Wednesday 6 May 2020

One Year Bible: Day 226 - Ecclesiastes 9:13-12:14; 1 Corinthians 9:1-18; Psalm 96:1-13

“Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13). There are many matters which are secondary. Living in accordance with the Gospel is the all-important thing: “We put up with anything rather than hinder the Gospel of Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:12). “For great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; He is to be feared above all gods” (Psalm 96:4). The fear of the Lord is directly related to worshipping Him. To fear the Lord is not to cower away from Him. It is to come to Him in worship. Together with the fear of the Lord, there is rejoicing in Him (Psalm 96:11).

One Year Bible: Day 225 - Ecclesiastes 7:1-9:12; 1 Corinthians 7:36-8:13; Psalm 95:1-11

“Do not be over-righteous, neither be overwise” (Ecclesiastes 7:16). This is not a protest against wisdom and righteousness. It is telling us that, in our wisdom and righteousness, we must not become proud like the Pharisees. “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1). Without love, everything else is nothing. We must never forget this. “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Psalm 95:7-8). Where our wisdom (or knowledge) and righteousness become centred on ourselves - ‘How wise and righteous I have become’, we have closed our hearts to God. Listen to God. Learn from Him. Live for Him. Real wisdom has nothing to do with self-centredness. It’s all about learning to be Christ-centred. Real wisdom leads to true righteousness. It’s about learning to become like Jesus. We look to Him and we learn to live for Him.

One Year Bible: Day 224 - Ecclesiastes 4:1-6:12; 1 Corinthians 7:17-35; Proverbs 19:23-20:4

“Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income” (Ecclesiastes 5:10).
This is the world’s way. The Lord’s way is a better way. We are to “use the things of the world” without being “engrossed in them” (1 Corinthians 7:31). What we must remember is this: “The fear of the Lord leads to life; Then one rests content, untouched by trouble” (Proverbs 19:23). When our relationship with the Lord is the most important thing in life, we do not get unduly anxious about how things are going, in terms of material prosperity.

One Year Bible: Day 223 - Ecclesiastes 1:1-3:22; 1 Corinthians 7:1-16; Psalm 94:12-23

“I know that everything God does will endure for ever” (Ecclesiastes 3:14).
In the constant flux of life in this world, here we have something which must never be forgotten. There are many circumstances in life which are confusing - “How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?” (1 Corinthians 7:16). In the face of life’s confusing circumstances, there will be times when we will say, “My foot is slipping.” In times like these, we must learn to say, “Your love, O Lord, supported me” (Psalm 94:18).

“All over the world this Gospel is bearing fruit and growing” (Colossians 1:6).

The work of the Gospel is always more than what’s happening in the place where you live. Continue to pray for the work of the Lord in many places. Don’t forget to pray for those who brought the Word of the Lord to you and are now serving the Lord in another place.

One Year Bible: Day 280 - Jeremiah 16:1-17:27; Colossians 4:2-18; Psalm 118:17-29

“A glorious throne, exalted from the beginning, is the place of our sanctuary” (Jeremiah 17:12). The Lord is enthroned on the praises of His people - “Jesus, we enthrone You ... We lift You up with our praise. And as we worship, build Your throne. Come, Lord Jesus, and take Your place.” When the Lord is enthroned on the praises of His people, there will also be prayer and proclamation - “Devote yourselves to prayer ... that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ ... clearly” (Colossians 4:2-4). The blessing of the Lord is upon those who come to His House, seeking Him: “Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord. From the House of the Lord we bless you” (Psalm 118:26).

One Year Bible: Day 279 - Jeremiah 14:1-15:21; Colossians 3:1-4:1; Proverbs 24:15-22

Our spiritual warfare is both outward and inward. We have enemies coming at us from without and from within. Concerning the enemies from without, God says, “This people will fight against you but will not overcome you, for I am with you to rescue and save you ... I will save you from the hands of the wicked and redeem you from the grasp of the cruel” (Jeremiah 15:20-21). Concerning the enemies from within, God says, “Put to death ... whatever belongs to your earthly nature” (Colossians 3:5). We are not to “fret because of evil men” (Proverbs 24:19). We are to “fear the Lord” (Proverbs 24:21).

One Year Bible: Day 278 - Jeremiah 11:18-13:27; Colossians 2:6-23; Psalm 118:1-16

The life of faith is a life of conflict. We live among “the faithless” - God is “always on their lips, but far from their hearts” (Jeremiah 12:12). We are called to maintain the faith in the face of “hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world’s rather than on Christ” (Colossians 2:8). There is conflict, but there is also victory  - “The Lord is with me ... I will look in triumph over my enemies ... “ (Psalm 118:6-8).

One Year Bible: Day 277 - Jeremiah 9:17-11:17; Colossians 1:24-2:5; Psalm 117:1-2

The Lord’s people are called to a ministry of preaching the Gospel and teaching the Word (Jeremiah 11:6; Colossians 1:25,28). While this ministry is carried out by particular individuals, e.g. Jeremiah and Paul, it is a ministry which is strengthened by the support and encouragement which comes from the Lord’s people. It is not only to the preachers and teachers that God says, “Extol Him.” He says, “Extol Him all you people” (Psalm 117:1). 

One Year Bible: Day 276 - Jeremiah 7:30-9:16; Colossians 1:1-23; Psalm 116:12-19

There is a great contrast between sin - “Do not trust your brothers. For every brother is a deceiver ... and no-one speaks the truth” (Jeremiah 9:4-5) - and salvation - “the holy and faithful brothers in Christ ... the Words of truth, the Gospel ... has come to you” (Colossians 1:2,5-6). God is calling us from sin to salvation, and then on to service. Those who say, “I will lift up the cup of salvation” go on to say, “O Lord, I am Your servant” (Psalm 116:13,16). This service is offered to the Lord in gratitude for His salvation,. We acknowledge Him as Saviour, saying, “You have freed me from my chains”, and we say to Him, “I will sacrifice a thank-offering to You” (Psalm 116:17).

"Now Is The Day Of Salvation."

In our thinking about the Lord’s Return, it is very important that we do not forget that the decision between salvation and judgment is one which must be made here and now. The Bible speaks of the Day of the Lord’s Return as a Day of salvation for the Lord’s believing people. The Lord’s Return will also bring a Day of judgment for all who turn their backs on the Saviour. The Bible also speaks of another day of salvation, another day of judgment. That day is today. This is precisely what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:2 - “Now is the day of salvation.” Now is the time for making your decision for Christ. Now is the time for faith in the Saviour. Jesus underlines the importance of our present response to Him. He does this, in John 3:18, when He speaks of those who are already under judgment because of their unbelief: “he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only Son of God.” The Lord awaits for our response now. May God help us to put our trust in His Son, Jesus Christ. May God help us to await Christ’s Return with joyful expectation.

Even when we're surrounded by people ...

Even when we're surrounded by people, the world can be a lonely place. Into our loneliness, Jesus comes. He tells us that He is "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). He's our Friend, our best Friend, the Friend who will never leave us ans never let us down. He loves us with the greatest love of all. His love is unchanged, unchanging and unchangeable.

Tuesday 5 May 2020

God Is Calling For Our Attention!

Amos 1:1-2:16
‘The Lord roars’. ‘The Lord thunders’(1:2). God’s Word comes to us from above - ‘The Lord will roar from on high’. He speaks to us from heaven - ‘He will thunder from His holy dwelling’. We dare not ignore the Word of the Lord. His Word comes to us as a Word of warning - ‘He will shout against all who live on the earth’- and a Word of judgment - ‘He will bring judgment on all mankind’. God is calling for our attention: ‘Look! Disaster is spreading from nation to nation; a mighty storm is rising from the ends of the earth’. God speaks to us about His ‘fierce anger’. He calls us to turn from our sin. Let us return to the Lord and hear His Word of salvation: ‘I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more (Jeremiah 25:30-32,37; 31:34).

Amos 3:1-5:5
‘You only have I chosen... therefore I will punish you for all your sins’(3:2). Along with the privilege of being ‘chosen’ to belong to the Lord comes the responsibility of living as the servants of the Lord. God’s Word is not to be taken lightly - ‘The lion has roared - who will not fear?’(3:8). God speaks to us very directly about the way we are living - ‘You have not returned to Me’(4:6,8-11). We must take Him seriously: ‘Prepare to meet your God’(4:12). God calls us to ‘seek Him and live’: ‘Seek the Lord while He may be found; call on Him while He is near. Let the wicked forsake His way and the evil man his thoughts, Let him turn to the Lord, and He will have mercy on him, and to our God, for He will freely pardon’(5:4; Isaiah 55:6-7).

Keep On Speaking The Word Of The Lord - And Keep On Walking In His Ways.

