Part Four, Miscellany
This could be titled: St. Paul's Thorny Problem or The Problem and Pain of unanswered Prayer.
It could be outlined: The Misery of the Thorn, The Mystery of the Thorn and The Ministry of the Thorn.
Lessons and Observations
· There are ups and down in the Christian life. ("Canaan is a land of hills and valleys.")
· The "Caught up to heaven" is not an experience to be sought after - until the rapture.
· Often great trial follows great triumphs.
· We don't quit praying when we don't get the answer we expect.
· God's refusal is no sign of His displeasure.
· If God revises or refuses a petition it is no sign he refuses the person!
· We are not to give up when we face things we do not understand.
· There is purpose in the things God permits.
· The very best Christians may be subject to severe and mysterious trials. Think of Job.
· We must not expect to duplicate someone else's experience.
Suggested Study: Paul's Pleasure, Paul's Pain, Paul's Prayer, Paul's Profit
It was: Personal, Painful, Perplexing, Prolonged, Purposeful, and Profitable
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
PAUL AND THE THORN
Part Three; II Cor. 12: 8 - 10
Talk about an up and down life - Paul had it! As soon as he was converted his life was threatened and he was let down over the wall at Damascus in a basket. Later when he was caught up to the third heaven, had to come down to what must have been a lifelong "Thorn in the flesh" experience. In his life there is no even distribution of pain, yet sometimes liabilities and limitations are turned into assets and opportunities. The glory comes through the action of God, but the determining factor as to benefit comes through the attitude of mind and will.
Paul had no question as to the identity of his persecutor or the source of his help. Naturally, he turned to God in prayer, once, then again, apparently without an answer from God. On his third petition the answer came. God said, "I have enough grace for your need." He didn't say that He would remove the thorn.
I may be going into forbidden territory to ask a question, or to make a suggestion. There is an ancient and inevitable law of sowing and reaping. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. In his preconversion days, Saul of Tarsus had persecuted, imprisoned and killed many Christians. We understand his explanation that he did it in ignorance. But was that enough to escape the retribution of reaping? Maybe we had better stick to what we know. And it seems obvious that this "messenger" was sent to counter-balance over his tendency to glory special trip to Paradise.
In addition to the promise of sufficient grace, God told Paul "My grace and my strength are made perfect in your weakness." Paul gladly accepted this trade off and preferred to glory in his infirmity if it was exchanged by the power of Christ.
In both verses 5 and 9 Paul speaks of his glory in infirmities and in verse 10 states that he takes pleasure in infirmities! This is strong medicine, but he does this that the power of Christ may rest upon him. He sets an exceedingly high standard for us. How he does this is partly explained in II Cor. 4:17 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.." The affliction is light in comparison with the glory, and is just for a moment in contrast to eternity. and he is right!
All of us ride on St. Paul's promise of grace sufficient for our needs. It is a universal promise, for God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). Our needs will never exhaust His supply. All that God does for us and in us is a result of that grace. The generic definition of grace is that it is the unmerited favor of God. That is good an far as it goes. The word "unmerited" is employed to state that this is not something owed to us or accomplished by us. It is more than a mere nod from God indication his approval. His grace is a many-faceted term. We speak of justification and sanctification as works of grace.
The promise here of a sufficiency of grace has direct reference to St. Paul's enablement to accept an answer to his petition that is the direct opposite of his request.
Talk about an up and down life - Paul had it! As soon as he was converted his life was threatened and he was let down over the wall at Damascus in a basket. Later when he was caught up to the third heaven, had to come down to what must have been a lifelong "Thorn in the flesh" experience. In his life there is no even distribution of pain, yet sometimes liabilities and limitations are turned into assets and opportunities. The glory comes through the action of God, but the determining factor as to benefit comes through the attitude of mind and will.
Paul had no question as to the identity of his persecutor or the source of his help. Naturally, he turned to God in prayer, once, then again, apparently without an answer from God. On his third petition the answer came. God said, "I have enough grace for your need." He didn't say that He would remove the thorn.
I may be going into forbidden territory to ask a question, or to make a suggestion. There is an ancient and inevitable law of sowing and reaping. "Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. In his preconversion days, Saul of Tarsus had persecuted, imprisoned and killed many Christians. We understand his explanation that he did it in ignorance. But was that enough to escape the retribution of reaping? Maybe we had better stick to what we know. And it seems obvious that this "messenger" was sent to counter-balance over his tendency to glory special trip to Paradise.
In addition to the promise of sufficient grace, God told Paul "My grace and my strength are made perfect in your weakness." Paul gladly accepted this trade off and preferred to glory in his infirmity if it was exchanged by the power of Christ.
In both verses 5 and 9 Paul speaks of his glory in infirmities and in verse 10 states that he takes pleasure in infirmities! This is strong medicine, but he does this that the power of Christ may rest upon him. He sets an exceedingly high standard for us. How he does this is partly explained in II Cor. 4:17 "For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory.." The affliction is light in comparison with the glory, and is just for a moment in contrast to eternity. and he is right!
