David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in
power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and non-Greeks, both to the wise and the
foolish. 15 That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in
Rome.
 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings
salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile. 17 For in
the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith
from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”

Meditation
1. Martin Luther and John Wesley, two of church history’s towering figures,
came to Christ through Romans 1:17.  Through this verse each realized
that God’s righteousness is obtained by faith, not by human effort or merit.
Through their influence millions have claimed God’s righteousness, and made
it their own “by faith from first to last.”
2. How did God call me to Christ?  How has God’s call changed my goals?
My sense of obligation to others?  To what mission or task do I sense God
nudging me?  How is that reflected in my prayers?  My actions?

Personal Notes:
God call me to Christ through His love and grace.  Before I was called to Christ, I was living for my own selfish ways and pleasures.  With God's call, my goals changed from building up my own kingdom by making lots of money, desiring to be popular and respected to partnering with God in His work in furthering God's kingdom by being a faithful steward of what he has given me.  In the past, I don't feel I am obligated to anyone who does not help make me happy, now I am willing obligate myself to others for the sake of witnessing for Christ.

God is asking me to focus and be faithful in making disciples by growing as a faithful disciple personally.  From there, I trust that God would guide me in motivating others to become mature disciples of Jesus Christ.
Since it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes, I am to pray and continue to rely on God's guidance and grace as a spiritual leader.

2 Corinthians 13:1-14

 1This will be my third visit to you. “Every matter must be established by the
testimony of two or three witnesses.” 2I already gave you a warning when I was
with you the second time. I now repeat it while absent: On my return I will not
spare those who sinned earlier or any of the others, 3since you are demanding
proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but
is powerful among you. 4For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives
by God’s power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God’s power we will live
with him to serve you.
 5Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you
not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test? 6And I
trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test. 7Now we pray to God
that you will not do anything wrong. Not that people will see that we have stood
the test but that you will do what is right even though we may seem to have failed.
8For we cannot do anything against the truth, but only for the truth. 9We are glad
whenever we are weak but you are strong; and our prayer is for your perfection.
10This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may
not have to be harsh in my use of authority—the authority the Lord gave me for
building you up, not for tearing you down.
 11Finally, brothers, good-by. Aim for perfection, listen to my appeal, be of one
mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you.
 12Greet one another with a holy kiss. 13All the saints send their greetings.
 14May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship
of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

MEDITATION
1. The church at Corinth was a pastor’s nightmare, but their new life was ablaze
in them.  Their problems are many and serious.  But, they knew that their
lives were being shaped for some grand and eternal purpose.  In spite of some
hard words exchanged between Paul and them, he called them “friends” and
encouraged them to “keep their spirits up” (v11).  And he wished them the
best by blessing them(v14).  This demonstrates that even though we can have
strong disagreements within the body of Christ, we can still be friends, still
encourage one another, still hope the best for each other.
2. What about my church?  Can I still keep friendship with someone at church
even though we hold different opinions?  Pray for our church that it will be
filled with people who are true reflections of God’s love and power.

Personal Note:
As Crossroad grows, there would be differences in opinions.  We see that Paul was trying to build each other up despite his hard words.  Is my preaching, teaching, planning, visitation, discipling...  trying to build my brothers and sisters up in Christ?  Do I have the courage to use hard words out of love and the concern of steering brothers and sisters in the direction that pleases God?

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

 1I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to
visions and revelations from the Lord. 2I know a man in Christ who fourteen
years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of
the body I do not know—God knows. 3And I know that this man—whether in
the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows— 4was caught up
to paradise. He heard inexpressible things, things that man is not permitted to tell.
5I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about
my weaknesses. 6Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because
I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than
is warranted by what I do or say.
 7To keep me from becoming conceited because of these surpassingly great
revelations, there was given me a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to
torment me. 8Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9But
he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in
weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so
that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in
weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am
weak, then I am strong.

MEDITATION
1. When we tell people that God guarantees his children health and wealth in
this life, or if they only have enough faith, they’ll be healed, that’s not true.
Paul prayed with total confidence, only to learn that the answer was no.  He
learned in time that the weakness which devastated him was truly a gift from
God.  A gift that enabled him to experience God’s grace, presence, and power,
in ways he would never have experienced them otherwise.  So, when tragedy
strikes and disaster comes, God will give his own strange gifts as we grow in
our dependence on him.  As we seek His strength, we’ll discover a depth to
our relationship with the Lord that we would otherwise never have known.
And a strength that makes weakness a triumph and a joy.
2. What is my weakness?  Have I received God’s gift?  How does this gift help
me experience God’s power and grace?

Personal Note:
Paul had a thorn in the flesh.  I have weaknesses in the area of self-confidence, vision, leadership...  The weakness enables me to rely heavily on God instead of believing that I can do things for the kingdom of God apart from His grace.  God has given me the gift of His guidance through the Holy Spirit.  I can do all things through Him who gives me strength.

