Day 73 - 2 Corinthians 8:10-15

10 Here is my advice: It would be good for you to finish what you started a year ago. Last year you were the first who wanted to give, and you were the first to begin doing it. 11 Now you should finish what you started. Let the eagerness you showed in the beginning be matched now by your giving. Give in proportion to what you have. 12 Whatever you give is acceptable if you give it eagerly. And give according to what you have, not what you don’t have. 13 Of course, I don’t mean your giving should make life easy for others and hard for yourselves. I only mean that there should be some equality. 14 Right now you have plenty and can help those who are in need. Later, they will have plenty and can share with you when you need it. In this way, things will be equal. 15 As the Scriptures say,

“Those who gathered a lot had nothing left over,
    and those who gathered only a little had enough.”

Tori's Comments:

I find my passions fluctuate regularly, which can be very harmful when it comes to zeal for God. We need to continue to be eager, dig into the Word, pursue God. 

This is actually something I was curious about, how to be wary of laziness in church if some people are giving everything they have. But this makes sense.

Terrie's Comments:

There are different seasons of life we go through and different seasons in ministry that we go through.  At times we will be in need of help and at other times we will have more than enough and will be able to help others with our abundance.  This is part of the way the Body of Christ is suppose to operate.  

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 71 - 2 Corinthians 7:8-16

8 I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. 9 Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. 10 For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death.11 Just see what this godly sorrow produced in you! Such earnestness, such concern to clear yourselves, such indignation, such alarm, such longing to see me, such zeal, and such a readiness to punish wrong. You showed that you have done everything necessary to make things right.12 My purpose, then, was not to write about who did the wrong or who was wronged. I wrote to you so that in the sight of God you could see for yourselves how loyal you are to us. 13 We have been greatly encouraged by this.In addition to our own encouragement, we were especially delighted to see how happy Titus was about the way all of you welcomed him and set his mind at ease. 14 I had told him how proud I was of you—and you didn’t disappoint me. I have always told you the truth, and now my boasting to Titus has also proved true! 15 Now he cares for you more than ever when he remembers the way all of you obeyed him and welcomed him with such fear and deep respect. 16 I am very happy now because I have complete confidence in you.

Tori's Comments:

This is surely a situation many of us have been in... deciding between grace and judgement. Where is the balance?

It explains sorrow! Yay! Okay, so any sorrow God sends our way He tells us we will not regret. For me, recently, this applies to me being butthurt when confronted with my pride. It was a wake up call I needed.

Terrie's Comments:

A godly rebuke that feels sorrowful for a moment and is heeded brings Joy in the end but worldly sorrow only leads to more sorrow and spiritual death.  If a brother or sister in Christ brings something to our attention that we have been blind to and it brings us back to God in that area of our lives it is a reason to celebrate!

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 70 - 2 Corinthians 7:1-7

7 Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God.
2 Please open your hearts to us. We have not done wrong to anyone, nor led anyone astray, nor taken advantage of anyone. 3 I’m not saying this to condemn you. I said before that you are in our hearts, and we live or die together with you. 4 I have the highest confidence in you, and I take great pride in you. You have greatly encouraged me and made me happy despite all our troubles.
5 When we arrived in Macedonia, there was no rest for us. We faced conflict from every direction, with battles on the outside and fear on the inside. 6 But God, who encourages those who are discouraged, encouraged us by the arrival of Titus. 7 His presence was a joy, but so was the news he brought of the encouragement he received from you. When he told us how much you long to see me, and how sorry you are for what happened, and how loyal you are to me, I was filled with joy!

Terrie's Comments:

I can relate to the passion that Paul had toward the Corinthians.  When I am mentoring someone I want them to take what I am speaking into their life and apply it.  When I am teaching the truth of God's word and people still cling to their old ways or their old ways of believing I just want to encourage them to remember what the truth is and to remember to apply it.  I have this mama bear instinct to try and protect them from those who teach false doctrine.  I just want them to be set free to serve God with all the Joy He intended us to have when Jesus Christ came!!

Tori's Comments:

Hold onto hope, because God encourages the discouraged. That in itself is a hope to cling to.

