Daily Devotion in II Corinthians 3

II Corinthians Artwork from A 1611 KJV

Daily Nugget:
Many doubted Paul’s apostleship. He asked if they needed epistles (letters) from the other apostles to verify his credibility (II Corinthians 3:1), as was done before. The preacher stated there was better proof than any letter in the Corinthian church (II Corinthians 3:2) that God was using him. The evidence was the church itself.  Salvations and spiritual fruit that occurred in the ministry could only have come from God.

Too often, people relate large numbers, size, and finances in a ministry to spiritual success. That is not always the truth. Man can build an extensive church with the fanciest buildings, but the spiritual increase can only come from God’s hand.
“So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase” I Corinthians 3:7.

Some of the fastest-growing cults and the largest churches may “have it all” physically. However, as God sees it, “success” is nowhere to be found from their efforts. 

There may be many packing large auditoriums, but few salvations. Large collections may be taken, but hardly any faithfully give their tithes to the Lord. A popular and educated preacher may be in command, but he may not even believe all the Bible he carries to the pulpit with him. Many may raise their hands and pray in the church building, but few take their Christianity home with them. Some may shout about how good God is, but few tell others about Christ.

However, there are spiritual ministries. Their building may not be as attractive as other churches. The pews may need a coat of finish. Even the number of attendees may appear sparse, but spiritually there may be a lot more going on in the church than man’s eye can see.

In those ministries, there may be preachers working part-time to preach to the congregation without a cost to the people. He blasts out the truth from the Word of God uncompromisingly, but dutifully. Members may be sacrificially giving what little they have, so the church doors will be open one more Sunday. People may pray without ceasing for their church-family members. Soul-winners may spend all their free time bringing children to church and reaching others with the Gospel.

These are the churches that really matter. These ministries reach the lost and spread the Word of God. Christians with obedient hearts are the real successes.

Paul had a ministry like this. He was a man whom God used, and the fruits that resulted from his efforts showed God was in the work. A leader, a building, and other things often help propel a ministry forward for the cause of Christ.  Still, the essential factor is always God’s involvement, who clearly was involved in Paul’s ministries.

Today’s Thought: 
“If God didn’t show up at your church service, would anyone notice, or would it be business as usual?” — Author Unknown

Words to Understand:
Commend: give approval; recommend
Epistle: a letter to a person or church

Today’s Reading:
II Corinthians 3
1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you?
2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men:
3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.
4 And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward:
5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God;
6 ¶ Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:
8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory.
10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth.
11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.
12 ¶ Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech:
13 And not as Moses, which put a vail over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished:
14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the vail is upon their heart.
16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the vail shall be taken away.
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.
18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.