Divine Power
2 Corinthians 10:4-6
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.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
Artificial Intelligence is a very innovative invention of experts. Using AI, you can design a paradise picture. You can change a terrible picture into pleasant one using AI. There’re also movies created from AI. Just imagine. The human brain can come up with Artificial Intelligence products. But who created the limited human brain that invented Artificial Intelligence?
By faith, we believe God created mankind. We believe that God has unlimited wonderful ideas. Reflect on what it declares about Jesus Christ in Colossians 1:15-16, 15The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. 16For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.
Humans invented devices that can change the background of picture. If you wish to have a picture swimming in the Pacific Ocean or eating in an Italian restaurant or climbing Mount Everest, there are many ways that you can do. Find photo editor software in the internet to make it happen.
Have you ever tried editing your pictures for better presentation? But would it not be much better to achieve genuine changes for betterment? God can change us for eternal good. Reflect on 2 Corinthians 5:17-18,
17Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here! 18All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation:
God changed us into new creation in Christ and also reconciled us to himself. How can we practically prove that God transformed us into new creation and reconciled to himself? A transformed Christian received the ministry of reconciliation. Did you receive the ministry of reconciliation?
By his grace, we sense urgency to reconcile others to God. We sense urgency to bring potential believers to Christ. Christians reborn in Christ are filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit inspires us to identify potential believers and tell the the good news of eternal life we received from Christ.
The Holy Spirit empowers us not to be timid about our faith in Christ. On the contrary, he inspires us to gladly testify of our adventure with Christ.
1. Contrary
4The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.
Apostle Paul was timid when face to face with the Corinthians, but he was very bold in his letters. Then, some troublemakers in the city of Corinth assumed that Paul lived by the standard of this world. They spread the idea that his letters were blunt and powerful, but in person, he’s not impressive but a very terrible speaker. He was not eloquent and articulate like Apollos.
Church attendees can follow their preferred preachers. There will always be people who cannot agree with us. Spiritual battle is a reality that we should not ignore. Apostle Paul advised us to be smart against spiritual warfare. We have to rely upon the Holy Spirit always for divine power.
How do you interpret what Christ our Lord advised in Mark 13:11?
13Do not worry beforehand about what to say. Just say whatever is given you at the time, for it is not you speaking, but the Holy Spirit.
When someone challenges our message, a spiritual battle may start. How should we behave? Seriously pray for inspiration of the Holy Spirit. He provides words to respond spontaneously, and we sense peaceful joy.
Celebrity
A famous Christian was asked about his opinion about some pagan practices. The man expressed his personal interpretation and quoted the Scripture. His response angered many advocates of pagan practices. His statement was published online. Some of his endorsements withdrew their support, and some business partners distanced themselves from him.
Expressing a personal conviction about the Scripture and practice of faith cost him hundreds of millions of dollars. However, more Christians were encouraged to stand firm in their faith because of his brave stance.
Truly, whenever we speak about our faith and used the Scripture to defend our conviction, there will always be positive and negative reactions. Those who react positively will gladly obey and praise God. Those who react negatively can be spiritually sensitive. They almost taste the blessing of trusting the word of God, but not yet. But it’s worst for those who do not react at all. They are spiritually dead. The dead has no feelings at all.
How do you interpret and explain the revelation of Christ about his word in John 6:63-64? 63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit and life. 64Yet there are some of you who do not believe. For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him.
Christ revealed that his word are full of the Spirit and life. How’s that?
When we hear the word of God and obey him, the Lord accomplishes his purposes in us and through us, and we receive blessings and reward from him. The Lord speaks to us personally so that when we obey him, we grow stronger trusting that he designed a great adventure of life in Christ.
Together, let’s prayerfully meditate and trust what the Lord revealed in
Isaiah 55:11-12, 11My word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. 12You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace.
Do you believe that Christ is the same as the Lord who spoke in the Old Testament? How do you practically prove it? We trust and obey without delay his commands in the Old Testament as spiritual guide for Christian lifestyle. When we trust and obey the Lord we go out in joy with peace.
Presumptions and arguments may delay obedience to God. But joyful peace overcomes them. Obedience to God could be delayed by “what ifs” arguments. What if this happens? What if that happens? What if I heard the wrong voice? What if I make a mistake? There many confusing “what ifs.”
“What if” thought is almost about to experience blessing of obeying God but not yet. Argumentative hesitation is confusing indifference or lack of concern. But the obedient to the Lord is a captive of his flawless design.