"How horrible it will be ... " (Amos 6:1,3-6,13) - This is a prophecy concerning God's judgment. Such words need to be heard, if people are to be turned back into walking in the ways of the Lord. If we don't hear of God's judgment, we are likely to keep on walking in our own ways. There needs to be "an alarm to the unconverted" (Joseph Alleine). There needs to be an alarm to the converted. The danger of remaining apathetic and unconverted is not the only danger. There is also the danger that, after being converted, we become apathetic and backslidden. God is calling us to turn to Him. He's calling us to keep on being turned towards Him.
"Almighty Lord, please forgive us!" (Amos 7:2) - This is the prayer that the Lord is waiting to hear and answer. "Almighty Lord, please stop!" (Amos 7:5) - This is a prayer for God's mercy. We come to Him, deeply aware of our sin and His judgment. We cry to Him for mercy. Why should He have mercy on us? From our point of view, there is no answer to this question. From His point of view, there is an answer - the Cross. Upon Christ, there is our sin and God's judgment. To us, there is mercy and grace. There are people who do not want to hear the Word of the Lord. They say, "Don't ever prophesy again in Bethel" (Amos 7:13). Why did they tell the prophet to "run away to Judah! ... and prophesy there" (Amos 7:12). The reason is this - "This is the king's holy place and the king's palace" (Amos 7:12). Holy? - What is holy about a place when its people send away the prophet of God, and tell him to preach the Word of God somewhere else? If a place is really holy and the people are really holy, there would be a real desire to hear what the Lord has to say to us. What did Amos say about this? This is what he said - It was the Lord who said to me, "Prophesy to My people, Israel" (Amos 7:15). The Lord says, "Speak." The world says, "Stop speaking to us." A true prophet will speak the Word of the Lord.
"The days are going to come, declares the Almighty Lord, when I will send a famine throughout the land. It won't be an ordinary famine of hearing the words of the Lord. People will wander from sea to sea, and roam from the north to the east, searching for the Word of the Lord, but thy won't find it" (Amos 8:11-12). There's a real sadness in these words. People are looking, and they're not finding.  They know they're looking for something, but they don't know what it is. It is the Word of the Lord. May God help us to continue speaking the Word of the Lord and looking to Him to send the blessing.
"I will restore and rebuild My people, Israel, as they were a long time ago" (Amos 9:11,14). This is not about good times and bad times. Sometimes, we have good times. Sometimes, we have bad times. This is about the blessing of God, which comes to us from the faithfulness of God. We must never forget the Lord. Real blessing comes from Him. God-given blessing is more than things turning out all right for us. It's having a real sense that the Lord is with us, that He's showing us how much He loves us, that He's leading us into a closer walk with Himself, and that He's leading us to give all the glory to Him.

One Year Bible: Day 199 - Amos 6:1-7:17; Romans 4:16-5:11; Psalm 86:11-17

Amos was commissioned by the Lord - “Go, prophesy to My people Israel” (Amos 7:15). The purpose of such prophecy, in our generation, is to declare the Gospel: “God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8). If this message of love is to be brought to the people, the preacher must pray: “Teach me Your way, O Lord, and I will walk in Your truth ...” (Psalm 86:11).

One Year Bible: Day 198 - Amos 5:1-27; Romans 4:1-15; Psalm 86:1-10

Religion is not salvation. “Sacrifices and offerings” (Amos 5:25), circumcision (Romans 4:9-12) - All of this can be “works” which are given to God as a means of earning His favour. The Gospel shows us another way - “righteousness apart from works” (Romans 4:6). This is the way of which the Psalmist speaks: “You are forgiving and good, O Lord, abounding in love to all who call to You” (Psalm 86:5).

One Year Bible: Day 197 - Amos 3:1-4:13; Romans 3:9-31; Psalm 85:8-13

Scripture speaks honestly about sin - “You have not returned to Me” (Amos 4:6,8,9,10,11); “There is no fear of God before their eyes” (Romans 3:18). God’s reply to sin is salvation - “Surely His salvation is near those who fear Him, that His glory may dwell in our land” (Psalm 85:9).

One Year Bible: Day 196 - Amos 1:1-2:16; Romans 2:17-3:8; Proverbs 17:5-14

God is perfectly holy. He cannot stand sin. This is clear in both Amos and Romans. It is stressed in Proverbs, which emphasizes that sin is not so much sin against man but “contempt for their Maker” (17:5). Proverbs 17:9 tells us that we are to “promote love.” This love is to be modelled on the love of God. He is always the One who is sinned against. He is never the One who has done the sinning. Nevertheless, His love remains constant. It is the divine pattern for our living in love.

One Year Bible: Days 294-297

Day 294
“A curse on him who is lax in doing the Lord’s work!” (Jeremiah 48:10). We should not be lax in doing the Lord’s work, “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a Spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7). Through the power of the Spirit of God, we are able to say, with Paul, “I am not ashamed, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that He is able to guard what I have entrusted to Him for that Day” (2 Timothy 1:12). Through the power of the Holy Spirit, we are enabled to “obey the statutes of Your mouth” (Psalm 119:88).

Day 295
Jeremiah speaks of a time of judgment upon Babylon (Jeremiah 50:1-3) and a time of blessing upon the people of Israel (Jeremiah 50:4-5). If the blessing, and not the judgment, is to come in our own day, we must be faithful in the ministry of God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15). Faithful ministry of God’s Word is “like cold water to a weary soul.” It is “good news from a distant land” (Proverbs 25:25). It is the Good News sent down from heaven, the Living Water of the Holy Spirit.

