For this light momentary affliction is preparing us for an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison (2 Corinthians 4:17).

Gold melts at a temperature of 1,947 degrees Fahrenheit (Encyclopedia Britannica).  The intense heat of a furnace is necessary to refine gold ore and remove the impurities.  Without the fire, gold cannot be refined.  Without the intense heat of the furnace, gold cannot be melted and molded into a useful shape.  The fire is necessary.  So it is with the suffering we often endure.  Our affliction prepares us for something else (2 Cor. 4:17).

This verse teaches three important truths about suffering.  First, notice that our trouble is a “momentary affliction.”  Paul even calls it “light.”  Each day, hour, and minute of our lives is microscopic in comparison to the vastness of eternity.  No suffering lasts forever.  One day your trouble will end.  Second, notice that suffering “prepares us” for something in the future.  James reminds us that “the testing of your faith produces steadfastness” (James 1:3 ESV).  Everything which happens to us can be used by our sovereign Lord for a redemptive purpose (Rom. 8:28).  Finally, notice that affliction cannot compare to glory.  If you knew that tomorrow morning you would receive a prize worth millions of dollars, what would you tolerate this afternoon?  A trial can be tolerated if it is viewed through the lens of eternity.

Your affliction is real, but so is the savior who can turn it into joy.  Ask God to give you a sense of His purpose in your life.  Remember that He is preparing you for something more, something greater, which only God can see right now.  Gold must be refined by intense heat.  The intense heat of the furnace has a purpose.  Let go and let God!

Visit the Daily Bible Verse page for more encouragement.

As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good (2 Thessalonians 3:13 ESV).

In his second epistle to the Thessalonians, Paul warns them about idleness and instructs them to continue “doing good” (2 Thess. 3:13 ESV).  Christians must always be making forward progress.  There is no moment when a believer can rely on past accomplishments.  To cease to pray or read the Scriptures – to neglect our calling to help the poor, the hungry, the stranger, the sick, and the prisoner (cf. Matthew 25:31-46), is to lose ground.  Without regular spiritual work – daily devotions and physical action – our spiritual lives stop ticking.  We must never “grow weary” in our calling.

Today, renew your determination to follow Christ.  Pray, read the Bible, and do not neglect your responsibility to love and care for your neighbor.  There is much work to be done – “the fields are white for harvest” (John 4:35 ESV) – and Jesus calls you to action.  Set aside the time for prayer and Bible study, for these will help you mature in Christ and keep you focused when others may fall idle.  Keep your spiritual clock set and ticking by regular prayer and Bible study.

For more devotionals, visit the Daily Bible Verse page.

but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him (1 John 2:5 ESV).

There is a connection between fellowship with God and obedience to God’s word. When we disobey God, we lose our sense of closeness or fellowship with him. When we know we are walking in God’s will, we have a sense of his presence in our lives. When the love of God fills our heart, we will keep God’s word. There is a connection between these two things. The Holy Spirit will not abide in a heart that is full of sin; it must be cleansed and it must be kept clean by obedience to Christ. God does not change, so when there is no fellowship with him, you must return to him by keeping his word. There is a connection between fellowship and obedience, and the longer you pursue sin, the less your fellowship with the Lord will be.

Today, watch your steps carefully and see that everything you do agrees with God’s word. Let nothing come between you and your fellowship with Christ. Sin is deceptive and it will give you pleasure for a moment, but it will take away your joy in the Lord. Ask the Lord to guard your heart and mind today with his peace (Philippians 4:7). Remember to pray and to read the Bible – these are important to growing your fellowship with the Lord. Without them, you are like a fish out of water.

For more devotionals, visit the Daily Bible Verse page.

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead.  But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last” (Revelation 1:17 ESV).

Navigating a new city or a new school can be intimidating.  Uncertainty about our next steps or our next plans can give us anxiety.  Tragedies and troubles can make us fearful, not only for our lives, but also for the lives of others.  Fear can make our bodies ache and paralyze our decision-making if we allow the feeling of fear to grip us.  (I know, I’ve let it do that to me.)

