Agape Devotions

  TEXT TO REFLECT ON Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love. GALATIANS 5:2-6 REFLECT One of the dilemmas in interpreting scripture is the question of how generalizable a certain biblical teaching is. Does a principle that applies to a particular situation in the church apply also to other situations? And if so, to what extent and in which situations does that principle apply? In the present case, Paul was addressing the issue of circumcision. The Jewish Christians were insisting that Gentiles who had converted to Christianit...

Read: Galatians 3:1-4:20 No devotionals today (Sunday)

Read Galatians 1-2 Verses chosen for reflection:  Galatians 1:6-9 6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel— 7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. 8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. Reflect Paul was not mincing his words. In verse 6, he expressed great displeasure by using the greek word "taumazo" (astonished or marvel) against the churches of Galatia, for turning to a "different gospel" so quickly. For Paul, there are no multiple types of gospel.  There is only one Gospel which speaks of the works and redemption of Christ. To suggest and preach any other things in addition ...

You can use today to catch up on your readings.

READ : 2 Corinthians 12-13 Verses chosen for meditation: 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 7  So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.  8  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  9  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. REFLECT Paul had many major threats in his ministry, from Jewish and Roman establishments. This, he expects. But when opposition comes from fellow Christians, it bothers him much more. Jealous competitors had infiltrated the Corinthian church, undermining Paul’s work, spreading rumours to tarnish his reputation. Paul confessed a reluctance to defend himself...

READ : 2 Corinthians 10 - 11. Verses chosen for meditation: 2 Cor 10: 17-18, 11:5 - 6. 2 Cor 10: 17-18. 17  But, “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”  18  For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. 2 Cor 11:5 - 6. 5  I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”   6  I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way.   REFLECT Today if Apostle Paul were to present his CV (resume), it will be the most impressive one ever seen. Not only he had plenty to boast about before his conversion, but he had even more to boast about his life after knowing Christ. Before his conversion, Paul was violently persecuted the followers of Jesus (Gal 1:13-14). He was probably the “top agent” in arresting believers and put them to prison or tortured them to death. After knowing Christ...

Read Read 2 Corinthians 8 & 9 Verses chosen for meditation: 2 Corinthians 8: 1 - 4, 5, 7, 9, 16 - 21, 9: 6 - 8, 12, 14 - 15 ESV 1 We want you to know, brothers, about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord, 4 begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints—  5 and this, not as we expected, but they gave themselves first to the Lord and then by the will of God to us. 7 But as you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in our love for you— see that you excel in this act of grace also. 9 For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich....

  TEXT TO REFLECT ON So although I wrote to you, it was not for the sake of the one who did the wrong, nor for the sake of the one who suffered the wrong, but in order that your earnestness for us might be revealed to you in the sight of God. Therefore we are comforted. 2 CORINTHIANS 7:12-13 REFLECT Good grief! Grief that is a blessing. This was what Paul was writing about. In his earlier letter to the Corinthians, Paul severely castigated the Christians in Corinth about their lax attitude toward sexual immorality among them. Paul’s strong rebuke caused the Christians to repent and take serious action, resulting in the offending parties turning away from their sin. While Paul felt sad that he had inflicted much pain on the church by so severely scolding them, he was heartened by their godly response. Indeed, they had grieved over his rebuke, but their grief had led to repentance rather than resentment.  What heartened Paul most however, was that the Corinthian Christians’ grie...

Read: 2 Cor 4.7-5.10 Verses chosen for reflection: 2 Corinthians 5:5-10 5 For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this tent we groan, longing to put on our heavenly dwelling, 3 if indeed by putting it on we may not be found naked. 4 For while we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened—not that we would be unclothed, but that we would be further clothed, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. 5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always of good courage. We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord, 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 Yes, we are of good courage, and we would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment sea...

READ : 2 Cor.2:14 to 4:6 REFLECT/RELATE : There are some people who like both the smell and the taste of coffee, some who like the smell but dislike the taste, and others who totally despise both. My friend, Randy, belonged to the last category. Randy last had a cup of coffee in the summer of 2002 while on a missions trip to Scarborough, England. He was leading a music team that was doing beach ministry by day on the shores of the English Channel, while presenting concerts in community centres and churches in the evenings. The mayor of Scarborough heard about the presence of the missions team and invited them to tea in her mansion. But it wasn’t tea, it was coffee Randy was served. He took a couple of sips to be polite, but at a moment when all were looking in a different direction, he surreptitiously dumped the remains into a large, potted plant (probably killed the thing later!). He called coffee “skunk juice.”  He frequently has trouble distinguishing one odour from the other. H...

READ : 2 Corinthians 1:1-2:13 Verses chosen for meditation: 2 Corinthians 1:16-18 16  I wanted to visit you on my way to Macedonia, and to come back to you from Macedonia and have you send me on my way to Judea. 17  Was I vacillating when I wanted to do this? Do I make my plans according to the flesh, ready to say “Yes, yes” and “No, no” at the same time?  18  As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. REFLECT This letter was written after Paul’s 2nd visit to the Corinthians (and roughly a year after he wrote 1 Corinthians), to prepare the church for his 3rd and final visit. Paul wrote this just as his intense struggle with the church was coming to a head, revealing him in one of his lowest, most vulnerable moments. Paul was under strong criticism from the church. They felt he lacked honesty and transparency. Their complaints largely stemmed from the changes Paul made in his plans to visit them. After ...

 You can use today to catch up on your readings.

Read 1 Corinthians 16 Verses chosen for meditation: 1 Corinthians 16: 1, 3, 10, 13 - 14, 15 - 18, 19, 21 - 24 ESV: 1 Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 3 And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 10 When Timothy comes, see that you put him at ease among you,  for he is doing the work of the Lord, as I am. 13 Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. 14 Let all that you do be done in love. 15 Now I urge you, brothers you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints—16 be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your  absence, 18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people.  19....

  TEXT TO REFLECT ON  If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” 1 CORINTHIANS 15:32 REFLECT In today’s reflections, I want to muse about bucket lists and what bucket lists tell us about what we think of the resurrection – whether we believe in the resurrection, and what we think we will be like when we have died on earth and been raised in heaven. My thoughts are not meant to take anyone on a guilt trip, or to judge each other for what we do, but simply to dig deeper into what we (and especially myself) believe about the resurrection.  It is common, in fact almost customary, for people, especially those of us approaching our autumn or winter years, to have bucket lists, and to work with greater determination to see our bucket lists fulfilled.  A bucket list (as aptly named) is a list of things we hope to achieve before we ‘kick the bucket’. The list usually comprises things we hope to do while still alive, such as places on earth we ho...

Read: 1 Corinthians 11:2-34 Verses chosen for reflection 27 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. 28 Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died. 31 But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned along with the world. 33 So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another— 34 if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home—so that when you come together it will not be for judgment. About the other things I will give directions when I come. Reflect: One of the many issues which the Corinthian church was having included the proper way of partaking in the Lord's S...