God of Creation - Session 2

These are my notes from Session 2 from Jen Wilkin's God of Creation.  This session is called "The God who was in the Beginning."

The theme scripture in this session was Genesis 1:1 "in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."

Jen is answering the metaphysical question this week "why are we here?"

Fundamental Question
Right from the get-go, Moses addresses a fundamental question his audience had in that day about which god to serve.

Think about their experience of Pagan worship.  They were a dualistic culture.  Then they headed out of Egypt to Canaan where there were hundreds of gods worshiped, a polythestic culture.

It's into this mindset, Jen says, and in this waiting period, that Moses opens this book with "in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  He was speaking directly to where they had come from and where they were going.  It was written to give roots and shoots to this particular people and for us as well.

There is One God
This is the first root that Moses lays down.  The first of the 10 commandents says "you shall have no other gods before me."   This points back to Genesis 1:1.  Why are we to have no other gods before Him?  The answer is because there are no other gods.

Moses is making a foundational statement of truth.  

This scripture from Gensis 1:1 focuses on God Himself and not on creation.  As we all know, the Bible is a book about God from beginning to end.  The Bible speaks first about who He is so we can understand who we are, Jen says.

In essence, Moses is saying "this is a book about God." It's about God:

• Speaking
• Acting
• Doing

Jen's paraphrase of this verse is this: "At the beginning of time and history, Elohim made everything you and I can perceive."  He also made everything we're not capable of perceiving as well.

Not Bound By Time

The first thing this verse wants us to understand is that God is not bound by time.  He is eternal.

Ecclesiastes 3:11 says this: "He has made everything beautiful in its time.  He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end."

Thinking about Creativity

He's the source of all life and matter.  He creates something out of nothing.  If our God is the source of all life and matter, then there is something we need to take away from this:

• Value
• Ownership
• Stewardship

Value. Why is it that we have value?  The answer is because of who made us, our origin.  

Ownership.  We must understand also that because He made everything, it all belongs to Him.  People and creation came from God and belongs to God.  

Stewardship. If anyone should care about stewarding creation, it is the people of God.

Holds All Knowledge

Also, if God made it all, it makes sense that He holds all knowledge.  Why should this matter to you?  Why should this be something we meditate on?  Because we, wondering what is going to happen tomorrow, need to realize that God is already there in our tomorrow.  He holds all knowledge of past, present and future.  He is not bound by time.

God Knows

Don't you think God knows your circumstances and exactly what to do?  He not just knows it all, but holds all the power to do exactly what He said He will do - to bring all things together for our good.

Our problem is that we like to take on this characteristic of God.  Jen says this: "we have our own little universes we are orbiting in, and we are more than happy to make ourselves the one who controls everything that happens in them."  Note: we cannot bend God to our will.

Take Away

If at one time, only God existed, then everything that we can perceive is not needful to Him for His existence: God needs nothing.  He is self-sufficient.

He creates all of these things but needs none of these things.

Why Did God Create?

You may ask yourself this question.  He created to declare His glory.  All creation speaks of the glory of God.  The creation account is not primarily concerned with the "how" but is concerned with the "who."

Why Are We Here?

Why do I have these 70-80 years? What is my purpose?

If God created to declare His glory, then your sole purpose in life is to be a megaphone for the glory of God, Jen states.

Our Joyful Obligation

First and foremost, our joyful obligation is to know that God created you and me and that He is our origin.  Jen states that "knowing where you came from makes all the difference in seeing where you need to go."

Our lives are to be given to the declaration of God's glory.

The closing scripture she gave was in Isaiah 40:21-28.  Please read this on your own.  It's an amazing conclusion to session 2.

Review by Sharon Garner

Next: Session 3 Six Days & a Rest

God of Creation - Jen Wilkin Session 1 Introduction

This study has been sitting on my shelf for some time now.  Finally, I have the time to watch the DVDs, make notes and write these notes out for you. This study is 10 sessions.  

Jen Wilkin is a true Bible teacher.  In this introductory session, she asks us two questions:

• Why are we here?
• Why should we study Gensis?

Jen Wilkin's goal is to demonstrate for us "clearly and finally the vast importance of being familiar with what the Old Testament has to say."

Why Are We Here? 

Of course, it's to study 11 chapters of Genesis.  Jen said this is called "The Primevil History." Her goal is that you will understand clearly what is in these 11 chapters.  Another goal she mentioned is that you would not just know these chapters, but you would "know better how to study any passage of scripture when you're done."

Her view is that when you sit down to study the Bible, you're not just taking in information but actively learning.  A quote from Howard Henricks says this "never do for your students what your students can do for themselves."

Jen desires us to be:

• Thinking critically about the text
• Drawing your own conclusions
• Flexing muscles that maybe you haven't flexed in a long time or not at all
• To know who God is
• Changed by that knowledge
• Acquire better tools to understanding the Bible

She stated that "there is no true knowledge of self apart from the knowledge of God."

Reading in Context and Repetitively

The Bible is a book and should be read in context.  Many times you can jump from place to place in the Bible when you read.  Or, you may read just particular passages and then try to apply them to your lives.  Jen suggests a different approach.

