Day 66 - 2 Corinthians 5:11-15

11 Because we understand our fearful responsibility to the Lord, we work hard to persuade others. God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. 12 Are we commending ourselves to you again? No, we are giving you a reason to be proud of us, so you can answer those who brag about having a spectacular ministry rather than having a sincere heart. 13 If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit. 14 Either way, Christ’s love controls us. Since we believe that Christ died for all, we also believe that we have all died to our old life. 15 He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them.

Terrie's Comments:

I hope that it is evident to those around me, especially those closest to me (because sometimes those are the hardest people to show love to consistently) that it is Christ's love that controls my life.  Everyday it is my hope that more of my life vanishes and is replaced by Jesus Christ living through me.  I have a sincere heart, I hope that it is evident to others around me how sincere I am.

Tori's Comments:

Do I work hard to persuade others? Is that an intention of mine clear to me from day to day?
I really appreciate the "if we seem crazy" comment. 

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!