2 Corinthians 11:1-11

 1 I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with
me! 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to
Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 3 But I am afraid that
just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be
led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes
to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a
different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you
accepted, you put up with it easily enough.
 5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”. 6 I may
indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this
perfectly clear to you in every way. 7 Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to
elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other
churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. 9 And when I was
with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers
who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being
a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As surely as the truth of
Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine.
11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!

MEDITATION
1. Both Jesus’ and Paul’s gentleness was misunderstood as weakness.  How has
that resulted in blessing (Mt 5:5)?  Where, in my life, do I need to embrace
their example right now?
2. God is still looking for “weak” people in whom to display His strength.  Am
I willing to “apply” for the job?

Personal Note:
In our society today, we worship greatness and success.  Paul being poor, humble, and not being a burden to people was mistaken as weak.  When we look at great leaders from history, the ones who had great influences were willing to be weak and humble.  They were willing because they knew that God's strength is displayed through their weakness.  I am willing to become weak so I cannot boast of my strength and people will see that it is God's love and strength working through me.

2 Corinthians 10:1-8

 1By the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I appeal to you—I, Paul, who am
“timid” when face to face with you, but “bold” when away! 2I beg you that when
I come I may not have to be as bold as I expect to be toward some people who
think that we live by the standards of this world. 3For though we live in the
world, we do not wage war as the world does. 4The weapons we fight with are not
the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish
strongholds. 5We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up
against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it
obedient to Christ. 6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience,
once your obedience is complete.
 7You are looking only on the surface of things. If anyone is confident that he
belongs to Christ, he should consider again that we belong to Christ just as much
as he. 8For even if I boast somewhat freely about the authority the Lord gave us
for building you up rather than pulling you down, I will not be ashamed of it.

MEDITATION
1. From Paul’s example here, what is supposed to be the “normal” way Christians
exercise leadership over one another?  On a scale from 1 – 10, how well do I
demonstrate Christ’s gentleness and meekness in leading others?
2. What will I work on this week that demonstrates my interest in building
people up?

Personal Note:
The "normal" way is the way of meekness and gentleness in leadership.  I would say I am around 7/10 in demonstrating Christ's gentleness in leading others.  I will pray and visit some brothers and sisters.  I will listen to where the come from and encourage them on the road to discipleship.

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

 6Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever
sows generously will also reap generously. 7Each man should give what he has
decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves
a cheerful giver. 8And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all
things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
9As it is written:    “He has scattered abroad his gifts to the poor; his righteousness
endures forever.” 10Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food
will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your
righteousness. 11You will be made rich in every way so that you can be generous
on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to
God.   12This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God’s
people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. 13Because
of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the
obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your
generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. 14And in their prayers
for you their hearts will go out to you, because of the surpassing grace God has
given you. 15Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift!

MEDITATION
1. God gave His Son because he “so loved the world”.  There is no higher motive
for Christian giving than the example God set for us when he gave his only
Son.  Can we give like he did – freely and sacrificially, even delightfully?  Yes,
in fact, Corinthian church is one fine example.  It was to that church that
Paul wrote of the highest motive for giving.  Our money is an extension of
ourselves, he argued.  If the money we give isn’t delightfully given, it’s because
we aren’t delightful givers.  The only way we’re going to give delightfully is
to give out of LOVE.  Any other motive leaves one joyless.  In the long run,
joyless giving does little good for Christ’s kingdom – and nothing for us (see
1 Cor 13:3)
2. Paul reminded the Corinthians and us of the blessings that make Christians
giving such a joy.  (1) Giving benefits us materially and spiritually. (vv8, 10)
(2) Giving permits us to bless others.(vv11,12)  (3) Giving stimulates others
to pray for us.(vv13, 14)
3. Do I give compulsively or with careful planning?  Am I a joyful giver, or a
reluctant one?  Have I received the blessings Paul talked about?  In all the
causes that I donate, is there a need for adjustment?

Personal Note:
We plan something that is important to us.  If I do things out of compulsion, it is not really out of love.   I recall the joy of giving when God ask me to trust in Him to provide.  The blessing I receive from giving is peace of mind, completeness, and surprising blessings from God.  When I give to a cause, I would pray for that cause since I invest a part of me in it.  The cause that receive monetary support would pray for us, and in turn, we are all blessed.  I would like to plan more strategically to give more in order to receive more joy from giving.  My goal is to increase our % giving for next year.  This would need to be driven by the love of God.