How can I study in such a way that I will be changed? Transformed? (Romans 12:2) and follow the great command? (Luke 10:27).  Being renewed in your mind is actually an expression of your love of the Father, Jen says.  You need to engage your intellect when you study.

She gives key phases as you approach scripture.  She calls this CIA.

Phase I: Comprehension

According to Jen Wilkin, this is where you need to start.  Most of us are application readers - how can this change my life? She suggests that there are steps you need to move forward in first before you can properly ask the application question.  This is the first step.  Comprehension. When you read for comprehension, you are asking "what does the text say?"  This is a huge guard against falling prey to false teaching, Jen says.  A false teacher relies on you not knowing what the text says.

Phase II: Interpretation

Interpretation asks "what does the text mean?" You may feel encapable of getting this, thinking you need to get help from an expert or commentary.  She asks you to allow yourself to "lean into and dwell in the "I don't know."  Flex your muscles so to speak.  Read the text repeatedly.  Don't rely on study notes from your Bible or ask google or read a commentary to get the interpretation. The "I don't know" is actually "a sign that learning is about to begin."

Phase III: Application

Spending time figuring out what the text says and what the text means, you now can ask "how should this change me?"  This is where you draw on your God-centered perspective to ask three supporting questions:

• What does this passage teach me about God?
• How does this aspect of God's character change my view of self?
• What should I do in response?

Guidelines for Study (per Jen Wilkin)

It is vital, Jen says, that you allow yourself to move through these three phases of understanding on your own.

1.  Avoid all commentaries until comprehension and interpretation have been earnestly attempted on your own. 

2. Use a Bible without study notes. It's too easy to get interpretation from what others have said.

3. Use cross-references. Scripture references in the margin or at the bottom are good to use.  These deal with the same topic or theme you are reading.

4. English dictionary. Look up unfamiliar words.

5. Other translations. Jen uses the ESV in this study.  Using other translations can expand your understanding of the meaning of the passage.

6. Print out a copy of the text. Print out a double-spaced copy of the text.  This is useful in marking repeated words, phrases or ideas.

Why Study Genesis?

The New Testament gives us reasons why you should study the Old Testament.  Look at 1 Corinthians 10:6: "Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did."  

1. Good memories. The Old Testament gives you a wealth of information on how to forget God, how to disobey God, how to act like dummy.  You can learn from their mistakes.

2. Gives us context. The Old Testament gives you context you need for the rest of the Bible.  It will set up everything that the New Testament has to say.

3. Relevant to us today. The Old Testament is preserved for your sake.  It still has relevance for us (I Cor. 9:10; Romans 15:4).

4. Genesis is the "seed plot" for the Bible. It is the place where all the seeds of history are planted and begin to sprout.  All the themes for the rest of the Bible start in Genesis.

For this 10-session study, you will definitely need a workbook which starts you down the CIA process mentioned.  The workbook will take you in-depth.  The DVD sessions are intended to resolve most, if not all, of your unanswered questions from the homework.  

Next: Session 2 The God Who Was in the Beginning - review by Sharon Garner

Kelly Minter - All Things New Session 8

We are at the end of this series with session 8 "Spending Ourselves for Others/Relationships."

These are my notes from this last session.

Paul's most personal letter is 2 Corinthians.  The Corinthians were the "problem child" that Paul loved.  They were not his easiest church or the most obedient.  Kelly highlights some relational nuggets for us in session 8.

2 Corinthians 12:14-15
"Look, I am ready to come to you this third time.  I will not burden you, since I am not seeking what is yours, but you.  For children ought not save up for their parents, but parents for their children.  I will most gladly spend and be spent for you."

Paul is not after the Corinthians possessions but after them.

Sometimes in our own relationships, we are after what they can do for us.  What would relationships look like if we wanted just them?  No mixed motives.  Paul didn't care to seek what belonged to them.

We want to desire people, not what they have or what they can do for us.

In verse 15, he said he will "gladly spend" and second "be spent" - give what he has and give who he is.

Sometimes it's easier to give what we have than to give who we are.  How would this change our relationships to be expended for others?

Key phrase in verses 19-21 is "everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening."   How often are we actually looking to strengthen other people in our life?

Kelly mentiones three fears that Paul had about visiting Corinth:

• He was concerned that he and the Corinthians would be a disappointment to each other
• He would find them in divisive relationships
• They wouldn't be repentant

Paul came into this with great humility but also with great strength which is found in 2 Corinthians 13:1-2:

"This is the third time I am coming to you.  Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.  I gave a warning when I was present the second time, and now I give a warning while I am absent to those who sinned before and to all the rest; if I come again, I will not be lenient."

Paul says here he is going to establish everything in the presence of two or three witnesses (from OT practice).  Meaning:  he's not going to assume or jump to any conclusions in this confrontation.  

• It's important to not jump to conclusions
• Inviting other people into the process protects us from rash judgments

The third point about Paul's confrontation seems a bit harsh.  Look at 2 Corinthians 1:13:

"I call on God as a witness, on my life, that it was to spare you that I did not come to Corinth."

