Bible League: Living His Word . . . So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.Three different times I begged the LORD to take it away. Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong. If he wanted to, the Apostle Paul had a lot to boast about. He had personally encountered Jesus on the Damascus Road and had been personally commissioned by him. He was an apostle of the church and held great authority. He prayed for people and they were healed. He had some incredible revelations and his letters eventually became much of the New Testament. In order to keep him from becoming proud and boasting about his accomplishments, Paul was given a "thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan" to torment him. There are many theories as to what the metaphor "thorn" actually refers to. Traditionally, it was thought to be a physical ailment of some kind. No one, however, can say for sure. Whatever it was, it caused him great torment. The Lord refused to take it away, because His "power works best in weakness." God allowed this great man of God to be weakened by a thorn so that everyone would know that it was God who was working through him. After all, if Paul had the power on his own to do all the great things he did, he would have certainly removed the thorn himself. If you are struggling with a weakness of some kind today and your faith and prayers have not yet met their breakthrough, then take comfort in Paul's story. God's grace is sufficient for you, as it was for him. You may be weak in yourself, but you are strong in the Lord. In the midst of the weakness, God's grace will sustain and maintain you. And God's power will manifest all the stronger through you in the special work He has given you to do. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingExodus 19, 20, 21 Exodus 19 -- Moses and the Lord at Mount Sinai NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Exodus 20 -- The Ten Commandments NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Exodus 21 -- Ordinances for Servants and Personal Injuries NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Matthew 20:1-16 Matthew 20 -- Parable of the Vineyard Workers; Jesus Foretells His Death and Resurrection, Heals Two Blind Men NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion But who can teach a lesson to God,since he judges even the most powerful? Insight Although baffled by the reasons for his suffering, Job affirmed God's superior understanding by asking, “Who can teach a lesson to God?” The way you respond to your personal struggles shows your attitude toward God. Challenge Rather than becoming angry with God, continue to trust him, no matter what your circumstances may be. Although it is sometimes difficult to see, God IS in control. We must commit ourselves to him so we will not resent his timing. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon 2 Corinthians 4:18 The things which are not seen.In our Christian pilgrimage it is well, for the most part, to be looking forward. Forward lies the crown, and onward is the goal. Whether it be for hope, for joy, for consolation, or for the inspiring of our love, the future must, after all, be the grand object of the eye of faith. Looking into the future we see sin cast out, the body of sin and death destroyed, the soul made perfect, and fit to be a partaker of the inheritance of the saints in light. Looking further yet, the believer's enlightened eye can see death's river passed, the gloomy stream forded, and the hills of light attained on which standeth the celestial city; he seeth himself enter within the pearly gates, hailed as more than conqueror, crowned by the hand of Christ, embraced in the arms of Jesus, glorified with him, and made to sit together with him on his throne, even as he has overcome and has sat down with the Father on his throne. The thought of this future may well relieve the darkness of the past and the gloom of the present. The joys of heaven will surely compensate for the sorrows of earth. Hush, hush, my doubts! death is but a narrow stream, and thou shalt soon have forded it. Time, how short--eternity, how long! Death, how brief--immortality, how endless! Methinks I even now eat of Eshcol's clusters, and sip of the well which is within the gate. The road is so, so short! I shall soon be there. "When the world my heart is rending With its heaviest storm of care, My glad thoughts to heaven ascending, Find a refuge from despair. Faith's bright vision shall sustain me Till life's pilgrimage is past; Fears may vex and troubles pain me, I shall reach my home at last." Daily Light on the Daily Path Genesis 16:13 Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, "You are a God who sees"; for she said, "Have I even remained alive here after seeing Him?"Psalm 139:1-4,6 For the choir director. A Psalm of David. O LORD, You have searched me and known me. • You know when I sit down and when I rise up; You understand my thought from afar. • You scrutinize my path and my lying down, And are intimately acquainted with all my ways. • Even before there is a word on my tongue, Behold, O LORD, You know it all. • Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; It is too high, I cannot attain to it. Proverbs 15:3 The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Watching the evil and the good. Proverbs 5:21 For the ways of a man are before the eyes of the LORD, And He watches all his paths. Luke 16:15 And He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God. 2 Chronicles 16:9 "For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His. You have acted foolishly in this. Indeed, from now on you will surely have wars." John 2:24,25 But Jesus, on His part, was not entrusting Himself to them, for He knew all men, • and because He did not need anyone to testify concerning man, for He Himself knew what was in man. John 21:17 He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love Me?" Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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