abiding trust in God

Posted on December 10, 2017 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky December 2017 (10)devotional post # 2226

Numbers 1:10-11

Num 1:10  from the sons of Joseph, from Ephraim, Elishama the son of Ammihud, and from Manasseh, Gamliel the son of Pedahzur;
Num 1:11  from Benjamin, Abidan the son of Gideoni;

abiding trust in God

Joseph’s line produced two generals. Elishama means “my God has heard” and reflects a belief in prayer, not because prayer has power but because God listens to prayer. Gamliel means “reward of God” or “my reward is God” and reflects the same trust in the God of the Bible to respond to our commitment to him. Joseph learned this lesson in a pit, and in prison. He cried out to God and God heard and rewarded his faithfulness.

Benjamin’s line produced general Abidan. The name says “my Father is judge.” It reflects a belief that our heavenly Father oversees the affairs of humanity and will see to it that justice occurs. It also reflects the belief that injustice is not necessarily ours to correct. The Father is judge, and we are not.

God’s people are best prepared for warfare when they have an abiding trust in God to hear prayer, reward faithfulness, and correct injustice.

LORD, we place our trust in you, and look to you for strength.

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fighting for the right reasons

Posted on December 9, 2017 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky December 2017 (9)devotional post # 2225

Numbers 1:7-9

Num 1:7  from Judah, Nachshon the son of Amminadab;
Num 1:8  from Issachar, Nethanel the son of Zuar;
Num 1:9  from Zebulun, Eliab the son of Helon;

fighting for the right reasons

The LORD warned his people of the wrong motives for warfare through the names of these leaders. Judah’s general was Nachshon, which seems to have been associated in some way with the magic arts. Perhaps God was getting them ready to see a pure magic from his hand, which would encourage them to stay away from the dark arts for good. Issachar’s general was Nethanel, whose name says “given by God.” The Lord wanted his people to trust him to give them what they need, not to just try to take it on their own, or to trust some foreign god for it. Zebulun’s general was Eliab, whose name said “my God is a father.” This name encouraged a religion not based on fear, and a warfare not based on possessing a kingdom, but on spreading a family.

LORD, keep us from fighting for the wrong reasons.

Posted in deliverance, dependence upon God, spiritual warfare | Tagged | 1 Comment

my rock, my friend

Posted on December 8, 2017 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky December 2017 (8)devotional post # 2224

Num 1:4  And there will be with you a man, a man from each tribe, each man being the head of the house of his fathers.
Num 1:5  And these are the names of the men who will stand with you. From Reuben, Elitsur the son of Shedeur;
Num 1:6  from Simeon, Shelumiel the son of Zurishaddai;

my rock, my friend

The LORD communicated his connection with his people through the names of these leaders. Reuben’s general was Elitsur, whose name said “God is my rock.” This spoke of stability even in the midst of a nomadic life full of transitions and change. Simeon’s general was Shelumiel, whose name said “my friend is God.” This name encouraged a people who felt helpless in the desert to let their powerful friend fight for them.

LORD, thank you that we do not have to face life’s changes by our own power, but that you invite us to rely upon your power and your presence.

Posted in change, dependence upon God, trust | Tagged | 1 Comment

head count

Posted on December 7, 2017 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky December 2017 (7)devotional post # 2223

Numbers 1:1

Num 1:1  Yahveh spoke to Moses in the desert of Sinai, in the conference tent, on the first day of the second month, in the second year after they had come out of the land of Egypt, and this is what he said,
Num 1:2  “Take a head count of all the congregation of the people of Israel, by clans, by fathers’ houses, by the number of names, every male, head by head.
Num 1:3  From twenty years old and upward, all in Israel who are able to go to war, you and Aaron shall list them, by their armies.”

head count

Numbers is a deeply spiritual book, but it begins in a mundane fashion. It starts out as a command to organize the armies of the nation. In a sense, it is a record of the draft. You do not draft in peace time. You draft when you are expecting to be involved in a long and deadly conflict. As we read through this book, we will find that the nation delivered from bondage in Egypt is still in a mighty war. Instead of the slavery of Egypt, this nation is now in severe spiritual warfare. An entire generation is now mustered to engage in that war, but they will lose. The generation behind them will reap the victory. The book of numbers is the story of those two generations, and that spiritual warfare fought in the desert.