• If he comes again, he will not spare them, if the disobedience is still going on
• Timing is important when it comes to confrontation.
• As a leader, Paul was taking action when he needed to take action
• A wise person doesn't act too hastily but will act when needed

2 Corinthians 13:7-10

"But we pray to God that you do nothing wrong - not that we may appear to pass the test, but that you may do what is right, even though we may appear to fail.  For we can't do anything against the truth, but only for the truth.  We rejoice when we are weak and you are strong.  We also pray that you become fully mature.  This is why I am writing these things while absent, so that when I am there I may not have to deal harshly with you, in keeping with the authority the Lord gave me for building up and not for tearing down."

Basically, Paul is saying he wants them to pass the test, to shine in their obedience to Christ even if it looks like somehow Paul has failed.

Paul cares more about the Corinthians than he does his own reputation.  Huge!  What would ministry look like if we did this?

Paul rejoiced when he was weak and they were strong.

Spiritual authority is always given by God for others - to build up and not tear down.

2 Corinthians 13:5

"Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith. Examine yourselves.  Or do you yourselves not recognize that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless you fail the test."

Paul asked "are you really in Jesus Christ?" What does it mean to test? - to determine the nature of something; to examine something to determine its genuiness.

Paul is asking them to sincerely look at their life and make sure they are in Jesus.  Make sure they are His.

Why would Paul need to ask this question?

Maybe because of so much sin in Corinth.  So much devisive motives and disobedience.  A few things to ask ourselves:

• Do you care about the things of the Lord?
• Do you want to please Him?
• Does sin bother you?
• Do you feel the Holy Spirit's tug in certain situations?
• Am I trusting solely in Jesus Christ as my Savior?
• Do I live for my own passions and desires?
• Do I have a desire for the things of God?

2 Corinthians 6:1-2

"Working together with him, we also appeal to you, "don't receive the grace of God in vain."  For he says: at the acceptable time I listened to you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.  See, now is the acceptable time; now is the day of salvation?"

• Now is the day of salvation
• Now is the time of God's favor

2 Corinthians 3:16

"But whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is removed."

The end of my notes for sessions 1-8

Kelly Minter "All Things New" Session 7

We have been enjoying this series by Kelly Minter taken from 2 Corinthians. In this series, Kelly uses the Christian Standard Bible (CSB) version and also the Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB).

After each session, Kelly shares a song she has written to encourage us in a worship time. 

This series is well worth the time to watch and also the effort to do the homework each week.  You will not be disappointed.

Session 7 deals with the "Thorn in the Flesh" taken from 2 Corinthians 11:30-33:

"If boasting is necessary, I will boast about my weaknesses.  The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is blessed forever, knows I am not lying.  In Damascus, a ruler under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest me. So I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands."

Paul has talked about all the trials he has gone through.  He talks about these things to show the false teachers and those who are confused in Corinth that the Christian life isn't necessarily about suffering. There's an incredible grace that goes along beside it, Kelly said.

Why all of a sudden was Paul talking about being lowered in a basket at a time in Damascus?  Look at Acts 9:23-25:

"After many days had passed, the Jews conspired to kill him, but Saul learned of their plot, so they were watching the gates day and night intending to kill him, but his disciples took him by night and lowered him in a large basket through an opening in the wall."

Paul is referencing a time very early in his ministry when he was in Damascus.  Kelly asks this: "where did Paul meet the Lord?"  Answer: on the road to Damascus.  After his conversion, he stays there in Damascus and begins to preach Jesus.

The Jews are trying to kill him so they have a watch at the city gates.  Thus, lowering him outside the walls in a basket.  Great Plan!

Why is he telling this story to the Corinthian church?

He wants them to know he came from being the highest (intellectual, educated Jew) to being dropped down over a wall in a basket to escape.  (ref. 2 Corinthians 12:1-6)

Extraordinary story that Paul is now telling.

Thorn in the Flesh
"....especially because of the extraordinary revelations.  Therefore, so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so that I would not exalt myself.  Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times that it would leave me. But he said to me "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is perfected in weakness."  Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me.  So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and in difficulties, for the sake of Christ.  For when I am weak, then I am strong." (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

What Was Paul's Thorn?
We don't know.  It could be:

• Physical ailment
• Persecutions and oppositions
• Psychological or mental travail

It's not about the thorn, but it's about the grace and power of God working through us.

Why Was The Thorn Given?

Look at verse 7 ...."so that I would not exalt myself" - to keep Paul from becoming conceited.  Pride keeps us from an intimate relationship with Christ.

Who Gave The Thorn?

Was it God or Satan?  The term "was given", Kelly says, is typically used in the context of benevolance, goodness, grace....bestowed by God.

There is some tension here regarding God giving a thorn to Paul. We must remember the character of God and the heart of God - He can be trusted.

George Guthrie has said this "Paradoxically, the thorn was a gift from God and a goad from Satan." 

Jesus' response to Paul about the thorn is in verse 9 "my grace is sufficient (it is enough) for you, for power is perfected (intended fulfillment) in weakness."

Jesus is saying to Paul that in this weakness, my power reaches its intended fulfillment, a place where it hits the pinnacle.

In verse 9 the word "therefore" is a turning point kind of word which means "for that reason, consequently." 

The phrase "all the more gladly" means "with pleasure, with contentment".

