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2 Corinthians 12:11 I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing.
It is not our position in our churches which we should be so concerned about but the way we act toward others.
Paul realised he had become known and people looked up to him; he played this down and turned the glory back to God.
He wanted to show people he was not asking anything of them but giving as often as he could. He wanted to show them Christ’s heart and spirit through his actions.
How do you fare?
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Isaiah 40:17 Before him all the nations are as nothing; they are regarded by him as worthless and less than nothing.
What does God think of countries, kingdoms and principalities? Apparently, not a lot! But the people within those places are a very different thing…
We see references all throughout history, from Job through David, through Christ and on; God looks at the people and what is in their hearts rather than the so called might and power of the countries.
Even though countries and kingdoms may have been put together with God’s help, they are still just that. Give God the glory and Him alone!
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Psalm 8:4 what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?
Not matter what stature you have as a human being, whether you are a prince, queen, subject, slave, or any other kind of person, you still have the love of God!
God has shown us just how much He loves us through all the things which have happened in the past. He has made some very difficult decisions about who lives and who dies, but His grace and mercy was, and always is free to all.
We are the ones who squander it, reject it and ignore it. He continues in His love. He shows it from you right through to Jesus Christ; every human being is loved by God!
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Zechariah 12:8 On that day the Lord will shield those who live in Jerusalem, so that the feeblest among them will be like David, and the house of David will be like God, like the angel of the Lord going before them.
Throughout our history we can see evidence of how God has always backed Israel when they have obeyed Him; but as they start to depend on their own ways they start to fall.
But during those times they have God’s backing, even the weakest of men looks strong and is able to face the enemy just as David was able to face up to so many dangers.
Trusting and believing in God has amazing and wonderful privileges and rewards; trust in Him!
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Joel 3:10 Beat your ploughshares into swords and your pruning hooks into spears. Let the weakling say, “I am strong!”
When the Lord calls us out to do something it should not only be the qualified who stand up to help but everyone who is able.
Here people are encouraged to leave their safe earthly lives behind and take what they have to forge new weapons to help with the fight ahead.
When we have God on our side, we are strong! When we have God with us, nothing can beat us! Don’t lay down a string of excuses, step forward!
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2 Corinthians 12:10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
Would you like to be disabled (if you are not already)? Would you like to have a speech impediment (if you do not have already)?
I don’t think it is a case of wanting to be worse off here Paul is talking about, but the fact He has accepted how he is worse off without fear.
I am sure he would have complained at some stage of not having everything he wanted, but to get to the stage where you accept what you have wrong in your life and can use it to teach others about grace and mercy is a good thing which Paul is showing here!
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Isaiah 40:29 He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.
What happens when you are in trouble? What happens when you call out for help and it does not come? You start to think you cannot cope…
The more you go down that thought train, the more you get stuck in it!
God is able to give you strength. He is able to give you hope. He is able to answer your calls for help…
Don’t lose hope just because the answer does not come immediately – give God a chance!
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Romans 14:4 Who are you to judge someone else’s servant? To their own master, servants stand or fall. And they will stand, for the Lord is able to make them stand.
Have you ever gone up to someone and said something like “you cannot do it that way!” only to find out that is how they have always done it?
We learn from the people around us and what we learn tends to stick with us; just because we do something in a different manner does not necessarily make it right.
God is our overall judge and it is to Him we should be trying our best to do things right by. Don’t get caught up in arguments about how things are done unless you want to argue with God!
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Romans 14:1 Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarrelling over disputable matters.
It is not us who are the judges of the people who do things wrong, because we do things wrong too.
But that does not mean we cannot bring people a little closer to God to see what is right – even if we trip up along the way!
If we are able to draw people a little closer to Christ, then He, who has done nothing wrong, will be able to encourage them more.
Don’t argue trivial matters when you know they will stop people drawing closer to God; allow God to point out those faults.
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Matthew 7:1 Do not judge, or you too will be judged.
A simple saying which we all like to banter on with… but how seriously do we actually take it?
If we are willing to blame others without finding out the whole story, take someone’s side after a single sentence or say no without asking why… are we actually following the context in which this is said?
Proper judgement should be done by those in power to do the judging so let’s not talk about that. How about basic gossip?
