Thoughts for Today
2 Corinthians 1:8-11 (NLT)
I think you ought to know, dear brothers and sisters, about the trouble we went through in the province of Asia. We were crushed and completely overwhelmed, and we thought we would never live through it. 9In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we learned not to rely on ourselves, but on God who can raise the dead. 10And he did deliver us from mortal danger. And we are confident that he will continue to deliver us. 11He will rescue us because you are helping by praying for us. As a result, many will give thanks to God because so many people's prayers for our safety have been answered.
Thoughts and Questions:
2 Corinthians 1 is a great chapter to read especially when you feel like you need comfort :) It talks a lot about how God is the source of comfort, why God comforts us, what to do when we are comforted by God and has the promise of continual comfort as you endure suffering. It is quite a comforting scripture. Then, when I read verse 11, I found a jewel! One of the keys to getting comforted and rescued is through prayer! Here Paul was delivered from mortal danger and felt confident that he will continue to be delivered because of people praying for them.
How much do we rely on prayer to rescue us and comfort ourselves and other people?
Do we believe that prayer is key and that God answers prayers? (Though the answer may not be what we want.)
Are we going to pray today for what is troubling us?
Thoughts for Today (3/2/06) - Stubbornly refusing to believe?
Mark 16:14 (NLT)
Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their unbelief--their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
Thoughts & Questions:
This scripture took place after Jesus had ressurected, which is what he had told his disciples will happen. When Jesus appeared to them he had to rebuke them for their unbelief, because they "stubbornly" refused to believe even though others had told them the good news that Jesus had risen. This struck me because sometimes we can "stubbornly" refuse to believe. There is something deliberate about this decision that Jesus had to rebuke it.
Are we stubborn about certain things that people have told us that we need to change?
Are we stubborn about our unbelief because of past dissapointments?
Are we stuck in life because we are just plain stubborn and unbelieving that things can change?
Knowing that we probably said yes to all of the above, pray that we too can be rebuked and woken up from living an unbelieving life.
Thoughts for Today (3/1/06) - Anxious to please or gathering courage?
Mark 15:15 (NLT)
So Pilate, anxious to please the crowd, released Barabbas to them. He ordered Jesus flogged with a lead-tipped whip, then turned him over to the Roman soldiers to crucify him.
Mark 15:42-43 (NLT)
...As evening approached, an honored member of the high council, Joseph from Arimathea (who was waiting for the Kingdom of God to come), gathered his courage and went to Pilate to ask for Jesus' body.
Thoughts & Questions:
Mark 15 is the chapter in Mark that depicts Jesus torture, crucifixion and burial. It is quite an intense chapter. Two characters that were part of this horrific, historical event caught my attention. One was Pilate, he was the guy who came into the picture before Jesus was crucified. The scripture above described how he was "anxious to please the crowd" and as a result he released Barabbas instead. The second character that caught my attention was Joseph. After Jesus died on the cross, the Bible describes him as someone who "gathered his courage" to ask for Jesus' body.
Here are two different men, two different reactions to Jesus. One was anxious to please the crowd and the other was someone who gathered courage. What kind will we be today?
Will we be anxious to please the crowd like Pilate and give into what we think people expect from us, though we may not think it is right?
Or will we be like Joseph who was willing to gather his courage? Sometimes we need to stop and gather our courage to do what we need to even though we may not want to do it. That is a part of what courage is, facing our fears.
Thoughts for Today (2/28/06) - Love and Denial
Mark 14: 29-30 (New Living Translation)
Peter said to him, "Even if everyone else deserts you, I never will."
"Peter," Jesus replied, "the truth is, this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times."
Thoughts & Questions:
Even though Jesus knew his friend Peter was going to deny him three times that very night, he still believed in him and still loved him. Jesus loves us the same way today. The questions are:
Will we love people the same way today?
How often will we deny Jesus today? Will we beat Peter's record? We can deny God through the visible or unnoticeable choices we make today.
Thoughts for Today