July 31, Reading 3 – 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:16

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

This warning Do not be yoked together with unbelievers is for our comfort and well-being. This warning is for before you commit! Yoked means to be legally tied to someone in business or in any other relationship, such as marriage. Paul has already dealt with the situation where this is already so – 1 Cor.7:12-14.

SJA Notes

* Loving God, thank You for breathing out Your word to us so that we can read and be fed today.

“For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.”

Sorrow falls upon us all, throughout our days – Coming heavy and heavier.

Godly grief produces repentance. Worldly grief produces death.

So.

What do we Jesus-believers do with our sorrow, our grief – as opposed to the world around us?

Peter in his letters gives us the antidote,

“… Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.”

And what of our King, what does He know of sorrow?

The prophet Isaiah foretells,

“Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows;”

So then, what does our eternal hope have to say about sorrow?

We read in the book of Revelation,

“He will wipe away every tier from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”

In our grief and sorrow, no matter the wound, we have an antidote!

We have a Saviour and King who not only knows our wounds, but has borne them out fully!

And we have a hope, sure and steady, that one day all sorrow and grief will be no more.

Hallelujah, what a Saviour!

* Father God,

Thank You, O Lord – Our hope is in You. Your love for us, Your steadfast love and  faithfulness.

Amen.

July 30, Reading 3 – 2 Corinthians 5:11-6:13

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

God has committed unto you through His apostle the ministry of reconciliation! May the joy of being a new creation in Christ strengthen your heart today!

SJA Notes

* Holy God, thank You for Your word, that it teaches us about You and Your salvation plan for us.

“Behold, now is the favourable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.”

Now is the favourable time! Now is the day of salvation!

Here is a cry from Paul for those reading his words – Come to Jesus!

He implores the reader, be reconciled to God!

Let this be our cry, as we speak to folk around us.

Let our lives be salt and light, imploring people to be reconciled to God in Jesus.

Let our prayer be for the day of salvation, the favourable time, to be now for those we know.

* Father God,

For our sake You made Jesus, who knew no sin, to be sin – so that in Him we might become righteousness, Your righteousness.

Please save those around us and onwards outwards Lord God.

Please call them with irresistible grace and may they answer.

May they be reconciled to You.

Please Lord God, this we pray.

Amen.

July 29, Reading 3 – 2 Corinthians 4:7-5:10

Reading

Audio, Visual

SAA Notes

What precious thoughts are these in verses 7-18. Christians have found comfort and strength from them for 2,000 years. Life often has difficult and hard times. May you be sustained by what is unseen and eternal!

SJA Notes

* God Above, please open our hearts to hear Your word to us today.

“For this light momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison, as we look not to the things that are seen but to things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

How much wonderful hope is in this passage!

We look to the things that are unseen, they are eternal.

This is so important that Paul repeats it,

“For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal.”

The afflictions we suffer through our lives, the scars and burdens, the wounds we gain and may even bear through our lives – These are, praise God, transient.

And even those things are used by God to prepare an eternal weight of glory. Beyond all comparison!

What a God we have – What a wonderful God!

* Heavenly Father,

Thank You for today. Thank You for Your love for us.

Thank You that You give to us a hope eternal. Thank You for Jesus.

Amen.