2. Captive
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.
When we accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we become captives and slaves of righteousness. We prioritize plans, choose dreams and explore ambition that bring glory to Christ. We prioritize behaving righteously, why? When Christ is glorified in everything we do, we explore a great adventure in Christ that he designed for our betterment for all eternity.
Everyone has a dream or ambition, but we trust that God designed the best adventurous life we can ever live on earth and in eternity. We trust and obey God’s instructions as practical manifestation of our faith in Christ.
Jesus Christ is the wisdom of God and the power of God. The Lord sent the Holy Spirit of Christ into our hearts to empower us and testify of his transformative grace over our life. Divine power from God is available for us to always depend on him. Let us reflect on what it says in 2 Peter 1:3,
3His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.
How strong do you trust that a godly life is adventurously glorious? Everyone loves traveling to different countries or returning to our country of origin. The fastest way to travel abroad is aboard an airplane. How do you enjoy flying for more than fifteen hours to the other side of the globe?
Airplane
Do you enjoy flying aboard an airplane. Do you listen and follow with no hesitation to instruction, “Fasten seatbelt”? Essential instructions should be followed when onboard an airplane. But still when individuals defy and disregard instruction while aboard an airplane, all passengers are affected.
When disturbed passengers willfully defy instruction while onboard an airplane, they cause trouble, disorder and affect peaceful travel. Airplane staffs are instructed to take necessary steps to restrain unruly passengers. It helps a great journey experience to follow instructions inside the airplane. Ask question for clarification and not doubt on safety, and trust the pilot.
Similarly, we trust Christ that he will take us to our eternal destination safe and sound. By faith, we expect that by divine power, God has given us everything we need for godly life. We behave righteously, and trust Christ to complete his promise in John 14:3. 3I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
While we wait for Christ to complete his promise and take us into heaven, we love him with all our heart, soul, mind and strength. Desires or preferences should please God. Inner self, personality, passions, intentions should glorify Christ. Decisions and plans should center in the will of God. Action should exhibit our love for God. Christ challenges in John 15:10-11.
10If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. 11I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
To testify about personal adventure with him is Christ’s last command for us. We help those who believe in Christ to cultivate their personal relationship with him. We teach disciples to obey his commands including witnessing and discipleship. We should always remember to seek help from the Holy Spirit for us to follow his instruction with complete obedience.
3. Complete
6And we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete.
Primarily, Apostle Paul returned to Corinth to collect the offerings they promised as financial support to the Lord’s people in Judea who were affected by severe famine. Another purpose of his visit in the Corinthian church was to demolish arguments and pretensions of the troublemakers.
It was not literally mentioned how Apostle Pul punished every act of disobedience among the Corinthians but he expected complete obedience to his challenge and fulfill their desire to share their abundance eventually.
Some scholars suggest that the collection of offering in the Corinthian church that was sent to the Lord’s people in Judea was instrumental to how Apostle Paul punished the troublemakers. How is that? When by the grace of God the Corinthian believers willingly shared their abundance, their pretension was exposed, how? The troublemakers may argue that giving God’s tithes and offering are Old Testament commands.
Many church attendees have cheerfully returned the right portion of God, why? Have you heard about the Maslow’s hierarchy of needs?
Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs
- Physiological Needs:Air, food, sleep keep the human body alive.
- Safety Needs:Protection from danger, financial stability, and health.
- Love & Belongingness:Emotional connection, friendship, intimacy
- Esteem Needs:Self-respect, status, recognition, and appreciation
- Self-Actualization:The personal drive, potential, purpose, meaning
Where does returning the tithes of God and giving offering fall into this hierarchy of need? We trust that God gave food to eat, air to breathe and good night sleep. And many trusted God for financial safety. And we trust the next tiers of needs: intimacy with God, self-respect as Christian, personal drive to be righteous will happen sooner than later.
Reflect on what Christ declares in Matthew 5:17-18, 17Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. 18For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.
Returning the tithes of God and giving offering were arguments and pretensions in the Corinthian church that Apostle Paul exposed, the same arguments and pretensions still happen among troublemakers at present.
God commanded the return of his tithes and give offering as practical proof of trust in him. We trust God to bless us when we return his tithes. We also trust his promise of eternal life will be completed when Christ returns.
><))’> ><))”> tmec\ltsii\2026 <‘((>< <‘((><