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 69 - 2 Corinthians 6:11-18

11 Oh, dear Corinthian friends! We have spoken honestly with you, and our hearts are open to you. 12 There is no lack of love on our part, but you have withheld your love from us. 13 I am asking you to respond as if you were my own children. Open your hearts to us!
14 Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? 15 What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? 16 And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:
“I will live in them
    and walk among them.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.
17 Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,
    and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don’t touch their filthy things,
    and I will welcome you.
18 And I will be your Father,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,
    says the Lord Almighty.”

Tori's Comments:

It reminds me of the verse that says you can't serve both God and money. We each must choose one, a choice that is ultimately to serve God or ourselves.

Terrie's Comments:

What harmony can their be between Christ and the Devil?  This passage causes me to reflect into my life to see if there are any ways that I have "partnered with" or "enabled" the Devil to work in my life or the lives around me.  Are there any thoughts or attitudes that I need to give to God and line up with Him or return into His care?  

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 68 - 2 Corinthians 6:1-10

As God’s partners, we beg you not to accept this marvelous gift of God’s kindness and then ignore it. 2 For God says,
“At just the right time, I heard you.
    On the day of salvation, I helped you.”
Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.
3 We live in such a way that no one will stumble because of us, and no one will find fault with our ministry. 4 In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. 5 We have been beaten, been put in prison, faced angry mobs, worked to exhaustion, endured sleepless nights, and gone without food. 6 We prove ourselves by our purity, our understanding, our patience, our kindness, by the Holy Spirit within us, and by our sincere love. 7 We faithfully preach the truth. God’s power is working in us. We use the weapons of righteousness in the right hand for attack and the left hand for defense. 8 We serve God whether people honor us or despise us, whether they slander us or praise us. We are honest, but they call us impostors. 9 We are ignored, even though we are well known. We live close to death, but we are still alive. We have been beaten, but we have not been killed. 10 Our hearts ache, but we always have joy. We are poor, but we give spiritual riches to others. We own nothing, and yet we have everything.

Terrie's Comments:

There are no words... No matter how tough ministry gets I can't say that this far in my life I have ever faced as many challenges as Paul had, I also have not faced the challenges that I have faced with has much grace consistently.  It is part of maturing in Christ.  Pressing on toward the prize.  Making my mind up to live a life led by the Spirit of God leaving my sinful nature behind so that "no one will stumble" because of me.  

Tori's Comments:

Vs. 8 is enough of a reason not to people please. Serve God.

Do I prove myself?

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 67 - 2 Corinthians 5:16-21

16 So we have stopped evaluating others from a human point of view. At one time we thought of Christ merely from a human point of view. How differently we know him now! 17 This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

18 And all of this is a gift from God, who brought us back to himself through Christ. And God has given us this task of reconciling people to him. 19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them. And he gave us this wonderful message of reconciliation. 20 So we are Christ’s ambassadors; God is making his appeal through us. We speak for Christ when we plead, “Come back to God!” 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.

Tori's Comments:

By evaluating others from a non-human point of view, we instantly become more loving and Christ-like. Jesus felt compassion for people under circumstances where my selfish heart wouldn't allow it. Pride and hate against another person disappears when you see the spiritual side of that person, the struggle with darkness they may be facing. A struggle every Christian once had for themselves.

Terrie's Comments:

I Love being an ambassador for Jesus Christ.  He is a worthy king to be followed and honored.  An ambassador is to represent their country and and only speak on behalf of whom they represent.  Ambassador's don't interject their own opinion when they are acting on behalf of their embassy that has sent them.  We are to reconcile people back to God.  Really we are just spreading the good news that Jesus has already done everything required to reconcile us all back to God!  We just need to make Him our Lord.  That is amazing Grace!! It is amazing news for all :-) 

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 65 - 2 Corinthians 5: 1-10

 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. 2 We grow weary in our present bodies, and we long to put on our heavenly bodies like new clothing. 3 For we will put on heavenly bodies; we will not be spirits without bodies. 4 While we live in these earthly bodies, we groan and sigh, but it’s not that we want to die and get rid of these bodies that clothe us. Rather, we want to put on our new bodies so that these dying bodies will be swallowed up by life. 5 God himself has prepared us for this, and as a guarantee he has given us his Holy Spirit.

6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 9 So whether we are here in this body or away from this body, our goal is to please him. 10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.

Tori's Comments:

All around me I can see people obsessed with their bodies.... racks of magazines depict the importance of hair, clothes, and makeup, and especially for women, it becomes a struggle. 
With all the self esteem issues faced every day, verse 6 is a great reminder. We should emanate confidence, a transformation brought about by no one other than Jesus Christ.

