- Joined
- Apr 25, 2006
- Messages
- 17,522
2 August 2008
Word on the Web
2 Corinthians 11 v 30-33
If I must brag, I will brag about the things that show I am weak. God knows I am not lying. He is the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he is to be praised forever. When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas wanted to arrest me, so he put guards around the city. But my friends lowered me in a basket through a hole in the city wall. So I escaped from the governor.
When Saul of Tarsus met the risen Jesus on the Damascus Road (Acts 9:1-18) he began a process of transformation, which included growing in humility. Paul (as he later became known) understood with true humility that what enabled him to live the Christian life, was not due to his own strength but through Jesus who lived in him. His desire not to brag to the Corinthians, and his escaping in the basket at night from the governor, reveals something of his humility.
True servants of God have genuine humility.
Alphonsus Rodriguez was born in Spain in 1531. He had little education and suffered throughout his life with poor health. He also experienced a lot of personal tragedy, including, when he was in his thirties, the death of his wife and 2 children and also the death of his mother soon afterwards. At the age of 38, he applied to join the Jesuit Order within the Catholic Church but he was turned down. Two years later he was accepted as a lay brother, and for the next 46 years he was a humble doorkeeper, and slept for just a few hours each night in a chair. However, whenever people came to the door to see one of the Jesuit Priests, he would talk with them. His advice was so insightful that people started to come in great numbers to seek him out for counsel. God powerfully used this humble man.
If others were to look at us would they see a proud or a humble person?
Lord, help me today to be humble and not to brag or try to impress others. Amen
Written by Paul Tomlinson
3 August 2008
Word on the Web
2 Corinthians 12 v 1-6
I must continue to brag. It will do no good, but I will talk now about visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who was taken up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. I do not know whether the man was in his body or out of his body, but God knows. And I know that this man was taken up to paradise. I don't know if he was in his body or away from his body, but God knows. He heard things he is not able to explain, things that no human is allowed to tell. I will brag about a man like that, but I will not brag about myself, except about my weaknesses. But if I wanted to brag about myself, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will not brag about myself. I do not want people to think more of me than what they see me do or hear me say.
Why was Paul so pleased to brag about his weaknesses? Did he not know that the people who succeed in life are often the strong, the able and the assertive? Was he unaware that the world places a high value on things like power, status, money and reputation and you don't generally get those by being weak?
Yet, Paul is simply following his Master's teaching. Jesus says 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek and those that mourn' (Matthew 5:3-5). The Lord did not say blessed are the boastful, the assertive and the selfish!
Both Jesus and Paul were anything but weak people and so why do they celebrate weakness. I believe the answer is that what they meant by weakness is an understanding, that we cannot live life in our own strength, but only by the power that God provides. As we acknowledge our weaknesses, God enables us to do things like praying for our enemies, turning the other cheek when struck, and rejoicing when persecuted.
The world is shocked and yet in awe when we do things like forgiving our enemies. In 2005, Stephen Oake, a policeman and a Christian was stabbed to death. His father later said, ''I am praying for the perpetrator of this killing and seeking God's forgiveness for him and that he may now seek God himself and find peace and forgiveness with him.''
Have we turned our life over to the living God, or do we still live our lives in our own strength?
Lord, help me to understand that without you I am truly poor. Help me to acknowledge my weakness and that it is only through Christ living in me who can strengthen me. Amen.
Written by Paul Tomlinson
Word on the Web
2 Corinthians 11 v 30-33
If I must brag, I will brag about the things that show I am weak. God knows I am not lying. He is the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, and he is to be praised forever. When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas wanted to arrest me, so he put guards around the city. But my friends lowered me in a basket through a hole in the city wall. So I escaped from the governor.
When Saul of Tarsus met the risen Jesus on the Damascus Road (Acts 9:1-18) he began a process of transformation, which included growing in humility. Paul (as he later became known) understood with true humility that what enabled him to live the Christian life, was not due to his own strength but through Jesus who lived in him. His desire not to brag to the Corinthians, and his escaping in the basket at night from the governor, reveals something of his humility.
True servants of God have genuine humility.
Alphonsus Rodriguez was born in Spain in 1531. He had little education and suffered throughout his life with poor health. He also experienced a lot of personal tragedy, including, when he was in his thirties, the death of his wife and 2 children and also the death of his mother soon afterwards. At the age of 38, he applied to join the Jesuit Order within the Catholic Church but he was turned down. Two years later he was accepted as a lay brother, and for the next 46 years he was a humble doorkeeper, and slept for just a few hours each night in a chair. However, whenever people came to the door to see one of the Jesuit Priests, he would talk with them. His advice was so insightful that people started to come in great numbers to seek him out for counsel. God powerfully used this humble man.
If others were to look at us would they see a proud or a humble person?
Lord, help me today to be humble and not to brag or try to impress others. Amen
Written by Paul Tomlinson
3 August 2008
Word on the Web
2 Corinthians 12 v 1-6
I must continue to brag. It will do no good, but I will talk now about visions and revelations from the Lord. I know a man in Christ who was taken up to the third heaven fourteen years ago. I do not know whether the man was in his body or out of his body, but God knows. And I know that this man was taken up to paradise. I don't know if he was in his body or away from his body, but God knows. He heard things he is not able to explain, things that no human is allowed to tell. I will brag about a man like that, but I will not brag about myself, except about my weaknesses. But if I wanted to brag about myself, I would not be a fool, because I would be telling the truth. But I will not brag about myself. I do not want people to think more of me than what they see me do or hear me say.
Why was Paul so pleased to brag about his weaknesses? Did he not know that the people who succeed in life are often the strong, the able and the assertive? Was he unaware that the world places a high value on things like power, status, money and reputation and you don't generally get those by being weak?
Yet, Paul is simply following his Master's teaching. Jesus says 'Blessed are the poor in spirit, the meek and those that mourn' (Matthew 5:3-5). The Lord did not say blessed are the boastful, the assertive and the selfish!
Both Jesus and Paul were anything but weak people and so why do they celebrate weakness. I believe the answer is that what they meant by weakness is an understanding, that we cannot live life in our own strength, but only by the power that God provides. As we acknowledge our weaknesses, God enables us to do things like praying for our enemies, turning the other cheek when struck, and rejoicing when persecuted.
The world is shocked and yet in awe when we do things like forgiving our enemies. In 2005, Stephen Oake, a policeman and a Christian was stabbed to death. His father later said, ''I am praying for the perpetrator of this killing and seeking God's forgiveness for him and that he may now seek God himself and find peace and forgiveness with him.''
Have we turned our life over to the living God, or do we still live our lives in our own strength?
Lord, help me to understand that without you I am truly poor. Help me to acknowledge my weakness and that it is only through Christ living in me who can strengthen me. Amen.
Written by Paul Tomlinson
Last edited:
