“For the Son of God, Christ Jesus, who was preached among you by us—by me and Silvanus and Timothy—was not yes and no, but is yes in Him. For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:19-20).

As many as believe, to them He gives the right to become children of God. In Christ is the yes we all need. Do not look at the circumstances of life, but at the One who knows all circumstances and is pulling them together according to His purpose. Be led by the One who is Lord and Savior of all. Listen and the Lord will speak. Then hear and act on the Good News.

Lord, I am often circumspect, or else conditional in my actions. Help me to live into the life to which You call me through the Gospel that I would hear the “yes” that is spoken through You. Guide me to come to You with open arms and heart, and live into the life of faith to which You have called me. In You is all hope and a future. Be the One who is before me and all around me now and forever.

Lord Jesus, You have come to say “yes” through grace. Lead me in faith to trust You in all the ways You will lead me. Teach my feet to follow where You lead. Guide me into the Father’s will to be about the Father’s business with all I say and do. In You is all hope and eternity. May I learn to listen when You speak, obey when You command, and above all else, trust in Your leading. Amen.

“Therefore, I was not vacillating when I intended to do this, was I? Or what I purpose, do I purpose according to the flesh, so that with me there will be yes, yes and no, no at the same time? But as God is faithful, our word to you is not yes and no” (2 Corinthians 1:17-18).

We make plans according to the flesh. The Lord has His will which shall come to pass. In your thinking, recognize that the will of the Lord is always first. The unbelievers complain when things do not go their way. The faithful know that in the twists and turns of life, the Lord is working all things together according to His purpose. Trust in the Lord above all things.

Lord, let my yes be yes and my no be no. When my final answer is not Your final answer, help me to see that You are Lord above all things. Let me never put words in your mouth, but listen and speak what You tell me. Through all things, keep my eyes clear, my heart pure and Your will supreme. You are faithful above all things and in You alone is all hope and a future.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You have come and that in You there is hope and life. Guide me into the new life You give that I would be a person of prayer. Teach me to see more clearly, love more dearly, and wait upon You for guidance in all things. You, Lord, are the One who is saving those who trust in You. Lead me, Lord, and I will follow. Teach me and I will learn to obey. Amen.

“In this confidence I intended at first to come to you, so that you might twice receive a blessing; that is, to pass your way into Macedonia, and again from Macedonia to come to you, and by you to be helped on my journey to Judea” (2 Corinthians 1:15-16).

We are all blessed in so many ways. There are those who desire to give blessings. Are you receptive to giving and receiving blessings? We often become wrapped up in our own ideas and are unwilling to, so to speak, go outside of the box. Be receptive to what the Lord has in mind and be willing to give and to receive. The Lord has plans for all of us and He knows the blessings He intends.

Lord, teach me to have a more gracious heart about all of the things that surround me. Lead me to live into the life to which You have called me that I may, now and always, both give and receive. It is You who knows all that I need, so be my guide who directs the path before me. Help me to not forsake what You would give that I may now and always be blessed by You.

Lord Jesus, You are the ultimate blessing for us all. Help me when I am resistant to receive You as the One who must lead me where I need to go. Guide me in Your goodness to live into this life of faith to which You have called me. May I always be receptive of Your goodness and mercy and share as I have had shared with me. Teach me to bless and to receive blessings. Amen.

“For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you. For we write nothing else to you than what you read and understand, and I hope you will understand until the end; just as you also partially did understand us, that we are your reason to be proud as you also are ours, in the day of our Lord Jesus” (1 Corinthians 1:12-14).

Jesus alone saves. In that salvation, He will work on your heart, and out of that will come a changed attitude. Rather than always seeking for the self, the one in Christ looks outward and cares for others. This brings the confidence of a good conscience. It is not doing these things for gain, but it is because you have already gained that you can do these things. Trust in what the Lord has done and do good.

Lord, I have my part, but it is You who has done all that is needed. In the mystery of faith, I need Your help to live into this faith. I know there are some who want to figure all of this out. Help me simply to do what You would have me do and not worry about the details of what You are doing. Guide me to trust You above all things and learn to hear and obey all that You command.

Lord Jesus, You have come to lead the way. Some think that this was something done long ago, but You are doing it in me here and now. Guide me, Lord, that I may live into this life of faith that You offer. You are the way, the truth and the life. Teach me to look to You today and every day that I may grow a little more in living this life of faith that You have given me. In You is all hope and an eternal future. Amen.

“Who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many” (2 Corinthians 1:10-11).

In all the difficulties of this life, know that the Lord is your deliverer. Ultimately, we know that even when we die, yet shall we live, for the Lord has come to us that we may know that through His death and resurrection, we have the assurance of new life. Do not live in the hopelessness of the aliens from the Lord, but in the hope that is yours forever through Christ who strengthens you.

Lord, this life does have its twists and turns and there are many times when I am filled with fear and doubt. Help me to overcome all of these things and know that You have prevailed, and will deliver me from all evil. Teach me what it means to abide in You as You abide in me. Guide me in the goodness of Your mercy to live boldly in the confidence which is mine through this faith You have given.

