NT: Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, Chapter 4

Galatians 4:1-31

4:1-2 God's children (we) undergo the same experience of life lessons as people who do not recognize or believe in Him (It, spirituality, whatever your conception of God is). God has given and promises to give us so much of life but for us to appreciate it, and most importantly -- understand it, we must develop our spiritual, intellectual and emotional intelligence. 

4:3 Yet within this classroom we have training wheels, so to speak. Our faith enables us access to spiritual guidance and support. Our lives are sprinkled with little hints and inspirations, shining pebbles beckoning us to pick them up and and look, listen to things we would not have noticed on our own. We have ultimate freedom, most especially in our spiritual lives which follow this one but we cannot fly without knowing how to use our wings. Our lives here are to prepare ourselves, to learn to fly so that we can truly live and explore and create...

4:4 ...because the truth and upshot is, without spirituality in some form, humankind was not learning or developing progressively, compassionately. Out of His love for us, God divined and inspiring opportunity to finally and intimately reach His children. To restore our connection with home, with Him. 

Jesus, the core, content, context and inspiration of the New Testament made that connection. For the people who had willingly and even subconsciously denied or neglected their true home (spirit) came a chance to, if not remember, than at least realize and create their connection with life and wisdom beyond this world.

4:5 Many have rejoined the spiritual family... former orphans adopted, attracted and held by Jesus's love and compassionate work and word. Our redemption is our commitment to compassion and our faith in spirit. And perhaps justly, redemption has a somewhat negative connotation. Yet to be redeemed in spirit is a gift for the soul, for the self. To heal yourself from chaos and wandering. To restore peace and opportunity to a soul which mourns its time wasted unfocused, unrealized.

4:6-7 We are not slaves to the ways and laws of the world. Even the natural laws which exist here are not applied to us in spirit. This world we live in is a complex system of power and procurement of wealth, property and fame. Quite ironically, humankind's obsession with consumption consumes their entire lives and character. In this world, many times the circumstances of our lives are dependent on and vulnerable to the choices and beliefs and intolerance of others. We are metaphorical but also literal slaves to masters such as our own and others' thoughts and abilities. But only during this short time in the classroom of earth.

In spirit we break free from those bonds. As a child of Life and Universe and Creation Itself, we inherit life, universe and creation. We do not have to labor, beg, or even ask for sustenance, shelter or love... and abundance of each and more is freely given.

4:8-10 Healthy faith is focused and pure. Healthy faith has established core beliefs and a pure fulfillment of them, is well and purposefully intention in all moments, interactions, thoughts and decisions. First the Corinthians and now the Galatians provide an example to us: if we are not vigilant over our faith, it can be corrupted. We can corrupt it if we are not intentionally pursuing the development and establishment of our values. 

We become distracted. Distracted by people, by events and ideas. Distracted by circumstances and interactions and choices. God's promise to us is that if we can focus on just one thing, our faith, He will take care of the rest. How? Why? Our soul is like a nucleus. It's our powerhouse. If we focus on our core, our center, the space in which everything about us is stored... if we focus on keeping that (our soul) healthy, everything within it is going to naturally organize and thrive.

The Galatians veered off of the path. They become enamored with ceremony and pomp. With man-made rules and holidays. Keep it simple. Live with compassion. Faith and love are simple -- for validation they do not require holiday or rules. Love and faith run and reign and leap boundlessly. Focus and simplicity and never become distracted.

4:11 You do not want to labor in vain all of your life. To end up at the culmination of your life and realized that you clouded and confounded your life with nonsensical rules and actions: procuring fame, wealth and/or power. If you are not laboring on your soul, whatever you are building is meaningless and finite.

Arrogance and superiority are rampant throughout the world, throughout religion, throughout community and almost all places. Do not be awed or distracted by wealth, power or fame because they deprave your soul. Become a stone for someone to rest on. A river for someone to float. A sun for someone to warm themselves. The more you humble yourself the more you actually have to brag about yourself... but you won't, because you don't need to. Don't even want to. Because the joy and contentment of providing compassion to another is an immeasurable reward in itself.

4:12-13 Paul's mission here was a difficult one... he was working to restore a broken relationship between himself and the Galatians but also between the Galatians and their natural faith. Once closely bonded, the Galatians no longer recognize Paul in a necessarily friendly manner. Yet Paul reminds them that he humbled himself for their benefit and now asks for that humility to be returned. For them to simply hear him speak genuinely to them.