2 Corinthians 8:1-8

 1And now, brothers, we want you to know about the grace that God has given
the Macedonian churches. 2Out of the most severe trial, their overflowing joy and
their extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity. 3For I testify that they gave as
much as they were able, and even beyond their ability. Entirely on their own, 4they
urgently pleaded with us for the privilege of sharing in this service to the saints.
5And they did not do as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord
and then to us in keeping with God’s will. 6So we urged Titus, since he had earlier
made a beginning, to bring also to completion this act of grace on your part. 7But
just as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete
earnestness and in your love for us—see that you also excel in this grace of giving.
 8I am not commanding you, but I want to test the sincerity of your love by
comparing it with the earnestness of others. 9For you know the grace of our Lord
Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, so that
you through his poverty might become rich.

MEDITATION
Living in a materialistic society, we can easily become dominated by a spirit
of acquisition – of getting and storing and then guarding what we’ve gotten
and stored. The biblical practice of giving is an offering of a portion of the
fruits of our labour to God.  The offering is based upon the conviction that
we would have gotten nothing from all our sweat and exertion if God hadn’t
first given us the ground to use, the muscles to work, a brain to think, and
a community to live and be employed in.  Everything comes to us as a gift
from God.  Sunshine and rain.  Fruitfulness and fertility.  Strength and health.
They are all from God.  Our offering is an acknowledgment of that.  It’s a way
of honouring him and giving thanks to him.

Do I always give with a thankful heart?

Personal Note:
As I reflected on the things (both tangible and non-tangible) I have, I ask myself do I really believe that God is the one who has first given me the gifts.  I have a wonderful family to grew up in, a lovely wife, lots of friends, decent education, secure finances, satisfying job (being a pastor is ranked high in terms of job satisfaction according to secular statistics), wise mentor, ability to think and work...

Every thing I have belongs to God.  Offering a portion to God is a reflection of our faith and trust in God.  We teach people to tithe a tenth as we see this pattern in the Old Testament.  We see that the brothers and sisters Paul praises gave beyond their ability.  A thankful heart drives us to give and our giving will reflect the completeness and maturity in faith, in speech, in knowledge, and in love.

2 Corinthians 7:8-13

 8Even if I caused you sorrow by my letter, I do not regret it. Though I did regret
it—I see that my letter hurt you, but only for a little while— 9yet now I am happy,
not because you were made sorry, but because your sorrow led you to repentance.
For you became sorrowful as God intended and so were not harmed in any way by
us. 10Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret,
but worldly sorrow brings death. 11See what this godly sorrow has produced in
you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what
alarm, what longing, what concern, what readiness to see justice done. At every
point you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter. 12So even though
I wrote to you, it was not on account of the one who did the wrong or of the
injured party, but rather that before God you could see for yourselves how devoted
to us you are. 13By all this we are encouraged.

MEDITATION
1. The world’s sorrow is an “I’m sorry I got caught” kind of sorrow.  The individual
is sorry for himself, and the consequences he now has to pay.  Godly sorrow
is grief about the original act, and repentance – a commitment to turn from
wrongdoing and to turn back toward God.  We grieve, like Isaiah does in
Isaiah 6, not only for ourselves, but also because we belong to a people who
are sinful.  With this comes spiritual insight and maturity.
2. Have I ever experienced this deep godly grief, for myself, or for others?

Personal Note:
Before I accepted Christ, I would feel sorry when I got caught in doing wrong things and I would think about how the negative consequences affect my overall well being.  Today, I learn that genuine repentance leads to us feeling sorry for the hurt and pain inflicted on God and to others.

2 Corinthians 6:14-18

 14Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and
wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?
15What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have
in common with an unbeliever? 16What agreement is there between the temple
of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I
will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will
be my people.”
 17”Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.
   Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”
 18”I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”

MEDITATION
Christians are to be completely separated unto the Lord, with that separation
as sharp as the dividing line between light and darkness, between Christ and
Satan, and between the temple of God and a shrine where idols are worshiped.

In short, we are to “purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body
and spirit.” (7:1) God is our Father, but when we sin, sin’s contamination
separates us from God.  He is not able to be a Father to us in the same,
intimate way He would if we were in close fellowship with Him.

Similarly, when sin comes into a relationship between two people, it’ll be felt like a
grain of sand entering into the eye, the relationship will be affected.  So, the
issue isn’t whether I could have intimate relationship with non-Christians,
rather, if I want to maintain this close relationship with God the Father.  Our
loving father is calling us: “I will be your father, and you shall be my sons and
daughters.”  How do I respond?

Personal Note:
This passage is used as a basis for not having intimate relationship with non-believers.  This is true, but there is a bigger context than this.  We are to separate ourselves from the things of this world that causes us to sins.  Are the friends you are hanging out with causing you to stumble?   If so, for the sake of developing a close relationship with God, it would be wise to be separated from them.

Hey, don't we teach about reaching out and sharing the Gospel to non-believers in the church?  Please note the difference between friends we reach out to and friends we yoke with.  Friends we reach out to are guided by God through prayer, which friends we yoke with are the ones who may influence us.