LORD, wake us to the reality of the war we are in, and the cost it will take to be victorious in that war.

Posted in discipleship, spiritual warfare | Tagged | 1 Comment

bang fizzle

Posted on December 6, 2017 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky December 2017 (6)devotional post # 2222

2 Corinthians 13:11-14

2Co 13:11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Build, encourage one another, think about one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.
2Co 13:12 Greet one another with a holy kiss.
2Co 13:13 All the holy ones here send you greetings.
2Co 13:14 May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

bang fizzle

Paul’s letter ends with a surprising quietness. After chapters of intensity—hurt, warning, pleading, correction—you might expect him to finish with one more thunderclap. Instead, the storm settles. The winds die down. And what remains is the deep, steady heartbeat that drove everything he wrote.

His passion doesn’t disappear. It simply changes tone.

The fire becomes a warm glow instead of a blazing flame.

Paul’s final words are not about his wounds, his critics, or his fears. They are about who the Corinthians truly are:

  • recipients of God’s grace
  • beloved of Christ
  • indwelt by the Holy Spirit
  • capable of change because God Himself is at work in them

He calls them to rejoice, to aim for restoration, to comfort one another, to live in peace. These are not the words of a man giving up. They are the words of a man who believes—deeply—that God has not given up on them.

Paul’s passion “fizzles” only in volume, not in depth.

The same fire that fueled his warnings now fuels his hope. The same Spirit who stirred his rebukes now inspires his blessing. Paul knows that transformation does not come from pressure alone. It comes from grace, love, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit.

So he ends with the triune benediction:

  • The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ — the undeserved kindness that saves and sustains
  • The love of God — the Father’s unchanging affection
  • The fellowship of the Holy Spirit — the shared life that binds believers together

This is the soil in which repentance grows.
This is the atmosphere in which a broken church can heal.
This is the power that can turn a rebellious congregation into a rejoicing one.

Paul understood something essential about ministry.

He wasn’t just writing to fix a church.
He wasn’t just defending his team.
He wasn’t just trying to salvage a relationship.

He was speaking before God, under the influence of the Spirit, delivering words that would outlive Corinth and continue shaping the church centuries later. His final blessing is not a soft ending—it is a theological explosion. It is the reminder that the triune God Himself is committed to the Corinthians’ restoration.

And that is why Paul can end in peace.

Because the future of the church does not rest on Paul’s shoulders.
It rests on the grace of Christ, the love of the Father, and the fellowship of the Spirit.

LORD, sanctify us, because all we can ever be is what you make of us.

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two possible outcomes

Posted on December 5, 2017 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky December 2017 (5)devotional post # 2221

2 Corinthians 13:8-10

2Co 13:8 Because we cannot serve a church which is against the truth, but we serve for the truth.
2Co 13:9 Because we are glad when we are being weak and you are being strong. Your complete harmony is what we pray for.
2Co 13:10 I am writing these things while I am away from you for this reason, so that when I come I may not have to be brutal in my use of the right that the Lord has given me — to build you and not to destroy you.

two possible outcomes

Paul sees two possible futures for Corinth, and the contrast between them could not be sharper.

On the one hand, he imagines arriving to find a repentant, restored, harmonious church—a congregation that has recognized its drift, rejected the false missionaries, and returned to the gospel that first gave it life. In that scenario, Paul would rejoice. His authority would not need to be exercised in severity. His visit would be a celebration of grace.

On the other hand, he knows he may arrive to find a church unrepentant, divided, morally compromised, and spiritually deceived. And if that is the case, Paul will have no choice but to act with the full weight of his apostolic authority. His visit would not be gentle. It would be corrective, even destructive—not because Paul desires it, but because truth demands it. A church that refuses the gospel cannot be affirmed as a church.

The Difference Is Truth

Paul’s enemies claimed that he was weak and the Corinthians were strong. Paul responds with remarkable humility: If that were true, I would be glad. If the church is truly strong in Christ, then Paul’s weakness is irrelevant. He would gladly be “weak” if it meant the Corinthians were genuinely walking with Christ. His goal is not to win an argument or reclaim status. His goal is that Christ be formed in them.