4-14-15 Distraction can be absolute. It can completely cloud our perspective and our judgement. From the Galatians we can learn to value our faith and to value the healthy and natural relationships in our lives (especially the relationship we have with our own soul and our faith). For many people start with good and focused intentions but gradually abandon them until they're completely unrecognizable.

4:16 We never want to receive well-meaning constructive criticism with enmity. At most, we should give our disagreement with respect. Paul is asking the Galatians if they are so far gone they no longer recognize a friend, a person, a soul who they loved and cared about. If you have an idea, belief, value, thought, person, situation in your life which is and has always been genuine and truthful with you, tethered yourself to it. Ground yourself.

8:17 Many people are not focused. Even more unfortunate, many people who are focused are focused without good-intention. There are people and institutions which work fancifully for your attention and only so that they can take something from you. Therefore we should only ever be impressed with humility. With simple authenticity.

4:18 A zealous spirit is a productive spirit, but be zealous about Good... promoting goodness. Be able to sustain your own zealous spirit, to kindle your own passion without an external source. Within yourself is your soul and your faith and it is all you need to remain impassioned and productive. 

4:19-20 Our journey and purpose here is to form ourselves. To become and to create within our soul. Paul requests their (and our) attention. Paul's life's work sought to further inspire and produce personal growth for each of us in faith and in compassion. In order to grow we need to be open to learning through listening... and within this classroom that is life on earth, there is much opportunity to do so.

4:21-23 Tethering the New Testament with the Old Testament, Paul recounts an element of Abraham's story. In which we derive through metaphor that those who follow and nourish their soul in compassion and humility are free and thriving. 

4:24-26 When you see the word Jerusalem, do not think of the modern country. Jerusalem was and is a symbol for a people who abandoned their faith and consequently were scattered in confusion and chaos because of that. Those who remain truthful to themselves, compassionate to others and faithful to creation are infinitely free. 

4:27 Another symbol: the book of Isaiah calls for celebration. Celebration for those who have not spawned evil, unkindness, greed...

4:28-30 And truly this is and has been the way of the world here, an element of this classroom: those who are focused in compassion and faith are constantly confronted by injustice, greed and even evil. Though through our focused faith and nourishment of the compassion and light within our soul we are never overcome. More than that we grow and improve ourselves and the quality of life of those around us. Sometimes an evil enters our path because God knows we are precisely the child of His who can defeat it.

4:31 A reiteration of our freedom because it defines the nature of our lives. As children of creation and life we will always grow and thrive. We are eternally alive within a purposeful love.

NT: Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, Chapter 3

Galatians 3:1-29

3:1 Paul's exasperation is a result of the Galatians abandonment of the core of their faith. Although they had seen and heard the philosophy as taught by Jesus and the apostles, they diverted from it. Instead of remaining true to the core of the faith, they began to branch off on tangents, combining it with customs that were nonessential or even contradictory to the faith.

3:2 Paul attempts to draw them back to their faith by reminding them of how they received it. For God's philosophy comes to us freely and without enforcement, judgement or stipulations.

3:3 Faith cannot evolve deeper within itself if it reverts backwards. If, spiritually, we have a conception of our purpose in the world, we cannot fulfil it by reverting back to behavior we had before we established our faith.

3:4 We waste our time when are not consistent with our thoughts, words and actions. When we adopt any philosophy, especially one of faith, our efforts toward its progression within and outside of us must be maintained rather selflessly. For it is the way of the world to live for ourselves, to procure to increase our material, power, property or fame. Yet a philosophy of faith must be secured and progressed toward through humility, through a vision we see of the earth and humanity that does not yet exist. We must understand, accept and rejoice in the fact that our own betterment comes through our efforts toward the betterment of the whole, rather and more than from selfish living.

3:5 Our living example is our creator, who has built us, our earth and our universe only with humility and compassion. Rather than rule over humanity and all life as an authoritarian, our creator gave us space, freedom and thought to determine all things for ourselves.

3:6-9 The example of Abraham from the Old Testament is a lesson that our faith is our freedom, our purpose and our guide. Abraham's faith was not determined or defined by the customs or rules he followed. Abraham was blessed through generations because of his absolute, solid faith. He believed not just in an omnipotent, divine-being but in His philosophy. Abraham believed in creation, in truth and compassion. He trusted in those things and Paul reminds the Galatians (and us) to trust in them also. He reminds us not to be diverted or distracted by the minute and senseless details and rules that humans often attach to faith (in order to create religion). 

