2 Corinthians 6

But in all things we commend ourselves as ministers of God:...as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. vv.4-10

Read chapter 6
Many people were confused about Paul's ministry by God so he goes on to remind the Corinthians what he voluntarily chose to do for Christ's sake.  He lists off a bunch of paradoxes to make his point.  Even in sorrow, for he was in jail often or beaten, he was always rejoicing- a joy not of this world.  As poor, not living the rich life he grew up in, he was making many rich giving the fulness of life found in Christ that have unsearchable riches.  Paul ends with this culmination: as having nothing, he possessed all things for he realized all he needs is Christ.  Paul was just as satisfied if not more as if he had all those things.  He had all things pertaining to life and godliness and that is what he was reminding the Corinthians of what it was to be ministers of God.  It wasn't to get some sort of praise but to remind and make aware of what he faced and sacrificed for.  Have you showed gratefulness to those who've ministered to you?  Are you a minister of God in any fashion that you can truly say alongside Paul these same paradoxes?  

2 Corinthians 5

So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord.  For we walk by faith, not by sight. vv.6-7

Read chapter 5
I remember the first time I had someone explain to me the first part of this chapter about our what this earthly tent is as I was at a wedding reception sitting next to a Bible Teacher I'd never met before.  Many make the mistake of saying the earthly tent is our body, but as this Bible teacher explained to me the Greek word and context, it clearly showed otherwise.  Here is a clip of an article he wrote on it:

This verse is translated in a misleading way in the New King James Version, which I have quoted here. The Greek word that is translated “at home,” as well as the word that is translated “absent,” are words that occur only in this passage and in no others in the Greek Bible. They are the words endemeo and ekdemeo in Greek. Central to these words is the stem dem, which we use in words like democracy, demographics, or epidemic. This root comes from the Greek demos, which means “the people.” The Greek “en” means “in” or “among,” and “ek” means “out of” or “away from.” Therefore, endemeo means “to be among one’s own people,” and ekdemeo means “to be away from one’s own people.” Therefore, the thrust of II Corinthians 5:6 is,
“And so we are confident at all times, perceiving that while we are among our own people in reality, we are away from our own people from the Lord.”
This idea, that a prophet could speak against his own people as if he were not one of them, runs all the way through the Bible, though it is not explained in detail elsewhere as it is here. Paul was a Jew and a loyal one, but from the Lord he was given the position of acting like he was not one of them at all so that he could entreat them or condemn them as from God, not from among themselves.

Both believers during the time of the Acts period when miracles were obvious and today when they're not so obvious, had and have to choose to walk by faith and not by sight. Even among other believers we have to choose not just what we see them do but confidence in what God says to do.  Today, how can you choose to walk by faith and not by sight?

2 Corinthians 4

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— vv.8-9

Read chapter 4
Does anyone else sing the song "Trading My Sorrow" that you learned from childhood Sunday school when you read these verses?  I love the song full of energy but it's also full of amazing truths and encouragement.  At times we feel like we cant handle any more, we can; at times we are so confused and overwhelmed, we find something to hold on to; at times we're hunted down by those in opposition, we find an open door of escape; at times we are knocked down, we are never knocked out.  We don't necessarily get to choose our troubles but we get to choose how we will have victory in them for Christ.  An articles of a sermon I read on the internet by Ray Prichard summed it up well what Paul is saying here about victory in Christ:

Paul’s view of “victory” means, “Yes, I face trouble every day, and sometimes I despair of my own life. I’m under pressure all the time. I get confused. People attack me. Sometimes I get knocked down by life. But that’s when the power of Christ shows up to help me. If I have victory, it is victory through trouble not victory apart from trouble.” That’s the message we need to hear today.

So how can you endure with the hope of Jesus Christ through troubles you're facing today to find victory?  It's like a workout video I do, that the instructor always says "Just when you think you want to give up, give it one more." 

2 Corinthians 3

Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God v.5

Read chapter 3
What do you trust yourself for not needing God's help?  The Corinthians seemed to have trusted a lot in their own sufficiency of any great rewards they received.  Yet Paul reminds them that it is not anything that they did on their own but that it's from God.  Their sufficiency was from God to be successful ministers of the gospel.  Even Paul, who had much to find his adequacy in (due to his background), only boasted in his competency from Christ.  As I begin a journey in a new ministry where I get to love on other women through the gospel, I'm humbled by the fact that I cant do it on my own strength.  In order to raise sufficient funds, in order to speak perfect Spanish (I'm a Spanish Coordinator for a Women's ministry), in order to boldly share Christ's love with strangers I'm overwhelmed at people thinking I'm the best fit for the job that I have to rely on my strength to meet that high standard.  But as I am confident the path the Lord has directed me on, I rely on Him to be my sufficiency and not of myself.  Why would it be good for you to know that your competency is from God and not yourself?

