所以若果我來處理此事，我的處理方式會與家父的不同。我和雞蛋說：我想一次過給中醫師三百元，告訴他我們酌量只能出這麼多，至於要治療多少次就由他來定奪吧。（我這樣做是leave it up to GOD.）那時家父還是剛開始個療程。雞蛋說的回應讓我知道他的處事方法也和我的不同。他說：“這麼處理怪怪的，通常付款都是在服務完後才結帳的，不會在貨還未到手就先給錢的。你還是等到整個療程結速後才再做定奪吧。”
{A friend of mine made a comment similar to many remarks from others that I think odd. He commented about a bad time for him and his family being out of income and savings getting low. Then a position opened up for his wife to take. My friend credited God for this opportunity and said it was an example of II Corinthians 12 at work, how God's grace was sufficient for him. If he was referring to before his wife received the job and how they kept trusting in God, then it makes sense, otherwise it doesn't make sense. It would be taking the meaning of "my grace is sufficient for you" out of context.
Please look closely at the context with me. The apostle Paul is speaking here.}
Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven. And I know how such a man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, God knows— was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which a man is not permitted to speak. On behalf of such a man I will boast; but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in regard to my weaknesses. For if I do wish to boast I will not be foolish, for I will be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one will credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.
{As seen above Paul had received or knew about some very special revelations outside of our scriptures. That is the background for what follows . . . }
Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.
{This passage has nothing to do with getting a need filled by God. Notice Paul had a problem and he prayed three times for it to be taken away. The answer from God was no. The problem was not removed. God told him "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." In other words, My goodness is all you need to get you through this and as a result of this you and others will see My power. Well, what does that mean? When we are experiencing difficulties beyond our control, yet we trust God and keep our faithful attitude despite the difficulty, our faith gets the credit and God gets the credit for maintaining our faith. It leads to God's power - not in a 'miracle' removing the problem, rather in the 'miracle' of God producing and keeping our faith. This is a great source of power for it leads to the salvation of others. They see our persistent faith and realize that the faith is real. Therefore, it must be based on something real. After all, it appears easy to have faith when everything is going your way, but not when things are hard. And everyone faces difficulties, so they relate to that. Then believers seeing your faith in difficult moments are encouraged, or if they are an unbelievers, they are amazed and may want to understand the reason for your persistent faith. It leads to opportunities for salvation. God's power is seen in your weakness.
So, next time you go through a difficult time, instead of asking God, "Why are you letting me be troubled?" or "Why are you punishing me?" you should look at it as a case where God's goodness will get you through it and good opportunities may arise leading to the salvation of others. Christians! Don't forget. You are God's servant; He has a role for each of you in your life and that includes the salvation and encouragement of others as well as your self. One benchmark of a mature Christian is the joy they experience as a result of seeing how God is using them for His glory. That should be what all Christians want. We often pray for it, but when opportunity for it occurs as a result of a difficult situation, some try to run away. They might even think God is not being good to them. I know about this. I have done it many times.
In my next post, I will compare four examples of this in the bible.}
{Here are four lessons from the bible of people who had opportunity to show God's grace was sufficient for them and God's power could be shown through their weakness.
Job 1:8
The Lord said to Satan, “Have you considered My servant Job? For there is no one like him on the earth, a blameless and upright man, fearing God and turning away from evil.
Job 1:13-22
Now on the day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, a messenger came to Job and said, “The oxen were plowing and the donkeys feeding beside them, and the Sabeans attacked and took them. They also slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “ The fire of God fell from heaven and burned up the sheep and the servants and consumed them, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “The Chaldeans formed three bands and made a raid on the camels and took them and slew the servants with the edge of the sword, and I alone have escaped to tell you.” While he was still speaking, another also came and said, “Your sons and your daughters were eating and drinking wine in their oldest brother’s house, and behold, a great wind came from across the wilderness and struck the four corners of the house, and it fell on the young people and they died, and I alone have escaped to tell you.”
Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped. He said,
“ Naked I came from my mother’s womb,
And naked I shall return there.
The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Through all this Job did not sin nor did he blame God.
{And all I can say is "wow!" Job is my hero. He suffered all these things suddenly, without having opportunity to digest what has happened and the possible reasons. They occur immediately one after the other. Yet, he kept his faith and did not point blame at God. There is more to the story, but the story of Job is there for a reason, just as these things happened to him for a reason. After all, God did not raise the dead here, so some things were never brought back for Job. However, we have this story today to encourage us when we go through adversity. God has His reasons for allowing these things to happen to us. Who knows. Perhaps what is happening to you right now is for the good of future generations. What a way to serve God! }
As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, “Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And Jesus said to him, “Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. You know the commandments, ‘ Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.’” And he said to Him, “Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up.” Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, “One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” But at these words he was saddened, and he went away grieving, for he was one who owned much property.
{It might seem this has very little to do with "my grace is sufficient for you", but that is the point of Jesus saying to this man to sell all he had and come follow Jesus. Yet, the man was not willing to do this, even though he was willing and able to keep the commandments of God. He was not willing to make himself weak in order that God's power was working in him. This is another level of spiritual maturity that we should strive for. First, keep the commandments, secondly, learn to depend on God's goodness without concern for our needs, thirdly allow ourselves to be weak in order that God's power might be strong in us.
One time when I was out shopping, one of my children asked me if it was good to be rich. I told her their were advantages and disadvantage. The woman walking near by gave me a strange look. I was thinking of what Jesus said “ How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God." She must have been thinking of something else I suppose.}
Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, and longing to be fed with the crumbs which were falling from the rich man’s table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham’s bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and *saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried out and said, ‘ Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony.
{[The rich man had an opportunity to help the poor beggar. He was laid right at the rich man's gate. He couldn't miss him. The beggar didn't require much. All the beggar wanted was the crumbs from the rich man's table. In other words, the things the rich man would not be using anyway. But the poor man was of no concern to the rich man. Then the poor man died. That might seem to be a sad ending for him but it is not the end of the story. The poor man went to Paradise. What good was his life? His life was meant to be an opportunity for someone to help him. He was part of the rich man's test. Even when it seems our life has no meaning and we are not successful even at making a living, it does not mean our life has been in vain. And we should not be proud if circumstances prevent us from being financially successful and be upset about it. It provides an opportunity for those who are better off to help us. After all, there are those born poor and those born rich. This is all God's will. Some Christians seem to expect God will make every pious Christian wealthy in worldly goods. This is not God's will for most of us. Some of us are poor and will remain that way. If the rich do not help us, we are still serving God's purpose for us. Again, God's grace can be sufficient for us and we can gain joy from this. Not easy to do, I admit, but a worthy goal. . . . No, don't try to be poor, but don't be concerned about your 'success' if you cannot obtain it. (Doesn't the bible speak this very same thing - if you are poor don't seek to be rich, if you are rich don't seek to be poor. Remain in the condition God has called you.) God measures success much differently than man. Look where the poor man and rich man ended up and recall that Jesus said it is hard for the rich to enter the kingdom of heaven.}
We all know that Jesus left God's presence to come to earth and become a weak baby in swaddling clothes. Later in His ministry He had no where to lay his head down. He lived weak, died weak. He voluntarily became weak in order that God's power and goodness might be seen through that. And it worked! He became an example of obedience by the things He suffered.
}
Hebrews 5:8-10
Although He was a Son, He learned obedience from the things which He suffered. And having been made perfect, He became to all those who obey Him the source of eternal salvation, being designated by God as a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek
{As a result, we have someone who can relate to us and we can be encouraged by Him, our high priest.
Hope you got some benefit from this. What a difference it makes in our lives when we realize that God is working through our weaknesses, problems and failures as well as our successes and talents. Then we can truly say "his grace is sufficient for me."}
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