Monday, January 7, 2019 -
This morning I found great encouragement in God’s Word: “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of ourselves; we are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; we are downcast, but not destroyed; always bearing in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our body.” (II Corinthians 4:7-10). “Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven” (II Cor. 4:16 – 5:2). “…but in everything commending ourselves as servants of God, in much endurance, in afflictions, in hardships, in distresses, in beatings, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labors, in sleeplessness, in hunger, in purity, in knowledge, in patience, in kindness, in the Holy Spirit, in genuine love…” (II Cor. 6:3-6). “‘And I will be a Father to you. And you shall be sons and daughters to me,’ says the Lord Almighty.” (II Cor. 6:18).
Indeed, if I am like God’s child, it means all of my trust must be in Him because He promises to care for me like a parent does a child. “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all the defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” (II Cor. 7:1). Why would I do anything to grieve the one who loves me so abundantly that He allows no harm to come to me, and whom I love so much! And finally, “‘No weapon that is formed against you shall prosper. And every tongue that accuses you in judgment you will condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord. And their vindication is from Me,’ declares the Lord.” (Isaiah 54:17).
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