Day 296
This part of Jeremiah’s prophecy is concerned with God’s judgment upon Babylon. God sets Himself against those who set themselves against Him. We live in times when “evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13). In such times, we must build upon “the Holy (God-breathed) Scriptures which are able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” and which will “thoroughly equip us for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15-17). This Word of the Lord is “eternal”, and God’s “faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 119:89-90). To say that God’s Word is eternal does not mean that it is distant and remote from time. Rather, it is to emphasize that it is relevant. It is relevant to every generation. It is eternally relevant.

Day 297
The Word of God is to be preached, even if it is a difficult message. In face of the judgment pronounced upon Babylon, God says to His messengers, “When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud” (Jeremiah 51:61). Paul calls on Timothy to “preach the Word” - “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His Kingdom, I give you this charge” (2 Timothy 4:1-2). Those who truly love the Lord’s Word and meditate on it all day long (Psalm 119:97) will find it their joyful privilege and their solemn responsibility to speak His Word; “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psalm 119:103).

Praying Through God's Word: 2 Timothy

2 Timothy 1:1-2:7
Lord, we’re not to keep Your Word to ourselves. You’ve given us the “Gospel.” Help us to share it with “faithful” people who will “pass it on to others” (2 Timothy 1:11,13 & 2:2).
2 Timothy 2:8-3:9
Help us, Lord, to “remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead” (2 Timothy 2:8). Jesus is the living Lord.  Help us never to forget this. When we’re tempted to forget Him, help us to remember why He died. “He died that we might be forgiven. He died to make us good, that we might go at last to heaven, saved by His precious blood.”When we’re tempted to forget Him, help us to remember that He’s alive today – and He lives in us. Help us to say, in our hearts, “I must decrease. Christ in me must increase” (John 3:30).
2 Timothy 3:10-4:22
We thank You, Lord, for “the Holy Scriptures which are able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). Help us to “preach the Word” in the power of “the Holy Spirit” (2 Timothy 4:2 & 1 Peter 1:12) – and help us to remember this: When all our words have been spoken, Your Word remains “the living and abiding Word of God” (1 Peter 1:23). When all our words have been spoken, the ministry of the Holy Spirit continues. Through His ongoing ministry, Your Word is “written” in the “hearts” of those who have heard the Word preached (2 Corinthians 3:3). Thank You, Lord, for the Holy Scriptures – and the Holy Spirit.

God's Written Word - And His Living Word

"The Holy Scriptures are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15).

In the Bible, we have God's written Word. The Bible points us to Christ. he is God's living Word - "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God ... The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:1,14). What do we learn as we read God's written Word? - This is what we learn: "Jesus loves me. This I know, for the Bible tells me so." God speaks to us His written Word so that we may come to trust in Christ, the living Word - "from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15).

Reading the Scriptures, we become wise for salvation as we find Christ who is our Wisdom (2 Timothy 3:15; 1 Corinthians 1:30).

One Year Bible: Day 298 - Jeremiah 51:15-64; 2 Timothy 4:1-22; Psalm 119:97-104

The Word of God is to be preached, even if it is a difficult message. In face of the judgment pronounced upon Babylon, God says to His messengers, “When you get to Babylon, see that you read all these words aloud” (Jeremiah 51:61). Paul calls on Timothy to “preach the Word” - “In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of His appearing and His Kingdom, I give you this charge” (2 Timothy 4:1-2). Those who truly love the Lord’s Word and meditate on it all day long (Psalm 119:97) will find it their joyful privilege and their solemn responsibility to speak His Word; “How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth” (Psalm 119:103).

One Year Bible: Day 297 - Jeremiah 50:11-51:14; 2 Timothy 3:1-17; Psalm 119:89-96

This part of Jeremiah’s prophecy is concerned with God’s judgment upon Babylon. God sets Himself against those who set themselves against Him. We live in times when “evil men and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived” (2 Timothy 3:13). In such times, we must build upon “the Holy (God-breathed) Scriptures which are able to make us wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” and which will “thoroughly equip us for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:15-17). This Word of the Lord is “eternal”, and God’s “faithfulness continues through all generations” (Psalm 119:89-90). To say that God’s Word is eternal does not mean that it is distant and remote from time. Rather, it is to emphasize that it is relevant. It is relevant to every generation. It is eternally relevant.

One Year Bible: Day 296 - Jeremiah 49:7-50:10; 2 Timothy 2:1-26; Proverbs 25:21-26:2

Jeremiah speaks of a time of judgment upon Babylon (Jeremiah 50:1-3) and a time of blessing upon the people of Israel (Jeremiah 50:4-5). If the blessing, and not the judgment, is to come in our own day, we must be faithful in the ministry of God’s Word (2 Timothy 2:15). Faithful ministry of God’s Word is “like cold water to a weary soul.” It is “good news from a distant land” (Proverbs 25:25). It is the Good News sent down from heaven, the Living Water of the Holy Spirit.