Indeed we are often distracted from the core of this philosophy which is simply to live compassionately.

3:10 Paul continues to work toward separating spirituality with religion, but also toward helping the Galatians understand the New Testament as a continuation and deepening of the Old. The core of the New Testament is that we must be authentic and truthful in who we are and what we do. We must be genuine in our generosity, in our compassion and faith. 

3:11-12 The New Testament works expertly to unite us with our soul, with the spirit within us which is unique and specific to each of us individually. Following rules and laws is not God's purpose for us. For when we understand our faith, we do not need laws or rules to guide us... our spirit naturally and genuinely understands its purpose and right in the earth and beyond it.

3:13-14 The purpose of the philosophy Jesus brought to humanity was to reestablish. Humanity did not understand its purpose as a collective or as individuals. Life was a cycle of chaos and meandering, influenced and run by diverse modes of thought and rule.

Paul unites the Old and New Testament by explaining that the faith Abraham had is the same love offered by God to every generation. Paul's mission was not to change the philosophy of God but to bring people back toward it in understanding, unhindered by rule and regulation.

For it truly does not matter which holidays we do or do not celebrate (provided, you know, we aren't worshipping evil). It does not matter how we dress or what book we derive our spirituality from... Paul wants us to understand that if it is by compassionate faith that we live, we already live in alignment with God (and in the only way that truly matters).

3:15-18 Although presented differently, the Old Testament and the New Testament each corroborate each other. Neither contradicts the other. We can discern the same from studying each but Paul expresses to us that nothing has changed, from Genesis to Revelation, each book in the Bible supports the whole. The love and promises God gave to humanity generations before us is the same love and promise that He gives to us today.

3:19-20 The Bible provides guidelines, advice and direction meant to aid the faithless. Yet once faith is adopted, absorbed and trusted in, law becomes unn unnecessary. Faith enables us to naturally understand the way of life and inspires us to naturally follow it. All members of God's family are fellow-workers. Therefore God has set in place many mediators, apostles, angels, souls, to help each other accomplish the same purpose.

3:21-22 The law in the Old Testament was meant and given as a guideline under which to live most effectively and peacefully. Although law becomes unnecessary under faith (which has natural guidance) it does not become obsolete. For the guidelines truly are helpful and truly do inspire people toward faith.

Our creator is generous. Although He could impose His authority over us without our permission, He has chosen to never operate that way. We are given the freedom of our own thought and choice. If our love and cooperation could be cultivated authentically through law, then it would have been. But we cannot be authentic in faith without having freedom and therefore our faith is not dependent on law.

3:22-25 Faith is a journey and even before we begin it, we must be inspired toward it. God's planning is perfect. His philosophy was established throughout the earth in stages in order not to overwhelm and permanently lose the attention of understanding of His children. 

Begin our faith with questions of right and wrong, good and bad. We begin our faith by establishing our values, by determining what is just and unjust. From there our faith blossoms. God laid down the tracks in the Old Testament and then introduced us to our soul (which was always there but not able yet to be understood), our spirit in the New.

3:26-29 For we are all one creation. We are all of one creator. We a members of the same bunch of humanity who lived many generations before us. We purpose and progress toward the same spiritual home. God has known and planned for us much before we were ever actually here.

NT: Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, Chapter 2

Galatians 2:1-21

Paul's specific purpose with the Galatians was to reconcile the former-Jews and new Christian-Gentiles. The former-Jews were still practicing (and enforcing) old customs and the gentiles were not. The two groups began to clash because of disagreements even though they had each adopted this new philosophy of God brought by Jesus and the apostles. 

2:1-2 Paul recounts his time as an apostle (as we read of in Acts). He established himself throughout regions as a former persecutor of the very faith he now believes and preached.

2:3 Paul spoke of Titus who, even though he raised Jewish, would not practice the custom of circumcision. Within the world of religion and custom there is much disagreement about which customs are compulsory and which are not. The apostles mission was to explain to their students that the only compulsory action required for this philosophy of God was the be compassionate, truthful and just.

2:4-5 We never do have to submit to our adversaries, no matter how powerful or stealth they are. A large portion of the apostles job was to teach us not to fear. As children of God, we have his strength within us and when we develop our faith, our mental and emotional strength endures. The apostles never bent an inch for their enemies and therefore they exemplified to us that we never have to either.

