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2 Corinthians 8:9

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.

Encouraging Words

We often speak of grace as a gift given to someone who does not deserve it. This is indeed a true aspect of grace, especially God’s grace given to us while we were yet sinners. This verse speaks of another aspect of grace. Through the process of giving a gift, the giver is passing on to the recipient something that is theirs and of importance to them. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ that is bestowed upon us comes at a price to Him, the giver. He was rich. He was in the presence of His Father in heaven. He relinquished His position on His throne so that He could become one of us, His creation by His own hands. He became poor so that we might become rich through His grace, Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner and a recipient of your blessed grace!

Isaiah 43:18

“Do not remember the former things, nor reason about the things of old.”

Encouraging Words

In this part of Isaiah the people of Israel are being told of the coming Messiah and how He will restore them to the glory that He had in store for them. As part of this encouragement, He is telling them that they will be able to walk away from their years of captivity and exile and look forward to their future with the King, the Messiah. He tells them to forget their hard times and to remember them no more. This is a message that could also apply to us today. Our Messiah has come, He has set us free from our exile on this sinful world. We can look to Him, and our future with Him, and not remember former, sinful lives, for He has forgiven us and made us new. Glory be to God!

2 Corinthians 5:20-21

Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

Personal Challenge

“As though God were pleading through us”. What is Paul telling us here? What does an ambassador do? They represent their home country to a distant, foreign country. Part of that representation is to speak on behalf of the leader of the country that is their home. As Christians, God is speaking through us, pleading with the lost of the world to come home to Him. This is why we must first be reconciled to God before we can call others to be reconciled to Him. This is why He made Jesus who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that we can be reconciled to Him and become righteous in Him. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner?

2 Corinthians 6:2

For He says:
“In an acceptable time I have heard you,
And in the day of salvation I have helped you.”
Behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.

Encouraging Words

Our Lord has made it clear that now is the time of our Lord, the time of our salvation. We do not have to keep looking for some future date when we will be saved, or some future kingdom of heaven to arrive. Because of Jesus, our salvation is now and the kingdom of heaven is among us. It is up to us to seize this day. Glory be to God!

Isaiah 43:1-2

And now, thus says the Lord God who made you, O Jacob, and who formed you, O Israel: “Fear not, for I redeemed you. I called you by your name, for you are Mine. If you pass through water, I am with you; and the rivers shall not overflow you. If you pass through fire, you shall not be burned up, nor shall the flame consume you.

Encouraging Words

Not only have we been made by God, but even after we reject or ignore Him, He still redeems us. He calls us by our names because we are His, whether we admit it or not. But He does not stop there, with our redemption. No matter what trial or tribulation we encounter in our lives, even those of our own making, He will be with us, protecting us, loving us, and bringing us through unscathed. Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy! Lord, have mercy!

Isaiah 42:1-4

“Jacob is My Servant; I will help Him. Israel is My chosen; My soul accepts Him. I put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth judgment to the Gentiles. He will not cry out, nor raise His voice, nor cause His voice to be heard outside. A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench; but He will bring forth judgment in truth. He will shine forth and not be broken until He establishes judgment in the earth; and in his name the Gentiles will hope.”

Encouraging Words

Jesus became a man so that we can be completely united with God as His children. As a human being Jesus became a servant and a chosen one and through Him, we have been brought into the family of God. He has become our judge but He will not judge us harshly. He will not break us for He knows that we are already bruised. His judgment will be truthful, loving, and merciful so as to bring us closer to God. He is our only hope in which unity with God is possible. Glory be to God?

2 Corinthians 5:17

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

Encouraging Words

Jesus issued in a whole new creation when He became incarnate. He was there in the beginning when all that we know and all that has existed before us was created. It was His pre-incarnate, physical image that we were all created in. Then it was all soiled by the sin of Adam and Eve, the sin of putting our own desires before God. When Jesus joined Himself to humanity, and all of creation, when He became incarnate, He made all things new. We can, therefore, die to the things of this world and become alive in Him as new creations. Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, have mercy on me, the sinner!

Isaiah 41:13

For I am your God who holds your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not.’

Encouraging Words

God does not just send us out into the harsh world as His ambassadors by ourselves and expects us to make it on our own. He promises to be there with us at all times, holding our hand, and helping us. This is why He can say to us, “Fear not.”, for we are not alone. Glory be to God!