Terrie's Comments:

No matter if we are here on earth in our earthly body or at home with the Lord our goal is to please Jesus Christ.  And even though we are standing in faith having confidence that what we hope for is indeed true, I am glad that we have the Holy Spirit to give us assurance of our future :-) 

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 64 - 2 Corinthians 4: 7-18

7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies.
11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.
13 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

Terrie's Comments:
We are at war!  We are in a battle everyday because we serve Jesus Christ.  However we have everything we need to get through everyday through Jesus.  We have the power and guidance of the Holy Spirit in us so we can rely on Jesus for protection from all sorts of battles.  As we practice following Jesus everyday in our lives our Spirits are strengthened.  This unseen battle that rages on everyday is fought in the spiritual realm which is more real and will last far beyond anything here on earth.  We need to be aware of the battle that is raging not so we live in fear but so that we always remember to stand in faith!!

Tori's Comments:

Life is rough. It is hard. But we hold onto, we cling onto the hope God has given us. We trust in the promises we know to be true when the lies of the world come crashing down. In the moment, stress about college or a new stage in life seems overwhelming, but it is so small and temporary when I think of the eternity promised to me.
"I believed in God, so I spoke." This really speaks to me right now. Our passion isn't something that can be stoppered by political correction or laws. We have this love that the world is searching for, desperate for, and we need to share it!
I want people who meet me to wonder why I am so satisfied, why I don't live for the here and now. This passage was a great blessing to me today!
Did it catch any of y'all's attention?

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 63 - 2 Corinthians 4:1-6

Therefore, since God in his mercy has given us this new way, we never give up. 2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods. We don’t try to trick anyone or distort the word of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know this.

3 If the Good News we preach is hidden behind a veil, it is hidden only from people who are perishing. 4 Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.

5 You see, we don’t go around preaching about ourselves. We preach that Jesus Christ is Lord, and we ourselves are your servants for Jesus’ sake. 6 For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Tori's Comments:

"we never give up" Let this be a motto of mine. I don't give up, because I've already won through Christ.

And I hope to never forget that this life is not about me. Every action I do and every word I say should be meant for God's glory, not mine.

Terrie's Comments:
I like the fact that we are to preach the truth of Jesus Christ and the Word of God to everyone.  Those who do not understand it have not had the veil lifted yet and are still blinded by the devil who is their god.  This should give us a clue as to how to pray for those who do not believe yet.  Pray that the veil will be lifted, that the power of the devil will be bound in their lives and they will be able to see our light, which is a reflection of Jesus Christ.  

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 62 - 2 Corinthians 3:7-18

7 The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses’ face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. 8 Shouldn’t we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? 9 If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! 10 In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. 11 So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!

12 Since this new way gives us such confidence, we can be very bold. 13 We are not like Moses, who put a veil over his face so the people of Israel would not see the glory, even though it was destined to fade away. 14 But the people’s minds were hardened, and to this day whenever the old covenant is being read, the same veil covers their minds so they cannot understand the truth. And this veil can be removed only by believing in Christ. 15 Yes, even today when they read Moses’ writings, their hearts are covered with that veil, and they do not understand.

16 But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.

Terrie's Comments:

Wow!  The people begged God for Moses to cover his face to cover God's glory, which was just a residue of Moses time with God.  I LOVE that the veil is taken away when we make Jesus Lord of our lives.  The fact that we can both see and reflect the glory of the Lord to the world is awesome.  I also LOVE the fact that we are not on our own.  That we aren't left as we are found.  Jesus makes us more and more like him as we are walking with him each day.

Tori's Comments:

"wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom" Do I feel that freedom? I feel like the church has got a bad reputation as something that holds people down or binds them up, when in fact its reputation should be the opposite. 

And if we reflect the glory of God, shouldn't those around us see that glory and know we are the children of God? It makes the "city on a hill" verse easier to visualize. 

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 61 - 2 Corinthians 3:1-6

3 Are we beginning to praise ourselves again? Are we like others, who need to bring you letters of recommendation, or who ask you to write such letters on their behalf? Surely not! 2 The only letter of recommendation we need is you yourselves. Your lives are a letter written in our hearts; everyone can read it and recognize our good work among you. 3 Clearly, you are a letter from Christ showing the result of our ministry among you. This “letter” is written not with pen and ink, but with the Spirit of the living God. It is carved not on tablets of stone, but on human hearts.