The most prominent element of our strength is our trust in God. Trust in God need be built and require over time and through circumstance. As we work together with God through the events and emotions of our lives, we learn to hear and see Him around us. We are therefore enabled to listen, learn and follow Him. 

2:6 Paul gives us the perspective with which to view our adversaries: no matter how eloquent, powerful, influential, wise, resourceful... no matter how impressive they appear to be, or think they are, or have others convinced that they are, they are not more than you.

2:7-10 The apostles purposed equally toward each group: the Jewish and the Gentile. Their intention was to clear up the confusion of the custom practices and to focus people on the main purpose at hand, helping those who needed them. There are different types of poverty: monetary poverty but also there are people who have impoverished souls, impoverished thoughts, impoverished stores of strength and patience and hope. The apostles, and all of God's children, work toward filling the emptiness in the world with abundance.

2:11-13 These verses teach us to have the strength to defend and display our beliefs (especially when we are look upon as teachers). We are made up of our beliefs. What we value and how we believe it should be protected and cared for should not be taken lightly by us. Justice in the world depends on our focus on it. 

A component of this is courage, remembering as the just discussed, not to fear our adversaries, not to fear disagreement. We cannot be hypocritical when it comes to our beliefs. It cannot matter who we are around. We must be consistent in what we think, say and do, regardless of who our audience consists of.

2:14-15 Our words and actions are a display of our beliefs. We each influence the people around us, whether we mean to or not. Mean to! Know what your beliefs are and validate them but exemplifying the manifestation of them.

2:16 Remember that our justification comes from our authentic compassion. Jesus was the manifestation of everything we must also embody: patience, justice, truth, compassion. We are not validated by customs or ceremonies. We are not validated by following rigid-religious rules. We are justified by our compassionate behavior, by our kind thoughts, by our productive work. 

2:17 We represent our God. As His children, we have the blessed responsibility of exemplifying to the world His love and wisdom in our lives. So many people in the world have negative connotations about divinity and spirituality and the reason is because people do not take seriously their impact on the world. What we do and say is seen and heard. Not only must we be aware of our influence on the people around us, we must choose and exemplify the influence we believe represents our faith and values.

2:18 When we behave contrary to what we believe, we destroy our own world.

2:19 When we learn from our mistakes or from a situation or person in our lives we must make the conscious decision not to repeat. We establish our values but we also need to retain and maintain them.

2:20 Paul frankly, boldly, eloquently displays the evolution of his faith: "... it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me."

Let yourself be absorbed into your faith, nothing else protects, inspires, leads or loves you as much as it, as whatever manifestation of God you believe in. Let Spirit animate you. Although filled with life here on earth, we truly come alive in an harmonious infinity when we stop living for ourselves and start living for what we believe in (justice, compassion, truth, hope, patience, creativity, love).

2:21 Paul does not separate his faith from anything that he thinks, says or does. Your faith and your beliefs must come through everything that you think, do and say. Your beliefs must be present with you in order to inspire you toward bringing your truth into fruition. If we do not display and defend our beliefs then we waste them, our time, and ultimately our own potential. When we are grounded in consistent self-truths, our lives make immeasurable waves. We wash away injustice, we wash away fear. 

NT: Epistle of Paul to the Galatians, Chapter 1

Galatians 1:1-24

1:1 This, Paul's greeting is a great representation of not only how we should present ourselves but also of how our disposition should be. Paul's insistence on remembering God's winnowing hand in His life contributed to the productivity and fulfillment of his life purpose. 

1:2 In the previous book, Paul wrote to the Corinthians. We now begin a small chapter consisting of the epistle Paul wrote to the churches of Galatia (another region in present day Greece).

1:3 To begin his letter, Paul highlights his purpose of writing: to spread the graceful philosophy which had been brought to him by God. This is Paul's confirmation of himself as an apostle, a soul on a mission of working with God.

1:4 In many ways, this life cannot be considered evil. God's children are here and are in many places, doing incredible and compassionate things. However Paul identifies humanity's time on earth as an evil age and despite the good that we know exists here, we cannot entirely disagree with him. 

In the spirit, life intentions toward compassion and creation of life and energy. On earth, humans tend to intention toward consumerism and power. Procurement often leads to greed and greed to evil. Not all of us commit evil acts, but many of us neglect to thwart them or sometimes even recognize that they're happening. Jesus came to teach us how to disentangle ourselves from that which is meaningless, chaotic and destructive.

