Reading through the Bible- God's mercy

  

James 2:23

For judgment is without mercy to him who has shown no mercy.  Mercy triumphs over judgment.

I am so glad that my God and Father does not treat me as my sins deserve, but is rich in His mercy towards me. Every day I get to experience His new mercies! (Lamentations 3:22-23) In Matthew 5:7, Jesus tells us Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. (KJV) I am painfully aware that in my own life, I need all the mercy that I can get. So if I want mercy for myself, I better be a dispenser of mercy to everyone I meet too!

My prayer is that we would be a people who continue to walk in the amazing love and mercy that God bestows on us, so that we can be a vessel of His mercy to others. 

May we actually love showing mercy (Micah 6:8) to those who don't deserve it and be an expression of our Lord's mercy to all those we meet. (Luke 6:36) 

The mercy of our God and Father will triumph over every form of judgment in your own life. Believe it. Receive it. Love it... and give it away!

Reading through the Bible-God's strength

2 Samuel 22:33-34, "33 God is my strong fortress. He makes my way perfect.

34 He makes his feet like hinds’ feet, and sets me on my high places.

King David's declaration of God's faithfulness after he was delivered from the murderous pursuit of his father-in-law, King Saul. He proclaims to everyone who will hear, that God is his strength and power and makes his feet sturdy, like the sure footing of the deer who climb the mountaintops.With God on our side, we are able to climb to great heights knowing that He will help us stand firm in the highest of places. We have nothing to fear. He is able to keep us from falling. May our God and Father strengthen you and give you the sure footing you need today, no matter what obstacles you face, so you can experience the fullness of His loving care.

Reading through the Bible-Rest in God

Psalm 91:1, "He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High

will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.

For anyone who struggles with fear, read Psalm 91 over and over again. It is a psalm that will bring reassurance to a troubled heart.

Today's promise speaks of a resting place in the heart of God that every believer has access to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. It is called the secret place of the most High, the shadow of the Almighty. In this place, we are completely safe and secure. Nothing can harm us there! What a picture of God's protection and His care!

Verse 4 goes on to say that our God will cover us with His feathers and provide shelter for us under His wings. When I think of this picture, I imagine a mother eagle hovering over her little eaglets, sheltering them in their nest from anything that would bring them harm or make them feel distressed.

My prayer today is that each and every one of us would find the secret place of the living God and make our home there all the days of our lives. Can you imagine what life could look like if we could live there every minute of every day?

Reading through the Bible-God's annointing

1 John 2:27, "As for you, the anointing which you received from him remains in you,

and you don’t need for anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you concerning all things, and is true, and is no lie, and even as it taught you, you will remain in him."
  

The Apostle John tells us that the anointing that comes from God abides in us and will teach us all the things that we need to know. The Greek word used for anointing in this passage is chrisma which is the root word for charisma or charismatic.

The Enhanced Strong's Lexicon describes it as anything smeared on, unguent, ointment. This usually described the ceremony process when a priest was anointed as he was launched into public ministry. It is interesting to think that God has smeared us with His very presence so that we too can live our lives on earth as kings and priests (Revelation 1:6).

This is an amazing truth...We are the temple of His Holy Spirit and the abiding place of God Almighty Himself! God has promised to lead us and guide us in all truth if we will simply have an ear to hear what the Spirit is saying.

My prayer today is that we would all be aware of the anointing that our God and Father has smeared on us that identifies us as His beloved sons and daughters. May each one of us have the confidence to know that we are not walking alone in this life, but the anointing will lead us and teach us everything we need to know.

Reading through the Bible-Gods care for us

  

Isaiah 43:2, "When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they will not overflow you.

When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned, and flame will not scorch you."

The world renowned Niagara Falls is part of the incredible torrent of water that flows between Lake Erie and Lake Ontario here in Canada. Whenever I get the opportunity to come close to its river bank, I see first hand the incredible power of its rapids. What can possibly withstand such a raging force?

In today's promise, our God tells us that no matter how deep the water we wade in, or how raging the river that comes against us in life, we will not be overwhelmed...for He is with us. His love for us is stronger than anything that would try and come against us and overtake us. The first part of Zephaniah 3:17 says... For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. 

My prayer today is that each one of us would know how big and how strong our God is. No matter the size of the opposition coming against our lives or those we love, God is bigger. He has promised to be with us when we pass through the waters so that we will not be overwhelmed because that is what good fathers do! May we rest in His loving care today. 

Reading through the Bible-God's Care for us

Psalm 31:7, "I will be glad and rejoice in your loving kindness,for you have seen my affliction.

You have known my soul in adversities. 

I love David's transparency when writing the Psalms. He never tried to cover up his true feelings. He was honest in his communication with God. In today's Bible verse found in Psalm 31:7, we read how David was keenly aware of the steadfast love that God had for him. He was also aware that God understood his suffering and deeply cared for him in the midst of his distress.

No matter what pain you are going through in your life today, God understands. He knows us more than we know ourselves. When He sees our struggles and our suffering, His heart is filled with compassion for us. As David also wrote in Psalm 103:13-14, God has compassion on us just like a good father has compassion on his children.  May you and I be overwhelmed with His steadfast love today in the midst of our suffering.

Reading through the Bible-Fear not

  

Isaiah 41:10, "Don’t you be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be dismayed, for I am your God.  I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you.  Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness."
Jesus told us in Luke 12:32 to fear not, for it is our Father's good pleasure to give us His kingdom. God doesn't want us to live in fear. He wants us rather to live in the safety and security of knowing that He loves us and He is for us (Romans 8:31). The reason why we don't have to be afraid is because He is with us wherever we go. 

 In today's Bible verse, God promises to be with us wherever we go. He promises to strengthen us, help us and hold us up with His mighty right hand. 

Psalm 27:1... Yahweh is my light and my salvation. Whom shall I fear? Yahweh is the strength of my life. Of whom shall I be afraid?

Reading through the Bible-Trust plans to the Lord

Proverbs 16:3, "Commit your deeds to Yahweh, and your plans shall succeed."

To commit all that we do to the Lord does require a huge level of trust in Him. Trust that He is looking after our best interests and trust that we do not have to manage our life on our own. When we are convinced that our God and Father is indeed trustworthy, we will have the courage to entrust Him with our lives and rest in the outworking of His plan for us.

