Welcome to the defender bible study. A weekly encouragement to equip the body of Christ through the study of scripture and prayer to manifest the gospel to orphans and vulnerable children around the world. This podcast is a ministry of Lifeline Children Services, where we believe that defending the fatherless begins by being rooted in God's word. It's July 22, 2024, and I'm coming to you from Birmingham, Alabama. Well, today we are continuing our study on the book of 2nd Corinthians, and specifically we will be finishing chapter 9 verses 6 through 15, and then we'll be covering all of chapter 10.

And this is a very long passage that we have before us today. But before we look at the particulars of this passage, the overarching theme of this section of scripture is dependence. And so the question bears to be asked: What are we dependent upon? Is our dependence on our performance at work, our performance socially from our friend circle or from our acceptance of friends? Is our performance and our dependence dealt on our performance physically?

Or maybe even we have our dependence on what do people think about us spiritually? Have we been good people? Have we adopted? Have we fostered? Have we done all of these things?

Our dependence cannot be on our health, our physique, our agility, our ability, or the ability even to do the things we want or our religion? Is your dependence on a title, position, or influence? Is our dependence on a bank account being in the positive or our physical possessions? No. Our dependence must be firmly rooted in the Lord.

A couple of Saturdays ago, things changed for 5 families in a field in Pennsylvania. A shooter had family as parents who whose lives were altered when they realized their son had become an assassin. There's a deceased family that was grieving after losing a father who dove upon his daughter and his daughters and his wife. There were 2 families with critical injuries and then there was a nation that looks on after the first assassination attempt in over 43 years. You see, beloved, circumstances change in a moment, but God is in complete control and he does not change like shifting shadows, and so we must be dependent upon him.

And so our passage today in chapter 9 speaks more on the ministry of giving, but Paul reminds the church at Corinth that everything that they have to give comes from the Lord. As we will see, he is the one that supplies the seed for the sower. He is the one that gives the grace for the generosity. Even in our giving, we must be dependent upon Him. So let's look at chapter 9 verses 6 through 15.

Paul says, The point is this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one of you must give as he is dedicated in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times you may abound in every good work. As it is written, he is distributed freely, he has given to the poor, his righteousness endures forever. He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.

You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, which through us will produce thanksgiving to God. For the ministry of this service is not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God. By their approval of this service, they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from the confession of the gospel of Christ and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others while they long for you and pray for you because of the surpassing grace of God upon you. Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift. As we read the first part of our passage, I want us to see 3 important reminders that Paul stresses once again to the church at Corinth about giving.

First, everything that we have is a gift of God. As we saw in the passage, he is the one that supplies the seed for the sower. We don't develop our own seed. He grants us the seed. Our our giving is overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.

We give. We're able to give even to the capacity of our ability to give because of God, so we thank Him for the ability to give. We give out of the surpassing grace of God and we give because ultimately of his inexpressible gifts. Beloved, as we look, even in our dependence upon God, let us be reminded that everything that we have is a gift of almighty God. But then second, our our giving is an overflow of our faith and thanksgiving for God's grace.

We see in the passage that God is able to make all grace abound to you. Beloved, we give having faith that the Lord will supply more. We we cannot out give the generosity of God, and that that chart that charges our faith. For those who who don't have deep bank accounts, you give as an act of faith knowing that everything you have is from God and you're thanking Him for His grace. The passage also says it increased the harvest of our righteousness.

Our faith drives us to give, which gives us thanksgiving, which increases our righteousness. So everything that we have is a gift of God. Our our giving is an overflow of our faith. But then, 3rd, generosity is not a duty but a cheerful expression of the gospel. So when we give, we're expressing the gospel reality of our lives that when we were bankrupt in sin, when we were dead in our transgressions, God made us alive together with Christ because it's by grace that we have been saved.

And so we don't give out of compulsion or out of duty or to earn favor or to curry favor from anyone. We give as a cheerful expression of the gospel. God loves a cheerful giver, the passage says. You will be enriched in every way, to be generous in every way. You see, true generosity comes from a heart that wants to give everything and expects nothing in return.

When we have experienced and received the good news of Jesus Christ, the gospel, it reorients and changes the way we spend our time, give of our talent, and acknowledge God as the supplier of all good gifts. And then we turn to chapter 10 and Paul moves to speaking of ministry in the face of tribulation. Beloved, in this life troubles, trials, and persecution are inevitable. The ministry of Lifeline exists because of the effects of sin, the effects of trials, trouble, and persecution. It's a it's an effect of the sin upon the world our Father created.

Orphans, vulnerable children, and vulnerable women live in a world of darkness, And in the world the Lord created, he did not create a world in which there would be orphans or or vulnerable children or or vulnerable women or vulnerable families. It is because of our sin that we see ushered in this this this decay of vulnerability. But when we take the light to these dark places of vulnerability in the world, we cannot be surprised by the trials that are uncovered. Instead, we take heart because we know that our Lord Jesus has over come the world. And Paul speaks in chapter 10 not only about trials but also about the wounds of another who doubts his authenticity and his ministry.