The apostle John had a vision in which he encountered the Risen Christ in all his majesty and glory.  He writes that he “fell at feet as though dead” when he saw Jesus (Revelation 1:17 ESV) – that’s fear.  Coming face to face with Jesus literally paralyzed John, perhaps causing him to sweat and to hyperventilate – real, tangible fear.  Notice the response of Christ, he immediately comforted John.  Jesus controlled the fear by reminding John of Who he is.  He is the antidote to fear.

Fear is a human emotion, and it is natural to feel afraid.  Indeed, God gave us fear to protect us from harm – you should be afraid of jumping off a hill into a raging river below!  The good news for believers is that we have a Savior who has experienced every human emotion and every human dilemma (Hebrews 4:15).  It is his hand on our shoulder which comforts us in times of fear and distress.  Jesus understands our emotions and has felt them, too.  He will guard our minds with his peace (Philippians 4:7) if we seek him.  He is the antidote to fear.

Today, do not be afraid.  When you feel anxiety creeping into your heart, take a deep relaxing breath and say the name of Jesus.  Slow down your breathing and tell Christ you are fearful.  He will comfort you. Read these passages of Scripture to help you feel God’s presence in times of fear: John 14:27; 2 Timothy 1:7; Hebrews 13:6; 1 John 4:18; and Psalm 121:1-2; these verses will help you relax and trust in Christ.  (Memorize helpful verses of Scripture so you have them in your heart and mind when you need them.)  Jesus really is the antidote to fear.  “When I am afraid, I put my trust in you” (Psalm 56:3 ESV).

For more encouraging words, check out the Daily Bible Verse page.

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect (Romans 12:2 ESV).

When Elijah was afraid and did not know what to do next, he ran to Mt. Horeb, the mountain of God to discern God’s will.  Elijah heard a strong wind, experienced an earthquake, and saw a fire, but God did not speak through these.  Instead, God spoke quietly in a “low whisper” (1 Kings 19:12 ESV).  When he heard the whisper of God, Elijah could “discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2 ESV), and some of what God said was not pleasant to Elijah.

Some believers expect big winds and fires from God and will not wait like Elijah for the “low whisper,” because they lack spiritual discipline and training. The will of God in ethical matters is not difficult to discern.  God has given us the Bible, a conscience, and the gift of the Holy Spirit to teach us right and wrong.  Believers can rely on God’s Word to help them make moral choices.  Discerning God’s will when it comes to life’s choices in mission and ministry may not always be easy, but it is nonetheless not difficult.  The believer who constantly seeks the Lord’s direction by reading the Scriptures and praying will “hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way walk in it’” (Isaiah 30:21).  Wise believers are accustomed to the ways of God and will not move or act until they are confident of God’s direction.  This comes by what Paul calls “testing” in Romans 12:2 – learning to listen to God and checking what we hear against the Bible, against wise counsel from spiritually mature Christians, and against what we know of God’s working in the world.  This comes by experience and faithful obedience to God’s Word.  Discerning the will of God requires whisper training, and few believers are willing to be trained by God to know his ways.

Today, listen to God.  Make sure it is God’s direction you receive before you act (see 1 John 4:1).  Obey the commands of Scripture, because God will not give further direction if you disregard the Bible’s moral teachings.  Those who want to know God’s will but disobey his clear commands cannot claim God’s will in their lives.  Remember to pray for others; selfless intercession for the work of Christ in the world will put you in a better frame to know God’s purpose.  Do not look for the mighty rushing wind, the earthquake, or the fire; train yourself to wait for God’s “low whisper.”  Then do what God says do.

For encouraging daily devotionals, visit the Daily Bible Verse page.

O our God, will you not execute judgment on them?  For we are powerless against this great horde that is coming against us.  We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you (2 Chronicles 20:12 EV).

In the year 853 B.C., a “great horde” (ESV) – a “huge army” (NET) – prepared to attack Israel.  King Jehoshaphat was told of the impending invasion of armies from Moab and Syria.  The 20^th chapter of 2 Chronicles records how the king and the people prayed in desperation and fasted before the Lord.  “Then Jehoshaphat was afraid and set his face to seek the Lord, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah.  And Judah assembled to seek help from the Lord; from all the cities of Judah they came to seek the Lord” (2 Chronicles 20:3-4 ESV).  There was a genuine sense of alarm and a complete dependence on God for deliverance.  They felt that if God did not deliver them, they would be defeated.  “We do know what to do,” was the desperate plea of Jehoshaphat.  He needed God’s help.  A Levite in the assembly told everyone, “Do not be afraid … the battle is not yours but God’s” (2 Chronicles 20:15 ESV).