Jeremiah 29:11 tells us that God's heart for us is to give us a hope and a future. He is a good God and Father who gives good gifts to His kids (James 1:17) My prayer today is that you and I would know this through and through and would be able to commit everything we do into His loving care.

Reading through the Bible-God's Blessings

Ephesians 1:3, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ;"

The truth is that our God and Father made a way through the cross of Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:13-14) for each and every one of us to experience every heavenly blessing there is! Today's promise from Ephesians 1:3 says that you and I have been blessed with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places. Every blessing that there is in heaven is yours because of what Jesus did!

We do not have to feel cheated out of any earthly blessing because we have a Heavenly Dad who has more than made up for our lack of blessings on earth, by showering us with His own blessings straight from heaven. We are not orphans, trying to struggle through this life, but we are part of the greatest family ever because God is our Father and Jesus is our Savior. Because of our rich inheritance, we have been blessed in Christ with every heavenly blessing there is! Hallelujah!

Reading through the Bible-the Holy Spirit

  

Romans 8:11, "But if the Spirit of him who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised up Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you."

It is amazing to think that the very same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you and me. Our bodies are not a dwelling place for a small measure of the Spirit's presence, but we host Him in His entirety! 

The same Spirit of the living God that had so much power that He raised Jesus from the dead is the same Spirit that has chosen to reside in your heart. And it is the same Spirit that will give life to your mortal body just as He gave life to Jesus!

The Bible says that we are His temple (1 Corinthians 3:16). The Bible also says that our God and Father sealed us with His promised Holy Spirit as a deposit to guarantee our coming inheritance. (2 Corinthians 5:5) If we try to understand this simple but profound truth in our intellect, we will most likely short circuit because it is too wonderful to comprehend by human standards. That is why we need the Holy Spirit Himself to make this revelation a reality to each one of us. Why not ask Papa God for a deeper revelation of His Holy Spirit today?

Reading through the Bible-our new life in Christ

Colossians 3:3, "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." 

The reality for everyone who has received the free gift of eternal life is that their old life is passed away and everything has become new in Christ. 

This passage of Scripture clearly tells of the royal position that every believer has in Christ, seated at the right hand of God. I do not believe that this just an idealistic picture that Paul wanted to paint, but it is a spiritual reality right now. Jesus, actually sits at the right hand of our Father in heaven, and because we are joined with Jesus, we are seated there too! 

Without revelation that comes from the Holy Spirit, the spiritual reality of today's promise is much more than we can comprehend with our natural mind. How can we see ourselves as hid in Christ, seated at the right hand of God with our human understanding? It is far too great a promise for us to grasp without the power of the Holy Spirit to make this real to us!

So my prayer today is that the reality of our spiritual position in Christ would become more real to us than it has ever been before. Holy Spirit, would you come and help us grasp this amazing truth? We want to see with our spiritual eyes today and comprehend every great and precious promise that comes from the throne of our God and Father through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Reading through the Bible-The Blood of Christ

Ephesians 2:13, "But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off  are made near in the blood of Christ."

The book of Ephesians is one of my favorite books in the Bible. In chapter 2, the Apostle Paul reminds us how we have been made alive in Christ. I love the fact that he speaks of our old life in the past tense, telling us that we are now alive in Christ.

In today's promise found in Ephesians 2:13, we read that those who were once far away have now been brought close to God through the blood of Jesus. There is no separation between us and God any longer! What Jesus secured for each one of us on the cross is an intimacy with God that can never be taken away from us. 

The enemy of our soul may try to convince us that our sin still keeps us separate from God, but praise God that there is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus! (Romans 8:1)

My prayer today is that each one of us would have eyes to see this profound yet simple truth... Our God and Father has brought us close to His heart through the shed blood of His Son and nothing will ever be able to separate us from His love in Christ Jesus our Lord! (Romans 8:38-39)

Reading through the Bible-Childlike

Matthew 11:25-26, "25 At that time, Jesus answered, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth,  that you hid these things from the wise and understanding, and revealed them to infants. 

26 Yes, Father, for so it was well-pleasing in your sight."  

In today's promise, we read how Jesus delightfully declares that the mysteries of the kingdom are actually hidden from the wise and prudent and revealed to little children. I especially like how the Amplified Bible translates this passage of Scripture...

Matthew 11:25-26... ²⁵At that time Jesus began to say, I thank You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth [and I acknowledge openly and joyfully to Your honor], that You have hidden these things from the wise and clever and learned, and revealed them to babies [to the childish, untaught, and unskilled].

To further illustrate this truth, we can read Matthew 18:1-4. In this passage of Scripture, the disciples were arguing about who would be the greatest in the kingdom. I can't imagine how surprised they would have been when Jesus called out a little child as an example of one whom He considered to be great in His kingdom.

Jesus does not call us to be childish, but He does call us to be childlike. Little children live a completely dependent life. They know they are small and they carry within their little bodies a humility that causes them to trust completely in their parents' care. The more that we can see the incredible value in having a childlike heart towards our Heavenly Father, the more we will be able to grasp the mysteries of our Papa's amazing kingdom. I am so grateful to have been adopted into the Family of God!

Readig throughthe Bible-The Light!

1 Peter 2:9, "But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation,

a people for God’s own possession, that you may proclaim the excellence
of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:"
 

I love how all of the letters in the New Testament speak of our old life as being in the past tense. We are no longer sinners, but are now sons and daughters. We no longer live in darkness, but we have been called into the glorious light and love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In today's Scripture verse, the Apostle Peter reminds us that we are a chosen generation and a royal priesthood set apart by God Himself. We no longer live in darkness for we are children of the light. My question in today's blog is... Do we believe that we are living in the light of God right now?

In Revelation 12:10, John describes the devil as 'the accuser of the brethren'. He is the father of lies and he will do everything he can do try and convince us that we still live in darkness (John 8:44). While we still live in a fallen world filled with darkness, we ourselves are children of the light.  We are a new creation now. The old has passed away and all things are new! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

May each and every one of us take our rightful place as sons and daughters to our Heavenly Father, appropriating the shed blood of the Lamb of God so that we can fulfill our destiny as His kids and walk in the light as He is in the light... for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light. Ephesians 5:8

Reading through the Bible-God's Love

Isaiah 54:10, "For the mountains may depart, and the hills be removed;

but my loving kindness shall not depart from you, neither shall my covenant of peace be removed,”
says Yahweh who has mercy on you.
 