You know, a lot of times we talk about trials and persecution as physical trials or spiritual trials or are the things that we're walking through that are hard sickness, emotional health, and those types of things. But what Paul is saying is I'm going through trials of persecution because I'm being wounded by another brother. I'm being wounded by someone who doubts my authenticity and my veracity towards the ministry of this gospel. So let's read what Paul says in 2nd Corinthians chapter 10. He says, I, Paul, myself entreat you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, I who am humble when face to face with you, but bold towards you when I am away.

I beg of you that when I am present, I may not have to show boldness with such confidence as I count on showing against some who suspect us of walking according to the flesh. For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments in every lawfully off the opinion raised against the knowledge of Christ and take every thought captive to obey Christ, being ready to punish every disobedience when your obedience is complete. Look at what is before your eyes.

If anyone is confident that he is in Christ, let him be let him remind himself that just as he is in Christ, so also are we. For even if I boast a little too much of our authority, which the Lord gave for building you up and not for destroying you, I will not be ashamed. I do not want to appear to be frightening you in my letters. For they say his letters are weighty and strong, but his bodily presence is weak and his speech of no account. Let such a person understand that what we say by letter when absent, we do when present.

Not that we dare to classify or compare ourselves with some of those who are commending themselves, but when they measure themselves by one another and compare themselves with one another, they are without understanding. But we will not boast beyond limits, but will boast only with regard to the area of influence God assigned to us to reach even to you, for we are not overextending ourselves as though we did not reach you, for we were the first to come all the way to you with the gospel of Christ. We do not boast beyond limit in the labors of others, but our hope is that as your faith increases, our area of influence among you may be greatly enlarged so that we may preach the gospel in lands beyond you without boasting of work already done in another's area of influence. Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord, for it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends. Although Paul walks in the flesh, a physical body like we all do, he does not walk according to the flesh.

He does not walk in dominion to his fleshly desires, nor does he use the flesh and physical things to fight the true spiritual battle of the heart, mind, and soul. Beloved, the reason that Paul exhorts one more time of cheerful giving in chapter 9 is to highlight that wealth, prominence, prestige, nor the physical can ever bring true peace to our souls. Paul reminded the church at Ephesus of these same truths, that this is not a physical battle but a spiritual battle. Ephesians 6 12 through 13, he says, we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the whole armor of God that you may be able to withstand it in the evil day, having done all to stand firm.

And then in verse 18, we're to pray at all times in the spirit with all prayer and supplication, and to that end to keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints. And these passages parallel what we saw in verse 5 of 2 Corinthians 10 when Paul says, We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of god and take every thought captive to obey god. You see, this battle is of the soul. It's of the spirit. It's a spiritual battle.

It's not a fleshly or physical battle. And as we look at verse 5, arguments this word argument can also be translated speculation or in the Greek lagachmos. These in and of themselves are not wrong, but they become fortresses that need to be destroyed when they go against truth, when we have an argument that goes against the truth of the gospel, or we start to speculate something that goes against the gospel. We must destroy those arguments. But then we see the phrase lofty opinion or in Greek, hainosoma.

It can be translated every lofty thing. In other words, these are attitudes that form a barrier between us and God. So we destroy these arguments or these speculation and every lofty thing that we've raised up against knowing god, things that we put in more importance than god. So as we can see our trials and our tribulations, while they may seem physical, they're also a spiritual battle for our allegiance to god. So we must have a strategy when facing trials, persecution, tribulation, and even personal attack.

And Paul had a fourfold strategy. The first is know the truth. We must get the truth and we must know the truth. Anything that is against the truth must be taken out and destroyed because if it isn't taken out, it will take us out. Truth liberates us.

John 832, it says and you will know the truth, and the truth shall, what, set you free. Truth liberates, but lies bring bondage. We see in in the word that Satan is the father of lies. So we can't let comments, criticism, discouragement, persecution, trials, gossip bring us down or discourage us. But we must get the truth of God and know it.

We must know what God says about us. We must understand the gospel that even while we were sinners, even while we were emissaries of darkness, The God of great light brought us into his kingdom. We must know the truth because the truth will set us free. But the second part of Paul's fourfold plan is take every thought captive. If what you think, hear, believe, or feel doesn't line up with the knowledge of God, then let those thoughts go.

Do not dwell on lies, but rehearse the truth of the gospel. When we are going through trials, when we're going through tribulation, maybe it's it's again, it's it's a in these times that we're living in, it's it's a decrease of finances, or or maybe it's a it's a it's it's personal health or personal sickness, or maybe it's worry or dread about the future. Beloved, we have to take every thought captive to the truth of God and the knowledge of God. Paul tells the church at Philippi this in Philippians 4:8-nine. He says, Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there's any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, practice these things and the God of peace be with you. And so we wanna know the truth, we wanna take every thought captive, but the third part of his 4 fold plan is to obey the Lord's commands. Our lives should be a true reflection of what we believe. We do the things and live our lives in accordance to what that with which we most passionately believe. We follow sports teams because we love them.

