WITNESS ~ INSTRUCT ~ NURTURE / Volume 2 Issue 10
May 17, 2006
Hi !
In this issue, you'll read:
THE BOOK OF 2nd CORINTHIANS - PART THREE
MOTHERHOOD - IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE
A WORD FROM THE EDITOR - FORTY SECOND EDITION In this edition we will continue our study of 2 Corinthians. I have heard some good reports from some of our readers regarding these studies and how they make you think. That, of course, is what they are designed to do. And hopefully, they will help each of you have a greater desire to study God's Word in more detail, keeping in mind the following directive. 2 Timothy 2:15; "Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." May God grant unto each of you His perfect grace and peace as you study His Word to find His perfect Will for your life. Until next time...God bless each of you in all that you undertake! In Jesus Name, All editions of The W.I.N. E-Mail Newsletter are available on the Internet. To find them, navigate to Each morning, select a passage in God's Word. Talk with the Lord as you read the passage, then go back and find one or two verses which the Lord has impressed on your heart and meditate on them. II. Bible Study In this issue, we will read 2 Corinthians 3:1-4:6 and look at Paul's explanation to the Corinthian Christians of his whole basis for ministry in their lives. This passage can be divided into three subsections. Read each subsection, answering for yourself the questions associated with them. Type out your answers or jot them down on a piece of paper and place in your Bible for further meditation and study. Read 2 Corinthians 3:1-6 1. What did Paul claim was his letter of recommendation and how was that letter written? (3:1-3) Read 2 Corinthians 3:7-18 1. How does Paul compare the Old and New Covenants? (3:7-18) Read 2 Corinthians 4:1-6 1. Why did Paul say he did not lose heart? (4:1) III. Memory Verse Here are a few suggestions that may help you to memorize your memory verses: 1. Ask the Lord to help you remember his Word (see John 14:26). 2. Use the version of the Bible you are most familiar with. What you normally read in your Bible is what you need to be memorizing. 3. Don't just memorize the contents of the verse; memorize its "address" (the verse reference) as well. You can do this by following this pattern: Step 1: reference; Step 2: verse content; Step 3: reference. Then repeat steps 1-3. Note that you are quoting the reference twice as many times as you quote the actual verse content. This gives the verse a clear "reference tag." 4. After you have read your memory verse out aloud several times, try going through your memory verse without reading your computer screen. 5. Look up your memory verse in your Bible. Look at its immediate context and read the verses that come before and after your memory verse. 6. Print out your memory verse or jot it down on a piece of paper. Take this paper with you when you go to work or do other daily activities. Meditate on the meaning of the verse throughout the day. 7. During your noon appointment with the Lord, take out your memory verse and go over it again. Talk to the Lord about what this verse means to you personally. 8. In the evening (at either your evening study or your evening devotions), see if you can quote your memory verse from memory. Then, without looking at the memory verse itself, see if you can find it in your Bible. 9. The next day, before you begin committing a new verse to memory, rehearse your previous day's memory verse and see if you can remember it (without cheating!). 10. Finally, at the end of the week (possibly on Sunday), collect all your week's memory verses, rehearse them and see if you can recall them without reading them. Spend a little extra time on any verses you have difficulty recalling. 11. Remember: Don't just memorize a verse. Put it into practice (James 1:22). It is not being able to quote a verse from memory that counts. It is His Word abiding in your heart that counts (John 15:7). When you actually apply a verse consistently to your daily life; that is when you truly know that verse! This article is Copyright © 1999, The Online Bible College. It is used by permission and formatted for presentation in this newsletter. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- We are sitting at lunch when my daughter usually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family". "We're taking a survey," she says, half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?" "It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral. "I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations...." But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes. I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but that becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable. I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking "What if that had been MY child?" That every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die. I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a souffle or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation. I feel I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of her discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is alright. I want my daughter to know that everyday decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of flattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom. However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother. Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give it up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years - not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs. I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor. My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks. I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic. I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving. I hope she will understand why I can think rationally about most issues, but become temporarily insane when I discuss the threat of nuclear war to my children’s future. I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or a cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real, it actually hurts. My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reach across the table, squeeze my daughter's hand and offer a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all of the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings. This blessed gift from God . . . that of being a Mother. Unless otherwise noted: All Scripture is taken from the New King James Version. Copyright © 1979, 1980, 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Welcome to this edition of the W.I.N. E-Mail Newsletter. In order not to overwhelm you with two issues in the same week, we are publishing this edition a few days late, but should be back on schedule after this issue. This of course was due to my extended trip to the Western Regional Office and churches on the Washington coast.
Rev. Sam T. Leigh
Presiding Bishop
Freedom Covenant Global Ministries
E-mail:
Website: www.fcgm.org
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THE BOOK OF 2nd CORINTHIANS - PART THREE
I. Devotional Reading
2. Where did Paul say his confidence and competence came from? (3:4-5)
3. How does 3:5 relate to 2:16?
4. What did Paul declare he was competent to be (3:6)? How did this compare with those who were trying to undermine Paul's ministry? (11:2-6,13-15)
2. Moses experienced a "fading" glory under the Old Covenant (3:7,11,13). What kind of glory do we experience under the New Covenant? (3:10,18)
3. What happens to the "veil" over our minds when we turn to Christ? (3:16)
4. Where does freedom come from? (3:17-18)
5. Where does transformation in "ever-increasing glory" come from? (3:18)
2. How did Paul minister to the Corinthians? (4:2). And how did that compare with those who were trying to undermine Paul's ministry? (11:13-15)
3. Why is the Gospel "veiled to those who are perishing"? (4:3-4)
4. What did Paul preach to the Corinthians? (4:5)
5. What did God give us when he "made his light shine in our hearts"? (4:6)
2 Corinthians 3:18; "But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord."
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MOTHERHOOD - IT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE
EDITOR'S NOTE: Mother's day, a time to give honor to our mothers, was only a few short days ago. I hope you all enjoy the following story dealing with this blessed and wonderful calling from our Lord.
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This newsletter Copyright © 2005, 2006 Freedom Covenant Global Ministries. All Rights Reserved. Individual articles displaying copyrights from other ministries are used by permission, have been formatted for use in this publication, and remain the property of respective ministry. Permission is granted to copy, print, and distribute this newsletter for ministry purposes, whether whole or in part, so long as ALL copyrights remain in place and no copies are printed or distributed for sale or commercial purposes.
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