Nothing will ever shake the unending, eternal love that God has for you. The mountains will vanish away and the hills will be removed before His heart for you changes. No matter what you are going through in your life, His love for you is constant. And that is because God can only love at one intensity... and that is with ALL His heart! Jesus told us that His Father loves us the same way that He loves Him (John 17:23).

There may be wars and rumors of wars. There may be upturns and downturns in the economy. But no matter what happens in your life, the unending love of God will never leave you. My prayer today is that the relentless, endless, intense love of your heavenly Father will sweep over your heart so that you can echo the words that the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 8:38-39...  

38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Reading through the Bible-God's Word

1 Peter 1:24-25, "24 For, “All flesh is like grass, and all of man’s glory like the flower in the grass. 

The grass withers, and its flower falls; 25 but the Lord’s word endures forever.”  This is the word of Good News which was preached to you.

Everything around us is temporal. The grass of the fields may look beautiful today but they will not remain that way for long. Our homes, our material goods, our jobs... are all temporal. It is amazing how much time and energy we spend on things of this earth that will not last even for 100 years let alone forever. 

What will abide for all eternity is the Word that is spoken directly from our God and Father.  The Greek word used in 1 Peter 1:24-25 is 'rhema' which is defined by the Strong's Concordance as that which is or has been uttered by the living voice, thing spoken, word. 

In Matthew 4:4 we read the following words... Jesus answered, “It is written: ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.’ (NIV) Jesus uses the same Greek word 'rhema' in this context as well. 

My prayer today is that each and every one of us would be comforted in knowing that our God and Father is still speaking through His Word which is alive and will endure forever! We can rest in and rely on the goodness of His Word for us right now and for all eternity!

Reading through the Bible-The throne of God

Psalm 45:6, "Your throne, God, is forever and ever.A scepter of equity is the scepter of your kingdom."

While evidence of injustice is all around us in the world that we live in, justice reigns in the kingdom of our God. We have the assurance that His throne will last forever. This means that the injustice that we see and experience around us is only short term. 

The Apostle Paul encourages us to fix our eyes on the unseen, not on that which is seen (2 Corinthians 4:18). He tells us that we need to keep focused on the eternal, not on the things around us that are temporary. In the midst of a fallen world, it is comforting to be reminded of the things that will truly last forever. 

Our God and our Father is on the throne. He is a good God and His mercy will endure forever! May we continue to be reminded of what is eternal and be comforted in knowing that justice will reign in the kingdom of our God and Father...forever!

Reading through the Bible-The whole body of Christ

Romans 12:3-5, "For I say, through the grace given to me, to everyone who is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think, but to think soberly, as God has dealt to each one a measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same function, so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another."

Through Jesus, God has given us undeserved mercy and a saving grace that brings with it the free gift of spending eternity in His presence. In addition, God has placed each one of us individually within the body of Christ, which is the church. Each of us having received a measure of grace and a unique blending of spiritual gifts, we are prepared by Christ to perform different functions within the church body. In our secular world today we can strive for recognition and success and unfortunately that attitude and type of thinking can spill over into the church. This happens when we seek out the ministry positions we think will benefit us the most or bring us the most recognition and favor. However, we must remember that is not the way Jesus see's things and that is not what Jesus had in mind when He placed us in the body. Jesus created each of us unique with a different blend of spiritual gifts meant to work together as a cohesive whole. These gifts were given to us in order the help those in need, build up the body of Christ and spread the Gospel message of salvation in Jesus alone, through faith alone.

In His wisdom Jesus has created a unified whole, one body serving together for the glory of God, the edification of believers and the spread of the Gospel. We are to be placed into the body of Christ, where He has designed us to be, not where we desire ourselves to be. As followers of Christ united into one body to serve the Lord, we are to put away arrogance and pride. We are to "think soberly" which means to exercise sound judgment for the good of all, without regard for personal gain. In other words, we are to put others ahead of ourselves. Knowing that individually we are really part of a greater whole, which must work together in faith to the glory of Christ who strengthens us. Moreover, we must remember, unlike the secular world, there is no competition or comparison. We must all answer God as to what we did with the spiritual gifts, time, talents and resources He gave us individually. God is not going to look at how we did compared to someone else. All positions of ministry are meant by Jesus as positions of service, to serve others with concern for their physical and spiritual well being. Christian ministry is meant for us in humility, to serve those in need and thereby show the love of Christ for all to see. And we do so by putting the needs and concerns, and most importantly the glory of God, ahead of ourselves!
Praise God!

Reading through the Bible-All I need is Jesus!

2 Corinthians 1:20, "For however many are the promises of God, in him is the “Yes.”

Therefore also through him is the “Amen”, to the glory of God through us.

Every four years we have an extra day in the year where we can declare yet another one of God's many promises. I especially appreciate today's Scripture verse where the Apostle Paul writes that every promise is yes and Amen in Christ!

So if you have ever struggled to feel worthy enough to believe that God's promises are for you, be encouraged my friend. The reality of the gospel is that it is not about you and it is not about me. It is not about our ability to be good enough and it is not about our ability to prove our value to God.

It has always been, and will always be, about Jesus Christ and Him crucified! 1 Corinthians 1:18 says... For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God. The good news of the gospel is that Jesus exchanged His divine life for our broken lives so that all of the promises that are in Him are now applicable to us too.

My prayer is that faith will rise up in your heart whenever you read a Bible promise so that you can receive it as your very own because the First Born among many brothers (Romans 8:29) has secured for you a portion of His very own inheritance.

May today's promise set your heart at rest and energize you in the core of your being so you can shout from the housetops that every promise that your Father has given is Yes & Amen in Christ!

Reading through the Bible-Our Family in Christ

Acts 2:39, "For the promise is to you, and to your children, and to all who are far off,

even as many as the Lord our God will call to himself.”