Paul’s entire posture is shaped by this conviction:

  • If Christ is truly present in Corinth, Paul will rejoice.
  • If Christ is absent, Paul must confront the darkness.
  • If the church is strong in faith, Paul will gladly be seen as weak.
  • If the church is deceived, Paul must expose the deception.

Why Paul Doesn’t Tear Up the Letter

Given the pain, the betrayal, and the slander, Paul could have walked away. But he doesn’t—because he knows he is not merely writing to Corinth. He is writing before God, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. His words are not the frustrated musings of a wounded missionary. They are Scripture. They are life‑giving. They are meant to build up the church, not only in Corinth but across the centuries.

Paul’s perseverance is a testimony to the Spirit’s power.
His love is a reflection of Christ’s love.
His endurance mirrors the patience of God toward His people.

A Word for Today

Paul’s vision of two possible outcomes still speaks to the church now:

  • A church that embraces truth thrives.
  • A church that rejects truth destroys itself.
  • A church that welcomes correction grows strong.
  • A church that resists correction collapses under its own weight.

And leaders today still face Paul’s tension:
longing for repentance, prepared for confrontation, always speaking before God.

LORD, make us churches built on your truth, so that we never have to face the condemnation of those who serve for the truth.

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turning the table

Posted on December 4, 2017 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky December 2017 (4)devotional post # 2220

2 Corinthians 13:5-7

2Co 13:5 Test yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Evaluate yourselves. Or do you not understand this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?– unless you actually are unqualified!
2Co 13:6 I hope you will discover that we are not unqualified.
2Co 13:7 But we are praying to God that you may not keep doing us wrong– not that we may appear to be qualified, but that you may keep doing what is right, even if it means our disqualification.

turning the table

Paul now reaches the heart of the matter. The Corinthians have been taught to test Paul and his team, to scrutinize their credentials, to question their motives, and to doubt their authority. The “super‑missionaries” (Paul’s ironic huperlian apostolon) had convinced the church that Paul was the one who needed examination. But Paul turns the entire accusation on its head.

He says, in effect:
“You want to give tests? Then start with yourselves.”

Not because Paul wants to shame them, but because the gospel itself is at stake. Their rejection of Paul is not ultimately a rejection of him—it is a rejection of the message he brought, the Christ he preached, and the Spirit who worked among them.

Paul’s Motivation Is Not His Reputation

Paul is not trying to salvage his image. He is not trying to regain popularity. He is not trying to win back influence. His concern is singular: the gospel must take root and thrive in Corinth. If that means Paul himself is disqualified from future ministry there, so be it. He would rather the Corinthians walk faithfully with Christ under someone else’s leadership than walk away from Christ while clinging to him.

That is the heart of a true missionary.

“Test Yourselves” — Dokimazō

Paul urges them to dokimazō—to evaluate, examine, and document their standing in the faith. This is not a vague spiritual feeling. It is a sober assessment:

  • What has God done among you?
  • How did you come to faith?
  • Who preached Christ to you?
  • What fruit did the Spirit produce?
  • What changed in your lives?

If they simply look honestly at their own history, they will see that Christ was truly among them—and that He worked through Paul’s team, not through the flashy newcomers.

Paul’s Confidence

Paul is confident that if the Corinthians examine themselves, they will rediscover the truth:

  • The gospel came to them through suffering servants, not self‑promoting celebrities.
  • The Spirit confirmed the message through signs and transformed lives.
  • The “super‑missionaries” offer promises but produce no fruit.
  • Their teaching leads backward into sin, not forward into holiness.

Paul knows that self‑examination will expose the emptiness of the new leaders’ claims.

A Pastoral Insight for Today

This passage is not just ancient conflict. It is a mirror for the church in every generation.

  • We are often quick to test leaders.
  • We are often slow to test ourselves.
  • We can be dazzled by charisma and blind to character.
  • We can forget the gospel story that first changed us.

