We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you. But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, “I believed in God, so I spoke.” We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to Himself together with you. All of this is for your benefit. And as God’s grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.
2 Corinthians 4:8-15
We are moving on now to the verses that follow 2 Cor 4:7 not because we have exhausted what could be said about 2 Cor 4:7. I deliberately refrain from preaching to you through the Bible Gems. If you are preaching on 2 Cor 4:7 there is much more to be said.
- What are the implications coming from that verse?
- What ought we do as result of that truth?
- What is the application and the significance of that verse to our lives.
We could take a month to unpack it. But for the moment I will leave you to put it together. Ponder it for yourself. Ask the help of the Holy Spirit to apply that verse to your life. Remember too where Paul is heading with it all. There is more to come and I will sum up in a few days time but still leave the application to you to work out for yourself.
I told you a few days ago (Bible Gem 526) that I was leaving you to go to Kadesh Barnea in the Desert of Paran. I wonder if any of you picked up on that and wondered why I would go there. It is a highly significant place. And it helps immensely with what we are facing now. [The verses for today]. I have dealt with this before in Bible Gem 14 – Paran means to Endow with Glory (Num 11:10-13). But of course most of you were not following me then.
I will leave you to ponder on it for a day and dig for yourselves before we move from our camp at 2 Cor 4:7 and into troubles, perplexity, being hunted down, knocked down, suffering, being in constant danger and facing death. Wow! Not pleasant stuff. Let’s stay at Camp 2 4:7 Ian. No, we can’t. That’s the whole point of 2 Cor 4:7. Don’t you get it. Take more time to ponder it and look up Bible Gem 14.
The website for all of the Gems (and other things) is now searchable and indexed. You will be able to search them by title and or verse or topic. But in the meantime let’s test who the keen ones are. Take a journey with me to Paran either through Gem 14 or your own journey to Paran. It’s well worth it.
They say: It ain’t over till the weight challenged lady sings.
Anon
It ain’t actually over till God says it’s over and only He knows when it’s over. The empty grave is proof of that.
Ian Vail
Jesus is Risen! all the rules are changed. Nothing will remain the same.
Ian Vail