In Acts 1:4-5, Jesus told His disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit that His Father has promised to pour out on all flesh. In Acts 2:39, after the group of 120 were baptized in the Holy Spirit, Peter gets up and tells the people listening that this same promise of life is for all that are near and all that are far and for their entire families.

God's heart is not only to pour out His precious Spirit on us, but on our children as well. If you have family members who are not yet experiencing the reality of this promise in their lives, don't give up! Keep praying! Keep believing for their salvation. Our God and Father's desire is that not one person would miss out on the glorious benefits of His promised Holy Spirit.

Thank You dear Godf or continuing to draw my loved ones to Yourself!

Reading through the Bible-God's Word

Proverbs 3:1, 3:13, "My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; happy is the man who finds wisdom, and the man who gains understanding."

God has given us His word in order that we may know Him and gain wisdom from the reading and studying of it. Moreover, God has protected His word through the ages so we can be assured the scripture we read today is the same scripture Jesus read during His time with us. As followers of Christ, God has also given us the Holy Spirit that He may turn our hearts toward the Lord and practice discernment and understanding, as we grow in wisdom from the studying of God's word, the Bible. The Holy Spirit helps us to better understand the scripture as we study God's word, because He helps us to see it in light of who Jesus is and what He has done for us. And because of our salvation, we are also indwelt by the Holy Spirit who begins the process of sanctification.

Sanctification is the process of spiritual growth carried out by God in our lives. The Holy Spirit's work of sanctification transforms our hearts and minds, and thereby helps us to better understand the Bible. Because the Bible is God's revelation to us regarding His plan of redemption for mankind. A redemption which can only come through Christ Jesus our Lord. In addition, God's word gives us practical wisdom for day-to-day life. Wisdom in how we live our lives, conduct business and relate to one another. Moreover, God's word gives us everything we need to live not only a good life and blessed life now. But to also live a more abundant life and a life that is pleasing to God and effective for His kingdom work. This doesn't mean we won't have trials in our life, because we will, along with suffering and loss; but it does mean as followers of Christ, we have the Holy Spirit to comfort and carry us through these tribulations.
Dear God, I praise You for Your Word!!

Reading through the Bible-New Body!

2 Corinthians 5:1, "For we know that if the earthly house of our tent is dissolved,

we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens."
    

In 1 Corinthians 13:13, the Apostle Paul tells us that faith, hope and love remain. In the last few devotionals, I have been talking a lot about love and faith. Today I want to talk about hope. If we have what we hope for, we no longer need to hope for it. There are some promises that God has made to us that we have not yet seen the fulfillment of. This is one of the those promises.

It is comforting to know that one day, when our body fails, we will have an eternal house in heaven that will last forever. This is a promise that we can hold onto with all our hearts. The eternal home that is waiting for us will not be built with human hands, but will be built by God Himself...and we will be a pillar in His house.

On that day, we will no longer experience suffering or loss. Pain or disease will be gone, for we will be with God and He will be with us. May today's promise bring great comfort to us when we think of those in the faith who have gone before us. May we also be filled with hope ourselves knowing that we have an eternal home waiting for us too!

Praise God!!

Reading through the Bible-Blameless

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, "23 May the God of peace himself sanctify you completely.

May your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.  24 He who calls you is faithful, who will also do it."
        

We read that it is God Himself who has sanctified us through the free gift of His Son, Jesus Christ. He initiated the beginning of our life in Christ and He will keep us blameless until the day that Jesus returns.

It is important for us to understand that it is God's faithfulness that will bring the fulfillment of this promise, not our own self-effort. It is His faithfulness that we can rely on because of His goodness towards us.

He is the One who has called us to be in His Son. In Ephesians 1:3-6 we read of our Father's eternal plan where He chose us to be in Christ before the foundation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight. He chose us and by His grace and mercy, He will keep us.

We can rest in His goodness to sanctify us and keep us blameless until Jesus returns because He is a good Father who has our best interest at the very core of His heart. My prayer today is that each and every one of us would be comforted with this truth and live a life with the assurance that He will keep us blameless until the day when we see Jesus face to face.

Redading through the Bible- a New Creation

2nd Corinthians 5:17, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new."
The faith we have in Christ is a transforming faith. Paul in this passage uses two terms, which have far reaching implications as they relate to our salvation and our new life in Christ. These terms are being "in Christ" and becoming a "new creation." The phrase "in Christ" speaks of several gifts which have been given to us as a result of our salvation and faith in Jesus. First, we have security in Christ because Jesus bore upon Himself the penalty for our sin. Next, is our acceptance through Him, when we accept Jesus by faith, we are accepted by God. Because of our faith in Christ, we can now come before the presence of God as His dear children. Moreover, if we are "in Christ" then we have assurance of our future. Through Jesus' resurrection and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, we have assurance that we will spend eternity with Christ. In addition, because of our salvation, we gain participation in the family of God, which is the church. With our salvation, we received adoption into the family of God as children of God and joint-heirs with Christ. And as part of the family of God, Jesus can now use us for His service to reach others who are lost in this dark and dying world.

Paul also tells us we are a "new creation." And what Paul is speaking about is the transformation which takes place in the lives of all people who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit. And it's the Holy Spirit who begins to change us from the inside out. This process of change is called sanctification and it is the work of spiritual growth carried out by the Holy Spirit within us. It's the work of God carried out in our hearts and minds, which is constantly transforming us into the image of Jesus. This work continues from the day of our salvation till we go home to be with the Lord. It's an ongoing process by which we are transformed into a "new creation" because of our faith in Christ. This in turn causes changes to our perspective on life and the world around us. We are no longer guided by a dark world under the influence of the one the Apostle Paul calls the "prince of the power of the air" who is Satan. Instead, we are guided by the Holy Spirit as He carries out God's work of spiritual growth in our day to day lives. This in turn produces character changes in us as a result. And it's these changes which demonstrate our love for Christ to the world around us.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.


Dear God, I praise You for making me a new creation in Christ!

Reading through the Bible-God Hears us

1 John 5:14, "This is the boldness which we have toward him, that,if we ask anything according to his will, he listens to us."

The Apostle John encourages us to be confident in our prayer life. When we ask God for anything that is in accordance with His will, He hears us. Our Father is a good father who delights in giving His kids good gifts (James 1:17) and He is listening when we cry out to Him. I think we would be surprised at how attentive God really is to our prayers.

