Everyone Needs Grace!
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, Unfortunately, much of the world has repeatedly given up honoring the Creator. Most in the world have chased after worthless and depraved things. In addition, even those who seek to honor the Creator have also sinned. However, some of these religious people think that their religious knowledge and rules will save them. Many of the Jews in Paul’s day had this belief. Unfortunately, some religious people in your day also have this belief. They think because they have made a religious confession and have read My book and have gone to religious meetings that they are somehow better. They forget my own words: “Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, ‘Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’ But I will reply, ‘I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’” (Matthew 7:21-23 NLT) Paul wrote the parts of Romans that are now chapters 2, 3 and 7 to remind all people — religious and non-religious, Jews and non-Jews — that their deeds, their rules, their book, their religious pedigree, and their church attendance will not get them into My grace. Salvation is by the Father’s grace (Romans 3, Romans 5). This grace is received through faith (Romans 4). You share in this grace by participating in My death, burial, and resurrection through baptism (Romans 6). This grace is empowered by the Holy Spirit, Who brings the Father’s will to life in you (Romans 8). So the collection of verses today is a reminder of what Paul said in Romans chapters 2 and 3. He was emphatic: nothing and no one except Me can make you right — not law, not Scripture, not race, not religious pedigree. Ultimately, all of these things have failed to enable people to live up to the Father’s perfect standard of holiness. When you fail in one part of law-keeping, you are guilty of all (James 2:10). If you break one law, you are a lawbreaker. Paul wanted the Roman believers, and other believers who came after them, to understand that no one can be saved without the Father’s gift of grace purchased by My death on the cross and empowered by the Holy Spirit. By their failure, all people stand condemned to live righteously without flaw and have missed Our holy standard. Jews have failed to live up to the full standards demanded by the Mosaic law. Gentiles have failed to live up to the righteous standards of holiness. Everyone needs a Savior. No one can claim religious superiority. Everyone needs My grace! Verses to Live Tomorrow you will read verses about grace. Today you will be reminded in the verses below that, without that grace, no one can stand justified before the Father. All people need Me. I AM the only true Savior, Who can bring God’s grace to anyone, including you. So you can see there are no excuses for any of us. If your eyes shift their focus from yourselves to others — to judge how they are doing — you have already condemned yourselves! You don’t realize that you are pointing your fingers at others for the exact things you do as well. There’s no doubt that the judgment of God will justly fall upon hypocrites who practice such things. Here’s what is happening: you attack and criticize others and then turn around to commit the same offenses yourselves! Do you think you will somehow dodge God’s judgment? Do you take the kindness of God for granted? Do you see His patience and tolerance as signs that He is a pushover when it comes to sin? How could you not know that His kindness is guiding our hearts to turn away from distractions and habitual sin to walk a new path? But because your heart is obstinate and shameless, you’re storing up wrath that will count against you. On the day of His choosing, God’s wrath and judgment will be unleashed to make things right. As it goes, everyone will receive what his actions in life have cultivated. (Romans 2:1-6) Here’s my point: just because a person hears the law read or recited does not mean he is right before the one True God; it is following the law that makes one right, not just hearing it. (Romans 2:13) Listen, if you claim to be a Jew, count on the law, and boast in your relationship with God; if you know His will and can determine what is essential (because you have been instructed in the law); and if you stand convinced that you are chosen to be a guide to the blind, a light to those who live in darkness, a teacher of foolish wanderers and children, and have in the law what is essentially the form of knowledge and truth — then tell me, why don’t you practice what you preach? (Romans 2:17-21) So what then? Are we Jews better off? Not at all. We have made it clear that people everywhere, Jews and non-Jews, are living under the power of sin. Here’s what Scripture says: No one is righteous — not even one. There is no one who understands the truth; no one is seeking after the one True God. All have turned away; together they’ve become worthless. (Romans 3:9-12) We want to be clear that whatever the law says, it says to everyone who is under its authority. Its purpose is to muzzle every mouth, to silence idle talk, and to bring the whole world under the standard of God’s justice. Therefore, doing what the law prescribes will not make anyone right in the eyes of God — that’s not its purpose — but the law is capable of exposing the true nature