4 We are confident of all this because of our great trust in God through Christ. 5 It is not that we think we are qualified to do anything on our own. Our qualification comes from God. 6 He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life.

Tori's Comments:

This reminds me of an article I read a few years back that heavily impacted how I view Christianity and witnessing. I didn't realize how rooted it was in scripture until I read this. 

Basically, it said that yes, the bible is like a love letter to humanity, but the author wanted to take it a step further. That CHRISTIANS are God's love letter to the world. This completely changed my mindset, and it's so cool to actually see a similar message in scripture itself!

Terrie's Comments:
I hope that I am leaving a clear letter of recommendation behind me in my path of life.  Where those that my life touches are changed for Jesus Christ and are living for him so that their lives can testify to my life which is changed. 

I know that I am not qualified to do anything on my own.  Anything that is worth while flows from God.  I am glad that under the new covenant that the Spirit gives life.  Living by His Holy Spirit is so much simpler than trying to follow all of the law in my human attempt to be made right with God.   

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 60 - 2 Corinthians 2:12-17

12 When I came to the city of Troas to preach the Good News of Christ, the Lord opened a door of opportunity for me. 13 But I had no peace of mind because my dear brother Titus hadn’t yet arrived with a report from you. So I said good-bye and went on to Macedonia to find him.

14 But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. 15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?

17 You see, we are not like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of God with sincerity and with Christ’s authority, knowing that God is watching us.

Terrie's Comments:
Let me start with "hucksters"???  that is a new word that has never popped off the page before.  According tho verse 17 a huckster is someone who preaches for personal profit.  Remind me never to aspire to be a huckster.  

It is interesting to me that our lives should be like a Christ like fragrance rising up to God, a sweet perfume, spreading the knowledge of Jesus everywhere.  For those that are being saved it will be received and perceived as a life-giving perfume.  BUT to those who are perishing it will seem like the smell of death and doom.  (probably because it is... if they reject the truth of the gospel message they are spiritually dead)

This is a good reason to live to please God and not to please Men.  Live led by the Holy Spirit so that you may make the most of every opportunity that comes across your path.  God knows those who are ready to receive him and which ones will only think it stinks.

Tori's Comments:

Okay, I am loving the metaphors that keep popping us in this book. Comparing Christians to a sweet perfume? LOVE IT.

And we are ALL this perfume. And stubborn nonbelievers will not like how we smell. We will be called out or persecuted for it.

But we won't care. Because the rich, invigorating scent is too beautiful to ignore, to not follow. 

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 59 - 2 Corinthians 2:1-11

2 So I decided that I would not bring you grief with another painful visit. 2 For if I cause you grief, who will make me glad? Certainly not someone I have grieved. 3 That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful. 4 I wrote that letter in great anguish, with a troubled heart and many tears. I didn’t want to grieve you, but I wanted to let you know how much love I have for you.

5 I am not overstating it when I say that the man who caused all the trouble hurt all of you more than he hurt me. 6 Most of you opposed him, and that was punishment enough. 7 Now, however, it is time to forgive and comfort him. Otherwise he may be overcome by discouragement. 8 So I urge you now to reaffirm your love for him.

9 I wrote to you as I did to test you and see if you would fully comply with my instructions. 10 When you forgive this man, I forgive him, too. And when I forgive whatever needs to be forgiven, I do so with Christ’s authority for your benefit, 11 so that Satan will not outsmart us. For we are familiar with his evil schemes.

Tori's Comments:

That even when confrontation with a brother or sister is necessary, forgiveness and the love felt by the wrongdoer is still emphasized is amazing. "reaffirm your love for him".

"we are familiar with his evil schemes" as in that he comes to kill, steal, and destroy?

Terrie's Comments:

This man that is being referred to was the same man talked about in 1 Corinthians who was involved sexually with his mother in law openly.  Paul had told them how to deal with him in his first letter and now that he had been dealt with Paul shows how to reconcile him to the church.  God's heart is always for relationships.  Jesus died to have an open relationship with us without barriers.  Reconciliation is important once sin is dealt with and people turn away from their sin it is important to move on to forgive and comfort that person and welcome them full-heartedly back into the body so they don't become discouraged.  We also do this so Satan has no room to work in the body of Christ!  The last sentence is interesting... For we are familiar with his evil schemes... If we know the word of God and are led by the Holy Spirit who is in our hearts we should be.  He is not that smart.  

