THURSDAY, OCTOBER 25
Scripture: 2 Corinthians 11:7-13

2 Corinthians 11:7-13 says, “Did I commit sin in humbling myself that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you free of charge? I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to minister to you. 9 And when I was present with you, and in need, I was a burden to no one, for what I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied. And in everything I kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so I will keep myself. As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows! But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ.” This is the Apostle Paul, in action, making his declaration of how he lived. He said he chose to live in order that he could bring every deceiver into the judicial yardstick of God. Verse 12 is the key, “But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off…” Paul said, “I live a certain way for one reason – so I can pray a judicial prayer, bringing the yardstick of God and dispensing the fullness of God’s love. I can bring His judicial Hand on any individual who threatens to resist God’s eternal purpose.” Paul could only do that because of how he chose to live. When we get that, it changes how we view things. We do not focus on looking for a ‘successful’ church with thousands of people, as that may be one with a potential mammonite in the pulpit! We are not looking for the latest or greatest church-franchise where we get a piped-in message. In such places, the mixed seed of the mammonite often only gives the feel-good part of the message, which feeds a person’s flesh. That is not how Paul lived, and it is not what he did. Once he established a church, he made sure it was independent. There were people in the house who were locally responsible. Paul understood it – he got it. And he paid the price to walk there.