1:5 Paul concludes his greeting having established himself as an apostle, his commitment to the faith, his understanding of its purpose and development, and his reverence to our infinite God.

1:6-7 Paul is genuinely confused. The Galatians had gratefully and authentically absorbed truth, having been taught by Jesus' apostles and yet had not remained focused and vigilant enough to retain it. Paul marvels that they discarded truth for falsity. The Galatians were faithful in the true gospel... but were easily sidetracked by false teachings. From even the beginning of our study of the Bible, one of the most prominent messages has been a warning for us to be watchful, weary of situations and people which divert us from our faith and our truth.

1:8-9 This imploration works to remind us that there are people and institutions which deceive and work hypocritically. Corruptions which are cunningly designed shepherd us away from truth and our money or our self-control directly into their hands.

Therefore we must take responsibility for the information we allow to influence us. Have we derived it from a trustworthy source? Do our leaders and teachers teach us without bias, without motive? Be must observe the behavior of the people around us, being at all times aware that humans are fallible.

1:10 Paul isn't working for himself. He's working for God and he's working for their (and our) benefit. He has no interest in establishing fame or reverence for himself. Paul writes this impassioned epistle because he cares; the Galatians are going a wayward way, down a dangerous path of untruths. He isn't working to secure enough money for a mansion or for a feast or for a governmental position or even for a religious positional. Paul is not trying to impress them (or us)...

1:11-12 ... He speaks because he has been appointed as a speaker for God, having been identified by Him as a selfless and compassionate soul. The Galatians had switched paths. Instead of continuing to follow God, they began to follow eloquent men. Men who looked the part, dressed the part and even acted the part, but were ultimately internally corrupt. 

And this occurs on several levels, not only on the spiritual and religious plane. Political candidates, teachers, business owners, even family, friends and acquaintances are capable of deception for personal motive (in small and large ways). The point is not that people are constantly working maliciously, for a person can have compassionate motives too. The point is that people are capable of working maliciously against you but that you have the discernment to realize it before their actions influence you.

11:13-14 Paul recounts the story and transformation of his life. This is a reiteration from Paul that philosophy he brings from region to region was delivered directly to him by God. And it is rather an extraordinary story because Paul was not convinced by a person to change himself, surely no human ever could have. Paul's transformation was catalyzed by divine intervention in his life.

11:15-17 These verses explain the nature of our work and relationship with God. Once we establish a connection with Him, we only need His guidance. Upon being appointed as an apostle, Paul was made independent by his dependence on God through His truth (faith). Rather than loiter around or discuss the new circumstances of his life with others, Paul got to work. He and God had already established a clear path and purpose. 

When we work with God (on ourselves and on our life's purpose) there is no need to stall or meander or worry. He builds within us: direction, focus, motivation, purpose, passion. Instead of going over to his friends house or the local gossip and saying: "You'll never guess what happened to me!" and wasting time waiting for the reactions and opinions of others, Paul went to work.

1:18-20 Eventually, after years of hard work toward his purpose, deeply entrenched in God's philosophy, Paul did visit another apostle. God's children understand that when we are each working with God, we are working together and are supporting each other. No matter the difference of our physical location, as we journey toward the same purpose, we are combined. 

2 Corinthians 8:10-11 Taught us that we cannot just dream or say or even begin a project. We must complete what we say we are going to do. As soon as Paul understand his purpose, he began working to complete it. He devoted every minute to his passion and purpose. 

1:21-22 What did Paul do next? He continued to work. He did not get sidetracked or take a vacation or lose motive or steam. He was an unknown by humanity but by God he was established as an apostle and he took that blessed opportunity seriously all of the moments of his life.

1:23-24 Just as Paul was a breathing, walking testimony, so are we. What we endure and survive is an inspirational message to others. How we carry ourselves, how we think and speak and behave is a message to the people around us. Paul knew what message he wanted the world to hear from him and he changed the world. Know what message you want to present to the world and present it (without delay!).

NT: Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 13

II Corinthians 13:1-14

13:1 Paul speaks of his continued conversation and relationship with the Corinthians. Of the truth and sincerity of his thoughts, words and actions.

13:2 Paul reiterates that he will not be timid against injustice and false prophesy. 