Times Of Trouble Can Turn Out To Be Times Of Great...

2 Corinthians 1:1-2:11
Times of trouble can turn out to be times of great blessing - ‘God… comforts us in all our affliction’(1:3-4). Whether good things or bad things are happening to you, don’t forget this: God loves you. His Word is ‘not Yes and No’- ‘Yes, I love you. No, I don’t love you’. In Christ, His Word is ‘always Yes’(1:19). How do we know that God loves us? - ‘God showed His love for us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us’(Romans 5:8). Whatever may happen to us, nothing can change this great fact: Christ died for us. This is the great fact of God’s love. Life is not easy. There is ‘Satan’, always seeking ‘to gain the advantage over us’(2:11). We do not stand alone in our battle against Satan. God ‘has given us His Spirit in our hearts’. He is the ‘guarantee’ of our final victory (1:22).

2 Corinthians 2:12-3:18
How do we react when things don’t seem to be going very well? We all need the encouragement of God’s Word: ‘Thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph’(2:14). When everything seems to be going wrong, we need to be reminded of God’s Word: ‘In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us’(Romans 8:37). When we feel so weak, we receive strength ‘from God’. We are strengthened by ‘the Spirit of the living God’(3:5,3). We must learn to look beyond our circumstances to our Saviour. In Him, we see ‘the surpassing glory’. As we look upon ‘the glory of the Lord’, we are ‘changed into His likeness with ever-increasing glory’(3:18). In life’s many hard times, may God help us to see what He is doing in our lives and not only what we think is happening to us.

"Now Is The Day Of Salvation."

In our thinking about the Lord’s Return, it is very important that we do not forget that the decision between salvation and judgment is one which must be made here and now. The Bible speaks of the Day of the Lord’s Return as a Day of salvation for the Lord’s believing people. The Lord’s Return will also bring a Day of judgment for all who turn their backs on the Saviour. The Bible also speaks of another day of salvation, another day of judgment. That day is today. This is precisely what Paul says in 2 Corinthians 6:2 - “Now is the day of salvation.” Now is the time for making your decision for Christ. Now is the time for faith in the Saviour. Jesus underlines the importance of our present response to Him. He does this, in John 3:18, when He speaks of those who are already under judgment because of their unbelief: “he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the Name of the only Son of God.” The Lord awaits for our response now. May God help us to put our trust in His Son, Jesus Christ. May God help us to await Christ’s Return with joyful expectation.

“He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

Here are some great words from Jim Elliot, an American missionary who died at the hands of Auca Indians in Ecuador in the 1950s – “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”
 * "To gain what he cannot lose" - Eternal life has lasting value.
 * "what he cannot keep" - The things of this world don’t have lasting value.
After Jim Elliot and four other American missionaries were killed, there was great blessing among the Aucas.
 * Think of these faithful martyrs. Think of the blessing which followed. 
In 2 Corinthians 4:15, we have a great comment on the wonderful blessing which followed the killing of the American missionaries by the Aucas - “All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God.” The American missionaries laid down their lives. The Aucas found eternal life. It was for their benefit. Grace reached more and more people. There was an overflow of giving glory to God.
* Think of own times of suffering.
We must remember this  - we’re not alone. God is there with us. We see this in the sufferings of Job. What suffering Job endured. He knew that he was not alone. He knew that God was with him. In the middle of the most intense suffering, Job gives us a great testimony of faith: “I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end He will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see Him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me!” (Job 19:25).
 * Think of the eternal glory towards which the Lord is calling us.

Before We Ever Think Of Giving Ourselves To God, We Must Look At All He Has Given To Us.

2 Corinthians 7:2-8:7
We may face difficult circumstances. We may experience much suffering. In all of this there is one thing we must never forget: ‘God… comforts the downcast’(7:6). He lifts us up when we are down. He enables us to ‘excel in everything - in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, in love, in giving’(8:7). How are we to excel in everything? We must ‘give ourselves to the Lord’(8:5). Everything else flows from this. We are to ‘give ourselves in devoted service to others’(12; 8:4-5). Where does this spirit of ‘rich generosity’ come from? It comes from God, from ‘the grace that God has given’ to us (8:1-2). It comes to us as we give ourselves to Him. Before we can ‘excel in this grace of giving’, we must receive ‘from His fullness, grace upon grace’(8:7; John 1:16).