We believe in them. We think they can win. We don't show up to a game for our team if we don't have even a semblance of belief that they could pull an upset or that they can win. In the same way, how do our lives reflect that we believe that god is in control? How do our lives reflect that we are dependent upon god?

Because if we are dependent upon god, then our lives will be obedient to the lord's commands. This is what Paul tells Timothy in 2nd Timothy 2 1 through 7. He says, you then my child be strengthened by the grace that is in Christ Jesus. And what you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. Share in suffering as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.

No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him. An athlete is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules. Is the hardworking farmer who ought to have the first share of the crops. Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything. Paul's tribulation came mostly at the hands of others.

Whoever said sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me must have never experienced the pain of personal persecution and attack. That person must have never been in a relationship with another single human being because words always hurt. But we must still take every thought captive and we must still obey what the lord says even when we are hurt. You see, Paul was being persecuted because he didn't come down hard enough. He was being persecuted because his speech was considered base and shameful, verse 9.

He was being persecuted and and and over because he wasn't at the Corinthians' immediate disposal, verse 14. And and these persecutions lead to the last four part of the fourfold strategy, and that is allow the Lord to commend you. Beloved, if we're dependent upon the Lord, then the only commendation we need is commendation from the Father. We don't accept condemnation from others. We accept our commendation from the Lord who commends us because of our faith in Him, our dependence upon Him.

You see, Paul was consistently fueled by the mission the Lord was calling him to do. The Corinthians were being seduced from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. The process of suffering causes us to mature, to become more like our Lord. Process of suffering and trials and tribulation helped us to realize that we truly only live for the audience of 1, our lord Jesus Christ. James writes in James verse 12 through 5, he says, count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials at various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.

And let steadfastness have its full effect that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given to him. May we be may we continue, like Paul, to persevere in ministry no matter how the world tries to attack and no matter what our true adversary brings against us. May we be devoted to the Lord. Thank you for joining us for the Thunder Bible study.

This week, we are praying for our ministry in the country of Hungary, both through our global orphan care ministry as well as the adoption ministry there in Hungary. And so let's pray for the country. Let's pray for those children waiting to be adopted and let's pray that the Lord would move in the country of Hungary. Father god, as we come to you, I I lift up our Eurasia team to you that works tirelessly as they navigate the program. I pray for that US based team that is working in the adoption area as well as in Global Work and Care.

But also pray for Adam, our our team member who lives in Hungary as he handles all the on ground operations. Pray for endurance for Adam during busy seasons when families are in country. I pray that you would grant him rest as many families have traveled even over the last summer and he as he prepares for even more families to travel this fall. I pray for good, constant communication between our team, both here in the US and in Hungary, as they work together tirelessly to find families for children and to see children come home. I pray for those families who have recently come home or maybe even those families who are currently in Hungary.

I I pray for those that are preparing to travel. I pray for their safety while traveling, and I pray for their bonding with their child. I pray that you would wait be with those families who are still waiting for a potential referral. I just ask that you would be with their hearts during this time of waiting and that you would be preparing them for the child that needs their family. Lord, I pray that you would draw even more families towards the country of Hungary to pursue international adoption of these children who desperately need homes, that desperately need a mom and a dad, that desperately need a family.

We pray on behalf of the children, the waiting children in Hungary. Would you give them families? Would you give them understanding? Would you surround them with your great love even while they wait? Would you protect them from the potential harms of of group orphanages or maybe even the disappointment of being in a foster family that is only temporary.

Father, we just also ask that you would bring forward families who are equipped and desire to pursue a child with autistic elements or other behavior or other medical or emotional needs that these children may have. Would you bring forth families who are led to care for kids and children who are living with special circumstances? Father, we just also pray for the church in Hungary. We ask that you would continue to draw the the church to yourself, that the church would continue to be drawn to care for orphans and vulnerable children. And, Lord, we just pray that you would use your church in Hungary to meet the needs of women that are vulnerable, children that are vulnerable, and families that need to be restored.

Be with our team as we work with the church in Hungary and lead us to glorify you in everything we do. It's in your great name that we pray, the name of Jesus. Amen. Thanks again for joining us for the Defender Bible Study. If you enjoy making this podcast a part of your weekly routine, we'd love for you to take a moment to subscribe, rate, and review the defender bible study to make it easier for more people to find.

For more resources and information on how you and your church can partner with Lifeline, please visit us at lifelinechild.org. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter by searching for Lifeline Child. You can email us directly at info at lifelinechild.org. We look forward to seeing you again next week for the defender bible study.