It's Your Call (Proverbs 22:6 ESV)

 

Phones aren't what they used to be ...

Growing up, my parents had a rectangular unit that hung on the wall.  It had a long, curly cord that attached itself to the phone and to the handset.  When anyone wanted to make a call, they'd lift that handset and listen for something called, "dial tone."

If you heard that then you could begin to dial the number.  On the middle of the wall unit was a dial that had finger-sized round holes.  There were 10 holes and the numbers began at the top with #1, of course, and circled around in a counter-clockwise arc.  Each of the holes had their own number, from 1-9 and the tenth hole was a zero.

You'd start the progress of ringing up the usually, seven digit number, by placing your index finger in the relevant hole and circling it up clockwise, until it came to a stop.  You'd let go, and the dial would rotate back to the resting position.  You'd do that for each subsequent number of the phone number.

Then you'd wait for the ringing sound to tell you you'd completed the dialing and it went through to the other side.  You just had to wait for the person on the other end to answer and pick up their handset and say, "Hello."  Then you'd talk.

If it was a good friend, you could talk for hours.  You'd sit, you'd strut and drift around your kitchen or dining room or whereever the phone was hung, tethered to the length allowed by that curly cord.  Sometimes, as you talked, you'd curl your fingers in and around that cord, or you'd see how far you could reach and still be connected and so on.  

Well, that's a thing of the past.  Now we have 'mobile' phones.  The tether is the reach of the internet signals.  That can be quite far from your homebase kitchen for sure.

Whether you call them mobile phones, or handphones, or cell phones, there are concerns we need to inform ourselves and our children and grandchildren about.  Some of these may be similar to the past, like scam calls, prank calls, or dirty men calls and the like.

Some of those 'old fashioned phones' phone calls could be amusing.  Like if there was someone else out there who coincidentally had the same name as you and you'd look up in the phone book that listed the cities' residents phone numbers, and you could see several names just like yours.

It was like that for my Dad.  It was an unusual surname so it came as a surprize when we started getting calls looking for the other one of the same name.

My Dad was a straightlaced, fundamental preacher  man.  The other man of the same name was a band drummer.  It got so that if the caller was looking for T___ R___, and we didn't recognize the voice, we'd ask, "Are you looking for T___ R___ the preacher or T___ R___ the drummer?

That could be fun but nowadays the phone concerns run deeper, I believe.  Well, I've recently been more informed as I was supposed to give a talk about this and I'd never really sat down and coalesced the good, bad and indifferent about handphones (the term I'll use) and how their usage today is quite over the top.

(Ironically, I just came across a blog entry I wrote on the topic back in 2018 for Mother's Day.  Some of the info is similar but I see but there is a slightly different angle here.)

So we can do a mini-survey.  Of the children you know, how many of them have handphones?  How long do they spend on them?  Is it easy to get them to stop playing with them?  Are their phones beside them when they do their homework and/or study for tests and exams?

Perhaps you can think of further questions like:  what are they watching or engaging in, who are they interacting with and so on?

If we love our children we will teach them to have good study habits, and self-controlled usage of those handphones.  Of course, we need to set the good example ourselves.  We must insist on it.

I recall something Charlie Kirk has said, which I learned from one of his videos.  He said that one day a week he tucks his phone away and doesn't touch it (unless there 's a very urgent matter).  He took a break from it and gave 100% attention to his wife and children.

Additionally, he said that he used a hard copy of the Bible while doing his devotions.  A pinging phone was a distraction, therefore he eliminated that problem by putting the phone aside and using an actual Bible book that he'd hold in his hands instead.

These are good practices we could adopt if we are willing.  Good and better habits will take time ot inculcate but 

"slow but sure wins the race" 

as the saying goes.

Teaching our children our findings in this is a good step forward in teaching them better phone habits.  Learning to read, write, do math and science are very important to life knowledge.  Consant bad-habit phone use will not allow that to happen very readily if at all.

So as mothers, fathers, grandparents or guardians, we will have to sacrifice our own time and effort to lead the way.  Yes,  we do, as parents, need time to relax but we can't afford to over extend the time.

Our chidlren are only young once and we cannot waste the time or opportunities to teach them the way they should go.  We need to be diligent and hardworking.

We need to sit beside our children as they do their homework, even if we don't understand it all.  They need to get the vibe that we care; even if they don't really appreciate us breathing down their necks at the time. 

