[:en]Our Daily Verse (8/7/20)[:]

[:en]SCRIPTURE:  2 CORINTHIANS 11

“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 one your received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.”  (2 Corinthians 11:4)

“For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ.  And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11:13-14)

PAUL AND THE FALSE PROPHETS (vs. 1-15)

Paul desired to keep the church pure and free from false doctrine and worldly living.  So, he exposed some religious leaders who were trying to preach another Jesus, another spirit and another gospel.  They seduced the church from Christ and led them away from truth.  He emphasized the importance of being faithful to the Word of God.  Despite Paul’s refusal to accept support from the church in Corinth, some still found fault in him.  He got support from the church at Philippi in order to cut off any opportunities his enemies would have to accuse him.

PAUL BOASTS ABOUT HIS SUFFERINGS (vs. 16-33)

Paul described the teachers that were servants of the devil as follows:  They bring people into bondage.  They exploit and take advantage of you.  They exalts themselves.  They slap you in the face.

HERE ARE THE SUFFERINGS THAT PAUL UNDERWENT:

  1. He had been in prison, flogged severely and been exposed to death again and again.
  2. Five times he received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one
  3. He was beaten three times with rods, stoned, shipwrecked thrice.  And he spent a night and a day in the open sea.
  4. He suffered danger from bandits, from his own people, from Gentiles, in the city, in the country, at sea and from false brothers.
  5. He labored and toiled and offer gone without sleep.
  6. He experienced hunger and thirst and often without food.
  7. He had been cold and naked.
  8. He faced daily the pressure of his concern for all the churches
  9. He was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped out.

May we imitate the unselfish and generous attitude of Paul towards the church.  May we careful not to let Satan lure the church away from true devotion to Christ.  May we be willing to sacrifice for the Lord.[:]