Book 238 Bible Readings – 2 Corinthians 1: 8-10 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 26-28, 2 Corinthians 1: 1-11, Psalm 119: 153-160

2 Corinthians 1: 8-10 (ESV)

“For we do not want you to be unaware, brothers, of the affliction we experienced in Asia. For we were so utterly burdened beyond our strength that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us. On him we have set our hope that he will deliver us again.”

In Paul’ second letter to the Church of Corinth, he wrote to them of the affliction he had experienced in Asia and how he felt they had experienced the equivalent of a death sentence. But Paul reminds us that sometimes in a season of affliction every person of faith will have an experience of death so we can know that the only person we can rely on is God. We cannot even rely on ourselves. We can rely on God because only he can raise us, resurrect us from a feeling of death. God delivered us in the past, now, and will do so again in the future. As people of faith, we rely on God to be faithful to deliver us from troubles that are sometimes so bad it feels like we have died spiritually. But we must trust that God will always deliver us and that in these constant experiences of resurrection, God will draw us closer to him and we will draw ourselves closer to God.

Day 237 Bible Readings – 2 Chronicles 24: 24 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 24 & 25, 1 Corinthians 16, Psalm 119: 145-152

2 Chronicles 24: 24 (ESV)

“Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, the Lord delivered into their hand a very great army, because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash.”

Verse 24 from 2 Chronicles shows what happens when Joash listened to his friends and he abandoned being faithful to God. God punished Joash and let the Syrian army defeat him even though they did not have enough men. When you have a season of trials, a person of faith needs to see if they have been faithful to God. Sometimes God gives us trials, so we can deepen our relationship with him when we let our mind stray from him. These trials remind us to always keep our focus on God, and to keep praising him even in a season of trials. The Bible is filled with so many stories of people who have gone through their own season of trials, and how God was always faithful to them. If we read God’s word every day, we will always be reminded of his faithfulness to his people and we can have confidence of is faithfulness to us.

Day 236 Bible Readings – 1 Corinthians 15: 54-57 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 21-23, 1 Corinthians 15: 50-59, Psalm 119: 137-44

1 Corinthians 15: 54-57 (ESV)

“When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Verses 54-57 from 1 Corinthians 15 shows Paul talking about what we as believers in Jesus Christ have gained through his resurrection. Because Christ allowed himself to be sacrificed for our sins by his death on the cross and then rose three (3) days later, we need no longer fear death because when we die we will be with Christ in eternity. Death has no victory over us and we will be resurrected like Jesus when we die. This promise of eternal life gives people of faith a calmness and a peacefulness because death has no power over them. Why wouldn’t you want the calmness and peace of knowing that you need not fear death? Death is such a scary thing for all people. But with faith in Jesus Christ, we have the promise of resurrection after death. We have the example of Christ, who rose from the dead and later appeared and spoke to his disciples.  With Christ all things are possible, even the promises of victory over death.

Day 235 Bible Readings – 2 Chronicles 20: 15 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 18: 28-34, 2 Chronicles 19-20, 1 Corinthians 15: 35-49, Psalm 119: 129-136

2 Chronicles 20: 15 (ESV)

“And he said, “Listen, all Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: Thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not be afraid and do not be dismayed at this great horde, for the battle is not yours but God's.”

Verse 15 from 2 Chronicles is God’s answer to King Jehoshaphat when he prayed to God for help in the battle that was before him. The Lord told spoke through Jahaziel telling the king that they didn’t even need to fight, and they just needed to stand firm and hold their position. God kept his word and the king found that his enemies had fought against each other and killed themselves. I love how God kept his promise to the king. Before any battle we must always pray to God for guidance. I know for myself that I don’t pray to God first, but only as a last resort. But I have found over the years that this strategy doesn’t always work for the best. If I had prayed to God first, I might have had an easier time with some seasons of trouble I experienced.

I know my reasoning was always “God is too busy to deal with my little battle, and I can deal with it myself.” But I know I was wrong. God is never too busy to hear our prayers. If I had prayed to God first before any battle small or large, I would have heard God’s advice. Perhaps he might have said “You can handle it on your own”, or “I can help you” But I didn’t pray to God first. I just assumed what he would say. We can never assume to know God’s will for our life. We must always pray first, and when wait for his answer. Over the years I’ve found that if I prayed first to God, then everything always seemed to work out for the best. And when I didn’t pray to God first, my troubles seemed to last longer and weren’t as easily resolved. So now I pray first and wait for answer from God, which gives me more peace than I’ve ever had in the past.