If our view of God is that He is harsh and a taskmaster, then we will probably feel like we could never do enough to get His attention. However, this is not the picture of God that Jesus painted while He was on earth. Everything that Jesus did was an exact representation of His Father (John 14:8-10).

Jesus even told us that His Dad took the time to number every one of the hairs on our head (Matthew 10:30) because of our great value to Him. So continue to ask, seek and knock. Remember, what Jesus told us in Matthew 7:7-11:

7 “Ask, and it will be given you. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened for you. 8 For everyone who asks receives. He who seeks finds. To him who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or who is there among you, who, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, who will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him! 

Dear God, thank You for listening to my many petitions and I pray that You will also know my many praises as well

Reading through the Bible-God's gifts

John 3:16-17, "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

The one gift, freely given to us, which must be remembered always is the incarnation of Jesus. Jesus is God who became man, yet retained His full person-hood as a member of the Godhead, the Second Person of the Trinity. In other words, Jesus the living God of Heaven, stepped out of eternity and took on humanity, in order that we might have eternal life, through our faith in Him. We should always remember the whole purpose for His life was to save us. Jesus sacrifice for us, is God's first and only plan of redemption, there is no other plan. We should also remember the time Jesus spent walking among us was to express the overwhelming love that God the Father has for us, His special creation. Dear child of God, we must remember, animals are not equal with humanity, nor are they above a human soul, we are God's special creation, why? Because it was only humanity which was created in the image of God. Moreover, only humanity has a body, soul and spirit. And because of that, God displayed through Jesus sacrifice on the Cross of Calvary, His love for us. Jesus did this for one reason alone, and that reason was us!

Our relationship with God the Father was forever broken by sin. A relationship that was impossible for us to repair by our own efforts. We who were in rebellion against God received the greatest gift, a gift given freely to us by grace. And that gift is the salvation of our souls and eternal life in His name. The salvation we received by Jesus and His work on the Cross, is a gift that changes hearts and restores lives broken by sin. Moreover, it's the only gift that provides the guarantee of our eternal destiny. Because of what Jesus did for us, we become children of God, adopted into the family of God by faith. Every day we should celebrate the time when God became man and dwelt among us, thereby showing us the love of the Father. By this gift we can spend eternity with Him, how? Because our relationship with God the Father which was broken by sin, was restored by our faith in Jesus, which means our faith in His incarnation, His death, His resurrection and His Lordship. In addition, we should never forget He is coming back for us! The time is short and we will see Jesus again. Soon we will be face to face as we are caught up with Him in the air to spend eternity in His presence.
Dear God, I praise Your Holy Name!

Reading through the Bible-Ambassadors For Christ

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians 5:20)

As His ambassadors, God has entrusted to us His message of reconciliation and God is making His appeal through us. An ambassador does not represent his own interests, but the interests of the ruler he represents. The big question, then, is what are the primary interests of our King? What are His desires, values, and priorities?

Jesus was incredibly clear about His mission: proclaim good news to the poor, to proclaim liberty to the captives, recovery of sight to the blind, and freedom to those who are oppressed (Luke 4:18-19).

As we read through the gospels He may restate it somewhat, but He returns to this over and over again. We can repeatedly see Jesus living this out as He seeks the lost and serves the least.

Eliminating pain, poverty, and suffering are noble goals, BUT the elimination of these things alone will we not bring people true contentment. If modern western culture has taught us anything it is that we can have access to everything we want, attempt to minimize pain and suffering, and still live empty lives. By addressing the obvious external needs we win the opportunity to address the most important spiritual needs of people’s lives. This is Jesus 101. Jesus always addressed both the obvious external needs and the deeper internal needs. If we don’t address the deepest need of the human soul which is to know God, we’ve just given people in our community, our culture, and this world a repackaged version of empty consumerism.

Dear God, help me to be an ambassador for You!

Reading through the Bible-Good Grief

2 Corinthians 6:14-7:16

A great theologian once said, "To be a sinner is our distress, but to know it, is our hope!" Paul would say "Amen." We have nothing to lose and everything to gain if we are in Christ and walking into the light. But the Corinthians were tempted to cover up a scandal and not to call it sin. In response, Paul patiently and effectively ministered to the Corinthians, urging them not to cover up the problem. The result was what Paul calls godly sorrow.

As I recall an experience of deep sorrow I praise God for the good things, especially a rebirth into a relationship with Him, that came after the sorrow had passed!

Reading through the Bible-Ambassadors for Christ

2 Corinthians 5:11-6:13, "We are not trying to commend ourselves to you again, but are giving you an opportunity to take pride in us, so that you can answer those who take pride in what is seen rather than in what is in the heart. ¹³ If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. ¹⁴ For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died."

Paul doesn't want the Corinthian Christians to think he is deliberately acting in a way that some might think crazy, just for the sake of acting crazy. Instead, he is doing it for God. Then again, if the Corinthian Christians want to think Paul is of sound mind, they can think he is acting that way for them.
For the love of Christ constrains us: Paul is motivated - even pushed on by - the love of Christ, that is, Jesus' love towards him. Paul had to do what he did in ministry, because he received so much love from Jesus that it compelled him to serve others.
This is the greatest foundation for ministry, wanting to give something to others because Jesus gave you everything. When we really receive the love of Christ, it touches us and makes us want to serve others.
Paul felt compelled by the love of Christ. If someone asked, "Why are you doing it all? Why all the pain and all the trials?" Paul would answer, "I have to. I have received the love of Christ. I have the love of Christ in my heart in the sense that I love Jesus. I also have the love of Christ in my heart for all the people Jesus loves. I am compelled by the love of Christ!" "The apostles labored much, but all their labor sprang from the impulse of the love of Jesus Christ. Just as Jacob toiled for Rachel solely out of love to her, so do true saints serve the Lord Jesus under the omnipotent constraint of love." (Spurgeon)
To say, "the love of Christ constrains us," is to say that the love of Christ has power. It has a force that can bind us and influence us. "The love of Christ had pressed Paul's energies into one force, turned them into one channel, and then driven them forward with a wonderful force, till he and his fellows had become a mighty power for good, ever active and energetic." (Spurgeon)
If one died for all, then all died: How did Jesus die for all? In the sense that His death is able to save all who will come to Him and is a demonstration of God's love to all; but not in the sense that all are saved because Jesus died (which is the false doctrine of universalism).
However, it is probable that in this context Paul means "all the saved" when he says all. There is no doubt that there is a sense in which Jesus died for the whole world: And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world (1 John 2:2). But the all Paul mentions here is probably "all the saved," because he also writes then all died. It can only be said that those who join themselves to Jesus by faith have spiritually died and risen again with Him (Romans 6:1-6).
That those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again: If Jesus died for us, it is only fitting that we live for Him. Jesus gave us new life, not to live for ourselves but to live for Him. The question is simple: Are you living for yourself, or are you living for Jesus? "He died for us that we might die to ourselves." (Calvin)
God created us for the purpose of living for Him, not for ourselves. It is a corruption of our nature that makes us want to live for ourselves and not for the Lord. In Revelation 4:11 it says in the King James Version: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created. We are and were created to live unto God, not unto ourselves. Jesus lived completely unto God the Father.
What does it mean to live no longer for themselves, but for Him? It doesn't mean that we can say, "I won't love or serve anyone else but God." Instead, our love for God, and our life for God, is expressed in the way we serve others. When we say that we live for God, we can not use it as an excuse to neglect serving others.

