King
James Bible Daily Devotion – Learning
Scripture One Day At A Time
Date: Sunday, November 29, 2015
Chapters: 2 Corinthians 1-4
Message Title: Being A Comfort Through Affliction
Hello My Friend,
The Book of 2 Corinthians is the forty-seventh book of the Bible, eighth book of the New Testament, and contains thirteen chapters. The author of this epistle is Paul and it was written to the believers at Corinth. The timeline for this is approximately 60AD. The purpose of the book was to reestablish his authority as an apostle, also to show his gratitude for their faithfulness in Christ and encourage them to keep the faith. What we are to learn from the book is that human weakness provides an opportunity for the power of God to be revealed through us. “For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.” - 2 Corinthians 13:4.
I have to admit that no matter how much I try to keep my head up and believe that good things are coming out of this trial I am going through, I am a little more discouraged than encouraged. On top of my trial as I work hard day by day to get my daily bread I see things being handed to others and wonder what could I possibly be doing wrong that they are getting blessed and I am hanging on by a thread. Can I tell you that there are blessings while we are hanging by a thread, we just have to hold on to Jesus while we do. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians was one of discipline, this one, written about a year later, is one of encouragement. He had it written when he himself was discouraged and heard how they had turned things around. He wanted to show them how pleased he was that they were living by the true Gospel, and how much of an encouragement they were to him.
“And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;” - 2 Corinthians 1:6-10.
“it is for your consolation and salvation,” The word consolation means comfort from distress, we really have no idea the impact we have on others who are depressed and discouraged. To live a life with Christ, to endure our afflictions with Him, when we are being afflicted really gives consolation and salvation to others. It is actually during affliction that we can find comfort in God and learn that Christ is right there with us. We can't grow in Christ without affliction, He suffered more than we ever will and survived, we too can survive. We can't expect all our sufferings to go away overnight, but we can trust God and let Him handle the matter in the manner that He knows best for us. “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” - 1 Timothy 4:10.
I understand how affliction can cause depression and discouragement, it happens to the best if us, but we can get through it with God's help. We must be careful when we are being afflicted that we with heavy hearts become a person that will drag someone down rather than life them up. Paul explains this further.
“But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” - 2 Corinthians 2:1-5,15-17.
“that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.” I don't know how many times I write in my devotions or say something to someone that it brings tears to my eyes because it came directly from my heart and was something I needed to hear myself. Everything that we go through in life is placed before us, not only to get us to be dependent on God, but to get us to realize that it all comes from Him. We are going to face affliction whether we choose Christ or not, at least by following Him we have the assurance that someone is on our side, even if it is something we caused, and greater blessings will come as we learn from our mistakes.
“Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” - 2 Corinthians 3:1-6.
“for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” We can give consolation all we want, but it will do no good if they don't know Christ. Okay, some people will reject Christ as we minister the Gospel to them, but there are some who will accept Him. Believe it or not, the affliction we face and how we handle it with Christ has a bigger impact on others than us. The lost want to see hope in their afflictions and if they see that hope through Christ as He shines through us during our afflictions than we can see souls saved through ours.
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” - 2 Corinthians 4:6-11. Praise God!
Today's Prayer: God, When affliction comes my way, I admit I can lose sight of You, all I want to do is hide in a corner somewhere and not talk to anyone, but when I come to my senses You are always there, ready to pick me up and show me how to handle things. You are so merciful to me that it tears me up to think that I suffered when all I had to do was come to You. Lord, there is no one like You, so loving, so trusting, so fearing, just as a Father should be, You may not remove the thorn from my side, but Your grace is sufficient enough to help me through it and I thank You for that. Walk with me, guide me, and abide in me, give me that consolation that I know only comes as I remain in Your presence, and let me be a consolation to others who need You. I love You Lord and ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Receive KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Do You Know For Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://godsprice.com/
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Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
Date: Sunday, November 29, 2015
Chapters: 2 Corinthians 1-4
Message Title: Being A Comfort Through Affliction
Hello My Friend,
The Book of 2 Corinthians is the forty-seventh book of the Bible, eighth book of the New Testament, and contains thirteen chapters. The author of this epistle is Paul and it was written to the believers at Corinth. The timeline for this is approximately 60AD. The purpose of the book was to reestablish his authority as an apostle, also to show his gratitude for their faithfulness in Christ and encourage them to keep the faith. What we are to learn from the book is that human weakness provides an opportunity for the power of God to be revealed through us. “For though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God. For we also are weak in him, but we shall live with him by the power of God toward you.” - 2 Corinthians 13:4.
