2 Corinthians 1
New International Version
1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother,
To the church of God in Corinth, together with all his holy people throughout Achaia:
2 Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise to the God of All Comfort
3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.
Paul gives us something very valuable in this passage. He discusses how we can find comfort and receive God’s love and peace. This is God’s version of anti-anxiety drugs, in infinite wisdom. If we can receive and internalize this amazing gift, then we have no need for medication and anxiety because we know that there’s no future that can prevent us from achieving the peace of the Lord.
So we have to consider what is preventing us from that peace. The enemy is constantly surrounding us with doubt, especially in the form of relying on our own understanding and over intellectualizing the Word. Could God prove to us his existence like he did in the Old Testament? Of course. But that wouldn’t achieve our purpose in life. Our purpose is to accept His Love and do His Works, on faith. Believing what we know, in spite of the enemy constantly bombarding us with barriers is the very essence of faith. And Paul is addressing that specifically here.
God is offering us his comfort at all times. We just need to receive it. That would be very easy if not for the many tools of the enemy, who is outside of us, but also within us. Doubt is an enemy that comes and goes - we need to be able to fight it and the best way is through praying, reading our Bible, and staying in faith within works.
Spiritual Inventory: https://www.thenivbible.com/blog/8-point-spiritual-growth-inventory/
Psalm 102 - a Verse for Optimism
You Are All Going to Hell (But You Aren’t)
Last week I had the opportunity to attend a Men’s group at my church. One of the members told a story about a person at a local grocery store who was standing outside yelling at people that they are going to hell. The member, John, decided to speak with this man and discuss his views on God and salvation. We are a fairly liberal church, rooted in the Word. We accept that we are all sinners and only with Jesus can we find salvation. Nobody talks too much about political issues such as abortion, homosexuality, or other sins. We talk a lot about repenting from sin. We talk about loving each other. John explained his beliefs, especially that God is Love. He expressed that God sent his only Son for us because he loves us. John said they had a good conversation and as soon as he walked away, this man pointed at him and screamed, “He is a sinner who is going to hell.” John was disappointed.
But was John right? Was the man screaming about hell and brimstone right? Well . . . I don’t know. But I believe that God has showed us the way in his Word. What we do with that is up to us. I believe there is evil in the world that will take us if we don’t live life according to God’s Word. In our Church, we deny the sin, but not the sinner. We love the sinner, because he/she is us. We are not immune from sin. Jesus was the only perfect person who walked this earth and we are not him.
I do not accept the “you are all going to hell” judgment. First, God has warned us against judgment. Second, I don’t know what is in other people's hearts. Third, God wants us to bring people to Him and I think that screaming that people are going to hell is not going to do that.
So what to do with a person in that situation. It’s the answer to most issues. Pray for him. Many people are trying their best to help others find God. The best way to do that isn’t always clear. I have to admit that I don’t know my way is right and other peoples’ way of expressing their