13:3-4 A reminder of the strength behind humility. The courage to live for more than just the self, to open our heart to all life. It takes a strong person to be empathetic and purposeful in justice.

13:5 Constantly examine yourself: is what you are thinking, saying and doing representing your faith?Faith and sincerity require diligence and maintenance. Paul asks a question we must frequently ask ourselves: Do I know who I am? Do i know what I stand for? Do I defend what I claim to stand for? Am I utilizing the gift that is within me, the strength and support of my creator?

13:6 Paul trusts that through the development of our faith we will refine and focus our ability to discern sincerity from falsity. And surely when we ask God for guidance, He enables us to view our world with a broader and deeper perspective. We begin to notice and recognize things we might have missed before, subtle words and actions from people and situations which uncover truth.

13:7 Paul prays that our actions will be done with wholehearted sincerity and compassion. That we will be just and productive souls, promoting quality of life for humanity and animal, earth and plant around us... not because we were told to but because we want to. 

13:8 Any efforts against truth will eventually and inevitably falter and die. Truth is at the core of creation and it eliminates anything contrary to it. 

13:9 God's children are strongest when the expend all of their energy confronting injustice. Our proudest moments are the moments where we realize everything we gave to our cause achieved its mission. We are happiest when we provide our strength to others.

13:10 Paul hopes to accomplish the sealing of his preaching to the Corinthians through letter. He has been bold in constructive criticism and has expected highly of them. God had sent Paul out into the world to edify not destruct... therefore Paul is careful to deliver his message with passion but also with gentleness. 

13:11 Life instruction, encouragement and comfort all in one verse: work to develop and complete yourself, your faith. Establish your values, uncover your purpose and fulfill it. Become authentic, remain sincere. Trust and follow the wisdom of your faith. Be comforted, consistent and focused knowing of your and your God's authenticity and truth. Be peaceful and subsequently allow for peace to flow back into you.

13:12 Receive your family, friends, acquaintances and all people with joy.

13:13 All the saints greet you... every member of this family is rooting for you, has worked and prayed in order that you may thrive. We are uniquely known in the spirit. Our work is known and supported and cheered for by those who have come before and await our arrival in the next place, in the spirit, gathered with them and God.

13:14 A wish of Godspeed to all from Paul, the apostle. That God's love, presence and guidance journey and remain with us all our lives. And of course He always will, as long as we allow and remember Him. That we live life with the simple, humble grace that Jesus taught: to live compassionately and let compassion easily define and divine right from wrong for us during the course of lives full of choice between the two.

NT: Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 12

II Corinthians 12:1-21

12:1 Paul explains that his speech is not boastful but actual and truthful. That through his faith and apostleship God has given him the ability to perceive even beyond present events.

12:2-4 He speaks of having been shown the spiritual life which proceeds, precedes and supersedes this one. We can understand that in building a faithful apostle, who would be responsible for establishing Christianity on the earth, God would show to him the bigger picture: where humanity started, even before earth, where we are now and where we are headed. From a spiritual perspective. 

12:5-6 Paul does not boast at having fulfilled his purpose through and of God. The one thing he is proud to mention though, is how glad he has been to suffer for this philosophy to come to humanity. God had shown Paul incredible things and though he admits he would love to openly marvel at the wonders and revelations God entrusted him with, he will not. He chooses to remain humble and focused on his work and purpose here and now. It is important to Paul that we perceive and receive him exactly as he is, no more or less. 

12:7 God is clever. He knows that His children require constant balance. We are deeply valued and gifted by Him but we are only able to maintain the benefits of those things if we are humble. Arrogance quickly corrupts and eliminates our achievements. 

For Paul to remain humble, God allowed for constant reminders in Paul's life: reminders that although our God triumphs over all evil, and even though we as His children benefit from that, we cannot triumph over adversity without Him. It's not a punishment, it's just a reality. God is smarter, faster, omniscient, omnipotent, entirely capable of preparing defense against adversaries. Without Him, we are vulnerable. 

We also have constant reminders: people and situations in life which inspire growth, remind us of how we have grown (so we value and find purpose in our journey) and uncover the areas where we still require growth.

12:8-9 Paul plead to God for the removal of adversity. God reminded Paul that adversity was a catalyst for growth but also a motivation to continue to defend and inspire justice. Yes, Paul boasts about his weaknesses because God assured Him that He can do His best work in us when we need Him. When we are entirely open to and trusting of Him. 