I have to admit that no matter how much I try to keep my head up and believe that good things are coming out of this trial I am going through, I am a little more discouraged than encouraged. On top of my trial as I work hard day by day to get my daily bread I see things being handed to others and wonder what could I possibly be doing wrong that they are getting blessed and I am hanging on by a thread. Can I tell you that there are blessings while we are hanging by a thread, we just have to hold on to Jesus while we do. Paul's first letter to the Corinthians was one of discipline, this one, written about a year later, is one of encouragement. He had it written when he himself was discouraged and heard how they had turned things around. He wanted to show them how pleased he was that they were living by the true Gospel, and how much of an encouragement they were to him.
“And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation. And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation. For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life: But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead: Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;” - 2 Corinthians 1:6-10.
“it is for your consolation and salvation,” The word consolation means comfort from distress, we really have no idea the impact we have on others who are depressed and discouraged. To live a life with Christ, to endure our afflictions with Him, when we are being afflicted really gives consolation and salvation to others. It is actually during affliction that we can find comfort in God and learn that Christ is right there with us. We can't grow in Christ without affliction, He suffered more than we ever will and survived, we too can survive. We can't expect all our sufferings to go away overnight, but we can trust God and let Him handle the matter in the manner that He knows best for us. “For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.” - 1 Timothy 4:10.
I understand how affliction can cause depression and discouragement, it happens to the best if us, but we can get through it with God's help. We must be careful when we are being afflicted that we with heavy hearts become a person that will drag someone down rather than life them up. Paul explains this further.
“But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things? For we are not as many, which corrupt the word of God: but as of sincerity, but as of God, in the sight of God speak we in Christ.” - 2 Corinthians 2:1-5,15-17.
“that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you.” I don't know how many times I write in my devotions or say something to someone that it brings tears to my eyes because it came directly from my heart and was something I needed to hear myself. Everything that we go through in life is placed before us, not only to get us to be dependent on God, but to get us to realize that it all comes from Him. We are going to face affliction whether we choose Christ or not, at least by following Him we have the assurance that someone is on our side, even if it is something we caused, and greater blessings will come as we learn from our mistakes.
“Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. And such trust have we through Christ to God-ward: Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” - 2 Corinthians 3:1-6.
“for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.” We can give consolation all we want, but it will do no good if they don't know Christ. Okay, some people will reject Christ as we minister the Gospel to them, but there are some who will accept Him. Believe it or not, the affliction we face and how we handle it with Christ has a bigger impact on others than us. The lost want to see hope in their afflictions and if they see that hope through Christ as He shines through us during our afflictions than we can see souls saved through ours.
“For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh.” - 2 Corinthians 4:6-11. Praise God!
Today's Prayer: God, When affliction comes my way, I admit I can lose sight of You, all I want to do is hide in a corner somewhere and not talk to anyone, but when I come to my senses You are always there, ready to pick me up and show me how to handle things. You are so merciful to me that it tears me up to think that I suffered when all I had to do was come to You. Lord, there is no one like You, so loving, so trusting, so fearing, just as a Father should be, You may not remove the thorn from my side, but Your grace is sufficient enough to help me through it and I thank You for that. Walk with me, guide me, and abide in me, give me that consolation that I know only comes as I remain in Your presence, and let me be a consolation to others who need You. I love You Lord and ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.
God Bless You, I am praying for you,
Christina
Receive KJB Daily Devotions In Your Email: http://eepurl.com/2WMzT
Do You Know For Sure You Are Going To Heaven?: http://godsprice.com/
Visit I'm Following Jesus: http://imfollowingjesus.com/index.html
Like I'm Following Jesus On Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/byhisstrength
Copyright © 2015 I'm Following Jesus, All rights reserved.
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