Remember earlier Paul was pleading for this thorn to be removed.  Now, his thoughts and response has shifted - "I will all the more gladly boast."  

Why is he glad?  Because this is when Christ's power completely enfolds him and may dwell in him.

Dwell: Hebrew meaning is to fix a tent or have a habitation on, to take possession of and live in the houses.

Scholars think Paul might be using an OT reference here found in Exodus 40:34:

"The cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle."

Paul is saying "when I am weak, yes, I'm strong.  I'm contented with it now because Christ's power is going to rest upon me like a tent, a covering, where His habitation is going to dwell."

Paul is making a very strong point that just like the glory of the Lord will come down and God would come to habitate among His people, in that powerful way in the OT, He will do that with this thorn and in his weakness.

If we could just get this revelation in our own pain, it is possible to turn to some rejoicing, Kelly says.

Don't think or believe that if you have a thorn God is angry with you or has forsaken you.  Paul finishes in verse 10:

"So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions and difficulties, for the sake of Christ.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Weakness in itself is not power.  There was no power in Paul's weakness - so be careful not to exalt the weakness.  It's the avenue through which God's power flows.

"I am full of hope that when God delays in fulfilling our little thoughts it is to have Himself room to work out His great ones" - Lilias Trotter

Kelly says, "I wonder if Paul wanting the thorn removed, not that asking was a bad thing, but I wonder if that was a little thought and God wanted to make room for His big ones."

Take heart that there's grace, there's power, God has His hand on you in those places of tension, those thorns.

"The one who lives under the protection of the Most High dwells in the shadow of the Almighty" - Psalms 91:1.

Taken from my notes on Session 7

Next: Session 8 "Spending Ourselves for Others. Relationships." 

Kelly Minter "All Things New" - Session 6

Session 6 of the 2 Corinthians study is called "A Good Kind of Boasting."  This session is from chapter 10.

The whole city of Corinth is full of pride, full of arrogance and looking for that kind of spiritual leader.  In chapter 10:1-6, Paul responds to all the people attacking him and jeoparizing the good work God has begun in the city (read this).

Paul appeals by the meekness and gentleness of Christ.
Paul does not:

• Retaliate or
• Evacuate
• Stays present in a Godly way

The word meekness is a very strong word meaning extraordinary power under the control of God.  Look at Jesus - extraordinarily meek but had all the power of God at His command.

Meekness is not weakness.  "Come unto me" because "I am meek."

We need this attribute.

The word gentleness means suitableness, equity, mildness.  Matthew Henry says this "it is sweet reasonableness."

It's not Paul's meekness and gentleness, but it's the meekness and gentleness of Christ.

Kelly says "Paul never asks us to be anything that Jesus Christ is not."  Any attributes that we are to be is because that's who Jesus is.

Do we have a difficult relationship in our life right now?  Are we wanting to retaliate? Are we wanting to evacuate?

Or like Paul - we can appeal "by the meekness and gentleness of Christ."  We will find out that this is the power Paul will punch back with.  

The meekness and gentleness of Christ are exceedingly stronger than the arrogance and accusations of this world.

Paul, facisously says "so you think I'm timid face to face and bold when I'm away (they're accusing him of this), but that's not true."

In verses 4-5, Paul uses warfare imagery, which would be very familiar in those times (Roman soldiers).

"We have power to take down strongholds."  What kind of warfare was Paul talking about?

Seige warfare - the tearing down of strongholds; going after the fortress.  Paul is using a spiritual metaphor.  It's all about tearing down walls.

The Greek word is where we get our word "dynamite."

What were the strongholds?

• Arrogance against the knowledge of God (gospel, Jesus being the Lord and Savior)
• High pretension - lifted up arrogance, pride that goes against the knowledge of God

Keep in mind that Paul is not out to destroy people.  He's interested in stopping the arguments that destroy people.  This is his heart.

Have we had strongholds that we've needed to break free from?

• Believing lies
• Stuck in shame
• Feeling we'll never get better or change

This doesn't agree with what Paul talks about in "marching in triumph."  We need to take those thoughts captive that are not in agreement with us marching in triumph.  We definitely need to do this when looking at this text.

In Paul's context here, though, he's not talking about demolishing a stronghold in his own life, or taking his own thoughts captive.  What he is talking about is the spiritual warfare, the power that he has that is not according to human standards.

The Corinth's were fighting in an "earthly" way.

But God has given us a power that can tear down those false arguments, false beliefs of the world and to lead our thinking as if our thoughts are being held captive by Jesus Christ.

We lead people to the truth under the obedience of Christ.  This is powerful!

What about after the stronghold comes down of those false beliefs and pretensions?  We then step in to lead people's thinking as a captive under Jesus Christ.  Leading them to the truth.  What a powerful weapon in our arsenal. 

What is the driving force of doing this?  Love for people!

In 2 Corinthians 10:6 it says "and we will be ready to punish every act of disobedience, once your obedience is complete."

What does this mean?  Paul is saying "yes, I'll be the spiritual authority.  I'll take care of the disobedience (false teachers, detractors of the gospel).  I'm not timid like you say I am."  

