Notice on a slight format change:

Except for July 2012, these are mostly a collection of current devotional notes.

July 2012 is a re-write of old quiet times. My second child was born Nov 11, 1987 with multiple birth defects. I've been re-reading my QT notes from that time in my life, and have included them here. They cover the time before the birth and the few years immediately after the birth. They are tagged "historical." I added new insights and labeled them: ((TODAY, dd mmm yy)).

Friday, June 6, 2025

QT 6/6/2025 2 Cor 8:16–19, Wisdom and Prudence

2 Corinthians 8:16–19 (ESV) —

16 But thanks be to God, who put into the heart of Titus the same earnest care I have for you. 17 For he not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. 18 With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel. 19 And not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us as we carry out this act of grace that is being ministered by us, for the glory of the Lord himself and to show our good will.

 

NOTE: We learn a lot about this gift and the precautions taken here. First, the churches appointed representatives to go with the gift. Counting Paul, there were at least eight, and we see their names in Acts 20:4. We also see in Acts, that they did not travel by land but traveled almost entirely by sea. Initially they used coastal craft which traveled about a day and harbored up every night. Later, they secure an ocean going vessel, cutting the time considerably, and taking away Paul's concern of making it to a certain festival period. The avoidance of land routes and the number of men were prudent measures and did not indicate a failure to trust God, but a desire to be wise in the responsibility given to them.

 

We don't know the brother who was famous for his preaching the gospel. I suppose he was a first century Billy Graham. I'm glad that Paul does not mention his name because everything we have and do is through grace. None of us are famous for anything and if we are, it is only by the grace of God. We have no basis for boasting. Rather, we have a responsibility to use our gifts for the kingdom's sake.

 

PONDER:

  1. How am I being prudent and shrewd for the kingdom's sake with the riches God has given me?
  2. How am I being responsible to use the spiritual gifts God has given me?

 

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the recent opportunities. Help me to be observant to the opportunities that you probably place around me all the time. I want to be faithful to my calling.

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