Today’s Verse – John 8:30
Even as [Jesus] spoke, many put their faith in him. —John 8:30 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… While we often talk about Jesus as our LORD and Savior, we can also find it easy to ignore his voice, or worse, hear Jesus’ words and ignore them. Our obedience to what Jesus says demonstrates that we have put our faith in him. To foolishly disobey, ignore, or neglect to do what Jesus says is to show that we don’t believe him to be our LORD to DO what he says to us as our LORD! Jesus promised a very rude awakening at judgment for those who take this attitude (Matthew 7:21-27). So, let’s commit to reading through each of the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John) before the end of the year. As we read about Jesus’ life and teachings, let’s do it as a search for the heart of Jesus and ask God to help us know him better and follow him more thoroughly and more obediently as the Holy Spirit conforms us to be more like him (2 Corinthians 3:18)! Video Commentary… ToGather Worship Guide | More ToGather Videos My Prayer… Be with me, dear Father, as I seek to know Jesus better and obey his words more faithfully as I read your holy Scriptures, which find their center in him. So, I pray for obedience in my daily life in the name of my LORD, Jesus, the Son of God, the Son of Man, and my Savior. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
The Destructive Path
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved, What you find in the verses below from the early part of Romans will appear to be a collection of harsh words and strong language. It is certainly not what you might expect from the premiere letter of Paul about the Father’s grace, My sacrifice, the Holy Spirit’s power, and your faith that connects you to salvation. And yes, I acknowledge these words are hard words, bold words, and frank words. But, dear child of the Father, these are true words. Part of what Paul was doing was demonstrating the need for the salvation and spiritual blessings that We offer. He will discuss these matters at length later in this letter. First, however, Paul needed to address what happens when folks worship created things instead of the Creator! Paul had powerfully proclaimed the nature of the one true God — Us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit — in his sermon in Athens. He had called on people to turn away from idols and had told them that they must seek after the One Who “made the universe and all it contains, the God Who is the King of all heaven and all earth” (Acts 17:24). We made the universe and all that is in it so that all people would seek after Us and find Us. We are close to you, not far away (Acts 17:27-28). Unfortunately, much of humanity has often refused to believe in Us even after seeing the evidence in nature of Our glorious presence and the indications in the universe of Our eternal existence. In fact, people have often drifted into celebrating and worshiping the things that We created to bless them instead of celebrating Us, the source of all their blessings! Paul told the Roman believers that people became so caught up in chasing the thrills of their existence that they had forgotten about the Father’s love, My creative attentiveness, and the Spirit’s work throughout creation. They then gave themselves so completely to reveling in the created things and celebrating the created experiences that they abandoned the love, grace, and power of their Creator. They gave themselves over to all sorts of depraved distortions of Our creative gifts because they forgot the origin of these gifts. They failed to see that their ravenous desire for more of these gifts is the sinfully destructive hook repeatedly baited by Satan to enslave them in their own depraved desire for more. They experienced one thing after another, but never had enough and never found satisfaction in what they had because they lost sight of the Father. Their hearts grew so cold to the Father’s love and grace that He turned them over to their own lustful desires and to the destructive consequences they bring. Beloved, things that are very similar to what Paul described are prevalent in your own culture and are happening before your own eyes. The Creator has largely been forgotten in your world. Those who have been created have forgotten their Creator and become more and more self-absorbed. The result has been the exaltation of created things and special experiences to the point that they are made common. They have become