Kelly says she thinks Paul is speaking to the believers who may be confused or not quite on track.  He wants to make sure their obedience - Corinth believers - is complete first.  They needed to deal with their disobedience first.  This is us as well.  Don't get distracted by others disobedience.  Take care of our own disobedience first.

In reading verses 7-8, what was Paul's authority for?

• Building others up
• Not tearing others down

Whatever your spiritual authority, it is from the Lord and for others.

Notice he says in verse 8 "authority the Lord gave us."

Read verses 12-13. The opponents of Paul:

• Were not boasting in the Lord
• They were boasting in themselves
• They were commending themselves
• They were measuring themselves
• Boasting about work they hadn't even started or cultivated

Paul says "they are not wise.

These are the problems of comparison thinking:

• Not wise when we compare ourselves to others
• Not wise when we measure ourselves by the world's standards

Here's the problem with measuring ourselves against the world's standards:

The world's measuring stick is faulty and fluctuating.

The world's measuring stick will change.  It's not the right "stick" to measure with anyway.

According to verse 13, God has assigned us our own assignments.  We don't need to compare.  The Corinthians were Paul's assignment.

Kelly says this "the trouble with comparison thinking is that it tempts us to live someone else's assignment."  God has apportioned to us our own field, our own assignment.

In verses 17-18, how does the Lord commend us?  By us obeying Him.  Loving Him.  Doing what He's asked us to do by completing our obedience, by jumping into our assignment.

The Corinthians were looking for all the "city" things, all the proud things, but look at 2 Corinthians 1:26-29 - "that no one may boast before Him."

The bottom line:

• Boast in the Lord
• Don't measure
• Don't compare
• Be obedient to your assignment

Session 7 "Thorn in the Flesh"

Kelly Minter: "All Things New" Session 5

Session 5 of "All Things New" is about rethinking generosity.

Kelly mentions the generosity of Macedonia, which was a poor church, and the wealth of the Corinthian church.

In Galatians, Paul mentions to "remember the poor" (the Jewish poor).  This is why he wants the Corinth church to take up a collection for the church in Jerusalem - remember the Jewish poor.  Macedonians, who are poor, gave money to the church in Jerusalem.  So Paul is encouraging the Corinth church, who are wealthy, to follow this pattern as well.

What makes people give who are impoverished? Paul said in verse  1 "I want to tell you about the grace of God which has been evident in the churches in Macedonia." It is the grace of God Kelly says.  Paul wanted the Corinth church to know this.

Three Points About the Grace of God: 

• Only the grace of God can make overflowing joy and extreme poverty equal rich generosity - "gave beyond what they were able"
• Only the grace of God can prompt us to give as much as we're able, and then just a little bit more - "entirely on their own." Wanted the privilege to be a part of giving.
• Only the grace of God can inspire us to give before we've even been asked

Six Things About Biblical Generosity:

• Verse 4 - eager to participate.  Privilege (the word used here is Charis - grace or benefit. Giving is an expression of God's grace.  It was a privilege to share in the service of the saints
• The privilege of giving to our brothers and sisters in Christ is one of the greatest privileges we'll ever have on this earth. In 2 Corinthians 8:7 Paul was saying "step it up Corinthians."
• Sacrifical generosity should be a characteristic of every believers life.  This should be how we live
• Love and generosity are inextricably tied together testing their sincerity not commanding it. (2 Corinthians 8:8-12).  The Macedonians and Corinthians were giving to a people group they didn't know personally.  
• God's definition of giving richly has nothing to do with our wealth.  Macedonians didn't have much.  (verse 12)
• The discipline of giving is for the mutual benefit of the giver and the receiver (8:13-14).  This is where the joy is.

In verse 11, Paul stresses to the Corinthian church "now finish this".  He wanted them to follow through.  We follow through with the things we care about.

Kelly mentioned that if we came into wealth, we probably would not give it away unless we are doing that right now.  Because we only give out of our wealth what we're willing to give out of our leaness.  

We need to believe what God can do with any sum of money. When we give it shows where our heart truly is.

To sum up, Kelly said our desire and ability to give all goes back to the person of Jesus Christ who gave it all.

Session 6: "A Good Kind of Boasting"

What Women Need Most for Better Bible Study

I've learned a few important tips from Bible teacher Jen Wilkins that I would like to share with you.

She gives a few reasons to a better Bible study for women.

We need a better definition of Women's Bible study. We have a tendency, Jen says, to call everything a Bible study.  Not everything in a Christian bookstore is a Bible study.  Devotionals or topical studies (i.e. anxiety, fear etc) are not Bible studies. If we spend time on topical studies or devotional books, we'll only spend time in those few scriptures.  In doing a Bible study, she says, we are reading through scripture and allowing topics to present as they occur in the text.  These are not bad, but they're intended to be layered upon a foundational understanding of scripture.  We need to understand the difference between devotional, topical and those that are building a foundational base (building our Bible literacy and comprehension of scripture).

