昨日星期天,我聽一位牧師朋友講見證,他說主的恩典真的夠用,話說他家有段時間只有太太一份part time 工作的收入,實是很快不夠用,神又有轉機供應,太太的半職被老板主動轉為全職。所以證明了主的恩典真的也可以套用在生活所需的事情上,並不是如有人說神的恩典單靠讀聖經而來的。
我心想,嚇!,你屋企長期節儉到連洗澡用的花撒水都要調至放尿尿那麼細流量,還細過下雨時你家天棚的漏水喔!你還可以說主恩主的恩典真的也可以套用在生活所需的事情上?
{A pastor friend of mine made a comment in a church service 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.}