debased because they have lost their grounding in the intent of the Creator and the purpose of their being created. So what was the punishment for those who pursued this “counterfeit” path of self-indulgence? The Father stepped out of the way of these sinners and “turned them loose to follow the unseemly designs of their depraved minds and to do things that should not be done.” They were allowed to lose themselves in the depravity they pursued. Their destruction was of their own making and breaks the heart of their Creator! Be warned. What was true in Paul’s day is also true in your own day. Verses to Live I challenge you as you read these verses not to assign them to long ago and far away. Think of how your own time and culture are reflected in the following verses. Then, choose to give thanks, praise, and your devotion to the Father, your Creator, as the One from Whom all good and perfect gifts have come (James 1:17)! For the wrath of God is breaking through from heaven, opposing all manifestations of ungodliness and wickedness by the people who do wrong to keep God’s truth in check. These people are not ignorant about what can be known of God, because He has shown it to them with great clarity. From the beginning, creation in its magnificence enlightens us to His nature. Creation itself makes His undying power and divine identity clear, even though they are invisible; and it voids the excuses and ignorant claims of these people because, despite the fact that they knew the one true God, they have failed to show the love, honor, and appreciation due to the One Who created them! Instead, their lives are consumed by vain thoughts that poison their foolish hearts. They claim to be wise; but they have been exposed as fools, frauds, and con artists — only a fool would trade the splendor and beauty of the immortal God to worship images of the common man or woman, bird or reptile, or the next beast that tromps along. So God gave them just what their lustful hearts desired. As a result, they violated their bodies and invited shame into their lives. How? By choosing a foolish lie over God’s truth. They gave their lives and devotion to the creature rather than to the Creator Himself, Who is blessed forever and ever. Amen. This is why God released them to their own vile pursuits, and this is what happened: they chose sexual counterfeits — women had sexual relations with other women and men committed unnatural, shameful acts because they burned with lust for other men. This sin was rife, and they suffered painful consequences. Since they had no mind to recognize God, He turned them loose to follow
Today’s Verse – Mark 8:29
“But what about you?” [Jesus] asked. “Who do you say I am?” Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” —Mark 8:29 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The sweetest confession any of us will ever make is this: “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and I want him to be LORD of my life.” Let’s repeat it, out loud, to the glory of God the Father: “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and I want him to be LORD of my life.” What other people say about Jesus and what they believe about Jesus is not the focus of the LORD’s question to Peter. Who do I say that Jesus is? Will you answer like Peter? I think we should. So, let’s say it again for the third time: “I believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and I want him to be LORD of my life.” Now, let’s commit that before the year ends, we will invite someone else to say these words for the first time in their life! My Prayer… Thank you, LORD God Almighty, for having a plan that brought me your Messiah, Jesus. I believe, dear God, that he is your Son, and I want him to be the LORD of my life, and I want him to be my LORD for the rest of my days. I pray this in the name of Jesus, your Son, and my Savior. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Paul’s Reasons for the Road
Note from Jesus Dear Beloved Disciple, Paul had many reasons to be on the road. He traveled extensively all over the regions bordering the northern and eastern Mediterranean Sea. He traveled to share the good message of the Father’s grace with people who had never heard it. He strengthened house churches he had helped plant on previous trips. He matured and appointed leaders in those house churches. He carried communication from one group of disciples to another. As Paul left for Jerusalem on the trip described in the verses below from Acts, he was bringing a special financial gift to Jerusalem. He wanted to bless the impoverished Jewish disciples in Jerusalem with a gift from Gentile Christians. He was hoping to tie together the whole brotherhood through this project. As you read the verses below, you will find all of those reasons for Paul’s travels through Asia Minor (with key cities of Troas & Ephesus), Macedonia (with key cities of Philippi, Berea, & Thessalonica), and