Dear God, I pray that I will live for You and not myself ever again.

Reading through the Bible-Jars of Clay

2 Corinthians 4, "For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. ⁶ For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,”^[a] made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ.  ⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us."
The gospel treasure is contained by people marked by weakness, frailty and a kind of living death. Paradoxically this life situation serves to enhance the message we bring, not detract from it. Once real in Christ, you can't become ugly or unreal again.
Do you feel free to be real in your relationship with Christ? Talk to him about the parts of yourself you feel are shabby. Listen for his loving response. Thank You for Your loving response!!!

Sunday Message-Obedience

John 14:15-24, "15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper,6 to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be7 in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me."

What are the commandments?  When you read through the whole Gospel of John just looking for specific commandments, what do you find? You find about two explicit commandments that you might call moral-behavior commandments: the new commandment to love each other as Jesus loved us (John 13:34–35), and the command to Peter: “Feed my sheep” (John 21:16).

But Jesus didn’t say, “If you love me, you will keep my moral behavior commandments.” He said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (verse 15). So if you read through the Gospel again, what you find is lots of commandments like: “Receive me” (1:12). “Follow me” (1:43). Get up, crippled man (5:8). Rise from the dead, Lazarus! (11:43). “Believe in the light” (12:36). “Believe in God” (14:1). “Believe me” (14:11). “Abide in me” (15:4). “Ask whatever you wish” (15:7). “Abide in my love” (15:9). “Receive the Holy Spirit” (20:22). These are the commandments that are all over the Gospel of John.

Now how does that confirm the way we have understood love for Jesus in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments”? Because if the commandments in the Gospel of John are overwhelmingly receive, believe, ask, abide, then it makes perfect sense that Jesus would say, “If you love me — if you desire me and delight in me and treasure me — then you will receive me, and believe me and abide in me.”

In other words, if you have been born again so that you treasure Jesus above all other treasures, and he commands you, “Receive me,” “Take me,” “Have me as your treasure,” we will. If we have been born again so that we find him supremely and wonderfully trustworthy, and he commands us, “Trust me,” “Believe me,” we will. And if we are born again so that we long to be with him, and he commands us, “Abide in me,” we will.

Praise God for my rebirth in Him!!

 https://vimeo.com/131118660

Reading through the Bible-Christ in me

2 Corinthians 3:7-18, "⁷ Now if the ministry that brought death, which was engraved in letters on stone, came with glory, so that the Israelites could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of its glory, transitory though it was, ⁸ will not the ministry of the Spirit be even more glorious? ⁹ If the ministry that brought condemnation was glorious, how much more glorious is the ministry that brings righteousness! ¹⁰ For what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory. ¹¹ And if what was transitory came with glory, how much greater is the glory of that which lasts!
¹² Therefore, since we have such a hope, we are very bold. ¹³ We are not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face to prevent the Israelites from seeing the end of what was passing away. ¹⁴ But their minds were made dull, for to this day the same veil remains when the old covenant is read. It has not been removed, because only in Christ is it taken away. ¹⁵ Even to this day when Moses is read, a veil covers their hearts. ¹⁶ But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. ¹⁷ Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. ¹⁸ And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit."

It seems to me that it ought to be that Christ is most revealed when we hide ourselves. But that is the Old Covenant with its fading glory, condemnation focus and death-dealing impact. The New Covenant ministry is paradoxically this: as I look at Christ and as I reveal myself, it is not I who am revealed but Christ. I am like a Kodachrome transparency. If I am looked at, one will see almost no image at all. But if I am held to the light and looked through, a beautiful image begins to appear. In this passage Paul celebrates the revelation that comes with the New Covenant.

My Dear Father in Heaven, reveal that part of Yourself which is in me. I praise yOu for the beauty You reveal!

Reading through the Bible-Peace when we lose loved ones

God's Word offers us peace and hope when we lose those we love.
For the believer in Jesus Christ, the Bible tells us that after death believers’ souls/spirits are taken to heaven, because their sins are forgiven by having received Christ as Savior (John 3:16, 18, 36). For believers, death is to be “away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Philippians 1:23).
However, passages such as 1 Corinthians 15:50-54 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17 describe believers being resurrected and given glorified bodies. If believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, what is the purpose of this resurrection? It seems that while the souls/spirits of believers go to be with Christ immediately after death, the physical body remains in the grave “sleeping.”
At the resurrection of believers, the physical body is resurrected, glorified, and then reunited with the soul/spirit. This reunited and glorified body-soul-spirit will be the possession of believers for eternity in the new heavens and new earth (Revelation 21-22).
I praise God for the promise of eternal life with God and all of those who have accepted forgiveness of their sins because of the payment of the blood of Christ.