Paul calls us back to the basics:
Look at what God has done. Look at who brought you the gospel. Look at the fruit. Look at Christ.

When we do that, the noise of false promises fades, and the truth becomes clear again.

LORD, give us the wisdom to see when we are falsely judging those who minister to us.

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third statement

Posted on December 3, 2017 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky December 2017 (3)devotional post # 2219

2 Corinthians 13:1-4

2Co 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. From the mouth of two and three witnesses, every statement will stand.
2Co 13:2 I predicted and I predict — now while absent, as I did when present on my second visit, those who sinned before and all the rest, and I warn them  that if I come again I will not spare them–
2Co 13:3 since you are seeking proof that Christ is speaking in me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.
2Co 13:4 Because he was crucified in weakness, but lives by the power of God. Because we also are weak in him, but among you we will live with him from the power of God.

third statement

Paul’s tone shifts again as he looks ahead to his third visit to Corinth. He frames it in the language of Deuteronomy—“Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.” His first visit was witness one. His painful second visit was witness two. And now this third visit will be witness three. In other words, the time for ambiguity is over. The truth will be established. The accusations will be confronted. The reality of Paul’s ministry—and the reality of Christ’s power—will be unmistakable.

Paul is not threatening them with his own strength. He is pointing to Christ’s strength. The same Christ who had shown His power among the Corinthians when they first believed would show His power again when Paul arrived. Paul and his team live in Christ, draw from Christ, and minister by Christ’s authority. They are confident that when they stand before the Corinthians, Christ Himself will vindicate the truth.

This is not bravado. It is apostolic certainty.

  • The false missionaries boasted in themselves.
  • Paul boasts in the presence and power of Christ.
  • They relied on rhetoric.
  • Paul relied on resurrection power.
  • They manipulated the church.
  • Paul trusted the Spirit to expose what was false and confirm what was true.

Paul’s confidence is not in his personality, his arguments, or his reputation. His confidence is in the living Christ, who works through weakness, speaks through His servants, and defends His gospel.

And here is the pastoral beauty of it:
Paul does not want to come with severity. He wants to come with joy. He wants the Corinthians to repent, to be restored, to be strengthened. But if necessary, Christ’s power will silence the critics and protect the flock.

This is the heart of a true shepherd—
firm when needed, gentle when possible, and always dependent on Christ.

And it reminds us of something essential for ministry today:

  • We do not stand on our own authority.
  • We do not defend ourselves with human strength.
  • We do not rely on cleverness or charisma.
  • We stand in Christ.
  • We speak before Christ.
  • We trust Christ to vindicate truth and expose deception.

Paul’s third visit would reveal what had been true all along:
the power at work in him was not Paul’s power—it was Christ’s.

LORD, give us the confidence to minister boldly, knowing the presence of your power to verify our words, and vindicate us.

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speaking before God

Posted on December 2, 2017 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky December 2017 (2)devotional post # 2218

2 Corinthians 12:19-21

2Co 12:19 You are thinking all this time that we are defending ourselves before you. We are speaking before God in Christ, and all the things that we are saying, friends, are meant to build you up.
2Co 12:20 I am afraid that I may come and somehow find you not as I want you to be, and that I may be found by you to be not what you want. I am afraid there will be quarreling, jealousy, angry feelings, selfishness, slander, gossip, arrogance, and disorder.
2Co 12:21 I am afraid that when I come my God may again humble me before you and that I may have to grieve over many who formerly lived in sin and have not repented of their impurity, sexual immorality, and promiscuity that they once practiced.

speaking before God

Paul is standing at the edge of heartbreak in these closing chapters. He has been misunderstood, slandered, dismissed, and replaced by louder voices. He fears that if he visits Corinth again, he will find the church in turmoil—quarreling, jealousy, impurity, and the very sins from which the gospel had rescued them. Everything in him could have said, “Enough. Let them go.” But he doesn’t. He keeps writing. He keeps pleading. He keeps loving.

Why?

Because Paul knows he is not merely writing a frustrated missionary letter. He is speaking before God, under the influence and authority of the Holy Spirit. His words are not just attempts to fix Corinth; they are Scripture in the making. They are words that build up, correct, restore, and breathe life—not only into Corinth, but into the church across the centuries.

