In The Word
Read: 2 Corinthians 4:7-5:10
7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, so that the surpassing greatness of the power will be of God and not from ourselves; 8 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are constantly being delivered over to death for Jesus’ sake, so that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh. 12 So death works in us, but life in you.
13 But having the same spirit of faith, according to what is written, “I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak, 14 knowing that He who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and will present us with you. 15 For all things are for your sakes, so that the grace which is spreading to more and more people may cause the giving of thanks to abound to the glory of God.
16 Therefore we do not lose heart, but though our outer man is decaying, yet our inner man is being renewed day by day. 17 For momentary, light affliction is producing for us an eternal weight of glory far beyond all comparison, 18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal.
The Temporal and Eternal
5 For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For indeed in this house we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, 3 inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. 4 For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.5 Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge.
6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight—8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord. 9 Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. 10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.
New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation
Walking In The Word
In 2 Corinthians 4:9-10, it says, “We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down but not destroyed.” This is a powerful truth about the life of a true Christian. Persecution is our position, but we are always victorious in every situation through Jesus Christ. The apostle Paul faced so many persecutions and trials, but in all of them he remained standing and victorious through Jesus Christ. As the time goes by and our bodies wear, we should not be worried but rejoice because our inner man is being renewed day by day. The affliction we face today produces for us an incomparable glory.
God made our bodies to be temporal; He wanted us to use them as we proclaim the good news here on earth. The time will come when our body cannot take it anymore and will wither and die. In 1 Peter 1:24, it says, “For all people are like grass, and all their glory is like flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall.” We have a building from God, and it’s not made by hands; we will stay with our Father in heaven for all eternity. In 2 Corinthians 5:7, it says, “For we live by faith, not by sight.”
No matter how weak your body gets, you still have to preach the good news. As long as there is breath in you, you can still testify of the Lord’s goodness. Live a healthy life, take care of your body, and have more time to share the good news.