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 58 - 2 Corinthians 1:18-24

18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” 19 For Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not waver between “Yes” and “No.” He is the one whom Silas, Timothy, and I preached to you, and as God’s ultimate “Yes,” he always does what he says. 20 For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory.

21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.

23 Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn’t return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke. 24 But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.

Terrie's Comments:

Through Jesus Christ all of God's promised are YES!  That means that anything God has promised to do is a yes!  We don't have to guess what his answer will be.  The Holy Spirit is placed in our hearts as our guarantee of these promises.  We can be full of Joy when we understand the good news fully.  We stand firm by our own faith in Jesus Christ.  We cannot borrow someone elses faith.  We have to stand on our own to be saved.

Tori's Comments:

I've never thought of the Holy Spirit as a sort of down payment. It's a pretty cool way to think.

Being "full of joy" is something I need to work on.

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 57 - 2 Corinthians 1:8-17

8 We think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. 9 In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, who raises the dead. 10 And he did rescue us from mortal danger, and he will rescue us again. We have placed our confidence in him, and he will continue to rescue us. 11 And you are helping us by praying for us. Then many people will give thanks because God has graciously answered so many prayers for our safety.

12 We can say with confidence and a clear conscience that we have lived with a God-given holiness and sincerity in all our dealings. We have depended on God’s grace, not on our own human wisdom. That is how we have conducted ourselves before the world, and especially toward you. 13 Our letters have been straightforward, and there is nothing written between the lines and nothing you can’t understand. I hope someday you will fully understand us, 14 even if you don’t understand us now. Then on the day when the Lord Jesus returns, you will be proud of us in the same way we are proud of you.

15 Since I was so sure of your understanding and trust, I wanted to give you a double blessing by visiting you twice— 16 first on my way to Macedonia and again when I returned from Macedonia. Then you could send me on my way to Judea.

17 You may be asking why I changed my plan. Do you think I make my plans carelessly? Do you think I am like people of the world who say “Yes” when they really mean “No”?

Tori's Comments:

It's really hard when God strips things we think we need from us, every pang of the chisel He uses causing another wince. The things we craved because we were told we needed them, told we had to have them, slowly fade out of view as we dig deeper into God and His word. Food, clothes, and pleasing others suddenly seem unreliable and all we see is Jesus Himself.

I hope to one day reach a place where all I rely upon is God. Of course, that is a scary thing to wish, because that means removing the things I've relied on my entire life.

Terrie's Comments:

I am so glad that prayer works.  When our prayers are answered God is glorified.  I noticed also that in the second part of today's passage that they have a God given holiness and they are depending on God's grace instead of human wisdom.  All the letters Paul wrote were straight forward so everyone could understand them.  They were not mysterious.  You don't have to read between the lines.  It is not like reading the parables of Jesus.  

Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!

Day 56 - 2 Corinthians 1:1-7

1 This letter is from Paul, chosen by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and from our brother Timothy.

I am writing to God’s church in Corinth and to all of his holy people throughout Greece.

2 May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

3 All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is our merciful Father and the source of all comfort. 4 He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When they are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us. 5 For the more we suffer for Christ, the more God will shower us with his comfort through Christ. 6 Even when we are weighed down with troubles, it is for your comfort and salvation! For when we ourselves are comforted, we will certainly comfort you. Then you can patiently endure the same things we suffer. 7 We are confident that as you share in our sufferings, you will also share in the comfort God gives us.

Tori's Comments:
I actually didn't realize that our comfort from God was to be spread. I just assumed they could just go to the source Himself, but I guess when loved ones are dealing with pain, I need to be there.


Terrie's Comments:

Is anybody else getting uncomfortable with the reference that we suffer so we can be comforted and comfort others with the same comfort that we receive through Jesus?  Anyone?  I am glad to know God who is the source of all comfort and to be connected to Him through the Holy Spirit.  So if we suffer as we do God's will Paul is confident that we will also be comforted.  If anyone should know this truth first hand it would be Paul.  I can't think of a time that I have not been comforted by the Holy Spirit through times of trouble so I guess it has also been proven in my own life.  Now how can I pass on that comfort to other believers?



Take our personal comments or leave them. We would love to hear what stood out to you about today`s passage and how it encouraged you. Tell us in the comments below!