Sunday, November 7, 2010

2 Corinthians 12:1-10


Passage results: 

2 Corinthians 12 (New International Reader's Version)


 

2 Corinthians 12 (New International Reader's Version)


2 Corinthians 12

Paul's Vision and His Painful Problem
 1 We can't gain anything by bragging. But I have to do it anyway. I am going to tell you what I've seen. I want to talk about what the Lord has shown me.  2 I know a believer in Christ who was taken up to the third heaven 14 years ago. I don't know if his body was taken up or not. Only God knows. 3 I don't know if that man was in his body or out of it. Only God knows. But I do know that 4 he was taken up to paradise. He heard things that couldn't be put into words. They were things that people aren't allowed to talk about.
 5 I will brag about a man like that. But I won't brag about myself. I will brag only about how weak I am.
 6 Suppose I decide to brag. That would not make me a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I don't do it. Then no one will think more of me than he should because of what I do or say.
 7 I could have become proud of myself because of the amazing and wonderful things God has shown me. So I was given a problem that caused pain in my body. It is a messenger from Satan to make me suffer. 8 Three times I begged the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, "My grace is all you need. My power is strongest when you are weak."
   So I am very happy to brag about how weak I am. Then Christ's power can rest on me. 10 Because of how I suffered for Christ, I'm glad that I am weak. I am glad in hard times. I am glad when people say mean things about me. I am glad when things are difficult. And I am glad when people make me suffer. When I am weak, I am strong.
Posted by at No comments:

Your Grace Is Sufficient.wmv

Posted by at No comments:

His Grace is Sufficient

His Grace is sufficient!
From my friend Barbara Stoll

Malachi 3:3 says: 'He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver.'
This verse puzzled some women in a Bible study and they wondered what this statement meant about the character and nature of God.

One of the women offered to find out the process of refining silver and get back to the group at their next Bible Study.

That week, the woman called a silversmith and made an appointment to watch him at work. She didn't mention anything about the reason for her interest beyond her curiosity about the process of refining Silver.

As she watched the silversmith, he held a piece of silver over the fire and let it heat up. He explained that in refining silver, one needed to hold the silver in the middle of the fire where the flames were hottest as to burn away all the impurities.

The woman thought about God holding us in such a hot spot; then she thought again about the verse that says: 'He sits as a refiner and purifier of silver.'

She asked the silversmith if it was true that he had to sit there in front of the fire the whole time.

The man answered that yes, he not only had to sit there holding the silver, but he had to keep his eyes on the silver the entire time it was in the fire. If the silver was left a moment too long in the flames, it would be destroyed.

The woman was silent for a moment. Then she asked the silversmith, 'How do you know when the silver is fully refined?'

He smiled at her and answered, 'Oh, that's easy -- when I see my image in it.'

If today you are feeling the heat of the fire , remember that God has his eye on you and will keep watching you until He sees His image in you.
Posted by at No comments:

Robin Mark - The Wonder Of Your Cross

Posted by at No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)