Reading through the Bible-A Letter from Christ

 

2 Corinthians 3, "Are we beginning to commend ourselves again? Or do we need, like some people, letters of recommendation to you or from you? 2 You yourselves are our letter, written on our hearts, known and read by everyone. 3 You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. 4 Such confidence we have through Christ before God. 5 Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 6 He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life."
Christianity is essentially a lay movement. But one would not think so while visiting the average church. Often the impression we get is that ministry is for the theologically trained, the polished and proficient. With the professionalism of ministry in our society, many of us question our ability to minister. Like Paul, we ask, "Who is equal to such a task?" (2:16). In this chapter Paul tells us why all believers are competent for ministry in Christ.
Dear God, I pray that I can be a letter from Christ and represent Christ to those around me.  I pray that others would long for You!

Reading through the Bible- Life is Relational

2 Corinthians 2:4, "For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you."
Life is relational. We hope and hurt the most about relationships with people who matter to us. A special friend we are in danger of losing, an employer who misunderstands our actions, a spouse who seems distant and cold, a brother in Christ who has spoken behind our back, a family member long estranged are samples of the web of relationships that make up our lives. When a special relationship is hanging by a slender thread, we are often at a loss to know what to say or do. Should we tell the truth even if it hurts? Should we avoid confrontation? Should we share what is going on inside us even if it shows we are weak and struggling, far weaker than we would like others to know?
Second Corinthians is all about relationships—not perfect ones, but real ones. In this letter the apostle Paul reveals that he is struggling deeply in his relationship with the believers in Corinth. Though he founded this church, they have apparently rejected him. This letter is an attempt at reconciliation. What made Paul's relationship more complicated was the seeming contest between Paul and his converts. The Corinthians were enjoying charismatic ecstasy. They had their orators, theologians, super-saints and super-apostles. They were strong, wise and triumphant. Paul, in contrast, was weak, foolish and a seeming failure.
In similar circumstances most people try to use strength and wisdom to win their way back. They create just the right leadership image. But Paul chose to pour out his soul to them, trusting that in the process Christ would be revealed. In this letter Paul is both medium and message. This great Christian leader takes the enormous risk of telling how confused, upset and weak he is. In 1 Corinthians Paul lets us see inside a first-century church. But in 2 Corinthians Paul lets us see inside a first-century Christian, the apostle himself. Through his large heart we see into the heart of God and the heart of the Christian message.
Paul founded the church in Corinth about A.D. 50. It was a lively church composed of first-generation Christians but infected with many of the problems associated with a mission. Then it seems the Corinthians turned against the founding apostle, a crucial fact to know in order to understand 2 Corinthians. This letter was born in hurt.
Paul paid a second "painful visit" (2Co 2:1) and wrote a "sorrowful" letter, now lost, from Ephesus (2:4). It is highly likely that Paul then came to Macedonia (2Co 7:5), modern Greece, where he was reunited with Titus from Corinth and from which he wrote 2 Corinthians, probably while in Philippi. Later in A.D. 56 Paul visited Corinth again to receive their gifts for the poor Christians in Jerusalem.
This relational conflict becomes the medium for revealing the distinctive message of this book: Christ meets us at our point of desperate weakness, not only before we are saved, but after. Against the false triumphalism of his opponents, Paul proclaims a gospel in which God's power is demonstrated best in human weakness. We have the Christ-treasure in jars of clay or, as Phillips powerfully paraphrases, "in a common earthenware jar." In a day when authentic Christianity seems less attractive than super-spirituality or the "gospel of health, wealth and prosperity," Paul's searing honesty offers exactly what the world so deeply hungers for: it tells us how to be really real. As we walk through Paul's relationship with the Corinthians step by step, we discover how God in Christ is prepared to meet our deepest relational needs just as we are and where we are.
Dear God, I am so grateful to know the love You have for me that is for the person that I truly am.  I am also so grateful to know that You understand how deeply I long for relationship.  Thank you for the deep and eternal relationship You have given me in You and for the renewed hope in a relationship with others who are also in You!  I praise You!!

Reading through the Bible-Aroma of Christ

2 Corinthians 2, "For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing..."

Immediately upon taking in these words, my mind was filled with visions of delicious foods of all kinds, and I began thinking about what being the "aroma of Christ" to others looks like in my life.
Dear God please guide me to be a wonderful scent to someone around me today.

Reading through the Bible-Why Bad Things Happen to God’s People

2 Cor. 1:1-11, "1 Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, To the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints who are in all Achaia: 2 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 5 For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ. 6 Now if we are afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effective for enduring the same sufferings which we also suffer. Or if we are comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. 7 And our hope for you is steadfast, because we know that as you are partakers of the sufferings, so also you will partake of the consolation. 8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia: that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, 10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us, 11 you also helping together in prayer for us, that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the gift granted to us through many.

On his second missionary journey, Paul comes to Corinth with the gospel of Jesus Christ. He stays there for 18 months, founding the church at Corinth (see Acts 18:1-18). After firmly establishing this church, Paul moves on, concluding this missionary journey by returning to Antioch (Acts 18:22). When Paul commences his third missionary journey, he travels first to Asia Minor, where he stays in Ephesus for some three years of ministry, resulting in the proclamation of the gospel to all who lived in Asia (Acts 19:10). While still in Ephesus, Paul begins to receive reports from Corinth of disunity and schisms in the church (1 Corinthians 1:11)—even immorality (1 Corinthians 5:1). Paul also receives a number of questions (1 Corinthians 7:1, 25), which prompt him to write his first preserved Epistle to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 16:8).

In his first epistle, Paul tells the Corinthians he intends to send Timothy to them (1 Corinthians 16:10). It is not certain whether he ever arrived there, and, if he did, we are not told what kind of reception he received. At some point in time, Paul finds it necessary to make a quick visit to Corinth, but we are given no details about this encounter (2 Corinthians 12:14; 13:1). Some refer to this as Paul’s “painful visit,” based upon inferences from some of Paul’s statements in 2 Corinthians (see 2:1-11). Paul also refers to a letter written to the Corinthians which seems to have been lost (2 Corinthians 2:3; 7:8). In his second epistle, Paul expresses great concern for the Corinthians. Because he has had to deal firmly with these saints, Paul is fearful they might reject him and his rebuke. He therefore sends Titus to check on the welfare of the saints at Corinth, while he takes the longer route by land. Not finding Titus in Troas, Paul is deeply troubled and cuts short what could have been an even more fruitful ministry (2 Corinthians 2:12, 13; 7:5-9, 13-15; Acts 20:1-2). When Titus finally rejoins Paul somewhere in Macedonia, he has a most encouraging report. He tells Paul about the repentance of the Corinthians and of their love for him (2 Corinthians 7:5f.). Paul then writes 2 Corinthians from Macedonia to express his great joy and to encourage them further in their faith, as well as to give instructions regarding the gift they had previously promised (chapters 8-9). This epistle we know as 2 Corinthians. Later on Paul visits Corinth again, at which time he receives their gifts and delivers these monies to the saints in Jerusalem.

