Jim Peters

Paul’s 2nd Letter to God’s People at Corinth – Part 1

Posted on 26. Jul, 2009 by Jim Peters in Hearing God - Jim's Daily D

2 Corinthians – Paul’s 2nd Letter to God’s People at Corinth
Chapter 1
1 Paul, Christ Jesus’ apostle (that is his messenger) and Timothy (our) brother, to God’s gathering (of believers) in Corinth and all the saints in the whole Achaia (region). 2 Grace and peace from God our Father and the Owner and Master, Jesus the Christ (which means the anointed One).
3 (Let) the God and Father of our Owner and Master Jesus the Christ be praised. He is the Father of mercy and of all comfort. 4 He comes alongside us in all our distress so that we can come alongside those who are in any distress with the comfort that we have from God coming alongside us. 5 This comfort is excessive through Christ just as Christ’s sufferings are also ours and excessive.
6 But if we are in distress, it’s to comfort and save you, or if we are comfo0rted it is to comfort you, working for you (to be able to) endure the same suffering that we also suffer. 7 Our hope for you is confirmed, knowing that we share together in suffering and also in comfort . 8 Brothers, we don’t want you to be ignorant of the distress that came to us in Asia. We were depressed above and beyond our strength so that we also despaired of life. 9 We had death in us, saying, “I must die.” so that we couldn’t trust ourselves, but (had to trust) God (who) raises up (those who are) dead. 10 He rescued us from so great a death, and he will still rescue us.
11 You join to help us as you ask God (to provide) for us so that we (can) thank many people for the gift (given) to us by (so) many.

Wednesday, 22 July 2009
2 Corinthians 1:1-11
Application
Suffering isn’t something that we want to get up in the morning and pray for. In fact I don’t even like to consider the possibility. My prayer is that all suffering be removed and that my day goes smoothly. However, here we see that Paul and Timothy are writing from a position of great need and tremendous suffering, to the point where they want to die. They tell the Corinthian church that they suffer so that the church will be comforted and saved. They also stand in the midst of suffering to say, “My God will rescue me. He’s rescued me before and he will rescue me again.”
The word comfort is closely aligned with “comes alongside” – ie the Holy Spirit is called the comforter and it means that He is that One who comes alongside. God comes alongside me to bring comfort in my time of need. I don’t have to depend totally on me. In fact, I can’t trust myself at all and I need to lean wholly on God who knows what is best for me.
The question is whether God differentiates between the trouble I bring on myself and the suffering that I have because I serve him. I don’t know about the differentiation, but I know that as I call out to God in my time of need, whatever that need is, he is faithful to turn to me and help me. There are often earthly consequences, but there is nothing that will prevent the Holy Spirit coming alongside to comfort me and bring me through the trouble.
Prayer
Father, I need your help. I need you to come alongside me and rescue me. I need wisdom that is way beyond anything that I have personally and I need your power and your strength to see me through this situation. Lord, I throw myself at your mercy and ask for your deliverance. You are my God and my comfort.
IJN Amen

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