2 Corinthians 8:8-9:15
How are we to be ‘cheerful’ in giving ourselves to the Lord (9:7)? How are we to be confident that ‘God is able to provide us with every blessing in abundance’(9:8)? Before we ever think of giving ourselves to God, we must look at all He has given to us. We look away from ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ: ‘You know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ…’(8:9). We look at Him and we say, in our hearts, ‘Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!’(9:15). Can our giving to Him even begin to compare with His giving to us? We give to Him as those who have first received from Him. In his giving, we see His love. Our giving expresses our love, our response to His love: ‘We love because He first loved us’(1 John 4:19). Rejoice in His love. Thank Him- for ‘every blessing in abundance’!

Praying Through God’s Word: 2 Corinthians

2 Corinthians 1:1-2:11
Lord, You “comfort us in all our affliction” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4). You turn our times of trouble into times of great blessing. When bad things are happening to us, You keep on loving us. You don’t leave us on our own when the going gets tough. You’re with us in the good times – and You’re with us in the bad times. How do we know that You love us? – Jesus died for us (Romans 5:8). Thank You, Lord, for Your love. It’s the only love that keeps on going when we feel like giving up. It’s the love that keeps us going, the love that assures us that You have not forgotten us. Your promise is still true: “I will never leave you. I will never abandon you” (Hebrews 13:5).
2 Corinthians 2:12-3:18
“In all these things, we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us” (Romans 8:37). “Thanks be to God, who, in Christ, always leads us in triumph” (2 Corinthians 2:14). We thank You, Lord, for Your words of encouragement. where would we be without Your Word which brings such strength into our lives? In ourselves, we are so weak. Again and again, we fail You – but that, Lord, isn’t the full story of our lives. Alongside the story of our sin, there’s another story – the story of Your amazing grace. Your glory is shining upon us. We’re being “changed into Christ’s likeness with ever-increasing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:18). In life’s many hard times, help us, Lord, to see what You’re doing in our lives.
2 Corinthians 4:1-5:10
Lord, You’ve called us to salvation – “God has shone in our hearts … ” (2 Corinthians 4:6). You’ve called us to service – “having this ministry by the mercy of God” (2 Corinthians 4:1). Where do our experience of salvation and our empowering for service come from? – They come from Your great gift, the gift of Your Spirit: “God has given us the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 5:5). we fail You so often. Our faith is weak, our witness seems so ineffective – but there is more than our faith and our witness. There is Your Spirit. Thank You, Lord, for the great encouragement that comes to us from knowing that You have given us Your Spirit – the Spirit of grace, the Spirit of power, the Spirit who will lead us on to Your eternal glory.
2 Corinthians 5:11-7:1
Lord, You have saved us. Help us to serve You. Help us to begin with worship. We cannot work for You if we’re not learning to worship You. Help us also to live for You. We cannot serve You if we’re not learning to live for You. When life, worship and service are brought together, our words and our actions will proclaim Your greatness. We will be “ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Every part of us will say, “To God be the glory! Great things He has done.”
2 Corinthians 7:2-8:7
Before, Lord, we can give to You, we must receive from You. Our giving is always a response to Your grace. We begin with Your grace (2 Corinthians 8:2) – and, then, we move on from there to our giving (2 Corinthians 8:7). How could it ever be any other  way? Our giving cannot even begin to compare with Your giving. The gift of Your Son, Jesus, is the greatest gift of all. Anything we give to You can never be any more than our way of saying, “Thank You, Lord.”
2 Corinthians 8:8-9:15
“You know the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ … Thanks be to God for His unspeakable gift” (2 Corinthians 8:9; 9:15). Love begins with You. It doesn’t begin with us. You loved us so much that You gave Your only Son, Jesus – He is our Saviour (John 3:16). Our love for You comes from Your love for us. We look at Jesus. We see what love is. We ask You to help us to love You, as You love us.
2 Corinthians 10:1-11:15
We know, Lord, that Satan is a determined enemy. He reminds us of this, day-after-day. We thank You, Lord, that Satan is also a defeated enemy. May we remind him of this, day-after-day.
2 Corinthians 11:16-12:10
“My grace is sufficient for you” (2 Corinthians 12:9). These, Lord, were the wonderful words You spoke to Paul. These are the wonderful words that You’re speaking to us. Many years have come and gone since Paul came to You with his ‘thorn in the flesh’ (2 Corinthians 12:7-8). We come to You with our troubles, problems and difficulties. What do You do about all of this? – You say to us, “My grace is sufficient for You.”
2 Corinthians 12:11-13:14
“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14). Lord, these are not only words to be spoken at the end of a service of worship. They’re much more than that. They’re life-changing words. They speak to us of Your blessing. They point us to Jesus, our Saviour. They remind us that Your love is an ‘always and forever’ love. They remind us that “the Spirit is poured upon us from on high” (Isaiah 32:15). Help us, Lord, to live as people who are loved, saved and empowered.

"The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all’ (2 Corinthians 13:14).