I know of a mother whose children went to the Chinese medium school.  They had to learn to read and write Chinese and the local national language.  That mother only knew one language and it wasn't either one of the above mentioned ones.  She could only helplessly stand by.

Eventually she did find ways to engage and help.  She sat and endured and did what she could, making as sure as possible that they got the work done.  Only then could they go out and play.

That took a lot of time and patience in the daily grind of school and homework.  Yet in this way she could teach by action, discipline and self-control.

Of course, all this was mostly in the pre-dawn years of the explosion of hand phones.  Yet the principles can still be put into action, with parental determination and God-given authority taken hold of and executed.  These are things we can teach our children and grandchildren and that as we learn these lessons, they make Jesus happy.

There are some good and not so good points about handphones.  Some of the good are that education information is easily available.  The student can research school topics using the phone as a tool but not for extended gametime.  Our children do need relax time so a scheduled, limited time frame to play approved games, or chat with friends, can be allowed yet firmly stated and enforced.

Yes, parents  do need to be "the bad guy" at times.  Be that steadfast parent.  Remember, parenting isn't for sissies.

When children are well taught like this, they will hopefully also learn obedience as well as self-control.

Watching what our offspring watch or play should be monitored.  There are bad things about phone usage.

It can be as addictive as drugs.  There's lots of bad stuff available and easily accessed at our fingertips, just a click away.  If the children are not monitored, they could get into trouble.

Even the better stuff available, if watched in unlimited supply can alter the child's brain development and end up with learning difficulties akin to autism and the like.  There will be other difficulties too.

If they are unable to learn well, especially in foundational years of life, then good jobs will be out of their league.  They won't learn how to interact with others if there heads are continually bent over their phones, oblivious to all else.

There will be sleep disoders, eye problems, difficulties in carrying conversations with other people and realationships will not be good with parents and friends .

I listened to one sister report and show images of a person's brain that showed marked alteration of the brain mass, or perhaps it just hadn't properly developed in the first place (technical terms may not be correct here but hopefully you get the idea).

As mothers, fathers and even grandparents, let's proactively ...

"Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it" (Proverbs 22:6 ESV).

In this way we will be able to build that needful relationship with our children.  We need to remove the phones from our hands and theirs, and look our children lovingly in the eyes.  We need to communicate intentionally with them.

They need to learn to pay attetnion and to respect each other when someone is talking with them.  Otherwise, the people or games or illicit content on the other end of the phone will teach them things they should not learn.  Generally speaking, good things will potentially not happen.

Verbal commumnication will be a huge challenge.  One can see it even in coffee shops where the babysitter and childminder is the phone.  I am pleased to report though that lately I've seen, on more than one occasion, at a table in restaurants where the children were actually putting Lego-like toys together whilst they were waiting for their food.  Some of the parents actually interacted with their children while the process was ongoing.  

That has a positive feel to it but if the other scenario is not addressed sooner in the children, it could well lead to mental and emotional problems.  This would be very sad and tragic.  I would not want this to happen to any of my children or grandchildren.

Would you?

It's your call ...

Don't let your phone ring in vain.

                                                      ~  ERC  June 2026  ~

Based on Proverbs 22:6 ESV.

Adapted from a sharing, Part 2 of Loving Mothers.

Sing, We Teach Your Children along with Anointed Family and Train Up a Child, along with Kingdom Kids Arena.

For further issues:  The Children Are Watching.

The Children are Watching (Deuteronomy 6:5-9 ESV)

 

Mothers and Grandmothers gathered in.  At first only four or five appeared.  Then others drifted in, in two or threes with the occasional child in tow.

We discovered that many of these mothers had had upwards of 5-8 children each. Many had gotten married young, like in their teens or early 20's.  Some had even become a grandmother by the age of 40.   So motherhood was very real to them.

We had come to visit and share something with them about loving mothers; hoping it would be more of an exchange and interaction of shared experiences, and a mutual encouragement.  Both of us who'd come to visit were mothers and one already a grandmother as well.

After some prelimiary introductions, the question was asked,

"Who finds a mother's job easy?"

The general consenous was that no one did.  However, motherhood is a very important job, with many aspects to think about and to do for our children to grow them into responsible aldults.  

And of utmost importance, the spiritual growth.  Teaching them #1, who Jesus is and #2 teaching them to love and obey Jesus.  Additionally, to know and experience His presence always being with us and the childern, is also key.