Is what you are saying based on fact or what is most important in your mind at the time of the argument. Stop and think before you talk!
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Ephesians 6:22 I am sending him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage you.
How do you encourage other people? One of the best ways is to keep them informed of all you get up to so they can see you are doing things for God!
I know I am not the best to talk on this subject because I don’t keep people informed! But I have started making changes on that front because I will start doing so very soon.
It is always encouraging to get news of what someone is doing, so if you cannot make it personally and cannot send someone else instead, then try send an email, a text or even a letter!
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1 Corinthians 14:3 But the one who prophesies speaks to people for their strengthening, encouraging and comfort.
When we pray, we pray to God. When we study the scriptures, we listen to God. When we do things for God, we obey Him.
But what about the people around us? How does the gospel message get out to them? They have to be told by someone and what better person than the one thinking about the subject?
God wants us to share what we learn, share what we know and share what we hear.
Give God the glory for all He continues to do in this world and not just what has happened in the past!
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1 Corinthians 14:1 Follow the way of love and eagerly desire gifts of the Spirit, especially prophecy.
The apostle promoted many things, love being one of the most highly recommended; but here he makes sure people know just how important prophecy is.
We should all desire spiritual gifts from God. We should all exercise those He has given us. To What end?
So we can tell people about Christ, about God and about all which is to come still. That is prophecy. Be willing to listen to God and tell others what he is telling you!
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1 Corinthians 12:6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work.
The church is made up of very special people, some very ordinary in our eyes and others very exceptional… but God sees us all as very special people with very special roles to play in the church.
You see, God wants us all to be a part of the church. Each of us will have a special part in His church.
He knows what part we should be playing in the church, parts that we may think are nothing but parts He knows are crucial to His church.
Be your part of it!
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1 Corinthians 12:5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord.
God does not call us all to do exactly the same thing – that would be pretty boring!
There are a multitude of things in the world God wants us to be able to do, not so He controls the world but so He can reach more people with the gospel through us all.
The church is made up of a whole lot of people doing a whole lot of different things for just one God; our God!
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1 Corinthians 12:4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them.
This comes straight after a verse telling us how the only one who can identify Jesus as being God to us is the Holy Spirit.
This same Holy Spirit gives each of us the abilities to do our work for God so long as we trust in Him.
Just because a shop says they have free gifts for all customers who come into the shop, does not mean everyone gets a gift – they have to come into the shop first!
The same way is with us, when we accept Jesus into our lives, the Holy Spirit begins to explain things to us!
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Mark 9:43 If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell, where the fire never goes out.
There are many things in our lives we cling on to just because we think they are worth it or may be useful somewhere down the line.
What Jesus was telling us here is that it is not useful if it is not helping us to get to heaven. What use is anything if it is going to keep us out of heaven?
God wants us in heaven no matter what we have in life! Don’t hold on to things preventing you from communing with God!
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Mark 9:39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me
Jesus sent out the disciples to go and heal the sick and cast out demons; but He did not limit that to just those few!
God continues to allow people to heal others and to ward off evil spirit by doing so in the express name of Jesus Christ.
All evil knows the name of Jesus Christ. They may not know us, but when we speak in Jesus’ authority, they flee.
Trust people who are supporting Jesus, God and the Holy Spirit; don’t trust those who work against any of these!
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Mark 9:37 “Whoever welcomes one of these little children in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me does not welcome me but the one who sent me.”
I find it amazing that I would write these words down last week and God would give them back to me when I am away on retreat.
When we are dealing with a God who knows us better than we know ourselves, we should not expect anything less than constant and perfect guidance from Him.
As long as we are listening and meditating on the bible, then we must surely know His call for each one of us – don’t be surprised when God reinforces things over and over again.
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3 John 1:9 I wrote to the church, but Diotrephes, who loves to be first, will not welcome us.
Would you like to be singled out as the reason for someone else being rejected in society? Would you like to be the reason why someone else can’t get anywhere in life?
As Christians we have a role to uphold others in a similar fashion to how Christ did; we should be trying to lift others up and not put them down!
As much as we like to think others are going to listen to us and do what we say, they will not all do so! But when you lift them up, they will be more likely to listen as you act in kindness…