We have often heard these words spoken. Here, we are reading them in the Word of God. How often do we think about these words? What do they mean? These are life-changing words. Through ‘the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ’, we become ‘rich’ - ‘blessed in Christ with every spiritual blessing’ (2 Corinthians 8:9, Ephesians 1:3). ‘In love God has destined us to be His sons through Jesus Christ’ (Ephesians 1:5). How do these blessings become ours? How do we become God’s children? We hear the Word of truth, the Gospel of our salvation. We believe in Christ. We are sealed with the promised Holy Spirit (Ephesians 1:13). Such great blessing - ‘the Spirit is poured upon us from on high (Isaiah 32:15)!

One Year Bible: Day 255 - Isaiah 30:19-32:20; 2 Corinthians 13:1-14; Proverbs 22:17-27

What a transformation there is when “the Spirit is poured upon us from on high” (Isaiah 32:14-15). The blessings which God pours upon us are well summed up in 2 Corinthians 13:14 - “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.” How are these ongoing blessings communicated to us? - These blessings come to us through “true and reliable words” (Proverbs 22:21). These blessings come to us from the God of perfect wisdom. His teaching is both present and personal - “I teach you today, even you” (Proverbs 22:19).

One Year Bible: Day 254 - Isaiah 29:1-30:18; 2 Corinthians 12:11-21; Psalm 107:1-9

“In repentance and rest is your salvation” (Isaiah 30:15). Repentance is an ongoing part of our Christian experience - 2 Corinthians 12:21 emphasizes the need for continuing repentance. We have been saved. We continue to sin. We must seek, by God’s grace, to maintain our repentance. Rest is part of our redemption in Christ. To be “redeemed from the hand of the foe” (Psalm 107:2) means the beginning of rest, the beginning of deliverance from the oppressor. This does not mean that the perfect state has been reached. Still, there is “wandering in desert wastelands, finding no way to a city where they could settle” (Psalm 107:4). In Christ, we have entered into our rest. Still, however, there is restlessness - a God-given restlessness - as we continue to hunger and thirst (Psalm 107:5) for “a city where they could settle” (Psalm 107:7), a heavenly city that is permanent, and not merely transient.  In His faithful love, God assures us that He will lead us to this heavenly city where we can settle forevermore (Psalm 107:7), rejoicing in “His unfailing love and His wonderful deeds for men” (Psalm 107:8) and praising Him who satisfies our hunger and quenches our thirst.

One Year Bible: Day 253 - Isaiah 27:1-28:29; 2 Corinthians 12:1-10; Psalm 106:40-48

Isaiah 28:29 contains a great description of God - “The Lord Almighty, wonderful in counsel and magnificent in wisdom.” Paul speaks, in 2 Corinthians 12:7, of “surpassingly great revelations.”  Whenever God reveals an increased measure of His wonderful counsel and magnificent wisdom, He wants us to remain humble, resting only in His grace and power (2 Corinthians 12:9) and not in any supposed achievement or attainment of our own. He wants us always to say, from the heart, “Praise be to the Lord” (Psalm 106:48).

One Year Bible:Day 252 - Isaiah 24:1-26:21; 2 Corinthians 11:16-33; Psalm 106:32-39

“Lord, ... all that we have accomplished You have done for us” (Isaiah 26:12). “I will boast of the things that show my weakness. The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised for ever ... “ (2 Corinthians 11:30-31). The way of pleasing God is the God-centred way of living. The way of angering the Lord (Psalm 106:32) is the way of self-centredness. The words of Psalm 106:32-39 are full of self - “they ... they ... they.” It’s all about them. The only references to God  are descriptions of their refusal to do God’s will (Psalm 106:32-34).

One Year Bible: Day 251 - Isaiah 20:1-23:18; 2 Corinthians 11:1-15; Proverbs 22:7-16

The people of God live in a situation of conflict. We are at war with the enemy. Nevertheless, we need not be afraid. The enemies of the Lord will be brought to nothing: “Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!” (Isaiah 21:9). “Look at the land of the Babylonians, this people that is of no account!” (Isaiah 23:13). There will be “false apostles”, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ” (2 Corinthians 11:13). We must not become discouraged. We must not say, “There is a lion outside!” or “I will be murdered in the streets!” (Proverbs 22:13). We must remember that “the Lord ... frustrates the work of the unfaithful” (Proverbs 22:12).

One Year Bible: Day 250 - Isaiah 17:1-19:25; 2 Corinthians 10:1-18; Psalm 106:16-31

Much of the “oracle concerning Egypt” (Isaiah 19:1) speaks of the negative aspects which are associated with the nation of Egypt. Nevertheless, there is a Word of hope at the end of this oracle (Isaiah 19:18-25). In 2 Corinthians 10:15-16, Paul expresses the hope that “our area of activity among you will greatly expand, so that we can preach the Gospel in the regions beyond you.” It is so important that we do not write people off, that we do not give up hope, that we continue to believe that God can turn things around for His glory and for the salvation of men and women. The story which is told in Psalm 106:16-29 is one which makes us wonder, ‘Can this situation be turned around? Is there any hope?’ In Psalm 106:30-31, we catch a glimpse of hope, it is hope “for endless generations to come.”

