Picturepocket's Blog

Category: leadership

  • 2 Corinthians 12: R-E-S-P-E-C-T

    Feeling like he’s not being respected, Paul shares a vision with his readers in hopes that they will listen to what he has to say. He says that a man, himself we assume, was caught up either in- or out-of-body visit to the third heaven where they experienced paradise and other unexplainable events. The what?…

  • 2 Corinthians 8: The Joy of Giving

    Paul continues by addressing his audience as brothers and sisters. When I was a kid, the old pentecostal churches used to refer to each other in this manner. “And now Sister Sarah is going to play us a special on the piano.” It’s a warm way to greet our church friends.  Paul reminds the Corinthians…

  • 2 Corinthians 7: Coach Paul

    Paul starts this chapter continuing the theme of separation from lawlessness the last chapter. Believers are not to be unequally yoked, partnered, with unbelievers. Paul encouraged them to maintain purity of the body and spirit by the fear of God. Here we aren’t speaking of fear of someone irrational or vindictive, but accountability to the…

  • 2 Corinthians 1: Comfort & Joy

    In Paul’s second letter to the Church at Corinth he includes a greeting for the Saints of Achaia. It was the southern part of Greece including Corinth and Athens that was one province under Roman rule. He addresses them by “the will of God and Timothy our brother.” Timothy had been introduced as a leader…

  • 1 Corinthians 16: Living Saints 

    In the last chapter of his letter, Paul encourages the church in Corinthian to put aside money to support the saints in Jerusalem and a talks about his missionary travel plans. Here, he uses the term “saints” not as a wall of dead icons, but living companions and ministers of the faith.  He asks the…

  • 1 Corinthians 12: Spiritual Gifts 

    Paul reminds the readers of a time before when they followed idols with mute spirits. Now, he says that no one with the Holy Spirit says “Jesus is cursed,” and no one says “Jesus is Lord” without the Holy Spirit. In other words, our faith and conviction are empowered by the Spirit.  Paul says there…

  • 1 Corinthians 11: Under Cover Prayers

    Paul starts out the chapter encouraging the reader to emulate him because he is emulating Christ. While it seems bold to put himself in front, his point is that we all are looking to those who has gone ahead us to show us the way. Likewise, people behind us see us. We have a responsibility…

  • 1 Corinthians 1: God First

    This letter was written by Paul with the endorsement of Sothenes, (In Acts 18, he was the ruler of the synagogue in Corinth whose beating was ignored by the leader Gallio). It’s the same effect of telling the kids, “Your Dad and I have something important to tell you.” Their greeting is to the Church…

  • Romans 16: Goodbye

    Paul wraps up his letter with acknowledgments of fellow believers and ministers. He commends Phoebe, a deacon of the church at Cenchreae, who was his patron as well as host (in Acts). Then the couple Prisca (Pricilla) and Aquila, his fellow tentmakers and house church leaders who “risked their necks” for him. He greets his…

  • Acts 9: On the road 

    How Saul is at the beginning of this chapter to how he ends is like night and day. He starts out breathing death threats about the men and women who follow Christ. He plans a trip to the Temple in Jerusalem to get papers giving him permission to go to the synagogues (branch worship locations)…