But how can we get this message across the generation gap?  The verses in Deuteronomy are well-known verses that can give us a good idea of the 'how'.

"You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.  And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart.  You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down and when you rise.  You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes, and you shall write them on your doorposts of your house and on your gates" (Deuteronomy 6:5-9 ESV).

Note verse 5 and the inclusiveness of how to love the Lord...

"All your heart..."

"All your soul..."

"All your mind..."

Everything we do and think about, we must do with Christ's love in our hearts, souls and might; the strength of our minds.

As mothers, we need to have it all in our hearts.  We have it first and only then can we teach it.  Teach it as we go along.  We teach diligently.

'Diligently,' meaning carefully.  Consistant persistance and being hard-working at our mothering.  I suppose this includes being intentional.  We have to keep at this work day after day.  We pay close attention and use a lot of effort.  We do this every single day.

We pay attention to our children's needs.  And it's not just the food and clothes and school.  These are important aspects of our loving care.  We also need to be very sure they know and love Jesus as well.

This is not just sending our children to Sunday School.  We must teach them at home too.

Like the verses explain, we must teach them...when we sit in our home; ...when we walk by the road or when tending to our paddy fields or garden, or rubber tapping.

Then some more again, when we lie down to sleep.  It starts all over again when we get up in the morning.

For example:

In Malaysia, there are insects with the layman's term, "rainbugs."  After a rain, these rainbugs come in a ccloud and circle around lights.  They will swarm into your home, at night, when you've got your lights on.

One easy way to get them out in a hurry is to switch off all indoor lights while leaving the outdoors' ones on.  Out those rain bugs will fly.  

Nevertheless, some will have fallen to the floor and become virtually helpless.  They crawl and hide.  That's when ants find them.  There may be upwards of 9 or 10, or more ants all pulling together to bring their 'catch' home to their hideout.  

These ants try very hard to take that one rainbug away.  It takes them time. It takes effort.  It is not easy for those ants.  The ants need to be patient.

And so we can call our children over to have a look, to observe.  They could learn about how to be patient.  Or the lesson could be about working together for a common purpose or goal.  Or just to live together in harmony, without sibling rivalry and the like.  They can each have a piece of that 'rainbug,' so to speak.

We can grab such opportunities to teach our Lord's standards and values of His kingdom, saying,

 "Come, come children, have a look."

Jesus would want us to learn these lessons ourselves too.  

Another example that can teach even longer patience and endurance, over extended time is growing rice.  It takes 3-5 months.

First the rice farmer needs to grow seedlings from starter 'seeds'.  This can take 15-30 days.  Then the seedlings need to be planted.  Depending on how many workers work one acre, it could take a couple or more days.

Then the months of tending the precious growing plants.  Pests such as rats, insects, birds and caterpillars have to be warded off.  It takes time and effort.

Good things we can tell our children, don't happen by magic.  It takes time and effort and patience.  This is somehting we need to learn too.

Then the harvest time arrives.  Depending on how many neighbors are willing to help, we were told, in one long day, one acre of rice could be harvested.  Otherwise, it could take 2-3 days or longer.

Once the rice is harvested, the job is still not done.  This is where teaching perseverence could join the lesson in patience.

There is threshing to be done, where the rice grains are shaken off the plant.  Winnowing that separates the good grains from the lighter ones and removes any unwanted debris, is the next step.  All this you can actually research online.  However, I did once try my hand at the threshing part.  It was not so easy.

It is a long process.  We can't grow weary and faint or give up because we need to eat.  Food doesn't come easy, we can tell our children and grandchildren.  This too, could make for a good lesson in work ethics and doing so diligently in ways that please the Lord.

Furthermore, we can say that Jesus never gave up either.  When He came to Earth from Heaven, think of how He was treated.  Not very well, and then He was crucified.  But He persevered in order to achieve the purpose for which He was sent to earth despite the pain, suffering and affliction.  He died so that we could live and have our sins forgiven.  He lives now so we know He is real and have a relationship with Him.

And now, back to the rice.  We are still not done...

It is at the stage where it can finally be cooked and eaten.

It is very precious food.

Our children and grandchildren are very precious too.  It takes lots of time and effort and years to tend and 'grow' a child into responsible adulthood and to know and love the Lord their God and Jesus their Savior.

This kind of patience is something we ourselves need to learn before we can teach our children.

