<p><span class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold">For Reading and Meditation:</span><br /><span class="italic">&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;<span class="scriptRef">2 Corinthians 4:7-12</span></span></p>
<p>Today we stay with the thought that half our spiritual perplexities would never arise if we started out by being prepared not to understand immediately the things that God does or allows. We must accept that one of the fundamental principles of the Christian life is the truth that there will be many times when God will work things out in a manner exactly opposite to the way we think He should.</p>
<p>If I had been taught this in the early days of my Christian life, it would have saved me from many spiritual struggles. Most of my perplexities arose because I failed to realise that I was dealing with a mind that is omniscient - that God's mind is not like my mind. The ways of God are inscrutable; His mind is infinite and eternal and His purposes are beyond understanding.</p>
<p>When we are dealing with such a great and mighty God it should not surprise us that He allows things to happen which we find perplexing. If we insist that everything in life should be plain, we shall soon find ourselves in the state in which the psalmist found himself - full of doubt, disillusionment and fear. We should note, however, that perplexity is not necessarily sinful. It only becomes wrong when we allow our perplexity to drive us to despair.</p>
<p>The apostle Paul, as our text for today shows us, was perplexed but he was not in despair. Make sure you understand the distinction. It is not foolish or wrong to say: "I don't know what is happening." It is only foolish to say: "God doesn't know what is happening."</p>
<p class="center-it italic bold mlr40 mtb20">O Father, how comforting it is to realise that I can be perplexed and yet not fall into sin. Help me to keep this distinction clear. Drive the truth deep into my spirit today that You always know what is happening. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.</p>
<div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around">
<div>
<div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0px;">
<li><span class="scriptRef">Joshua 1:1-6</span></li>
<li><span class="scriptRef">Isaiah 54:10</span></li>
<li><span class="scriptRef">Hebrews 13:5</span></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div>
<div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0px;">
<li>What was God's promise to Joshua and Isaiah?</li>
<li>What is God's promise to us?</li>
</ul>
</div>
</div>

Let a little light into your soul every day with this wonderful devotional from English pastor Selwyn Hughes.

Every Day Light with Selwyn Hughes

Perplexed, But Not in Despair

<p><span class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold">For Reading and Meditation:</span><br><span class="italic">     <span class="scriptRef" ref="1pe+4:7-19">1 Peter 4:7-19</span></span></p><p>We continue focusing on the fact that many Christians are persecuted, not because of identifying with Christ, but because of their tactlessness and folly. This eighth Beatitude - "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" - does not apply to such people. Let us be quite clear about that. There is a great difference between persecution for the sake of righteousness and persecution for the sake of self-righteousness. Many Christians are foolish in these matters. They fail to realise the difference between prejudice and principle, and thus bring unnecessary suffering upon themselves. The same applies to those who are over-zealous in their witnessing. They make a nuisance of themselves and interpret the persecution that comes as persecution for righteousness' sake. The scripture teaches us to be "wise as serpents and innocent as doves". The writer of the Proverbs puts it powerfully when he says: "He who wins souls is wise"  (<span class="scriptRef" ref="pr+11:30">Proverbs 11:30</span>). We are not told in this eighth Beatitude, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because they are over-zealous', neither are we told, "Blessed are those who are persecuted because they are fanatical." I was once asked by a church to counsel one of their members who had a compulsion to witness. The man got into so many difficulties because of this that the church threatened to discipline him unless he agreed to receive counselling. I found his compulsion to witness came not from Christ, but from his own inner drives. He needed to witness so as to feel significant. Witnessing should be a constraint, never a compulsion. </p><p class="center-it italic bold mlr40 mtb20">O Father, show me how to distinguish between what is a compulsion and what is a constraint. And help me to see that if I don't find my significance in my relationship with You, then I will attempt to find it in other ways. Amen.</p><div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="ac+9:1-29">Acts 9:1-29</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="1co+4:12">1 Corinthians 4:12</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="2co+4:9">2 Corinthians 4:9</span></li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>Who was Saul really persecuting?</li><li>What was his early experience of proclaiming Christ?</li></ul></div></div>

"If you suffer, it should not be as a murderer or thief or any other kind of criminal, or even as a meddler." (v. 15)