And God delivered the nation of Israel with a miracle.  Not a single Israelite soldier struck a blow.  Instead the army of Israel showed up for battle and saw a battlefield full of dead bodies.  God caused the enemy armies to defeat themselves!  God fights his own battles.  The people began to collect the spoils (weapons, shoes, gold, etc.) from the slain soldiers, and it took three days to go through the battlefield to collect the spoils of war (2 Chronicles 20:24-30).  God showed up and “the fear of God came on all the kingdoms of the countries when they heard that the Lord fought against the enemies of Israel” (20:29 ESV).

Today, remember that God fights his own battles.  When you reach the point of desperation, remember the desperate plea of Jehoshaphat and the victory God gave Israel.  No matter how great the army against you, God is greater still.  Make your plea to the God of Jehoshaphat, who plays no favorites.  Trust in the Lord and sing with the psalmist, “My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth” (Psalm 121:2 ESV).

For more help in your battles, visit the Daily Bible Verse page.

Whom have I in heaven but you?  And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you (Psalm 73:25 ESV).

The steeple of the church in Bann, Germany, rises higher than the homes of the village, and atop the steeple is the cross of Christ.  Its bells not only toll the hour but also call villagers to the times of prayer and worship.  The steeple points the people to Christ.  Its very prominence above the village is testimony that “there is nothing on earth” greater than Christ and everything else is little in comparison.

Your preference for the things of earth reveals your focus.  Have you lost sight of the steeples in your life?  Temporary things do not satisfy forever.  Only Jesus can satisfy.  When we look to Jesus, everything else takes it rightful place in life.  Everything else dims and fades away in the light of his glory.  Asaph, who wrote Psalm 73, “almost stumbled” when he saw the things of this world (Psalm 73:2 ESV), but then he remembered God’s house and the end of earthly things (73:16-17).  He turned his eyes toward heaven and proclaimed “Whom have I heaven but you?  And there is nothing on earth I desire besides you.”

Today, turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Re-energize your walk with Christ by reading the Scriptures and by spending time in worship and prayer.  Sing a song or hymn.  Remind yourself that your priorities must be heavenly and that Jesus must have the preeminence in your life (Colossian 1:18).  Do not build higher than the steeple and let your life point to Christ.  “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, / Look full in his wonderful face; / And the things of earth will grow strangely dim / In the light of his glory and grace” (lyrics by Helen Howeth Lemmel, 1918).

Check out this account of the hymn’s history with a video of a quartet singing the chorus.

For more reminders of our need for Christ, visit the Daily Bible Verse page.

Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised in the city of our God!  His holy mountain, beautiful in elevation, is the joy of all the earth, Mount Zion, in the far north, the city of the great king.  Within her citadels God has made himself known as a fortress (Psalm 48:1-2 ESV).

Castles and forts are built on hills, because they are harder to attack and overcome when they are higher in elevation.  The psalmist thinks of Jerusalem and its walls and defenses.  It is a picture of beauty and safety; for the psalmist, it is home and happiness because it is safe and secure.  Jerusalem is his safe place, because God has made it so.

Martin Luther penned the song “A Mighty Fortress is Our God,” and that is exactly what God is to those who need protection.  God is a refuge when we feel threatened by the forces of evil in our world.  He is a comfort and a shield.  It is like having a castle or a fort to hide in when there is an attack coming.  Solomon writes in Proverbs 18:10, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe” (ESV).  When you call on God, you make Him your safe place.

Today, do not fret over any attack from the enemy.  Turn to the Lord and trust his protection.  Call his name and pray.  Hide in the shadow of his strength and know that God is your refuge and fortress.  When you feel discouraged, quote a verse of Scripture or sing some familiar hymn or song of praise.  It will encourage you and remind you that you can hide in the fortress of God’s strength.  Remember to read the Bible and to pray.  “Great is the Lord and greatly to be praised!”  God is your safe place.

For more devotionals, visit the Daily Bible Verse page.