Bible Chapter: II Corinthians 1

Because the Bible is practical, here are some statements to get you thinking.

1.  Write one or two key thoughts that come from today’s reading.
    Comfort.  That is something we all need periodically.  We love it when we receive it.  The picture of this comfort is one standing beside another.  I can picture someone holding up the one who is hurting.  Paul talked about those who suffer who then can help others in their times of grief.  Those who have experienced loss can feel and help others in an effective way. The Christian life will include suffering.  Paul said that there were times they thought they were going through things beyond their ability to endure, even to feel the sentence of death.  But, God carried them through.  God is faithful.  They were then able to help others through their times of trial.
    Verse 12 jumped out to me.  They had conducted themselves in their ministry in holiness and sincerity.  The did not follow worldly wisdom.  They were showing that they understood the importance of living a holy life and rejecting in influence and standards of the world.  These actions are necessary to make it in the work of the ministry.

2.  What can I apply in my life from the reading?
    As I think of Biblical application I continue to think of verse 12.  I must life a holy life.  How is that defined?  Simply, I think it means that I strive to live according to the foundational principles of the Bible and seek to follow a Christlike life.  The question “What would Jesus do?” must be asked and answered sincerely.  It cannot be manipulated to try to provide the answer I want it to say to allow it to feed my fleshly desires.  I must separate the world view of the Bible and the worldly system.  I must strive to discover the standards of righteousness that define God.  The more I get that right, the closer I will get to the Savior.  The closer I get the more I will be able to live the life God planned for me.

3.  How can I help someone?
    I think of the part of this chapter that talks about comfort.  The comfort that the world offers is generally quite pathetic.  The world talks about making sense of horrible situations.  They say that counselors and comforters need to make sense of the situation.  Sin doesn’t make sense.  God’s comfort carries us through the trials of life (in spite of the craziness of sin and destruction) and gives an inner strength that doesn’t make sense to those who don’t know the Lord.  People in times of trial need the comfort that comes from the Lord.  I need to point them to that source, to HIM.