2nd Corinthians 2

Here we see a pastor's heart for the church. Paul had to write some painful things to them and decided not to return to go over those things at this time. The distress and anguish he had for them is familiar if you've ever had a child or family member wander and were grieved as they reacted to your input in their lives. Vs4 "For I wrote you out of great distress and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to grieve you but to let you know the depth of my love for you." This love is a love that imparts the truth in love to restore the one you love. It is an act of love and caring. It may not always be received that way, but give room and time for the Lord God to work.
They had to do some hard things here and are now asked to forgive and restore in genuine love. 7"Now instead, you ought to forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow. 8I urge you, therefore, to reaffirm your love for him. 9Another reason I wrote you was to see if you would stand the test and be obedient in everything."
Many times forgiveness is the hardest test of all. We are to be aware that Satan wants to use this to outwit us. We are not to let him get a foothold in our spiritual life through unforgiveness. Paul says "I have forgiven in the sight of Christ for your sake, 11in order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not unaware of his schemes."
Remember the opposite side of the equation 14"But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ's triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of him everywhere. 15For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." God has good things in store for those who join in the procession. Have you seen those join Him lately? Do you desire for those in your life to meet Him? Please let God be your boss and join Him today and you will see the hand of God at work as He uses you to reach them. We all want to hear Christ tell us: John 11:40 Then Jesus said, "Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?"

1 Corinthians 8

Today's passage starts out talking about eating food sacrificed to idols. It tells us "knowledge puffs up, but love builds up." Been puffed up lately? Could it be knowledge is getting a foot hold over what love wants to build in your life? verse2 explains: "The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. 3 But the man who loves God is known by God." What does this have to do about eating sacrificed food? First since idols are not real then it doesn't matter. The food isn't defiled because it is to a God that is not real. So where is the problem? This is a great passage that pertains to our freedom in Christ. Our activities can be a help or cause others to stumble and fall. Co 8:9 "Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak. 10 For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol's temple, won't he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? 11 So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. 12 When you sin against your brothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ."
This passage can be applied to any of our activities that cause others to change their thoughts and behaviors. If I start smoking or drinking it will give others permission to do that. If I start staying out of church or engaging in other activities that have not been specifically prohibited in scripture, I may be sinning against my brother and Christ by exercising freedom through the knowledge I have obtained, So I must go back to verse 3 and understand the relationship with God will cause me to be more concerned about my fellow man than my desires. Love wins again over knowledge. Love has kept me from sinning against my brother and God and letting knowledge have the victory. Practicing love will always bring us together as the desires of the father prevails over our desires.