1. Paul doesn’t quit because the Spirit won’t let him.

The passion in his voice is not wounded pride. It is the Spirit’s burden. The same Spirit who sent him to Corinth now compels him to speak to Corinth. Even if they reject him, he cannot reject them. The Spirit’s love is stronger than Paul’s pain.

2. Paul doesn’t quit because he sees the church through God’s eyes.

Paul knows what the Corinthians cannot see:

  • They are Christ’s bride.
  • They are God’s temple.
  • They are the fruit of the gospel.
  • They are worth fighting for.

Even when they act like rebels, they are still God’s people. And God does not abandon His people.

3. Paul doesn’t quit because his words are not just his words.

He is writing Scripture.
He is writing truth that will outlive him.
He is writing words that will build up the church in Corinth—and the church in Ransom, NC—and the church in every generation.

Paul understood that he was not simply addressing a messy congregation. He was standing before God, speaking what the Spirit gave him to speak. That is why he keeps going. That is why he refuses to tear up the letter. That is why he pours out his heart even when his heart is bruised.

4. And this is where his experience touches ours.

There are moments in ministry when you feel like walking away—when the people you’ve invested in misunderstand you, resist you, or even turn against you. In those moments, Paul’s example reminds us:

  • We don’t serve because people are always grateful.
  • We serve because the Spirit compels us.
  • We speak because God is listening.
  • We persevere because the gospel is worth it.

Paul’s words still carry that Spirit‑empowered passion. They still build up the church. They still call us back to Christ. And they still remind us that ministry is not measured by how people treat us, but by how faithfully we speak before God.

If you want, we can continue into Paul’s final exhortations in 2 Corinthians 13 and trace how he lands this difficult, Spirit‑driven letter.

Holy Spirit, give us your words — from your word — to speak into our situation.

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following divine advice

Posted on December 1, 2017 by Jefferson Vann

marmsky December 2017 (1)devotional post # 2217

2 Corinthians 12:16-18

2Co 12:16  But be that as it may, I have not burdened you. I “was crafty, and tricked you.”
2Co 12:17  Did I exploit you using any of those whom I sent to you?
2Co 12:18  I urged Titus to go, and sent the brother with him. Did Titus exploit you? Did we not walk in the same spirit? Did we not follow the same footsteps?

following divine advice

Paul is still dismantling the accusation that he and his team behaved improperly toward the Corinthians, and he does it with remarkable clarity. He reminds them that his refusal to take their financial support was intentional. It was not deception, manipulation, or distance. It was pastoral wisdom. And now he adds another layer: Titus and “the brother” followed the exact same pattern. They did not ask for money. They did not exploit anyone. They did not take advantage of the Corinthians in any way.

That means the accusation collapses under its own weight.
There is no evidence—none—that Paul or his team ever used the Corinthians for personal gain.

And here is where your insight shines: the Holy Spirit was protecting Paul long before the accusation ever arose.

Paul didn’t know the future, but the Spirit did. The Spirit knew that false missionaries would later twist Paul’s motives. The Spirit knew that the Corinthians would be vulnerable to suspicion. The Spirit knew that Paul’s integrity would be attacked. So the Spirit led Paul to make an exception to his normal ministry practice—an exception that would later serve as a shield against slander.

This is how God often works.
He leads us in ways that don’t always make sense in the moment, but later we see that He was protecting us, preparing us, or positioning us for something we could not foresee.

Paul’s experience becomes a gentle lesson for us:

  • Pray more.
  • Listen more carefully to the Spirit.
  • Be willing to make exceptions when He prompts us.
  • Trust that obedience today may protect us tomorrow.

Policies and patterns are useful, but they are not lord. The Spirit is. And sometimes He leads us to break our own rules—not for convenience, but for wisdom.

Paul followed the Spirit’s leading, and years later that obedience became his defense.
We would do well to cultivate the same sensitivity, the same humility, and the same willingness to follow the Spirit even when it means stepping outside our usual patterns.

LORD, forgive us for failing to seek your advice. Guide us as we make decisions, and give us the wisdom to follow your advice.

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