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Thursday, May 15,
2008
A
Sufficient Grace
2 Corinthians 12:1-5 It is
not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and
revelations of the Lord. (2) I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years
ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I
cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. (3) And
I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell:
God knoweth;) (4) How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable
words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. (5) Of such an one will I
glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. (KJV)
Paul the Apostle, a man God used
to write a good portion of the New Testament, a man who had some up close
and personal experiences with the Lord; from his conversion on the road to
Damascus as well as what we see described in the above verses. What some
refer to today as an out of body experience, which could have occurred when
Paul was stoned and left for dead which back in his time was usually the
case with those that suffered a stoning, we see Paul didn’t base his
strength or glory in his abilities and boast about these experiences, but
rather in his infirmities or weaknesses he did glory in the Lord. While
many base their strength in what they claim they are accomplishing for the
Lord, Paul realized that there is strength in humility; the more he stayed
out of the way, the more the Lord was able to work in and through Him. So
what source are you drawing your strength from today? Is it according to
your abilities or are you drawing strength from a well of living waters
which should be springing up and flowing through you?
2 Corinthians 12:6-10 For
though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the
truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which
he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. (7) And lest I should be
exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was
given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest
I should be exalted above measure. (8) For this thing I besought the Lord
thrice, that it might depart from me. (9) And he said unto me, My grace is
sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most
gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of
Christ may rest upon me. (10) Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in
reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's
sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. (KJV)
Did you ever imagine that
your strength would be made perfect in weakness? Talk abut a total
contradiction to what we have been taught all of our lives, especially when
it deals with the image of what a real man is; take it like a man, be
strong. How many action movies have you seen growing up where the main
character is depicted as a humble servant, one that takes pleasure in
weaknesses and infirmities? Most of these depictions are those of someone
who is muscle bound and bullet proof, someone who relies on their own
strength and abilities and certainly not on anyone else. Paul realized that
when he was weak, then he was strong. Our carnal minds are what is enmity
with God and what leads to doubt and confusion with those that rely on
their own strength. If you want something to glory in, how about our
infirmities; how the grace of God allowed someone like me into His kingdom
and to be a partaker of His inheritance despite myself and all the ways I
thought I could help Him out. Are you being led by the Spirit of God today
or are you the one trying to lead and guide Him, telling the Lord how He
should be providing your way of escape from whatever may be a thorn in your
flesh, or as some refer, a pain in the backside? When you share the word of
God with people are you able to give an accurate account of what the Lord
has done in your life or are you like so many who act like they have done
so much for the Lord and that He literally couldn’t operate without their
help?
James 1:2-5 My brethren,
count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; (3) Knowing this,
that the trying of your faith worketh patience. (4) But let patience have
her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. (5) If
any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men
liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. (KJV)
When you have prayed about a
situation that requires attention in your walk, which at times is painful,
do you wait on the Lord and His way of escape or do you try to figure out
an alternate plan based on your own thinking? This is the trial of your
faith, an area where the Lord is working in you and desiring to see you
move forward in your walk, while at the same time the enemy is doing all he
can to keep you in bondage. So when the enemy comes in like a flood and
tries to keep you from being set free in an area you have been seeking an
answer in, the question is, ‘now will you endure patiently and wait on the
Lord to find the answer and renew your strength or will you take an
alternate route and end up on a dead end path’? Do you let the peace of God
rule in your decisions and don’t make a move until you have that peace and
confidence or do you look for a quick fix that is less hassle? Remember,
there is only one way, by the truth that will set you free and allow you to
partake of the life of God which is given to those that walk by faith and
not sight.
1 Corinthians 10:13 There
hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is
faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but
will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to
bear it. (KJV)
Remember the old song ‘make
the world go away’? While many look for quick fixes and escapes from
reality the Lord teaches us that we can do all things through Christ who
strengthens us. The more you rely on the Lord and the power of His might,
the more you learn to deal with life in this fallen world and become an
overcomer despite the daily temptations that surround you. So whatever the
thorn in the flesh Paul was referring to, whether it was something from his
past that was pulling him down or the devil reminding him of his
shortcomings, Paul patiently endured and waited on the Lord for His way of
escape and learned to bear it and not let it stop him. So this thing you
have sought the Lord for, are you waiting and enduring patiently on His way
of escape or are you plotting your own way which will eventually lead you
right back where you started from? Do you glory in your weaknesses, a
phrase I like to use is ‘despite myself God still considers me one of His’,
or are you one of those that think
they are doing God a favor by what they are doing for Him?
Galatians 4:12-14 Brethren, I
beseech you, be as I am; for I am as ye are: ye have not injured me at all.
(13) Ye know how through infirmity of the flesh I preached the gospel unto
you at the first. (14) And my temptation which was in my flesh ye despised
not, nor rejected; but received me as an angel of God, even as Christ
Jesus. (KJV)
You know, believe it or not, the
people God used throughout the Bible are no different than you and I; but
like we just read we all have the same common human infirmities to work
through and overcome. Despite how mankind teaches that strength is
something derived from our own doing, the truth be known, that when we are
weak it is then that we truly are strong in the Lord and the power of His
might. While many may think God used Paul because of his own abilities the
truth be known, it was just the opposite; Paul realized there is much
strength in humility.
1 Timothy 1:12-14 And I thank
Christ Jesus our Lord, who hath enabled me, for that he counted me
faithful, putting me into the ministry; (13) Who was before a blasphemer,
and a persecutor, and injurious: but I obtained mercy, because I did it
ignorantly in unbelief. (14) And the grace of our Lord was exceeding
abundant with faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. (KJV)
Talk about a possible thorn
or thorny issue to have to deal with; the very people you persecuted in the
past are the ones you are now preaching to. God did not have Paul cut and
run from the situation, but rather gave him the strength to deal with it so
that what was once a hindrance to the body of Christ had now become a real
asset to the body. So what are you dealing with today and what source will
you draw your strength from? His grace is sufficient to make a way of
escape no matter what the circumstance is.
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