Open the Bible UK Daily

The love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded... 2 Corinthians 5:14 Would you like to experience more of Jesus’ love? Here are some common Christian approaches: If I want to have a deeper experience of Jesus’ love... I need to rededicate my life to Christ. I need to be more disciplined in my Bible reading. I need to get more serious about prayer. These are all good things, but notice P...

The love of Christ controls us. 2 Corinthians 5:14 What does the apostle Paul mean when he says that Christians are controlled by the love of Christ? Here are some words (in order) that describe how we might experience the love of Christ. Each one is deeper, richer, and fuller than the ones before it. 1. Hear: Many of us have heard about the love of Jesus. Maybe you’ve heard that Christ loves you...

Whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. 2 Corinthians 5:9 We will glorify Christ forever in heaven, and our great purpose in life is to get started now. Here are ten things you can only do during your short time in this life: All the praying you will ever do is the praying you do now. All the believing you will ever do is the believing you do now. You won’t need it when f...

“Your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Matthew 6:4, 6, 18 Jesus said these words three times—in reference to our giving, our prayers, and our fasting. He spoke very clearly about the rewards of faithful service. In the parable of the talents, Jesus told a story about a man who entrusted his property to servants. To the servants who were faithful, he said, “You have been faithful over a...

Each of us will give an account of himself to God. Romans 14:12 Imagine a university student named John, eating in the cafeteria. He hears about a new course that all first years are required to take: “It sounds like a lot of work!” “Don’t worry,” says Bill, a second year student, “It’s one of those non-examinable courses. It doesn’t count toward your degree. Just sign in occasionally to show you...

There is... now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 Every person, including every Christian, will stand before the judgement seat of Christ. But what can we expect to happen when that day actually comes? Some Christians lack confidence at this point, because they lack clarity about their own position. But the apostle Paul does not mince words. He is very clear about the p...

We must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. 2 Corinthians 5:10 The Christian has one life in two parts, and each part has an opportunity and a challenge. It’s easy to see the challenges we have now: You are living in the tent, and you walk by faith, not by sight. And it’s easy to see the op...

We know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord... We would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6, 8 The life of a Christian is in two parts, and both of them are described as being at home . Right now you are at home in the body . That’s a description of life in this world. As long as you’re in the body, you’ll experience many pressures...

He who has prepared us for this very thing is God. 2 Corinthians 5:5 Christian brother or sister, God has prepared you for this translation from the tent to the building. He did this by sending His Son into the world to prepare a place in heaven for you. And He sent His Spirit into your heart to prepare you for your place in heaven. The One “who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has...

We know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 Corinthians 5:1 The home you are living in now is a temporary one—canvas, ropes, and pegs. But you have another home that is more enduring, more substantial. The date for moving into your new home has not yet been given, but it is already known to God....

We know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed... 2 Corinthians 5:1 Destroying the tent is a description of death. The tent will be taken down. One day, God Himself will slacken the ropes, pull out the pegs, and the house God has given you will be destroyed. Paul says, “If the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed…” Why does he say ‘if’? Because there was always the possibilit...

While we are still in this tent, we groan, being burdened. 2 Corinthians 5:4 Maybe you are an enthusiastic camper. Forget the fancy hotel or renting a motorhome; your idea of a good time is to put up your tent, build a fire, and roast some marshmallows. Paul was a tentmaker, which is likely why God brought this image to mind. There is a great deal of joy in camping. But you are probably not doing...

We know that if the tent that is our earthly home is destroyed, we have a building from God. 2 Corinthians 5:1 When the apostle Paul talks about “the tent that is our earthly home,” he is talking about your body. Notice, Paul does not say that your body is like a fort, or a castle, or a battleship. He says it is like a tent with canvas, ropes, and pegs. It is a fragile structure, adequate housing...

We do not lose heart. 2 Corinthians 4:16 You might read these words and think, Really? How am I supposed to live in a world like this and not lose heart? How can I face the pressures all around me and not be discouraged? The answer is previewed for us at the end of chapter 4 and delivered in full in chapter 5. The apostle Paul’s headline is delivered in three contrasts: Paul speaks about the outer...

“Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.” Acts 16:31 We have been talking about how to avoid a plunge to disaster. Here is a true story from the awful Titanic disaster back in April of 1912. There was a pastor on the Titanic by the name of John Harper. He was pastor of a church in Glasgow, which is now called the Harper Memorial Church. Harper was travelling on the Titanic to come and sp...

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Luke 23:34 Maybe you are struggling to live with the guilt of what you have done. You cannot forgive yourself. You do not see how God could forgive you either. That’s where Judas was. Come to the cross. Jesus has a crown of thorns pressed into His head. His hands and feet are nailed to the wooden beams. And as that cross is lifted up, He says...

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 While Peter was standing outside the house of the high priest, someone identified him as a follower of Jesus. Peter must have been terrified that he would also be arrested and tortured. He denied Jesus three times, and then “he began to invoke a curse on himself an...

When morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And they bound him and led him away and delivered him over to Pilate the governor. Then when Judas, his betrayer, saw that Jesus was condemned, he changed his mind and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. Matthew 27:1-3 Some people would say...

“One of you will betray me.” John 13:21 It could not have been easy for Judas to come to the Last Supper. He had already taken the 30 pieces of silver to betray Jesus! Then Jesus started washing the feet of the disciples. It was a beautiful expression of how Christ humbled Himself and took the form of a servant. What was Judas thinking while Jesus washed his feet? He felt the love of Christ reachi...

He was a thief. John 12:6 A great deal has been written about why Judas betrayed Jesus. But the Bible only identifies one issue, and that was money. Judas was gripped by the power of money. Six days before the Passover, a dinner was given in honour of Jesus. Judas was there along with the other disciples. We are told that Mary took a pint of pure nard, a very expensive perfume, and poured it over...

“I have sinned by betraying innocent blood.” Matthew 27:4 Judas walked with Jesus. He was trusted with responsibility, and he was given spiritual gifts for ministry. God used this man to release other people from the power of Satan. No doubt there will be people in heaven who say, “I came to faith through Judas’ ministry.” The story of Judas warns us against becoming complacent in our privileges....

So that disciple, leaning back against Jesus, said to him, “Lord, who is it?” John 13:25 It is easy to picture Judas as some dark-eyed villain, but if we had to guess beforehand which of the disciples was most likely to betray Jesus, few, if any, of us would have guessed correctly. When Jesus said at the Last Supper that one of His disciples would betray Him, they all said, “Lord, is it I?” None o...

The hair of his [Samson’s] head began to grow again. Judges 16:22 At the end of the story of Samson’s life, the commanders of the Philistines were throwing a great party at a temple to their god, Dagon. They decided it would be fun to bring out Samson to perform some tricks. No doubt they gave him some iron bars to bend and enjoyed a good laugh at what he could no longer do. Samson asked the serva...

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling... Jude 24 When we talk about learning to control our passions, we are talking about some of the greatest struggles that we face in the Christian life. And sometimes we feel so defeated in this area. So we need the kind of encouragement that only God is able to provide. Who is Jude talking about? Who is able to keep us from stumbling (or falling)? Jesu...

He did not know that the LORD had left him. Judges 16:20 It seems like there are two Samsons. There is Samson the gifted believer, who has godly parents, God’s calling, and God’s Spirit at work through him. He is a courageous hero who delivers God’s people. And there is also Samson the irresponsible fool, who is a liability to God’s people, acts like a juvenile delinquent, and refuses to listen to...