Greece (with key cities of Corinth & Athens) on his way back to Syria (Antioch) and ultimately to Judea (Jerusalem). Paul was determined to go to Rome, the capital of the empire, after going to Jerusalem. Then from Rome, he planned to go to Spain to share My story and the good message of salvation. The first set of verses below (from the book of Acts) is a very simple summary of a few years when Paul wrote the incredible letter of Romans while in Greece. (We will be reading parts of Romans together over the next several days.) As you read from some of the beginning and ending verses of Romans today, you will also find information and hints about Paul’s travels and what motivated him to take these trips. Underneath all of these travels during this stage of Paul’s life, there were three predominant influences: Paul was My chosen emissary (apostle), especially to the non-Jewish peoples of the world. For I [Paul] am not the least bit embarrassed about the gospel. I won’t shy away from it, because it is God’s power to save every person who believes: first the Jew, and then the non-Jew. He was passionate about fulfilling this call. He had a special fervor to take the good news to people who had never heard it: I have dreamed of preaching the gospel in places where no one has ever heard of the Anointed so that I do not build on a foundation laid by anyone else. Paul wanted to bring the brotherhood of Jews and non-Jews together through the offering from the Gentile churches for their brothers and sisters in faith in Jerusalem: But right now I [Paul] must make the journey to Jerusalem to serve the saints there. Those in Macedonia and Achaia decided it was a good idea to share their funds to help the poor among the saints in Jerusalem. I must tell you that they were thrilled to be able to help. They realize that they are indebted to the believers in Jerusalem. If the nations share in the Jews’ spiritual goods, then it’s only right that they minister back to them in material goods. Since some people were seeking to stop and, if necessary, kill Paul, he could and would alter his travel strategies based on their hostility. However, he was determined to complete his travels: He [Paul] spent three months there [in Greece], and then he planned to set sail once again for Syria. But he learned that a group of Jewish opponents was plotting to kill him, so he decided to travel through Macedonia. While in Greece, he wrote about possible additional opposition he would face when he returned to Jerusalem: Pray that I [Paul] will be rescued from those who deny and persecute the faith in Judea and that my service in Jerusalem will meet the approval of all the saints there. As Paul traveled to share My good news, he wrote the nearest thing to a complete document on grace, faith, baptism, the Holy Spirit, and holy living in his letter called the book of Romans in your Bible. This is the letter we will share together in the coming days. First, however, I want you to get a feeling for the passion that drove Paul along the many roads he traveled! Verses to Live As you read today’s verses, you will find much more depth of emotion than can be highlighted in this short note. So I want you to read through these verses several times listening for the passion of Paul to fulfill his call to share the gospel. As you read, also pray for the Spirit to release this same kind of passion in you and through you in your day! As soon as the uproar ended [in Ephesus], Paul gathered the disciples together, encouraged them once more, said farewell, and left on foot. He decided to pass through Macedonia, encouraging believers wherever he found them, and came to Greece. He spent three months there, and then he planned to set sail once again for Syria. But he learned that a group of Jewish opponents was plotting to kill him, so he decided to travel through Macedonia. … Paul: Now I feel that the Holy Spirit has taken me captive. I am being led to Jerusalem. My future is uncertain, but I know — the Holy Spirit has told me — that everywhere I go from now on, I will find imprisonment and persecution waiting for me. But that’s OK. That’s no tragedy for me because I don’t cling to my life for my own sake. The only value I place on my life is that I may finish my race, that I may fulfill the ministry that Jesus our King has given me, that I may gladly tell the good news of God’s grace. (Acts 20:1-3; Acts 20:22-24) Paul, a servant of Jesus the Anointed called by God to be His emissary and appointed to