Jesus loves it when we are patient.  After all it is one of the aspects of the fruit of the Holy Spirit.  

All this and more we can train ourselves to stop and think of other examples that include more than just about patience.  There is our Heavenly Father's kindness and goodness, and there's the joy we can have of obediently following Jesus.

Be alert to finding various lessons from our daily lives and the things that happen.  Use them to teach the children and grandchildren.

Besides God's Word and life experiences, there's the sermons the Sunday preacher preaches in church.  We don't have to memorize every word taught but we 'harvest' what is relevant to us, 'thresh' and 'winnow' how the Holy Spirit speaks to us in our respective circumstances.

What we've learned, then we share with the chidlren in our care in ways they can understand.  They will come to know you love Jesus and that He is special to you.  We then pray in the hope that they too will come to love Him as much as you do.

These are things a follower of Jesus Christ does.

Part of the Deuteronomy verse says to write God's Word on our frontlets and doorposts.   wasn't exactly sure what a 'frontlet' was so I looked up the word and discovered it refers to a band that goes across the forehead.

Some people still wear these.  Someone good at handicraft could create one with a message such as, "Jesus loves me."  This can serve as a good reminder that we are loved by Him even in a world that may seem not to love you.  We still have Jesus who will never leave us nor forsake us because He is the one who loves us (see Hebrews 13:5).

For 'doorposts' or even on our walls at home, we could prepare a text with which to decorate them.  It could be the Deuteronomy verses or your favorite ones.  You can have it there for your children and grandchildren, and one and all who enter, to see.

All of these have the potential to show our chidlren we value God's Word.  This too is a testimony to them as we tell and teach them of Jesus and His love for them; of how He has helped them in the past and how He is still helping you now.  

I'd like to end this somewhat lengthy blog entry by telling you a short blurb about our daugther.  She actually went to be with Jesus while she was still a baby.

She got very ill and we prayed.  But she didn't get well.  As I said, she went to be in the arms of Jesus.

Did my husband and I think Jesus could not heal her?

We believed that He could have.

In the Bible there are many examples of Jesus healing the sick, the lame, blind, the deaf and more.  He even raised people from the dead.  So I know and believe that He could have done the same for our baby girl.

So why didn't He!?

Did I get mad at God?

No.  I still trusted Him.  I trusted that He is good.  That He is doing what's best for my husband and me.

Of course, it really didn't feel like it at the time.  But I chose to trust He was doing good for us.  My sadness was very real for a long time.  In fact, even more than 30 years later something can still trigger tears.  But I'm ok.

Why?

Because my friend Jesus comforts me.   He lets me walk close to and with Him.   This is why I love Jesus and how I know He loves me.

And then I can keep living.

So be sure to tell these true stories that happen to you to your children and grandchildren.  And whether good or bad things happen to you, you'll still trust God and Jesus and contiue to love, honor, worship and serve Him diligently.

Your children are watching and will know how authentic you are.  Let's pray and encourage each other to continue continuing on in our loving mothers' mode, with sincere hearts until Jesus comes.

Amen.

                                                 ~   ERC  June 2026  ~

Based on Deuteronomy 6:5-9 ESV.

Sing, Count Your Blessings, along with Grace Community Church and Guy Penrod, and We Teach Our Children, along with Anointed Family.

Origianl Title:  Loving Mothers, adapted from a sharing with mothers and grandmothers in a rural village setting.

Fools & Foiled False Teachers (2 Corinthians 11: especially vs 3 & 28 ESV)

 

The mango looked so perfect.  The skin was the right shade of green.  When gently pressed to check for ripeness, it was the right softness.  When a strip of peel was lifted partially away, it exposed the plump flesh, which was a nice peachy orange.  The mango fragrance wafted out to us and we smiled in anticipation of tasting its goodness.

But, oh, ugh!  As more of the skin was peeled away, a mass of heaving worms was revealed.  We gingerly salvaged what we could and tossed the rest away in disgust.

This seems a perfect analogy that the apostle Paul describes in 2 Corinthians 11.  False teachers came in boasting of great and wonderful things, puffing themselves up.  They were so deceptively deceptive that at least some of the Corinthian congregation were being turned aside.

They had accepted it as God's truth.  But Paul firmly and almost fiercely, admonished them.  Don't be such fools as to be foiled by these false teachers!