While others of Paul’s epistles may be more profound, scarcely any could be more precious than this second heart-outpouring to the Corinthians. It was written with a quill dipped in tears, from the apostle’s ‘anguish of heart,’ and contains more of human pathos than any other of his letters. Yet there is a lovely rainbow shining through it all, for in his dire distress and deep disappointments he is discovering more than ever before that “the Father of mercies” is the “God of all comfort,” and that the heavenly Master’s strength is made perfect in His servant’s weakness.¹

In 2 Corinthians, Paul’s first words to the Corinthians address the matter of suffering in a way which corrects our thinking about the problem of pain.

We must first see that the Apostle Paul, who writes to us about suffering, is a man who has had more than his share of suffering.

The apostle’s own comment is: “We were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life. … We had the sentence of death in ourselves” (I. 8, 9). In chapter iv. he tells of “bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus” and of “the outward man perishing” (verses 10, 16). These and other expressions leave no doubt as to the mental distress and physical prostration of our wonderful hero. “He had been at death’s door. His life and work, to all appearance, were coming to an end, and under circumstances of the most ominous nature. Together with his life, the fate of his mission and of Gentile Christianity trembled in the balance. Never had he felt himself so helpless, so beaten down and discomfited, as on that melancholy journey from Ephesus to Macedonia, and while he lay upon his sick-bed (perhaps at Philippi), not knowing whether Titus or the messenger of death would reach him first.”⁷

Paul suffers the entire gamut of afflictions. Many of the afflictions to which Paul refers in 2 Corinthians are not described in the book of Acts. Those recorded by Luke, who wrote Acts, are thus only the “tip of the iceberg” of Paul’s afflictions. He suffers from hunger, thirst, from heat and cold, from physical attacks, from illnesses, from constant threats on his life, and from betrayal and false accusations. His intelligence (or at least his wisdom), his homiletical skills, and his apostolic authority are challenged and sometimes mocked. He is accused of being fickle and failing to fulfill his promises. He is said to be strong in his written words but a wimp in person. And if suffering at the hands of men and nature is not enough, we are also informed that Paul suffered at the hand of Satan (12:7-10). We know that this demonic affliction would not have been gentle but would have been purposed for his spiritual and physical destruction. No epistle describes the afflictions of this great apostle more clearly than 2 Corinthians. When Paul speaks about suffering, he speaks from experience.⁸

Paul’s words concerning his suffering should call into question a great deal of teaching popular today, teaching about health, wealth, and prosperity. Many tell us that God wants us to prosper, to have good health, and to have a trouble-free life. They tell us we can have this prosperity if we but have the faith to believe and claim God’s promises. They rebuke us for our lack of faith and blame us for our suffering if we fail to achieve what they promise. The simple fact is that God did not promise believers prosperity and popularity and good times in this life. He promised us adversity, rejection, and suffering because we have trusted in Jesus Christ.

These thoughts are directed toward believers in Jesus Christ, just as this passage is written to true believers (see 2 Corinthians 1:1-2). God’s people are those who have trusted in Jesus Christ for salvation. These are the ones who can claim these words of Paul, written elsewhere, as their own:

28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. 29 For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; 30 and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified (Romans 8:28-30).

I dare not overlook the very likely possibility that you may be reading this message as an unbeliever. You may know about God. You may even believe in God and pray to Him at times. A true believer goes beyond this. A true believer is one who understands that he is a sinner, who deserves God’s eternal wrath, and whose good works will never be sufficient to gain him or her entrance into the kingdom of God or to obtain God’s favor (Romans 3:9-20; 6:23; 1 John 1:8-10). A true believer understands that while there is no way man can ever earn eternal salvation, there is but one way which God has provided whereby we can be saved, and that is by faith in the sacrificial death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord, by which our sins are punished in Christ, and God’s righteousness in Christ is given to us (John 1:12; 3:16, 36; 14:6;Romans 3:21-26; 10:9-10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-21; 1 John 5:11-12). The true believer knows these things and casts his entire trust on Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of his sins and the assurance of eternal life.

While it is not the point of our text in 2 Corinthians, it is nonetheless true that, often by means of suffering, God draws the unbeliever to Himself. If any unbeliever who is suffering asks the question, “Why me?” the answer is simple: “We deserve it.” We deserve none of God’s blessings and the worst punishment we can imagine. But it is often true that God graciously brings suffering into the life of the non-Christian as a means of drawing him or her to faith in Christ. All through the Gospels, we see the sick and the suffering coming to Christ for healing and deliverance. Many of those whom our Lord healed also came to faith in Him as their Savior. Suffering is a way of reminding us of the reality of sin and its consequences, of pointing out that we live in a world which suffers as a result of sin (see Romans 8:18-25). If your suffering has brought you to the point of acknowledging that you are helpless, and that your only hope is God, you are well on your way. Your sufferings will either harden you toward God, or they will soften you, turning you toward Him. If they do turn you to Him in saving faith, you can join with the psalmist, who wrote:

67 Before I was afflicted I went astray, But now I keep Thy word (Psalm 119:67).

73 Thy hands made me and fashioned me; Give me understanding, that I may learn Thy commandments. 74 May those who fear Thee see me and be glad, Because I wait for Thy word. 75 I know, O LORD, that Thy judgments are righteous, And that in faithfulness Thou hast afflicted me. 76 O may Thy lovingkindness comfort me, According to Thy word to Thy servant. 77 May Thy compassion come to me that I may live, For Thy law is my delight (Psalm 119:73-77)

92 If Thy law had not been my delight, Then I would have perished in my affliction (Psalm 119:92).

Dear God, I praise You even in my afflictions!