We need better resources.  We need resources that focus on God first and us second.  Many questions in the studies we do ask questions that reflect on "who I am" first rather than on "who God is". It's a good question, but shouldn't be the first question we ask. The first question should be "what does this passage teach me about God?" After we answer that question, we have the foundational base to ask ourselves "how can I adjust myself to what this passage is teaching?"  We also need resources that target our mind not just our emotions. Jen stated that a lot of books out there for women target only the emotions.  The thought card is never targeted.  We are to love our God with our mind, scripture says.  Our intellect should be engaged in our pursuit of knowing God. We shouldn't be spoon-fed with the answers.  We should be better students of the Bible and be more comfortable with our Bible at the end of a study. 

I found this very helpful.  If you desire to hear the 10 minute talk by Jen Wilkins, you can find it on youtube under "what women need most for Bible study, Jen Wilkins."

Review by Sharon Garner

Kelly Minter "All Things New" - Session 4

Session 4 of Kelly Minter's 2 Corinthians series is called "The New Has Come".  She teaches from 2 Corinthians 6:14 - 7:1.  

In the workbook for the session 4 study, Kelly goes through chapter 5.  She begins the DVD study starting with chapter 6 verse 14.

"Fix on the unseen - eternal, not the temporary" was how Kelly started out session 4.

Because we are in this new covenant, Paul tells the Corinthian church to not be yoked to this world with unbelievers.  Don't be teamed up or mis-matched with an unbeliever.

What Yoke Does Mean
The definition of "yoke" is: teamed together, going in the same direction.  If you're not yoked together correctly or compatibly, you will be going in two different directions, two different mindsets.

This causes:

• Striving
• Fighting and tugging to go in a certain direction

What Yoke Does Not Mean

Look at 1 Corinthians 5:9-10:

• It does't mean to stop relating to the sinner.  If so, we'll just need to leave the world.  It does mean: relationship ties that compromise what God wants to do in our lives.
• It doesn't mean we don't have friendships with unbelievers.

What it does mean is that our values will be markedly different from the culture.

"We don't want to be tied in such a way where another person's direction in life holds power over God's calling in our life" - Kelly Minter

Think About This

Are we yoked to a person (not a marriage partner Kelly emphasized) whose direction is completely different than our direction in life?  Where are we unequally yoked?

Three Promises

Sometimes this verse (v. 14) can appear to be so negative.  It's not a negative at all.  Paul looks back to the OT and gives us three promises that God has given to us.

Look at 2 Corinthians 7:1 where it says "dear friends.....since we have these promises"....

God will dwell with us. Here in 2 Corinthians 6:16b Paul quotes Levitcus 26:11-13.  The context: the Israelites have just come out of Egypt - the land of slavery and bondage.  The Lord had brought them out and said these words to them (v.11-13)

He's making a dwelling place among the Israelites because He delivered them, brought them out, so they were no longer slaves.

Now we are the temple where God dwells. He broke the bars of our yoke.  Why would we want to re-yoke ourselves to bondage?  The reason we do is because of what the Israelites did or said "you know Egypt wasn't so bad."

Remember always the cost of Christ to break that yoke.

God will receive us. Look at 2 Corinthians 6:17.  It sounds conditional, but it's indicative - it's what is true.  As a result of that truth, we now have an imperative - a command.  Because the Lord dwells, we want to come out, be separate.  Because the Lord is going to recieve us, we don't want to touch the "unclean thing".

Verse 17 of 2 Corinthians is found in Isaiah 52:11.  Context: Israelites coming out of bondage from Babylon per King Cyrus. Paul didn't mention "you who carry the vessels of the Lord" which is mentioned in Isaiah but not in 2 Corinthians.  

Meaning: when the Israelites were coming out of Babylon back to Jerusalem, they got to take those vessels that were taken out of the temple with them back to Jerusalem - back to its rightful place.

"Do not touch the unclean things", Kelly said, made more sense: "why would we ever want to touch the unclean things when we are holding the vessels of the Lord? We cannot bear both the sacred and the sacrilegious at the same time.  The God who freed you has given you something very sacred to carry in this life."

He will be a Father to us. We looked at 2 Corinthians 6:18.  Paul is probably pulling from 2 Samuel 7:14 here, Kelly mentioned.  God is telling David He will be a Father to his son Solomon  - fulfilling a covenant with Israel.

Closing

When we unequally yoke, we get someone else's portion, somebody else's share.  It's not a share we want.

This is why we don't want to be unequally yoked because we are holy people under a new covenant.

Why live the old way when we can live new.

Session 5: "Rethinking Generosity"

Kelly Minter "All Things New" - Session 3

Session 3 of this series is called "A New Ministry."  Kelly will focus on 2 Corinthians chapter 3:1-18.

Kelly begins by saying that Paul had a lot of problems with the Corinthian church.  They wanted a letter of recommendation.  They didn't like it that Paul was poor, not popular, beaten up.  They wanted a successful, powerful man.  

• Tension
• Hardship
• Attack

Chapters 3-6 are about what Christian ministry should look like.

Old Versus New Covenant. Look at verse 6.  The old covenant was good but was powerless to change us (Law of Moses/10 commandments).  It showed us what we needed to do but the Law didn't help us get there.  The old law:

• Kills
• Brings death
• Condemns

Paul has a different kind of ministry, much more glorious than the law.  Look at Romans 8:3-4.  God fulfilled the law by sending Jesus Christ, who is the new covenant, and we are part of this new covenant ministry.