They may sound good and have had difficulties but Paul had had ever so many more and this was in line of duty to bring the pure and sincere truth from the Lord to them.

He said,

"But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ" (2 Corinthiasn 11:3 ESV).

All Paul's hard work among them was being altercated, which caused him sleepless nights and anxiety on their behalf.  Satan is forever active and just as cunning since Eve.  Be wary and ever on guard, even today.

We need to ...

 " ... test the spirits to see whether they are of God ... " (1 John 4:1 ESV).

Let's watch out for false teachers.  We can ask the Holy Spirit to teach us and to alert us to them.  Let's know the truth of God's Word so well it helps us to detect and discern the false when it shows up.

Until then, may the truth set us free as we abide in God's word (see John 8:31-32).  This is how fools and false teachers can be foiled.

So be it.

Amen.

                                                     ~  ERC  June 2026  ~

Based on 2 Corinthians 11: especially vs 3 & 28 ESV.

Sing, Your Truth Sets Me Free along with David and Rachel, and Jesus is the The Way The Truth and the Life, along with be_still_studios.

Audacious Questioning (2 Corinthians 10: especially vs 8, 12, 18 ESV

 

A person in the position of authority often has his or her authority questioned and/or tested.  The Corinthian believers seemed to have done so to the apostle Paul, of all people!

Paul addressed this a couple of times and it can be seen here in 2 Corinthians 10.  Verses 8, 12 and 18 are good examples of his defence regarding this matter.

His trump card is that the Lord had given him this authority and that for a very good purpose.  Read what he wrote:

"For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for the building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed"                                    ( 2 Corinthians 10:8 ESV). [emphasis mine]

It was for "building them up" and "not destroying them"!

A very special dispensation of grace from the Lord to Paul for their benefit.

So when they tried to push back at him and perhaps 'take control' and be the ones in the position of power, using comparison, they showed up that they had no understanding (see vs12).

Furthermore, Paul didn't take this up of his own accord.  He had not commended himself and set out to be in that position for himself.  No.  He tells them,

"For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one who the Lord commends" (2 Corinthians 10:18 ESV).

I believe a brother or sister is often 'in training' long ever before they realize it.  The Lord arranges and orchestrates all their life experiences, knowledge and wisdom; their sincerity and truth proven over the years of their lives to bring them into fulfilment of their purpose and life's work.

This is so plainly seen in Paul's life.  If you read through the book of Acts and even his epistles, you'll see this played out.

When Paul wrote to Timothy, who was leading among the saints in the Ephesians' assembly, along similar lines, he told him a couple of things to be aware of.  First, he told him not to let anyone look down on him because of his youth (see 1 Timothy 4:12).  And in his second letter to Timothy he told him God had not given him

 "a spirit of fear but of power and love and of self-control" (see 2 Timothy 1:7-9 ESV).  

The KJV translates that as "of a sound mind" in stead of 'self-control'.

Together, these ideas give a collaborative picture.  When our minds are sound we will have good self-control and discipline.  This becomes and behooves a brother in the postion of authority.  The power in this is from God Himself who led and guided a brother or sister throughout the years to reach and engage their purpose.

It seems to be important that not only the Lord endorses and commends a brother, but that the respected leaders of a sending church, also sanction the one(s) for a particular ministry.

Paul was given such blessing, along with Barnabas and later with Silas, by prayer for the Holy Spirit's guidance and the laying on of the elders' hands.

This initially happened in Jerusalem under the hands of Peter, James and John. (Incidently, they had been sanctioned by Jesus Christ while He was still walking this earth) [see Galatians 2:7-9; Acts 14:26 and 15:40].  They had been commended "by the elders and brothers to the grace of God."

So for the Corinthians to question Paul's authority, it was something else - a rather audacious questioning.  As if snubbing their noses at him, saying,

"Who died and made you boss!?"

But Paul, ever gracious, gets through it with them and even commends them and shows his love and care, just like a loving father would.  He could take the blows and carry on.

So the next time you feel your authority being questioned, stop and think it through.  Be encouraged as Paul encouraged Timothy. We don't have to lord it over people but we can remember the Holy Spirit's power, love and self-control even when being bombarded by those under your care.  This Holy Spirit is not one of fear.  We can match audacious questioning with humble and audacious and gracious response.  If God Himself has given you the authority and you have been commended by the elders, take hold and be bold in Christ and His mission with meekness.