One Year Bible: Day 249 - Isaiah 14:1-16:14; 2 Corinthians 9:6-15; Psalm 106:1-15

Christ came to destroy the evil one, Satan - to bring him “down to the grave, to the depths of the pit” (Isaiah 14:12-14). Satan seeks to impoverish our lives. God, however, is very different. He gives us His “surpassing grace.” This is given to us in His Son, our Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ, God’s “indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:14-15). God’s gift of grace is so great that it surpasses our capacity for praising Him - “Who can proclaim the mighty acts of the Lord or fully declare His praises?” (Psalm 106:12).

One Year Bible: Day 248 - Isaiah 10:20-13:22; 2 Corinthians 8:16-9:5; Psalm 105:37-45

Jesus Christ was filled with “the Spirit of the Lord” (Isaiah 11:2). It is by the power of the Holy Spirit that we are to live for Christ. As we give ourselves to the Lord in service, our first priority is “to honour the Lord Himself.” We do this as we “show our eagerness to help” (2 Corinthians 8:19). We, who have been so richly blessed by the Lord, are to live in obedience to Him out of joyful gratitude to Him, our Saviour (Psalm 105:42-45).

One Year Bible: Day 247 - Isaiah 8:11-10:19; 2 Corinthians 8:1-15; Proverbs 21:27-22:6

Who is Jesus Christ? What has He done for us? God’s answer to these questions is found in Isaiah 9:6 - “He will be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” and 2 Corinthians 8:9 - “our Lord Jesus Christ was rich, yet for your sakes, He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich.” We have true riches when we know God: “Rich and poor have this in common: The Lord is the Maker of them all” (Proverbs 22:2).

One Year Bible: Day 246 - Isaiah 5:8-8:10; 2 Corinthians 7:2-16; Psalm 105:23-36

“The holy seed will be the stump in the land” (Isaiah 6:13). God preserves the faithful remnant, the remnant of faith. “If you do not stand firm in your faith, you will not stand at all”(Isaiah 7:9). What or who can keep us firm in the faith? - “Immanuel (God with us)” (Isaiah 7:14). In the face of much opposition, we could easily become discouraged, “But God ... comforts the downcast” (2 Corinthians 7:6). To those who turn to Him, God brings His comfort. To those who turn from Him, He sends His judgment (Psalm 105:28-36).

One Year Bible: Day 245 - Isaiah 3:1-5:7; 2 Corinthians 6:3-7:1; Psalm 105:12-22

“Those who are left ... will be called holy” (Isaiah 4:3). “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers” (2 Corinthians 6:14). The Lord is calling His people to holiness. They are not to be in bondage to the world and its way of living. Even though the Lord’s people are “few in number”, they have this encouragement - they are protected by the Lord: “Do not touch My anointed ones, do My prophets no harm” (Psalm 105:15).

One Year Bible: Day 244 - Isaiah 1:1-2:22; 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:2; Psalm 105:1-11

The ministry of Isaiah calls for reality, for transformed lives. This renewal of our lives can only be achieved through the power of the Lord Jesus Christ. We don’t have the power to change ourselves. It is in Christ that we become “a new creation” (2 Corinthians 5:17). This great Gospel blessing gives us much reason for praising the Lord and giving thanks to Him (Psalm 105:1-2).

One Year Bible: Day 242 - Micah 1:1-4:13; 2 Corinthians 4:1-18; Psalm 104:31-35

“All the nations may walk in the names of their gods; we will walk in the Name of the Lord our God for ever and ever” (Micah 4:5). This is the kind of commitment the Lord is looking for. We commit ourselves to Him not for our benefit but for this purpose: “so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 4:15). As part of this thanksgiving to God, we offer our song of praise to Him: “I will sing to the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live” (Psalm 104:33).

One Year Bible: Day 241 - 2 Chronicles 35:20-36:23; 2 Corinthians 3:7-18; Psalm 104:19-30

The glory of Israel was a fading glory. We should read the closing chapters of 2 Chronicles in the light of 2 Corinthians 3:7 - The glory was fading. God, however, has revealed His glory in greater fullness - “what was glorious has no glory now in comparison with the surpassing glory” (2 Corinthians 3:10). The renewal of God’s glory comes through the Spirit (Psalm 104:30).

Bible Notes by G. Philip

For forty years, Rev George Philip (11th November 1925 - 16th February 2019) taught the Word of God, faithfully and fruitfully, at Sandyfor...