ThisVerseFitz 2 – Second Corinthians 4

by f ziamond | Jan 11, 2025

#ThisVerseFitz relating to modern time and modern concerns, we yearn to learn, yearning to know why we are here, yearning to know there is more on the other side.

On this second Sunday of 2025, January 12, we enter the New Testament, the book of Paul’s Second Letter to the Corinthians. Only an apostle could be known by just a first name. Even a common name such as Paul.

Last week we wondered why Second Kings was chosen as our first entry and it appears to have been a good choice. A difficult choice, as mentioned in the article. The difficulty makes it a good choice in relation to overcoming a mountain. Second Kings was a mountain in terms of WARS, Killing and other difficult situations.

On the other side of the mountain we find ourselves enlightened by the second writing of Paul the Apostle to the church in Corinth. The writing was said to have taken place around 55/56 AD (approximately a year after First corinthians). When using BC or AD as a timeframe, it feels important to point out what that actually means.

AD comes from the Latin phrase “Anno Domini” which means “Year of Our Lord”. Technically, we are currently living in 2025 AD.

BC is easier to remember as it stands for Before Christ. Second Kings is said to have been written between 561 and 538 BC. This timeframe appears backwards because the years of BC are technically recorded in reverse since 1 BC is the first year prior to AD.

We primarily focus on 2nd Corinthians 4 – 6 with a quick mention of 3 since one of our favorite worship songs appears to come from 3:17 – “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is Freedom”. If you haven’t heard it, and have the time, we recommend, “There is Freedom” by Josh Baldwin.

The main theme we took from this letter is to spread the good word through happiness and encouragement before we move on to where we are meant to be. The feelings of “Why are we here?”, “Why is there so much fighting?”, “If there’s really a God, why does he allow this to happen?”, and many others on the list are dealt with here.

We often find ourselves in situations attempting to fill voids. Many times we look to the wrong “fillers” – whether they are gossip, drugs or alcohol, that void will never become filled. Exercise, positive relationships and real faith are more likely to fill the void. Our CAPUZZLE 993 (below 3) reminds us we can’t AVOID a VOID, we can fill a VOID if we fill it correctly.

Whether it comes in the form of dreams or a pull in a direction that can’t be explained, the void or yearning in our case and many others is the desire for Christ and what is waiting for us eternally. In this simpleton’s opinion, we are here to make an attempt to brighten the lives of others. Pick those up who are feeling down. Each of us is a window that can let God’s light in for someone who is not seeing it yet.

There is so much fighting and he allows it because we are in a temporary learning environment. We need to resolve the issues we were put here to resolve. None of us can resolve everything, but we can each complete the task we were meant to complete. Without the trials, troubles and imperfections, this wouldn’t be our learning environment. It would then be the place we are meant to be after the learning.

Some takeaways from this story are from (2 Corinthians 4:1-2) “We do not lose heart. We have renounced disgraceful underhand ways.” This points out that there are cunning individuals that do use those practices to spread the opposite of the good word or to profit from the good word. Profits in place of Prophets (another cartoon). Another from (2 Corinthians 4:17) we admire is, “For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison.” Reminding us of the temporary learning environment mentioned above.

Prophet vs Profit

(2 Corinthians 5:1) “For we know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” Also reminding us that we are in a temporary learning environment.

(2 Corinthians 6:4-5) Reminds us that as we learn here and do the righteous, there will be evil forces attempting to control us at every turn. Just as the Roman soldiers did, the unlawful criminals in “government” are the same in modern times. “but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger.” The term “unequally yoked” is mentioned in (2 Corinthians 6:14) and this is a good place to mention the definition of “yoked” in the bible. This refers to when livestock needs to be yoked with a partner of the same speed. Picture two horses “yoked” together to perform the same task. You can’t have one out performing the other and having the under performer holding back the high performer. This also goes with your level of spirituality. You can’t be “yoked” with someone in a relationship that does not have the level of spirituality that you have. You will end up being dragged down, if you do not raise them up.

This article relates to something we ended each “Cartoon a Day Keeps Insanity Away” with called “fz smiles”. You will find a small thumbnail on each of those “ArtTickles” with a suggestion for the day. There are seven, one for each day of the week…

Show that beautiful smile

Give some Encouragement

Help Guide a friend from Dark to Light

Fist bump that stranger for no reason

Let them know their energy is positive

Compliment a Stranger

Hold a door for someone today

2 Corinthians 4

2 Corinthians 5 – 6

Filling a VOID

“God Search in Words” works exactly as a normal “Word Search” with a somewhat higher level of difficulty given the Biblical terms. Once all the words are found, the leftover letters repeat a phrase 8.13 times (meaning the phrase is present 8 times and 13 letters of the phrase are left over).

God Search in Words – Print N Play

Print N Play, Have some fun and Read your scriptures…

ThisVerseFitz2

We are going to continue with Paul next week and we’ll close with a little story that stuck with me from way back in “religious instructions” or “Catechism” class from my altar boy days. This was also known as Saturday or Sunday school. It was for the children that didn’t go to a Catholic school to get hit with rulers (ha, JK). On that subject, if you have never seen the movie “Heaven Help Us”, that is another recommendation. Warning: It does have parts that may not be appreciated by good Christians.

Anyway, the story from back then was how Paul was previously named Saul. As Saul, he was the extreme opposite of what he became as Paul. He was not a good person. It was something I’ve always remembered from childhood and then reminded again when listening to a particular sermon about Paul in September of 2022. This is one of the sermons in the beginning of my spiritual journey. There will be more on that next week, but wanted to include this cartoon based on the Paul / Saul story.

Paul / Saul

For the ultimate Bible experience, visit New Wine: NEW WINE – from our PHP family, Justin & Wendy Leoni. They can also be found on the Patriots Helping Patriots rumble channel on their hit show “Under The Oak Tree”!

FZIAMOND.COM:

Now we would like to introduce “ThisShirtFitz” stemming from “ThisVerseFitz”!

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ThisShirtFitz