                                                  ~  ERC  June 2026  ~

Based on 2 Corinthians 10:8, 12, and 18 ESV.

Sing, Authority, along with Elevation.

Good Intentions Fulfilled (2 Corinthians 9:5 ESV)

 "So I thought it necessary to urge the brothers to go on ahead to you and arrange in advance for the gift you have promised, so that it may be ready as a willing gift, not as an exaction"  (2 Corinthians 9:5 ESV).

The matter appears to have become more urgent.  The Corinthians had promised a gift of money but had yet to fulfil it.  To show it as a willing gift and not a coercion, Paul sent an advance team of brothers to propel and compel these believers into action; to put their money where their mouths were.  What's more, he implores them to get their gift ready, in hand, so neither they nor he would be humilitated and embarassed by a failure to bring their promise to fruition.

Good intentions stop being good when they are neglected.  We often say, "Okay, I'll do this or that later" or "Tomorrow."  Tomorrow never comes and we drift along until we forget our promises and intentions.

Paul was holding the Corinthians accountable for what they'd promised.  The brothers and sisters-in-Christ in Jerusalem desparately needed the monetary help.  But the Corinthians were dragging their feet on their promise.

He reminds them again of what God's generosity looks like.  It is active, progressively so.  It gets the job done, no holding  back.  The reaction to our giving (and to theirs) could well be like ...

"For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God" (2 Corinthians 9:12 ESV).

God gets glorified by this.  Paul continues to remind them of all  He has done for us.  Then we too can have heartfelt thanks that stirs us to be just as giving and generous.

"Thanks be to God for His inexpressible gift" (2 Corinthians 9:15 ESV)!

God gave us the gift of  Jesus.  A gift that leaves us so overwhelmingly thankful, we are speechless.  We lack capability to describe all He has done for us through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Stop and thank Him now though, as best you can, then give of your best to Him and His people.

Heavenly Father, You have been so good and giving to us.  You sent Jesus to be the propitiation for our sins.  You desired to give this gift for us and You brought it to full completion too.  Our thanks is to You.  All glory be to You.

Show us opportunities to give our all and to help those in need, according to what we have.  May we be progressively active and fulfill our good intentions so we can please You and be a blessing to others.  

We ask in Jesus' name.  Amen.

                                                   ~  ERC  June 2026  ~

Based on 2 Corinthians 9: especially vs 5, 12, and 15 ESV.

Sing, To God Be the Glory, along with Reawaken.

Lord's Day Devotion - Finish It (2 Corinthians 8 ESV)

 

Here it is again; money talk.  This is literal money, not possessions referred to in this chapter.  It certainly puts one in mind of what Paul wrote in his first letter to the Corinthians though.

He'd asked them to have "a collection for the saints" and to give of their "store" as the Lord had "prepared them" (1 Corinthians 16:1-3 KJV).

He continued to instruct,

"bring your liberality unto Jerusalem."  

It would be termed, "gift".

Lastly, he guided,

"Let all be done in love" (1 Corinthians 16:14 ESV).

Again, Paul encourages the Corinthians to give generously.  The church and the poor in Jerusalem still needed help.  They should follow through on what had already been collected.  Furthermore, Titus, now a well-known evangelist and man of integrity, would be entrusted to carry and deliver their monetary offering.

He stirred them up by, ooo, comparison!  Aren't comparisons, taboo?  Paul tells them the Macedonian believers even though poor, gave what they could, plus more they could barely afford.  You guys in Corinth are wealthy.  Give accordingly!

The key to this though was that they

 "gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us"                                 (1 Corinthians 8:5 ESV).

Since the Corinthians felt pretty good that they excelled in several areas, Paul, with tongue-in-cheek, says,

"see that you excel in this act of grace also" (2 Corinthians 8:7 ESV).

It wasn't exactly a command.  Instead, Paul cleverly goaded them,

 "to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine"                                (2 Corinthians 8:8 ESV).

At times we give, perhaps reluctantly, for the furtherance of our Lord and King Jesus' kingdom's matters.  Maybe saying, "They just want more!" or "Again!!?"  Of course we need to have good stewardship of what the Lord gives us but do we have a stingy, reluctant heart?

Paul gives good reasons for giving in this instance.  And his best and biggest 'high stake' reason is Jesus Himself.  Jesus came from Heaven to Earth; from richness in glory to poverty among the poor.  Yet He did this so we could become rich in God and in our spirits.

