“Again I say, let no one think me foolish; but if you do, receive me even as foolish, so that I also may boast a little.  What I am saying, I am not saying as the Lord would, but as in foolishness, in this confidence of boasting” (2 Corinthians 11:16-17).

We often judge others and then dismiss whatever they may say.  Even the fool can sometimes speak a word of wisdom.  The Lord will use whatever means He chooses to share with you the truth.  How much more then ought we to listen to one who brings the Good News of great joy?  Be willing to receive that Good News knowing the Lord is always at work in you and will bring truth to your heart if you are willing to listen.

Lord, open my ears to hear and shut down my judging heart.  From all quarters You are more than able to raise up those who will speak Your Word of truth.  Guide me that I would be discerning, but not judgmental, wise, but not boastful, and hospitable and not deceiving.  In all things teach me to receive all of life and live this life You have given me to Your glory.

Lord Jesus, You have gone to the cross, which is foolishness to this world, in order that we may be united with You in a resurrection like Yours.  Guide me to speak the truth whether or not others consider me a fool.  Help me to be bold in faith, quick to listen, and have a willing spirit to live out the call You have given me by grace.  Guide me, Lord, to become like You in this life.  Amen.

“No wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light.  Therefore it is not surprising if his servants also disguise themselves as servants of righteousness, whose end will be according to their deeds” (2 Corinthians 11:14-15).

Be on guard against those who have a new insight, or express something other than the simple truth that Jesus died for our sins and was resurrected from the dead.  You can read this from Scripture.  Then pay attention to what the wicked have done ever since.  It is the same thing repackaged.  Turn to Jesus and ask for Him to lead you into all truth.  There is nothing new under the sun.

Lord, help me listen to You and those whom You send to preach the true Gospel.  Let me see through all of the nonsense that has gone on all along that I may humbly and truly come to You, through You, and with You wherever You lead.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in You alone do I have hope and a future.  You alone are the One who saves and You alone are the One who is true.

Lord Jesus, You said definitively that You are the way, truth, and life.  Lead me in Your goodness to see that in You is all hope and a future.  Help me to not fall into the traps set by the wicked one that I may follow the simple Gospel of truth You have made known.  Let me not chase after the nonsense offered in this world that I may abide in You and You in me now and forever.  Amen.

“But what I am doing I will continue to do, so that I may cut off opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the matter about which they are boasting.  For such men are false apostles, deceitful workers, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:12-13).

Take care with what you receive from others.  There are many false gospels that are going around.  What is the Gospel?  That Jesus has paid the price you cannot in order to receive what You cannot obtain on your own.  You cannot earn it; it has been given.  Now follow Jesus and He will make of You what He has always intended.  Anything short of this simplicity is a lie of the wicked one.

Lord, help me to receive the true message You have delivered once for all.  Guide me in the truth that I would learn to love as You love.  Lead me in the upward way that I may now and always be guided by Your goodness and mercy.  In and through all things, grant that I have eyes to see and ears to hear that I may listen to and speak the truth of Your Gospel which saves all whom You know and know You.

Lord Jesus, You have done what You have done and it is what we all need.  Many then fall back into the error of trying to repeat what only You can do.  You have set us free from the law to live out its precepts in love and not terror.  Guide me in the path of being whom You are making me to be, doing what You give me to do that I may be complete in You.  You alone are the Savior.  Amen.

“As the truth of Christ is in me, this boasting of mine will not be stopped in the regions of Achaia. Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do!  (2 Corinthians 11:10-11)

The truth of God cannot be stopped because it is God’s and will not return to Him void.  Listen then to the simple words of the Gospel.  We need to be saved from the insanity of this age.  Christ has come to save us.  Those who are in Christ know they have a new life.  They cannot and will not stay silent.  Even though they be made fugitives, yet the Word still is spoken and the truth cannot be overcome with a lie.

Lord, open my eyes to see that in You all things will be as You have made them.  I may not understand many things, but You have revealed truth.  You have come and walked amongst us.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I would walk with You and never be silent about what You are doing.  May I learn to be bold in love and speaking truth in love to others.

Lord Jesus, You have shown Your love in what You have done for the whole world.  Help me see this simple truth and walk in the way You have already established.  Help me to speak this truth with my actions.  In all things, guide me according to Your purpose that I would now and forever abide in You and You in me.  May I always stand up for You and the truth of Your love.  Amen.

“I robbed other churches by taking wages from them to serve you; and when I was present with you and was in need, I was not a burden to anyone; for when the brethren came from Macedonia they fully supplied my need, and in everything I kept myself from being a burden to you, and will continue to do so” (2 Corinthians 11:8-9).

Being thankful is a part of living the good life.  We are dependent and there really is no such thing as true independence.  If there were, only the Lord could be truly independent, but He has created this existence to share with us His love.  No, He is not dependent upon us, but we are upon Him.  Therefore, give thanks in all things for the provision of the Lord and do not act as though these good gifts are just there.

Lord, the world acts with great expectation with individuals feeling they deserve goodness.  All goodness comes from You and it is a gift.  Help me to see through the lies of this age and be thankful for those who have provided necessities that I may know You.  Help me to be thankful in all things and for all things.  Guide me in the way of Your goodness, sharing as I have been shared with.

Come Holy Spirit and work on my heart.  You know those places where I take things for granted and do not give as freely as I receive.  Lead me in the way of truth that I may now and always give and receive as You give and receive.  Teach me to be a cheerful giver and one who is always thankful for the good things You grant in this life.  Above all, help me to always be thankful for the salvation You make possible.