<p><span class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold">For Reading and Meditation:</span><br><span class="italic">     <span class="scriptRef" ref="1th+5:12-28">1 Thessalonians 5:12-28</span></span></p><p>We continue meditating on the importance of looking at life "steadily and whole". I venture to suggest that people who are not Christians are unable to see life as a whole. How can they, when their thinking takes place only on the level of the natural? Natural thinking is notoriously partial and incomplete. Take, for example, the field of medicine. A generation ago doctors treated the symptoms that people presented to them, but now, with a clearer understanding of how the mind affects physical health, they have come to see that this approach was partial. One doctor said: "At long last the medical profession has discovered that the patient himself is important." Medicine is fast moving towards what is described as a "holistic" approach as more and more doctors begin to realise that it is not enough to treat the problem, we must also treat the person. They are still far from seeing that there is also a spiritual element in the person that has to be considered, but perhaps in time that will come. Christian counselling suffers from the same problem - it does not see the whole picture. I am tired of reading books on Christian counselling that give just one side of the issue and suggest that problems can be resolved by applying one special technique. Man was created as a whole person and he will never be helped back to wholeness unless every part of his being is treated - spirit, soul and body. God wants to restore His image in us: not in part of us but in the whole. </p><p class="center-it italic bold mlr40 mtb20">O Father, forgive us that so often we settle for the half view of things rather than the whole. Quicken my spiritual understanding so that I have Your view on all things - the "whole" view. In Jesus' Name I ask it. Amen.</p><div class="tl-lightgrey mt20 pt20 flexbox-row-wrap jc-around"><div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">AdditionalVerses</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="2co+4:1-16">2 Corinthians 4:1-16</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="pr+20:27">Proverbs 20:27</span></li><li><span class="scriptRef" ref="ec+12:7">Ecclesiastes 12:7</span></li></ul></div>

<div><div class="fs-17 fg-mustard bold center-it">Questions to Consider</div><ul style="margin-top:0px"><li>What is man primarily?</li><li>What was Paul's testimony?</li></ul></div></div>

"May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (v. 23)

<p>Zion said, “The Lord has forsaken me, and my Lord has forgotten me.” “Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, yet I will not forget you.”<br><br>I have forgotten prosperity. And I said, “My strength and my hope have perished from the Lord.” § Awake! Why do You sleep, O Lord? Arise! Do not cast us off forever. § Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel: “My way is hidden from the Lord, and my just claim is passed over by my God?” § “With a little wrath I hid My face from you for a moment; but with everlasting kindness I will have mercy on you,” says the Lord, your Redeemer.<br><br>Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God; for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance. § We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed.</p>

Daily Light on the Daily Path or Daily Light is a Christian daily devotional scripture reading published by Bagster & Sons about 1875. It has been reprinted continually since then. It consists of brief groupings of scripture passages which speak to prominent Biblical themes—two themes (morning and evening) for each day of the year. It appends no commentary, but simply allows scripture to speak for itself.

Morning Daily Light

 I have been cast out of Your sight; yet I will look again toward Your holy temple. 

<p>We have the same spirit of faith.<br><br>As chastened, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. § We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed— always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body … Therefore we do not lose heart. Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day. For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory, while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen.<br><br>Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.</p>

Evening Daily Light

 “Is it well with you?” . . . And she answered, “It is well.” 

<p><span class="bible-text "> <sup class="verse-num ">8 </sup>We are hard pressed on every side,   but not crushed; perplexed,   but not in despair; </span><span class="bible-text "> <sup class="verse-num ">9 </sup>persecuted,   but not abandoned;   struck down, but not destroyed.   </span></p>

We are hard pressed on every side,<cr>1</cr>  but not crushed; perplexed,<cr>2</cr>  but not in despair;

2 Corinthians 4:8

persecuted,<cr>1</cr>  but not abandoned;<cr>2</cr>  struck down, but not destroyed.<cr>3</cr> 

2 Corinthians 4:9

 8 We are hard pressed on every side,   but not crushed; perplexed,   but not in despair; 9 persecuted,   but not abandoned;   struck down, but not destroyed.  

From Wikipedia: 

The New International Version (NIV) is an English translation of the Bible first published in 1978 by Biblica (formerly the International Bible Society). The NIV was published to meet the need for a modern translation done by Bible scholars using the earliest, highest quality manuscripts available. Of equal importance was that the Bible be expressed in broadly understood modern English.

The NIV is published by Zondervan in the United States and Hodder & Stoughton in the UK. The NIV was updated in 1984 and 2011 and has become one of the most popular and best-selling modern translations.

OT: Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia; additional sources;
NT: UBS Greek New Testament; Novum Testamentum Graece; additional sources;

New International Version

 We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

2 Corinthians 4:8-9

<p><span class="bible-text ">We are hard pressed on every side,   but not crushed; perplexed,   but not in despair; </span><span class="bible-text ">persecuted,   but not abandoned;   struck down, but not destroyed.   </span></p>

 We are hard pressed on every side,   but not crushed; perplexed,   but not in despair; persecuted,   but not abandoned;   struck down, but not destroyed.  

Bible Verse of the Day

September 15, 2022

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 NIV

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