February 28 Daily Devotional

Bible Reading

2 Corinthians 1:1-14:

¹Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, unto the church of God which is at Corinth, with all the saints which are in all Achaia:
²Grace be to you and peace from God our Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
³Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort;
⁴Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.
⁵For as the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ.
⁶And whether we be afflicted, it is for your consolation and salvation, which is effectual in the enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer: or whether we be comforted, it is for your consolation and salvation.
⁷And our hope of you is stedfast, knowing, that as ye are partakers of the sufferings, so shall ye be also of the consolation.
⁸For we would not, brethren, have you ignorant of our trouble which came to us in Asia, that we were pressed out of measure, above strength, insomuch that we despaired even of life:
⁹But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raiseth the dead:
¹⁰Who delivered us from so great a death, and doth deliver: in whom we trust that he will yet deliver us;
¹¹Ye also helping together by prayer for us, that for the gift bestowed upon us by the means of many persons thanks may be given by many on our behalf.
¹²For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward.
¹³For we write none other things unto you, that what ye read or acknowledge; and I trust ye shall acknowledge even to the end;
¹⁴As also ye have acknowledged us in part, that we are your rejoicing, even as ye also are our's in the day of the Lord Jesus.

Devotional

Self-denial, cross-bearing, tribulation, suffering, persecution—all belong to the life of a Christian. Christ says, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me." "And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me." In the world you shall have tribulation, and Paul tells us, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution." And writing to the Thessalonians about being counted worthy of the kingdom of God he says, "For which ye also suffer."

But why all this suffering and tribulation? God does not willingly afflict, nor grieve the children of men. He does not delight in their suffering. "Though he causes grief, yet will he have compassion according to the multitude of his mercies." Even tribulation and suffering must work together for our good. Paul says, "We glory in tribulation also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience and patience, experience; and experience, hope: and hope maketh not ashamed." The God of all comfort, comforts us in all our tribulation; that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God. As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also aboundeth by Christ. "If we suffer with him, we shall reign with him." "The sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us." Those before the throne of God, who have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb are they which came out of great tribulation.

Prayer

Our Father in heaven, In all our sorrow, persecution. and tribulation, may we not become discouraged but with uplifted head look for the self-same One who has before offered himself for us to the judgment of God, and removed from us all curse, to come again as Judge from heaven, who shall cast all his and my enemies into everlasting condemnation, but shall take me, with all his chosen ones, to himself, into heavenly joy and glory." May this be our comfort. Amen.

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Scripture in Devotional: Matt. 16:24; 10:38; John 16:33; 2 Tim. 3:12; 2 Thess. 1:5; Lam. 3:32, 33; Rom. 5:3-5; 2 Cor. 1:3-5; 2 Tim. 2:12; Rom. 8:18; Rev. 7:14.

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