Paul
the apostle wrote to the church members in Corinth, “for
as touching the ministering to the saints, it is superfluous for me
to write to you:”
and in chapter
nine and verse two of Second Corinthians, Paul tells the
Corinthian church members, “I know the
forwardness of your mind”
where we read:
For I
know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them
of Macedonia,
that
Achaia was ready a year ago; and your zeal has provoked very many.
The verse begins, “For
I know the forwardness of your mind, for which I boast of you to them
of Macedonia, ...”
Paul began with the word, “for”
which means “even as, indeed, no doubt, seeing then, verily and
therefore” “I know” which
means “Paul saw, perceived, noticed, discerned and discovered”
“the forwardness of”
which means “the zeal, spirit, eagerness, inclination and readiness
of” “your mind”
or “the church members' zeal, spirit, eagerness, inclination and
readiness”, “for which”
or “that” “I boast”
which means “Paul gloried, rejoiced, joyed and vaunted” “of
you” or
“the church members” “to them”
which refers to “to the churches” “of
Macedonia”
which means “extended land” and was “a country bounded on the
south by Thessaly and Epirus, on the east by Thrace and the Aegean
Sea, on the west by Illyria, and on the North by Dardania and
Moesia”. Paul knew the church members
“zeal and spirit”, and he “gloried and vaunted” of them to
the churches in Macedonia.
The verse goes on to say,
“...that Achaia was ready a year ago; and
your zeal has provoked very many.” Paul
continued with the words, “that Achaia”
which means “trouble” and was “the maritime region of northern
Peloponnesus” “was ready”
or “prepared” “a year ago”
or “the previous year to then”; “and
your zeal”
which refers to “the church members' excitement of mind, ardor and
fervor of spirit” “has provoked”
which means “has stirred up, excited and stimulated” “very
many” or
“the more part, greater in quality, superiority and excellence”.
Paul recognized the area of “Achaia”
in which the city of Corinth lie, was “prepared” for a “year”
to send their gift which inspired many others to be givers to the
gospel.
When we meditate upon
these words of Paul, we discover not
only his knowledge of the church in Corinth, but also in the
Macedonian churches. Paul knew the Corinthian church wanted to
be involved in “giving” to the gospel, and the churches in
Macedonia were already involved. Those who know Jesus Christ as their
“Savior and Lord” should have a “zeal” which “provokes”
others to be involved in the “gospel”, and when churches are
ready to “give”, let them to so to the glory of God.
Next
time Paul shares with the church members,
“I
sent the brethren, lest our boasting of you should be in vain”,
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.
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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