"My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness." A beautiful verse. God is saying to us: when you most need me I am there. Always, He is here with us. Yet God is compassionate and nothing emphasizes his compassion more than a hurt child. He works with us to make us strong, to be self-sufficient through our faith. However He understands that we are not always brave and unbroken, and in those moments, He perfectly supplements what we are missing. He becomes the pillar of support we require until we can stand again (always in His view).

Remember: 1 Corinthians 10:13  you will never experience anything greater than God knows you can handle. If you do not have faith in yourself, trust God's faith in you. Moreover, there is nothing you have gone through that has not been endured before, therefore know that you can survive: Ecclesiastes 1:4-11.

12:10 "Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 

God responds with indignation when a child of his is threatened or hurt. He is swift in reestablishing you, comforting you. God is so appreciative of our compassion, of our work in the name of justice. When confronting adversity, we confront our adversaries... their ill-work and threats make appear to weaken us but in those moments of courage especially, God is with us.

12:11 Paul is regretful that he has had to validate himself. Yet it became necessary because his sincerity and even apostleship was challenged. Remember that God wants you to have self-value and to have confidence in your purpose, it is not boasting to defend the truth within yourself.

12:12-13 Paul believes that he had at least earned their defense when his character was attacked. He has worked selflessly with them, showing them his authenticity and his truth every step of the way, requiring and asking nothing of them.

12:14 "I do not seek yours, but you." The Corinthians were laden with false apostles around them working deceptively to take from them their money and possessions. Paul came only to give a gift to them: the gift of spirituality. He took nothing from them. This is also a lesson to us to never interact with a person hoping or working to get something from them.

12:15 Despite his love for the Corinthians and his hope for the development of their faith, they seem to easily turn away from Paul. The lesson from the Corinthians is to be alert in our faith, to never fall victim or puppet to false people, ideas and organizations.

The acceptance of God's love and guidance in our lives can transform our souls and our world but can do nothing if we reject or neglect or worse, contradict it. As a human, many of us have learned that we cannot help a person who will not help themselves. Take responsibility for yourself in order that God may lead you. 

12:16-18 Paul references the fairness he has given to the Corinthians. Each apostle with him had brought to the Corinthians only their sincerity and hard work and were therefore not deserving of the Corinthian's neglect. Be fair with people and you will always live with a light conscious. 

12:19-21 Paul shudders at the thought of visiting the Corinthians to find once faithful, compassionate students having abandoned their God-given kindness, wisdom and faith. We (and the Corinthians) have so much potential to be kind, to be purposeful, to be faithful and truly it is devastating when such potential and purpose is wasted. So remain focused! Never allow yourself to be derailed. 

NT: Second Epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, Chapter 11

II Corinthians 11:1-33

11:1-2 God is proud to claim His children; He loves us. He feels your presence as wells your absence acutely. More than even life God has given us freedom. With our freedom, many have chosen differently than to return to Him and His claim on us as His children. Although He allows us to choose, He it does hurt Him when He is not our choice. 

We can relate to God through the emotions of our soul. Despite divinity's immensity, we relate to God in all the ways that matter: every shade and color of emotion that passes through us is known also by Him. We know what it is like when someone or something we love very much chooses not to accept or even sometimes acknowledge all of the love and hope we have for them. 

11:3 There is abundant option in the world and therefore there are many choices here for us to make. This philosophy of life taught by Jesus and then the apostles, originating from creation, encourages us to live and interact with simplicity: embodying compassion in all contexts and relationships. 

In the first book of the Bible, Genesis, Eve serves as a metaphor. With the capacity and capability of knowledge comes responsibility. We now have the capacity and capability for knowledge and therefore we also have great responsibility to wield it well. Yet knowledge uncovers the complexities of the world, the entanglements of our ability to lie to and manipulate, control and influence situations and people. Suddenly the path of simplicity becomes less clear and every thought, word and move we make must consider alternative motions and motives. Compassion thereby becomes rather than our default setting, a choice we must consistently make.

11:4 Paul directs us toward caution because unless we know ourselves very well, having established our values, our intention and our purpose, we might easily be swayed by manipulative people and doctrines. We must be observant and perceptive, focused in faith and in everything we do because (and as history has reminded us) people can be derailed by a multitude of various factors. 

