2 Corinthians 5:11-15

Pastor Dave explained that the “fear of the Lord” has a positive connotation, not a negative flavor like “fear of the coronavirus.” To fear God means to honor and revere Him. Dave noted that a person can err by fearing – honoring and seeking to please – a spouse more than God. We err when we fear offending our children more than we fear offending God. Pray for yourself (and for all of us) to put God in His proper place, the place of highest honor. Pray that we will not let anyone or anything usurp that place.

Paul was misunderstood and opposed by some of the Christians in Corinth. Like Paul, we need to understand that we can’t control what other people think or say about us; there will be times we are misunderstood. Thank God for the comfort of knowing that God always sees you and knows you.

Paul teaches that, as believers, we should no longer live for ourselves, but for Christ, who died for us. Pastor Dave asked, if the Holy Spirit gave each of us a pie graph of our lives, what would it reveal? What portion of the time do I live for myself versus for Christ? I wonder how well we understand what “living for Christ” means. Does it mean going to church, reading the Bible, and consciously evangelizing? Is it possible to live for Christ while doing what we consider normal daily activities, such as doing our jobs, caring for children, driving, running errands, eating, exercising? Lord, show us how we can live for You in everything we do. Show us how to stop pigeonholing our various activities and devote them all to You. Train us and strengthen us to live whole, unfragmented lives completely devoted to You.

Calvary Family

Join Cindy and Mike Belleville in praising God that their grandson Sawyer’s chemo treatments have been suspended. A specialist on his case says his tumors are very small and not growing and that, at this point, the harm of the chemo treatments outweighs any benefit. Sawyer will now be able to return to school and a normal life. Pray for continued healing and protection for Sawyer in the months ahead as doctors continue to monitor his condition.

In a recent prayer letter, Pastor Tomasz Chylka shares the story of a modern Good Samaritan. Last summer, a man named Jacek began to attend the Pszczyna church after he was diagnosed with cancer. There, Jacek “fell in love with the Bible,” Tomasz writes. When cancer damaged Jacek’s vocal cords, “he would gesticulate to ask for prayer, express his faith, and ask to listen to the Word of God.” A church member named Andrzej became a Good Samaritan for Jacek and cared for him in his final weeks. “He looked after him, changed his dressings, fed him and gave him shelter, treated him like his own son, took him to church and read the Bible to him.” Jacek’s Catholic family was initially hostile to Tomasz and his church, angry that they had caused Jacek to “change his faith.” But when they heard about Andrzej’s care for Jacek, they were stunned, and the Lord changed their hearts. By God’s miraculous intervention, Tomasz was allowed to lead Jacek’s funeral in a Catholic cemetery. Tomasz says, “Almost 100 people attended the funeral and listened attentively to the sermon, despite awful rain and low temperatures. God was working. The people that came were criminals, alcoholics, debtors and lost people – we would call them dregs of society.” Read Tomasz’s letter in full here, and be faithful in praying for our brothers and sisters in Pszczyna, Poland. Pray also that we in Brea can learn from their example.

In Christ,
Carol Gilbert
Calvary Community Church of Brea