Our Jesus, our Savior, came to ransom our souls to give us life eternal.  He paid the debt from the sins we commited and for our sins due to The Fall (but this is another story for some other time).

Jesus gave His all.  He gave it for the Corinthians.  Could they not give theirs for Him and His people in need?

And Jesus didn't just begin His work on earth, He brought it to completion.  Paul noted to the Corinthians.

"[You], a whole year ago started not only to do this work but also to desire to do it ..."        (2 Corinthains 8:10 ESV).

We make starts of things maybe out of guilt or an initial enthusiasm but there's a following through to do.  Paul continued to admonish,

"so now finish doing it, so that your readiness in desiring it may be matched by your completing it out of what you have " ( 2 Corinthians 8:11 ESV).

Yes, sometimes we need time to work through things in our hearts and minds.  It's ironic what this saying by the American businessman Glenn Turner, convey's.  He may have been not above board in some areas but he seems to have gotten this right...

"The last parts of us to be converted are our pockets and purses."

The Israelites of the Old Testament were told to give of the best of their firstfruits of their grain, livestock and so on.  It was to be a first action, not a last (see Exodus 23:19).

God gave of His best.  He gave His One and Only son that we might be saved and have everlasting life (see John 3:16).

This Lord's day, remember God's freewill offering and 'burnt offering' - His giving of His all for us, coupled with Jesus' desire to complete what He had started, and then doing so.  Partake of the broken bread and the cup of wine, symbols of His death and paying for our pardon, do so with thanksgiving.

Do so, with generosity of our firstfruits, money, possessions, time, and energy.  What He asks, let's serve Him and give Him our all.  Let's desire to do it, complete it out of what we have, just like Jesus did (see John 19:30; 17:4; 4:34; and Hebrews 10:12).

                                                    ~  ERC  June 2026   ~

Based on 2 Corinthians 8 ESV.

Sing, Jesus Paid It All, along with Kim Walker-Smith.

See related article:  Pockets and Purses.

Pastor E's Motorbike

 Pastor E's bio looks something like this ...

NAME:  Pastor E.

AGE:  old enough to drive but younger than Jesus was when he began active ministry

GENDER:  Male

ADDRESS:  remote rural village

TITLE:  Besides 'pastor,' there's Servant of Jesus Christ

CORE SKILL:  Caring.  Able to communicate God's Word; reaching out to youth in surrounding region; lead a congregation

KEY ACHIEVEMENT:  Gather youth to be present at an unscheduled mid-week meeting; completed one year of active ministry

TARGET VALUE:  To love, honor, worship and serve Jesus Christ with integrity and store up treasure in heaven; being part of the maintaining unity of the Sprit in the bond of peace; sustained daily humble walk with the Lord

CHARACTER:  Humble, loving care, joyful.

As you can see, Pastor E. is quite a young and energetic and caring man of God.  His hopes and ambitions focus on God and His kingdom through Jesus Christ.  Besides these qualitites, the observer can take note of how joyful his countenance is.  He radiates the joy of the Lord, who is his strength.

His desire to reach out to not only his own assigned congregation, but especially the youth even in other neighboring villages.  To be more effective and efficient, Pastor E. desired and prayed for a motorbike.  He prayed and prayed and one day as he was going about the Lord's business, another brother approached him.

The brother said, "Here's $10,000 for your use."

Pastor E was amazed.  He'd only asked the Lord for a motorbike.  But, well, here was a brother donating enough funds for the desire of his heart to aid his ministry!  It was a bountiful gift.  Isn't this wonderfully amazing!

Of course, Pastor E. realized that not everything he asks God for, he'll get.  He knows that not everything is good or needed.  But he does recognize God is good and will supply his need.

Scripture tell us,

"And my God will supply every need of yours according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19 ESV).

Now Pastor E. goes on his way rejoicing in the Lord, bouncing all over those unpaved, potholey  roads, village to village, giving all praise and honor to God His Father.  All glory be to God.

Lord, thank You for this young Pastor E.  Watch over him and may he praise You day and night.  Raise up many more such sincere young brothers for similar tasks.  May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with Pasor E.'s spirit and those others too, when You raise them up.  I ask in Your most precious name.  Amen.

                                             ~ ERC  June  2026  ~

Based on a true story/testimony.

Sing, My God Shall Supply All Your Need, along with Songs From Scripture (Abe & Liza).