Comfort in the Sufferings of Christ

Paul's words to the church of God in Corinth,
together with all the saints throughout Achaia:

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort,

who comforts us in all our troubles,
so that we can comfort those in any trouble
with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.

For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives,
so also through Christ our comfort overflows.

If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation;
if we are comforted, it is for your comfort,
which produces in you patient endurance
of the same sufferings we suffer.

And our hope for you is firm,
because we know that just as you share in our sufferings,
so also you share in our comfort.

Now this is our boast:
Our conscience testifies that we have conducted ourselves in the world,
and especially in our relations with you,
in the holiness and sincerity that are from God.
We have done so not according to worldly wisdom
but according to God's grace.

For we do not write you anything you cannot read or understand.
And I hope that, as you have understood us in part,
you will come to understand fully that you can boast of us
just as we will boast of you in the day of the Lord Jesus.

For no matter how many promises God has made,
they are "Yes" in Christ.
And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.

Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.
He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us,
and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit,
guaranteeing what is to come.

I call God as my witness that it was in order to spare you
that I did not return to Corinth.

Not that we lord it over your faith,
but we work with you for your joy,
because it is by faith you stand firm.

(2 Corinthians 1:3-7, 12-14, 20-24;
All scripture taken from New International Version.)

Are YOU standing on the promises of God?


Return to List
Previous    Next

----------------------------------------------------

Return to Home Page

Copyright © 1998,  Believer's International
Revised -- 1999-08-21
URL: http://bowss.org 
E-Mail: BOWSS' Home Page at bowss@comcast.net