All of us ride on St. Paul's promise of grace sufficient for our needs. It is a universal promise, for God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34). Our needs will never exhaust His supply. All that God does for us and in us is a result of that grace. The generic definition of grace is that it is the unmerited favor of God. That is good an far as it goes. The word "unmerited" is employed to state that this is not something owed to us or accomplished by us. It is more than a mere nod from God indication his approval. His grace is a many-faceted term. We speak of justification and sanctification as works of grace.
The promise here of a sufficiency of grace has direct reference to St. Paul's enablement to accept an answer to his petition that is the direct opposite of his request.
Saturday, June 12, 2010
PAUL AND THE THORN Part Two
His Pain and His Gain ...Cor. 12:5-8.
I regret the long gap in my communication. Part of that was occasioned by being away for General Camp. Our last post was a brief survey of Paul and the thorn in the flesh experience - Verses 1-4. Today's study will be of verses 5-8.
In a rather strange way Paul seeks to glory and yet not to glory of or for himself and his unusual trip to the third heaven. In this attempt, he seeks to distance himself from himself by referring to "such an one." He lets that other man receive the glory while he, Paul, glories in his infirmities. He rejoices as a grace that enables him to triumph over them. This is a remarkable virtue, and may God enable us to do likewise.
In all of the references to glory, the Authorized Version and others use the word "boast."
In Verse 6, Paul implies that there may be some tendency to find comfort in self-glorification, but to do so would be the act of a fool. This, he carefully avoids. Here he stands totally apposite to so many today are the most highly acclaimed church leaders. Some years ago I read a book titled "The Preachers." In it the life style and ministry of ten prominent churchmen of that day were critically examined. Only one of the ten was judged by the author to be truly Christian. We don't know how God judges except that it is fair and accurate. St. Paul is concerned that those who see and hear him have a right conception of his integrity.
In verse 7, Paul tells the whole world of something given him as a counter balance against self exaltation or boasting. This he identifies as a thorn in the flesh and a messenger of Satan! The commentators have had a field day in their attempt to identify that thorn. Some of these I list from their writings: epilepsy, severe and prostrating headaches, malarial fever, physical weariness (Whoever is there who hasn't had that one!), opposition from critics, slander, ophthalmia. Barclay gives another opinion, not his own, "the grinding, boring pain in one temple." Now that's getting it down to a fine point. One went so far as to think it was his mother-in-law! Surely this must have been a person who himself had a problem, and because he had not carefully read his New Testament.
Why bother to attempt to discover some new theory on something that cannot be known and give a solution based wholly on conjecture? Why, indeed! Being far removed from the scene, I boldly submit my opinion. Since Paul identifies this thorn in the flesh, I conclude it to be a physical infirmity.
What is to me a greater problem is that God permitted - even sent - such a person to do this to God's chosen apostle, one who perhaps did more than other man to check or destroy the satanic work of an adversary. Yet Paul explains it and accepts it. Twice in one verse he writes, "lest I should be exalted." What acute perception!
This is cause for all of us to take stock and to ask God for His searching as in Psalm 139: 23-24!
I regret the long gap in my communication. Part of that was occasioned by being away for General Camp. Our last post was a brief survey of Paul and the thorn in the flesh experience - Verses 1-4. Today's study will be of verses 5-8.
In a rather strange way Paul seeks to glory and yet not to glory of or for himself and his unusual trip to the third heaven. In this attempt, he seeks to distance himself from himself by referring to "such an one." He lets that other man receive the glory while he, Paul, glories in his infirmities. He rejoices as a grace that enables him to triumph over them. This is a remarkable virtue, and may God enable us to do likewise.
In all of the references to glory, the Authorized Version and others use the word "boast."
In Verse 6, Paul implies that there may be some tendency to find comfort in self-glorification, but to do so would be the act of a fool. This, he carefully avoids. Here he stands totally apposite to so many today are the most highly acclaimed church leaders. Some years ago I read a book titled "The Preachers." In it the life style and ministry of ten prominent churchmen of that day were critically examined. Only one of the ten was judged by the author to be truly Christian. We don't know how God judges except that it is fair and accurate. St. Paul is concerned that those who see and hear him have a right conception of his integrity.
In verse 7, Paul tells the whole world of something given him as a counter balance against self exaltation or boasting. This he identifies as a thorn in the flesh and a messenger of Satan! The commentators have had a field day in their attempt to identify that thorn. Some of these I list from their writings: epilepsy, severe and prostrating headaches, malarial fever, physical weariness (Whoever is there who hasn't had that one!), opposition from critics, slander, ophthalmia. Barclay gives another opinion, not his own, "the grinding, boring pain in one temple." Now that's getting it down to a fine point. One went so far as to think it was his mother-in-law! Surely this must have been a person who himself had a problem, and because he had not carefully read his New Testament.
Why bother to attempt to discover some new theory on something that cannot be known and give a solution based wholly on conjecture? Why, indeed! Being far removed from the scene, I boldly submit my opinion. Since Paul identifies this thorn in the flesh, I conclude it to be a physical infirmity.
What is to me a greater problem is that God permitted - even sent - such a person to do this to God's chosen apostle, one who perhaps did more than other man to check or destroy the satanic work of an adversary. Yet Paul explains it and accepts it. Twice in one verse he writes, "lest I should be exalted." What acute perception!
This is cause for all of us to take stock and to ask God for His searching as in Psalm 139: 23-24!
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