Five Characteristics

Kelly mentioned 5 characteristics of what it means to be a new covenant minister:

A ministry about people's hearts. If we've lost sight of people's hearts, we've lost sight of what it means to be in new covenant ministry.  We can be about people, numbers and masses but forget about their hearts. (see 2 Cor. 3:3).

A ministry for which God equips us. Equip: to render one fit, to equip one with adequate power to perform ones duties.  In order for the Lord to make you sufficient, He may have to take you through a season of breaking you down.  He's working out the sufficiency in you. (see 2 Cor. 3:6).

We also looked at 2 Corinthians 3:7-11 and Exodus chapter 34.  The story of the tablets and coming down from the moutain with Moses face shining.  He had to put a veil over his face.  That was glory that would fade.  How much more glorious is that which will last and not fade.  This new covenant ministry will last.

It's a ministry of boldness.  Why?  Because we have a hope (verse 12).  Read 2 Corinthians 3:12-16.  Paul uses the metaphor of a veil two different ways:

• Veil covers the hearts of unbelievers and removed when they come to the Lord
• The veil we put over our faces as believers (verses 12-13)

Kelly commented that the people in the world have a veil over their heart because they haven't turned to Christ.  We also can have a veil over our face because of not telling them the gospel. 

"Others may not get the veil off their heart until we get the veil off our face."

A ministry of freedom (verse 17).

A ministry of unfading glory.  "ever increasing glory" verse 18.

Kelly asked this question "why do we get to be ministers of the new covenant?"

Second Corinthians 5:21 gives us the answer "so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

Session 4: "The New Has Come"

Kelly Minter "All Things New" - Session 1

These are my notes from Session 1 of "All Things New" by Bible teacher Kelly Minter.

To get the most out of this study, I would encourage you to purchase the workbook.  This workbook contains much more information and further study for each chapter of 2 Corinthians than in the actual teaching sessions.

In the introduction, Kelly says that all the things she didn't know about 2 Corinthians is what moved her and changed her.  She gives us a bit of history and context.

History
Paul wrote 2 Corinthians from Macedonia in AD 54 or 55.  Approximately 80,000 people lived in ancient Corinth at the time of Paul's writing.  On the outskirts, about 20,000 more people lived.

Corinth sat on an isthmus, meaning there were two harbors.  You can imagine how busy this city was with ships, trade, buying and selling goods of every kind.

At this time, a lot of dark things were going on:

• Slavery
• Prostitution
• Corruption
• Immorality

Context

Paul wrote this letter to a group of believers who had great opposition towards Paul:

• They were judging him
• They were questioning his integrity
• They questioned his apostleship
• They found their own apostles (super apostles)
• They paid great attention to social status, wealth, power
• They compared themselves amongst themselves
• They judged according to the world's standards

The Corinth church was upset with Paul because he didn't come visit them when he said he would come.  They questioned, also, his integrity and his message about Christ.  Their hearts were withdrawing from him.

Second Corinthians was written out of great desperation and grief.  Everything in this book Paul writes out of a place of pain:

• Relational hardship
• Dissension

This is Kelly's introductory statement for 2 Corinthians:

Second Corinthians is a letter to a church in a city, written out of weakness, with an open heart about a new ministry that changes lives because Jesus has made all things new."

She starts with 2 Corinthians 1:1-2 (please read).  Notice: "to the church of God in Corinth." Kelly asks this question: "how can the church of God be thriving in Corinth?"  Her answer: Because the gospel of Christ is made for real life.  We need the power of the gospel.

She shares 5 points from this introductory statement:

We'll discover that the church of God is meant to thrive in real life. Thrive in hardships, difficulties, complexities of life, pain, struggles and messiness of life.

Second Corinthians was written out of weakness.  Paul has endured much suffering and much pain over the broken relationship of the Corinth church.  Kelly says this "we will come to love our weakness because of what Christ can do through our weakness."

Second Corinthians 4:7 says this "but we have this precious treasure (the good news of salvation) in earthen vessels (of human fraility), so that the grandeur and surpassing greatness of the power will be (shown to be) from God (His sufficiency) and not from ourselves."

Notice: "jars of clay" (earthen vessels).  Paul didn't mean we were not valuable.  Possibly he was meaning jars of clay are fragile, weak.  The treasure inside that jar of clay (earthen vessel), when that comes shining through, it is glorious knowing that it comes from God and not ourselves.

Paul will talk a lot about our weakness.  In our weakness, the power of Christ shines through (2 Cor. 12:9).  Our weakness does not have to be our greatest consternation.  It will be our blessing.  Why? Because we will embrace and not resist it and know that's when the power of Christ rests upon us.

Written with an open heart. Chapter 6 of second Corinthians verses 11 and 12 speak of his open heart.  Admist all the attacks from the Corinth church, Paul is able to keep an open heart. This literally means for the heart to be stretched open.  

Do we keep our hearts open when we are attacked?  Do we withdrawal our heart or retaliate?

Paul has challenged us.  Let's be determined to keep our hearts stretched open as well.