2 Corinthians 2

lest Satan should take advantage of us; for we are not ignorant of his devices. v.11

Read chapter 2
What are Satan’s devices? We have a beautiful picture of it in Satan's first occurrence of  deception found in Genesis 3.  We realize that Satan did two important things to Eve: First, he TESTED her. Second, he TEMPTED her.  We must also realize that Satan is perfectly satisfied with us reading God’s word – No, really! Satan is okay with us knowing God’s word, even quoting God’s word, as long as (1) we miss the true meaning or (2) God’s word
becomes twisted in some way. In fact, Satan was willing to quote God’s word without hesitation in Matthew 4:6.  This is the account of Christ’s temptations, and what do we find? The same scheme we found in Genesis 3. Satan test’s Christ’s knowledge of God’s (i.e. His own) word, and then attempts to TEST Him based on what he finds. Satan goes so far as to quote Scripture himself during this battle. So Satan's devices or schemes are:

1. Satan TESTS our knowledge of God’s word!
2. He finds us lacking and then TEMPTS us based on our ignorance (keep in mind that even Eve could quote God with minimal mistakes, but it still wasn’t good enough)!
3. Satan is quite content with us reading or knowing God’s word as long as we miss the point!
4. After we transgress, Satan urges us to hide from God when we should be running TO God!

And so his scheme has succeeded.  Let us not be unaware or ignorant of this trick Satan's been using for thousands of years.  Do you know God’s word enough to combat Satan’s schemes? Or do you only vaguely know it, as Eve, allowing room for Satan’s lies to overcome Jehovah’s truth? I’m continually being convicted in this area, realizing my need to know Him and His Word so much better than I do!
When you have transgressed the Lord, do you find yourself hiding from Him, as Adam and Eve, when you should be running to Him? (I do!) Satan can cause much bondage here. Become aware of Satan’s half-truths – those found WITHIN Christianity, where you wouldn’t expect them.  Satan’s greatest work is to blind the minds of professing Christians, causing them to believe they know what God has said on a certain subject when the Word of God directly contradicts those beliefs.

2 Corinthians 1

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,  who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. vv.3-4

Read chapter 1
Is there a word that stood out to you after reading this chapter?  Was it the word comfort? The word comfort is repeated more in 2 Corinthians than any other book in the New Testament (29 times total and 10 of those times in this chapter alone).  The Greek word is paraklesis and is defined as "encouragement, exhortation, comfort or as Strong's Concordance puts it: an "intimate call" that someone personally gives to deliver God's verdict.  (I love that definition!)  It is also the same word use for the Holy Spirit in the gospel of John 14-16.
Today people look for comfort in chocolate, alcohol, sex with someone who's not their spouse, movies, drugs.  These all may meet our comfort need for a short time, but they are only quick fixes that can lead to bigger problems later.  Yet God is the "Comforter of comforters," and I'm not talking about the best blanket to cuddle under.  He gives us the strength to face our troubles not just a rub on the back or a toy to distract us.
Even the definition of the word encouragement is powerful.  For we all need encouragement the weak and the strong.  "In fact, discouragement seems to attack the successful far more than the unsuccessful; for the higher we climb, the farther down we can fall (Wiersbe, Warren W.. Be Encouraged).  And we see how encouragement helped Paul in all his missions.  And it's by comfort and encouragement we receive from others that we can in turn do the same for others.
So who or what do you look to for comfort?  Who can you give encouragement to personally?  And how have you been encouraged or comforted recently by others and by God?

1 Corinthians 16

For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries. v.9

Read chapter 16
Paul's closing of this letter is this final chapter of 1 Corinthians.  He talks of his personal plans, stewardship of money, opportunities and people, encouragement and greetings of others with him.  It's a pretty powerful and applicational ending to a letter than just a quick browse over.  Paul has realized a great and effective door open to him by the Lord for ministering at Ephesus.  He also notes that it's not an easy door to walk through as there were many challenges to face.  We read of his time in Ephesus in Acts 19 and the riot that came about with Paul's ministering.  Yet even knowing the obstacles ahead he still wanted to seize the opportunity that God had open for him.  He didn't let himself get anxious and caught up in fear and decision making, but after time in prayer and communication with God it was clear what he was to do, leaving the outcome to the Lord.  Now an open door doesn't mean it's a sign from God.  Don't look for omens and signs guessing God's direction.  The open door here is talking about for God's work to be done.  So when you're "looking for an open door" is it for God's word to be spread or just for personal reasons that you're just guessing at God's direction?  Are you letting adversaries and obstacles stop you from going where God is directing you?  Confidently seek God, don't focus on the obstacles and let God bring about the outcome.