Listen to what people say. Observe what people do. Listen to what you say and ensure that it is corroborated by what you do. In every moment be aware of the motives of the people around you, they might not always be as focused or altruistic as they seem or pretend to be. Sometimes even people with the best intentions are confused or misguided. We do not have to be leaders of others but we do have to be the leader of ourselves; entrusting anyone else but yourself to determine the purpose and value of yourself and humanity is irresponsible as well as dangerous.

11:5-6 Remember in Matthew 7:15 and Matthew 12:38 we were warned of false prophets. Remember that sometimes the most celebrated and polished people are the most corrupt. Paul was a direct disciple of Jesus, sent out as a disciple after His death. Paul's devotion to the faith was incomparable, undeterred. And yet Paul had no formal training, at least by the standards of the people around him. Paul was poor and often weakened after tribulations. Despite his humble possessions and appearance, Paul was the most prominent of apostles, accomplishing for God a seemingly insurmountable task: establishing Christianity among humanity.

11:7 Paul preached without requiring salary or payment. Paul's mission was to teach and exemplify to people that God's love was free, courageous and independent. Therefore the proponents of the faith needed also to be working free, courageously and independently. Yet for this reason, Paul was not taken seriously by many who instead preferred the fancifully adorned and supposedly educated preachers (who brought falsity and corruption through manipulation and superiority). This is only one reason why we must be able to discern truth from lie. We must be able to detect sincerity because outward appearances can be, and often are deceiving. 

11:8 Although people could not tell from looking at him, Paul had given and scarified a lot in order to be a constantly devoted and available teacher of this philosophy. He gave all of his time and efforts for the benefit of others, often dividing his time between many groups in order that they all received a chance to listen to him. Sometimes leaving where he was, even though it was too early, in order to squeeze in time to visit another region.

11:9 Moreover Paul, who already worked for free, never asked for anything... not food or shelter. He kept to himself so that people understood the only sustenance he needed was from God. God teaches his children to be self-sufficient with Him. To work hard and enthusiastically. That God provides. Paul was taught to give and to create, so when he entered a region, he created and he gave, never took. 

10:10-11 Paul wanted them to understand that although it would have been fair and just for him to receive payment for his work, he decided that to present the clearest message, he would not. And often people wanted to support Paul for what he brought to them and even though he was appreciative, his students needed hear the message freely to understand the difference between him and the teachers who charged money and were corrupting them.

10:12-13 Paul's free teaching thwarted the corrupt business the false apostles were peddling. Paul gathered many people away from them with his truth and sincerity. People were able to easily distinguish between true children of God and false, greedy people. 

10:14-15 We should suspect that our adversaries will be crafty in obtaining what they want. Criminals are not necessarily unintelligent. Greed breeds the ability to deceive in people. Just as we cannot assume that a fancy or clean speech, person or establishment is true and trustworthy... neither can we assume that evil and adversity will appear to as the monster that it is. Be perceptive! 

11:16-18 Paul does not want us to confuse this message. Paul wants us to know that he is humble and that in these verses although it might appear that he is boating of himself, he is actually defending himself against the false apostles. Paul wants us to know that he is sincere, not better.

11:19-21 Paul believes they can accept this moment of his defense against himself as the Corinthians had recently accepted many and actual wrongdoings by the false apostles.

11:22-27 Paul lists his qualifications for himself as an apostle: to put mildly, he has endured many tribulations. He has suffered in order to bring this message to the regions of the earth. He has confronted adversity and adversaries in order to defend, inspire, and create justice and truth. He has never lost faith or hope or courage despite a tumultuous journey. He has remained devoted and trusting in the philosophy which he preaches and therefore even though he may not have the proper and official documents validating him as an apostle, he has more than earned the title with his humble work.

11:28 In addition to all that he has endured, Paul's compassion thrives. His entirely selfless perspective and purpose in among humanity qualified him as a trustworthy and productive child of God. As an accomplished and official apostle of this philosophy.

11:29 Deeper even than compassion Paul has empathy. He shares in the joy and tribulation of his fellow humans. He fights for their rights as or even more mightily than he would even fight for himself. What further qualification need a child of God?

11:30-33 Paul is comforted and continually motivated knowing that God knows of his sincerity, of the truth and detail of the long-suffering he has endured to promote this philosophy. We can find similar comfort knowing that God has been with us every moment of our lives, analyzing and enduring with us everything we have been through. Always be sincere and truthful, because God will ensure that the sincere and the truthful edified and established on the course of achievement and joy.