Day 241 Bible Readings – 2 Corinthians 2: 15 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 33-34, 2 Corinthians 2: 12-17, Psalm 120

2 Corinthians 2: 15 (ESV)

“For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing,”

Verse 15 from 2 Corinthians 2 shows Paul talking about what it means to spread the gospel of Christ. To those people who are being saved by their belief in Jesus Christ or those who are perishing and want to repent for their sins to God so they can be with Christ, people of faith are welcomed like the smell of good food. Paul reminds us that we should not be ashamed to talk about our faith in God because to those who are starving to hear the words of God, we will be as welcomed as food. As people of faith, we should never be ashamed to share our faith because we do not know if people are starving for the word of God. We need to trust that if Holy Spirit is inspiring us to share our faith with people we don’t know, it is because the person we are speaking to someone who needs to hear the word of God. We cannot judge what someone needs based on appearance or light conversation. Only God knows what is in each person’s heart. A person might be starving for the word of God, but we will never know until we share our faith in Jesus Christ.

Day 240 Bible Readings – 2 Corinthians 2: 10-11 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 31-32, 2 Corinthians 2: 1-11, Psalm 119: 169-176

2 Corinthians 2: 10-11 (ESV)

“Anyone whom you forgive, I also forgive. Indeed, what I have forgiven, if I have forgiven anything, has been for your sake in the presence of Christ, so that we would not be outwitted by Satan; for we are not ignorant of his designs.”

Verses 10 and 11 from 2 Corinthians 2 shows Paul asking the Church of Corinth to forgive the member of the church who had sinned and who repented. Paul stresses that forgiveness is important because the man who sinned had repented, and it was now a time of healing in the church. Paul knew that if church members did not accept the man who sinned back into their fellowship, they would help Satan cause the man to despair. Satan has many strategies which Paul said was known to everyone. If we know Satan’s strategies, we must be careful not fall prey to them. Paul said we need to follow the example of Christ, and always be kind to people even if they have sinned. We must always be aware of how we are sinning so Satan cannot take advantage of us.

I know for myself it is easy to hold onto a person’s guilt and not forgive them. Withholding forgiveness not only hurt me, but it also sometimes hurt the other person if they wanted to be forgiven. I knew I was punishing them, but I was so angry at the time. When I was finally able to forgive the person and told them, they were so joyful and I felt a sense of peace. Forgiveness always brings peace to you and the other person, especially if they have repented. Forgiveness is the way of Christ, and as a follower of Christ we need always try to emulate his ways.

Day 239 Bible Readings – 2 Chronicles 30: 9 (ESV)

2 Chronicles 29-30, 2 Corinthians 1: 12-24, Psalm 119: 161-168

2 Chronicles 30: 9 (ESV)

“For if you return to the Lord, your brothers and your children will find compassion with their captors and return to this land. For the Lord your God is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him.”

Verse 9 from 2 Chronicles 30 shows Hezekiah telling the those in Israel who had fallen away from God that if they return to God, he will be gracious and merciful to you. This is reminder for the people of faith today that God will always welcome back anyone who has turned away from him. We have a merciful and gracious God, and good father, who will welcome the prodigals who come back to him. I know sometimes when I have been away from God for a long time, there is some part of my mind that always wonders if God will take me back. Or are there any circumstances when God will not take someone back who want to return to him? I think Paul is the perfect example of how merciful God is to those who have turned from him. Before Paul came to know Jesus Christ, he was Saul who persecuted the early followers of Christ. I always think if God can use somebody like Paul who persecuted the followers of Christ, he will take anyone back and use them to further his kingdom on earth. 

If you have been away from Christ and want to come back, do not be afraid. God will take you back, will not turns his face from you, and will celebrate your return.

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.