Today’s Verse – Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. —Romans 8:28 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… The real issue in our lives is not God’s faithfulness and goodness but ours. The history of God’s faithfulness to Israel and his promises is found throughout the Scriptures. We can depend and rely on him to do what he promises despite the apparent circumstances of our lives. The real issue is whether or not we choose to truly love him and live for his purposes when our lives become unbearable and faith becomes hard. This verse is no platitude or easy answer. It is the life ring of hope for those with gritty faith who choose to persevere when there is no easy reason for doing so. Faith like this is rooted in a Savior who triumphed over death, Satan, sin, and hell by voluntarily giving his life for our salvation. But he remained in the grave a second day. There appeared to be no hope, but hope burst forth as Jesus rose from the dead on the third day. So, will we choose to keep loving God and living for his purposes when things are hard — when we are caught on our own “second day” while waiting for the dawn of the third day and our complete salvation? My Prayer… Please give me courage, faith, and character, O LORD, and may I never outlive my faith and hope in you as I love you and live for your purpose in my life. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Closing Words, Closing Grace
Note from Jesus Dear Committed Follower, As Paul came to the end of his very challenging letter to the Corinthians, the letter you call 2 Corinthians, he had several things he wanted to imprint on the hearts of these disciples. He closed his letter with both a blessing and an encouragement for holy living. He had repeatedly defended his right to be My special emissary (or apostle) against the charges that he wasn’t really special, important, or equal to other emissaries. As Paul finished this letter, he emphasized the behaviors and attitudes that the Corinthians needed to have to honor Me. Whether they accepted his ministry or not, Paul wanted them to focus on living in ways that were consistent with My character and compassion. Notice the words in bold in the verses below. Use them as a good guide for yourself. These qualities are the good fruit from having a heart that belongs to Me and a commitment to honor Me as Lord. Realize that these character qualities are the fruit of being led by the Spirit to conform your character and compassion to be like My own. They show that you are “being transformed, metamorphosed, into [My] image from one radiance of glory to another, just as the Spirit of the Lord accomplishes it” (2 Corinthians 3:18). Here are some behaviors to use as your guide. As Paul said, “Examine yourselves.” So I’ve put the following list down as an evaluation tool for you to use on yourself. This list is in the first person so you can ask yourself if these qualities are really yours: Do I stay away from evil? Do I try to do what is right? Do I act honorably… even in difficult situations? Do I align myself with truth rather than trying to find a way around it? Do I trust in the Spirit to help me find wholeness and completeness in Jesus? Do I rejoice in the Father’s presence in my life and the many blessings He shares with me? Am I committed to repairing what is broken in my relationships and my own personal life, with the help of the Holy Spirit? Do I encourage others? Do I seek to live in unity with my brothers and sisters in Christ by serving others as Jesus did? As far as possible, do I seek to live in peace with all people — believers and unbelievers? Do I greet others as brothers and sisters? Remember, these are words to help you examine the fruit in your life to see if it is consistent with My way of life. This list is not a “color-by-numbers” pattern to gain salvation or a list to help you feel superior to others. Nor is this a checklist to discourage and humiliate you for your failures. Paul gave these check-up characteristics to help the Corinthians refine their focus on the things that matter! Are you growing in these qualities? Are you committed to this kind of fruit in your life? Are you being “transformed” by the Spirit to be more and more like Me in these areas? If you are, then great! If not, re-focus on Me and seek to walk with Me each day so that My character permeates your life as the Holy Spirit does His work of transformation. Verses to Live This whole last message from My great emissary Paul to the Corinthian disciples reveals his heart. While he wanted them to love and appreciate him, their spiritual character was much more important to him than their acceptance and appreciation of him. Even if the Corinthians rejected him, Paul wanted them to follow Me and to reflect Me in their thoughts, attitudes, and behaviors. So Paul ended this letter with a beautiful blessing. The last words he wanted the Corinthians to hear from him were words of blessing because he wanted them to live a blessed and holy life. Examine yourselves. Check your faith! Are you really in the faith? Do you still not know that Jesus the Anointed is in you? — unless, of course, you have failed the test. Surely you will realize we have not failed the test, but we pray to God that you will stay away from evil. What’s important is not whether we