“Or did I commit a sin in humbling myself so that you might be exalted, because I preached the gospel of God to you without charge? (2 Corinthians 11:7)

In many ways things are no different now then they were then.  If we are gifted something we often act as if it has no value.  Yes, the Gospel is given to us freely, but it is of more value than the world.  If someone serves us, we often act as though it is nothing.  Do not act as the world does, but value all of the gifts  you’re given.  Treasure what is of value and respect those who share the Good News.

Lord, I often treat as trivial what is great and great what is trivial.  Change how I value things that I would see things as they are and live in the truth that You alone are God and are to be praised and thanked above all things.  Guide me in Your goodness that I would now and always live into the life of faith You have given me by grace.  Let me rejoice in Your voice spoken no matter when or through whom or whether or not it came at a cost to me.

Lord Jesus, how easy it is to discount the grace You purchased with Your own body.  Help me to see the great cost and the invaluable gift You have given by setting me free from sin, death, and the devil.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in You is all hope and life and that as You have given freely to me, so should I also freely give to others that they may have the pearl of great price.  Amen.

“For I consider myself not in the least inferior to the most eminent apostles.  But even if I am unskilled in speech, yet I am not so in knowledge; in fact, in every way we have made this evident to you in all things” (2 Corinthians 11:5-6)

How we love to compare one to another.  Well, “So and so said thus and such.”  Why do you argue about opinions when the sweet words of the Gospel have been spoken.  No matter how or by whom, the good Gospel is yours through Christ.  Receive what He has given and come into His presence now and forever.  In Him, the One who made you, you have life and liberty.

Lord, the Good News is often obscured by our pride and sense of propriety.  Help me to hear the Gospel whenever it is spoken or read.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that You have spoken the words of eternal life and that in You is all hope.  Let me receive whenever and through whomever Your Good News is spoken.  May I learn to faithfully receive the evidence You send my way.

Lord Jesus, You were often questioned by those who did not receive what You said, nor accept what You did.  Help me, I pray, to not be hindered by those around me who want whatever it is they want.  Help me to receive the Good News You have given that I may now and always walk humbly with You and rejoice that You have sent those who speak the sweet words of truth.  Amen.

“But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ.  For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully” (2 Corinthians 11:3-4).

The simple truth of Jesus joining us with Him forever is often lost by those who proclaim either another Jesus, or else some addition to the simplicity of following Jesus.  Hold fast to what was first given you that You may not be led astray by all of the false things that are all around.  Jesus said, “Come, follow me.”  He meant it.  Know that the shades of gray are not the truth.  Jesus is!

Lord, as You have given the Gospel with utter simplicity, so also You have made the path easy.  Help me to not get caught up in all of the nonsense of this world, nor listen to all of the mental wrangling that goes on.  Guide me in Your goodness to see that in You alone is all hope, for it is You who made us and made possible the way of grace.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth.

Lord Jesus, You said that You are the way, the only way, and that those who know Your voice will follow You.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I would now and forever look to You, my Lord and Savior, as the One who is to be followed.  Guide me in Your goodness as You know I need to be guided and hold me fast to the true Gospel that I may be one reflecting Your light into the darkness of this world.  Amen.

“I wish that you would bear with me in a little foolishness; but indeed you are bearing with me.  For I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy; for I betrothed you to one husband, so that to Christ I might present you as a pure virgin” (2 Corinthians 11:1-2).

If you look at the truth simply it should not be difficult to see that Paul is telling us something profoundly true.  We are swayed by this world and it is poison.  Why should we hold back when another is eating the poison of this world and we passionately speak to them of the truth.  We have been purified in Christ and He desires that we be His.  Should we not learn to be faithful?

Lord, this world tells us to sow wild oats, go for the gusto, and feel all we can feel.  But You have come that we may have life and have it abundantly.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I may walk blamelessly before You.  Guide me in Your goodness to know that in You alone is all hope and an eternal future.  Lead me in, toward, and through You in all of my life for Your sake.

Lord Jesus, You gave up Your life upon this earth for us that we may live into the life You offer by Your grace.  There is no business more serious than this.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of truth that I may walk humbly with You and live into the life You give.  Lead me that I too would be jealous for the right and good things You offer.  Help me learn from You what it is to be faithful.  Amen.

“But he who boasts is to boast in the Lord.  For it is not he who commends himself that is approved, but he whom the Lord commends” (2 Corinthians 10:17-18).

The world loves to brag about all that it has or will accomplish.  The world tells the same story over and over again.  The Lord tells You that everything is His, for He made it.  What kind of people then ought we to be?  We have been set free from the death of sin in order to live in love and harmony with the One through whom and for whom all things were made.  Live or die, that is the question.

Lord, I live this life from the inside out.  You have come to free me from this trap that I may live in the truth that all is Yours.  Guide me away from self-thinking that I may walk freely in the truth You have revealed for all.  You are the way, truth, and life and where can we go but to You who is the One through whom and for whom all things exist.  Lead me upward in You that I may live as You have created life to be.

Lord Jesus, there are many things I do not understand, nor do I need to.  Lead me in the way of truth, Lord, that I would walk humbly with You every day, beginning with today.  You have created me and called me to live into the life You are remaking through salvation.  Guide me that I may learn more in preparation for the new life You have promised.  Amen.