Some verses

I found some great verses today while I was doing my special time with God and my Bible, so I'm going to share them along with my thoughts.

2 Corinthians 1:3-5 "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too."

I think this verse basically speaks for itself. I consider myself blessed to share in Christ's sufferings. He is who I'm here to be more like and He is who I'm here to serve. It's such a joy to know that we share in His comfort too. We don't have to go through things that He hasn't already experienced, and we don't have to go through trials alone. He's always there, and He's our constant source of comfort.

2 Corinthians 1:9-10 "Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death. But that was to make us rely not on ourselves but on God who raises the dead. He delivered us from such a deadly peril, and He will deliver us. On Him we have set our hope that He will deliver us again."

2 Corinthians 3:4-5 "Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God."

Not relying on ourselves...how often do I do that, even just for a moment? God doesn't put us through trials just because, but He puts us through them to test us. He wants to see if we're going to turn to Him for comfort, or if we'll turn to ourselves or the world around us. He wants us to run into His arms and let Him share our burden. He also wants us to learn how to be more like Him. He delivers us from our enemies and from dangers and trials, but we cannot look to ourselves for any source of strength or comfort.

**GET A MENTAL IMAGE OF THIS NEXT VERSE**

2 Corinthians 2:14-15 "But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are the aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing."

WOW! What a beautiful picture!! I can't really comment...it's all in the mental image.

2 Corinthians 4:8-10 "We are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not driven to dispair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; always carrying in the body the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be manifested in our bodies."

A powerful verse about how we will face hard times, but ultimately, Christ WILL have the victory!!!

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 "So we do not lose heart. Though our outer nature is wasting away, our inner nature is being renewed day by day. For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparision, as we look not to the things that are seen but to the things that are unseen. For the things that are seen are transient, but the things that are unseen are eternal."

Oh, we'll face trials, but they will pale in comparison to a life of perfect eternity...unending bliss. With our Savior!! We are storing up treasures in Heaven and crowns that God will give us when we see Him. What a Savior!