appear to have passed the test, but that you do what is right and act honorably, even if it appears that we have failed. For there’s nothing we can do to oppose the truth; all we can do is align ourselves with it. You see, we celebrate when we are weak but you are strong. Our prayer is simple: that you may be whole and complete. How I hope I am saving you by writing this to you in advance; this letter will spare me from using the Lord’s authority to come down on you when I arrive. His intention in giving me this authority is to build you up, not tear you down. Finally, brothers and sisters, keep rejoicing and repair whatever is broken. Encourage each other, think as one, and live at peace; and God, the Author of love and peace, will remain with you. Greet each other with a holy kiss, as brothers and sisters. All the saints here with me send you their greeting. May the grace of the Lord Jesus the Anointed, the love of God the Father, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit remain with you all. Amen. (2 Corinthians 13:5-14) Response in Prayer O precious Father, You are the Almighty God Who is holy, merciful, righteous, and compassionate. I open my heart to be willingly transformed through the work of the Holy Spirit. Each day I want to find myself more and more like Jesus. I want my thoughts, words, and behaviors to reflect the presence of Jesus in my life. I want these qualities Paul describes in the passage above to become the qualities found in my own character. In Jesus’ name, I ask for this
Today’s Verse – Matthew 8:27
The men [in the boat caught in the storm] were amazed and asked, “What kind of man is this? Even the winds and the waves obey him!” —Matthew 8:27 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… What kind of man is this? Ah, Jesus is much more than a man; he is our LORD, King, Messiah, Shepherd, and Savior. Most certainly, when Jesus came in the flesh to earth, he was fully a man. Yet this Christ Jesus is also the Master of earth, wind, and storm because he is the Creator of it all (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:15-18). Rather than merely talking about Jesus, we need to bow down and worship him for all that he is, all has done, and all he is in the process of doing to bring us home to him, safely and eternally! My Prayer… Tender Shepherd and Abba Father, thank you for emptying heaven of your choicest glory and sending Jesus to be my LORD and Savior (Philippians 2:6-11). As I face the storms in my life, please give me the courage to stand bravely in faith, trusting that my Savior will still the winds and the waves and deliver me safely home to you. In Jesus’ glorious name, I pray. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.
Beyond ‘a Rock and a Hard Place’
Note from Jesus Dear Disciple, Nearly every one of My leaders through the ages has been stuck between a rock and a hard place. I’m talking about being in a situation where they had to defend themselves, or defend the truth they were trying to communicate, against unfair accusations. These leaders were stuck because defending themselves would mean revealing confidential information or speaking about themselves in self-promoting ways that made them feel uncomfortable. As true servants, they weren’t a self-promoting kind of people. Since My servants were attacked by unfair accusations or because of misunderstanding, they needed to defend their actions for the good of the congregations they were leading. Most managed to find effective and ethical ways to address the issues of concern, but that doesn’t mean that it was easy for them to do it. Paul was stuck between a rock and a hard place when he wrote 2 Corinthians. He was being called less than the “so-called great emissaries” (2 Corinthians 12:11 The Voice) — others of your translations use the term “super apostles”. Because Paul had previously been reluctant to boast to the Corinthians about his qualifications, speak about his special spiritual experiences, or give a list of his greatest accomplishments, many of the Corinthians quit respecting him. Plus, Paul didn’t ask for monetary support, so the Corinthians assumed that he wasn’t as worthy a minister as those who demanded support. In the letter you call 1 Corinthians, Paul confronted the Corinthian believers for their divisions rooted in their pride about the different groups to which they belonged. He also confronted their pride about the spiritual gifts they had been given. So Paul was careful in 1 Corinthians not to boast about anything other than My cross. He was careful not to take money or depend on their support. Paul didn’t trumpet his accomplishments or spiritual qualifications because that would have only fed into the Corinthians own misguided sense of greatness, status, and importance. In 2 Corinthians, Paul emphasized that his qualifications that really mattered were the ones that showed My power at work in his