A new ministry that changes lives.  The scripture used here chapter 3:6 He has qualified us (making us sufficient) as ministers of a new covenant (of salvation through Christ), not of the letter (of a written code) but of the Spirit; for the letter (of the law) kills (by revealing sin and demanding obedience), but the Spirit gives life.

Paul will take four chapters to explain what Christian ministry looks like and what it is - chapters 3-6.  In these chapters, Paul talks about:

• What the power of the gospel is
• What ministry looks like 

It's a new covenant of the Spirit, not of the Law.  Kelly mentioned some other points she will talk about because of the New Covenant.

We are more poised for ministry than we ever thought we were.

Our competency comes from God alone.  Why is that true?  Because Jesus Christ came to make all things new (2 Cor. 5:17).

This covers what Kelly will be talking about in this 8-week DVD series on 2 Corinthians.

Please see notes on "Session 2"

All Things New - Online Bible Study/Kelly Minter Session 2 "The God of all Comfort"

Welcome to session 2 of Kelly Minter's "All Things New."

These are my notes from this DVD-driven Bible study. A more in-depth study is provided in Kelly Minter's weekly workbook.  I would encourage you to purchase this workbook to dive deeper into the 2 Corinthians chapters.  Kelly gives amazing insight into 2 Corinthians in the workbook you will not want to miss.

Read 2 Corinthians 1:3-11.

Notice firstly, "Father of compassion."  The Greek word for this word "compassion" is oyktirmos - the seat of our emotions.  The bowels of our emotions.  This is how God feels about us.  He's the source of this compassion.

Secondly, notice the word "comfort." The Greek word for this is paraklesis. The God who helps you. It's like God is saying "you can do it."  

We tend to forget these two words in our suffering, in our troubles.

When we are suffering, Kelly says, "everything is below the clouds.  We've got to get the ice off of our wings for us to see above the clouds." (referring to an airplane story she told).

How do we get the "ice" off of our wings?

• Go to God's Word
• What does He say about suffering?

When we do this, we get to see what God sees.

What does Paul say about Christian suffering:

Suffering is never without purpose.

As believers, we don't suffer as the world suffers.  Verse 4 says "we comfort others with the comfort we've received.

It's not the suffering that makes you a good comforter, Kelly says, rather it's the comfort you receive from Jesus in the midst of your suffering that makes you a good comforter.

Verse 6 says "it creates in us a patient endurance."  This is not a valued quality in our culture, says Kelly.

Look at Romans 5:3-5 - there's a chain reaction here.  How about Hebrews 5:8.  Jesus learned obedience through suffering.  Have we?

In 2 Corinthians 1:9, we shift from relying on ourselves to relying on God.  Suffering can get us to the end of ourselves rather quickly.  We run out of our resources and must rely on God's resources.

Suffering never flows apart from God's comfort.

In verse 5, abundance in suffering but also abundance in comfort.

They flow together.  Are we receiving the comfort God offers?

Suffering connects us to others in ways no other experience can.

Verse 7 - we share in each others sufferings.  Look also at I Corinthians 12:26 "and if one member suffers, all the parts share the suffering".  We have a deeper empathy with others.  When we've gone through similar sufferings, use that investment of suffering to reach out to someone else.

Suffering is the means to a unique sharing in relationship with Jesus.

Philippians 3:10 "so that I may know Him (becoming more thoroughly acquainted) with Him, understanding the remarkable wonders of His Person and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings"....

Through Christ our comfort overflows (2 Corinthians 1:5):

• Sufferings flow over us into our lives
• Comfort of God flows through Jesus into our lives

Next Session 3: "A New Ministry"

Beth Moore Entrusted Session 6 "Face to Face

Welcome to the last session of this DVD series Entrusted.  We've had quite the journey through 2 Timothy with Beth Moore.

The Apostle Paul forthrightly encourages and inspires us about our future life in the chapters of 2 Timothy.  His earthly life is coming to a close in this second letter of Timothy.  We will read and reflect on some of those important encouragements he gives us in chapter 4.

Beth, firstly, encourages us to do something with the knowledge we have been acquiring during this study, and to ramp up our effectiveness as mighty servants of God.

Our theme chapter for this session was 2 Timothy chapter 4.  She gives us 6 reflection statements to ponder from 2 Timothy 4:6-8 written by Paul that tell us something to expect on the other side of this life:

"For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will aware to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing."

Paul had an unapologetic expectancy of reward
God is our reward; but He wants to also reward us.  Hebrews 11:6 tells us what it takes to please God - faith.  He wants us to walk in faith.  Those who do so will be rewarded.

Paul anticipated direct interaction with Christ
Notice in verse 8 this phrase "award to me" - direct interaction.

Paul anticipated exceedingly vivacious existence in a kingdom
We are a kingdom of priests of our God to serve our God.  We are going into a kingdom with a greater reality than we have ever experienced here on earth.

Paul never equated "heavenly" with translucent
This earth is the vapor.  Heaven is the reality.  James 4:14
"......what is your life?  For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes."

To see that face would be to fully know as he'd been known
We will see Jesus face-to-face and be fully known.

Paul knew what we must know to thrive: not one ounce of our labor will ever be in vain.

What a tremendous session to end this study.  Our home isn't here on earth.  We have a future, permanent home.  The hope of a heavenly home to come.