Lord Jesus, You did not exempt Yourself from the pains of this world. You died on the cross. You know how much this world can hammer against you. Guide me, Lord, in the way You have established so that no matter what may come, I look to You as my hope. Teach me to pray for others as others pray for me. Guide me into the fulness of a life lived by faith and in hope. Amen.

“For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead” (2 Corinthians 1:8-9)

The Gospel has come to us through the cost of the saints who have brought it to us. Just because one deep in the faith who has shared it with you is smiling does not mean they have not suffered the cost for the faith. Rejoice that the Lord includes you in the hope of eternity. Be guided by His goodness and know that in Him is all life and true liberty through the salvation He provides.

Lord, teach me to press through every circumstance that I would be guided by You alone. Keep me from every temptation that would lead me away from You. You alone are the hope for all people, for through You have all things have been created. In Your goodness, lead me in the hope of salvation and through all obstacles that will come my way. You are the way, truth and life!

Lord Jesus, through Your Spirit, guide me today and every day to do what is pleasing in the Father’s sight. Keep me from those things which would lead me astray. Grant me fortitude to stand fast amidst all this world will throw at me. In all things, may I be found true to You, holding fast to the faith delivered once for all. In You alone is all hope and an eternal future. Amen.

“But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation; or if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which is effective in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer; and our hope for you is firmly grounded, knowing that as you are sharers of our sufferings, so also you are sharers of our comfort” (2 Corinthians 1:5-6).

In our age it seems as though the idea of suffering is contrary to the Gospel. But this is not what is said. As Christians, first from the mouth of Jesus and then from Paul, we hear that suffering is a part of what we will experience. This makes sense because when we are united with Christ, we become an enemy of the world. It is not that we choose suffering, but that suffering is a part of this sinful world.

Lord, help me to join with the saints who have gone before that I would willing do whatever needs to be done in any circumstance to walk this path of faith that You have set before me. Help me to not be tempted by the lies of this age which would proclaim anything to the contrary. Help me to believe firmly what You have told me and to walk humbly in this new life that You give.

Guide me, Lord Jesus, according to the Father’s will that I would now and always walk with You no matter what comes. Let me not be tempted by any comforts this world can give, for only in You is the true comfort that endures. Guide me according to Your goodness to see that in You alone is all hope for the future that You have promised. May I rejoice amidst the sufferings of this life as I look at all that You have done for me. Amen.

“For just as the sufferings of Christ are ours in abundance, so also our comfort is abundant through Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:5).

Is not Christ sufficient? Sometimes we may be tempted to think in terms of Jesus and then add an “and” to it. Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. Trust in what God is doing and in His provision. The grace of Christ is sufficient. He who died for our sins said, “It is finished.” You cannot add to what Christ has accomplished, so trust fully in Him and be thankful for all He provides.

Lord, where I am guilty of adding to what You have done, correct me that I may live in the sufficiency of all that You have provided. Guide me in Your goodness to see through the nonsense of this world that I may be thankful and lean not on my own understanding, but upon You who already has put into place all that is necessary for each of us to become what You are creating.

Thank You Lord Jesus for all that You have done. Thank You for what you are doing. Thank You for all that You will do. You know what we need even before we ask. You who has placed all things in their course, grant that by faith I would accept Your provision as the final answer to all of my questions. Guide me to live by faith, being thankful for all that You are doing. Amen.

“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 will be able to comfort those who are in any affliction with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God” (2 Corinthians 1:3-4).

In what comfort do you live your daily life? Do you trust in the One who has given the promise of His only begotten Son? Do you trust that His promises are true and that the revelation of the Gospel is the truth revealed for all ages? Come into the comfort of God and live into the promises He gives that you may find contentment in the holy and true comfort that He alone can give.

Lord, Help my unbelief. I am tossed about by the tempests of this age and listen to all kinds of things. Guide me in my thinking and doing that I may be guided by Your goodness and mercy. Help me to comfort others with the comfort I have received from Christ Jesus my Lord and Savior. You are the blessed One and You have blessed all who believe with a holy and true comfort for all ages.

Lord Jesus, You are the rest for the weary. You are the hope for the hopeless. You are the One who makes possible our adoption into the eternal family through grace. Guide me in all of Your ways that I would now and forever abide in the truth of the Gospel which You have made possible. May I be encouraged and comforted and then give that comfort away to others. Amen.

“Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and Timothy our brother, to the church of God which is at Corinth with all the saints who are throughout Achaia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 1:1-2).

Paul worked alongside the one whom he mentored, Timothy. Together, they ministered to the churches as they traveled. We are called in fellowship to work with one another to share the Good News of Christ and to build up His church. Come then and join in the work the Lord has given you, knowing that through all you do in the fellowship of Christ love will be strengthened in you. Join in the work of the church.

Lord, I often make things more complicated than they really are. Help me, I pray, to see through those things which occupy my time apart from those things which build up faith and build up Your church. Guide me to have balance in my life that I would walk humbly with You and be committed to the greater portion. Lead me, O Lord, in the way You know I need to go that I may follow where You lead.

Lord Jesus, You have sent Your Spirit to lead and guide each step of the way. Help me, O Lord, to walk humbly with You and to follow where You would have me go. Whether it is to teach others, or to be taught by others, help me to give and to receive with grace. In and through all things, may You be glorified through me that others would know that it is You who is the center of creation. Amen.