weaknesses, hardships, and persecutions. He said: I am at peace and even take pleasure in any weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and afflictions for the sake of the Anointed because when I am at my weakest, He makes me strong. Near the end of 2 Corinthians, Paul had to address his critics directly. He had to confront the Corinthians’ concept of the “so-called great emissaries” who trumpeted their own accomplishments and highlighted their spiritual qualifications while taking money from the Corinthians. Paul told the Corinthians that he was “out of [his] mind” (2 Corinthians 11:23 NIV) and having to resort to “foolishness” (2 Corinthians 11:1) to defend himself, but the Corinthians had left him no other choice (2 Corinthians 11:16-21; 2 Corinthians 12:11). Paul exposed the “so-called great emissaries” for the charlatans and frauds they were (2 Corinthians 11:12-15). Even when Paul finally resorted to boasting about his supernatural experience and his powerfully fruitful ministry, he ultimately came back to his weakness, his “nagging nuisance” from Satan, as his sign of integrity. Even though Paul asked the Father three times to remove his “nagging nuisance” — also called his “thorn in the flesh” — the Father did not remove it. Paul emphasized that this “nagging nuisance” was present in his life to keep him from becoming “too high and mighty.” Paul was being reminded that the Father’s “grace [was] enough to cover and sustain” him. He was challenged to see that the Father’s “power is made perfect in weakness.” Bottom line: Paul wanted the Corinthians to know that My example of being a sacrificial servant must be the primary mark of authenticity that they used for greatness. A truly great emissary, apostle, or minister is known for her or his willingness to sacrifice and serve. If the credibility of the Corinthians’ “so-called great emissaries” was not found in sacrificing for others like I did, then their ministry was not really empowered by Me. Verses to Live As you read these verses, use them to help you assess the value and importance of anyone who claims to minister in My name. I want you to keep asking yourself if your standard is like the Corinthians’ standard or like Paul’s standard. Boasting like this [as in the preceding verses] is necessary, but it’s unbecoming and probably unavailing. Since you won’t hear me any other way, let me tell you about visions and revelations I received of the Lord. Fourteen years ago, there was this man I knew — a believer in the Anointed Who was caught up to the third heaven. (Whether this was an in- or out-of-body experience I don’t know; only God knows.) This man was caught up into paradise (let me say it again, whether this was an in- or out-of-body experience I don’t know; only God knows), and he heard inexpressible words — words a mortal man is forbidden to utter. I could brag about such a man; but as for me, I have nothing to brag about outside my own shortcomings. So if I want to boast, I won’t do so as a fool because I will be speaking the truth. But I will stop there, since I don’t want to be credited with anything except exactly what people see and hear from me. To keep me grounded and stop me from becoming too high and mighty due to the extraordinary character of these revelations, I was given a thorn in the flesh — a nagging nuisance of Satan, a messenger to plague me! I begged the Lord three times to liberate me from its anguish; and finally He said to me, “My grace is enough to cover and sustain you. My power is made perfect in weakness.” So ask me about my thorn, inquire about my weaknesses, and I will gladly go on and on — I would rather stake my claim in these and have
Today’s Verse – Romans 8:26-27
In the same way [as the Spirit blesses us in so many ways in our lives], the Spirit [also] helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. —Romans 8:26-27 Thoughts on Today’s Verse… Sometimes, our prayers seem to bounce off the ceiling like BBs and fall to the floor, rattling around under our feet and tripping us up in mockery of our requests. Other times, we are overcome with emotion, and the words of our prayers can’t begin to capture what’s crashing around in our hearts. Thanks be to God for the assurance that the power of our prayers is not dependent upon the choice of our words but upon his grace given us by the Holy Spirit’s intercession. The Holy Spirit presents our requests — our words, our emotions, and even the things beyond our words and emotions — and he does so to God powerfully and acceptably, no matter what comes out of our hearts and mouths! My Prayer… Holy God and loving Father, thank you for the gift of the Holy Spirit, through whom I have the ultimate assurance that you hear and accept my words, thoughts, emotions, and even the conflicts of my heart when I pray. In Jesus’ name, I thank you for this grace. Amen. All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House.