Paul the apostle
proclaimed to the church members in Corinth how God,“delivered
us from so great a death, and does deliver”,
and how he and his companions “trust
that he will yet deliver us”.
In
chapter one and verse eleven of Second Corinthians, Paul referred to
how the church members were, “helping
together by prayer for us”,
where we read:
You also
helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed
upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on
our behalf.
The verse begins, “You
also helping together by prayer for us, ...” Paul began
with the words, “you also” which
means “the church members even so and indeed” “helping
together” or “to assist” “by prayer” which
means “through need, indigence, want, privation, penury and
entreaty” “for us” or “on behalf of Paul and his
companions”. Paul acknowledged the efforts of the church members
in their willingness to “pray” for he and his companions.
The verse continues, “
that for the gift bestowed
upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on
our behalf.”
Paul added the words, “that for the gift”
which means “for the favor with which one
receives without any merit of his own” “bestowed
upon” or “towards and for”
“upon us” or “on Paul and his
companions” “by the means of many”
“through a
great and large amount of” “persons”
which refers to “people whether male or female” “thanks”
or “gratefulness and the expression of gratitude” “may
be given” which means “might be over,
beyond, more than and on behalf and for the sake of” “by
many” or “through a much and large group
of people” “on our behalf”
which refers to “Paul and his companion's sake” having the “gift”
of the Spirit poured upon them before they could serve the Lord and
his “gospel” message”.
When we meditate upon
these words from Paul, we wee how “prayer” and “gifts”
are used by God in His Kingdom. Jesus Christ desires for His church
to pray for each other in “trials” and to continue to remember
how to use our “prayer life” to minister to others' needs.
When Jesus alters the life of one who is walking in a sinful way, He
often uses them in His kingdom to continue spreading his word. Let
all who read these words know the value of both “prayer”
directed to God and “gifts” to the church which are
received from Him.
Next
time Paul shares
about “rejoicing
in” ... “the
testimony of our conscience”
so read ahead,
and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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