Good morning friends. We know that the world is in a state of chaos and it seems like there is no way out but rest assured that God is still in control. Some will disagree with this statement but God is still moving. When a cup is filled to overflowing, whatever spills over the edge is the same as what’s being poured in. That is a natural process. But it also showed me that there is a supernatural process that is beyond some of our understanding. I have to admit that there was a time when I couldn’t understand this process. If suffering is poured into a Christian, the Christian will overflow. But, what spills out or over is different from what is poured in. Suffering goes in but comfort comes out. This principle of flow and overflow is expressed in 2 Corinthians 1:5, where Paul writes, “As the sufferings of Christ abound in us, so our consolation also abounds through Christ.” But to understand this you first have to know what “abound” means. It means to exist in abundance, to exceed a certain measure, to remain. It is the same word used when Jesus feeds thousands with 5 loaves and 2 fish, there were 12 baskets left over from this overflow. When we experience tribulation for being a Christian, and suffering is poured into our lives, God will transform it by His supernatural grace and power. We can also understand this to mean just as the sufferings of Jesus flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. When trouble flows in, look to God for His overflowing comfort-first to us, then through us. God does not comfort us to make us comfortable but to make us comforters. Somebody missed this. “Praise to the God of All Comfort-Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that just as you share in our sufferings, so also you share in our comfort. We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On Him, we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us, as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.” 2 Corinthians 1:3-11 Live life, give people hope and share your heart, wisdom, and resources. Never place a period where God says there should be a comma. As always peace and blessings, be safe. Take advantage of your opportunities but never allow your opportunities to take advantage of you. Remember God loves you and so do I. ©krw 5.3.16
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