April 16, 2024 WALKING THE WALK
2 Corinthians 12:6 “For if I do not wish to boast I shall not be foolish, for I shall be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one may credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.”
God chose to give great and surpassing revelations to Paul. Paul was aware of the possibility of exalting himself because of the revelations given to Him-and because that was a distinct possibility, God gave Paul a ‘thorn in the flesh,’ a messenger of Satan to buffet him-to keep him from exalting himself. Paul asked God three to remove the thorn but God said to Paul “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:8. In this passage of scripture, there are two important truths we must grasp. One is that we need to ‘walk the walk.’ Paul makes this point clear when He says that he wanted no one to credit him with more than they ‘saw’ in him or ‘heard’ from him. One may have great intellect and has great knowledge, or may have accomplished a great feat, or may be a great orator, or have great revelations from God, or may hold a high office; and these could lead to boasting. At the same time, one who may not be considered accomplished according to the worlds standard may also find reason to boast. If not careful, we can say things that we hope will make us look good-look better. Also, those who teach or those who preach have to be keenly aware of the importance of living out what they teach or preach. Wow! What Paul said really is a plumb line for us: do our words and our actions ‘walk the walk.’ Is there any guile in us? Psalm 32:2 tells us “Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not inquiry, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” The second point for us is to understand and accept is the fact that power is perfected in weakness. It really is! By human nature we do not like weakness. For us to be content with weakness-and we all have weaknesses-we must know that God’s grace is sufficient and that He displays His strength in our weakness. Maybe not the the extent Paul had, but I think we all have a thorn in the flesh that is there to keep us dependent on God and to cause us not to trust in ourselves. So, let us be ones who walk the walk, and ones in whom there is no guile; and ones who acknowledge and accept our weaknesses knowing that His strength is made perfect in weakness.
Ephesians 4:1 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Blessings, Buddy
2 Corinthians 12:6 “For if I do not wish to boast I shall not be foolish, for I shall be speaking the truth; but I refrain from this, so that no one may credit me with more than he sees in me or hears from me.”
God chose to give great and surpassing revelations to Paul. Paul was aware of the possibility of exalting himself because of the revelations given to Him-and because that was a distinct possibility, God gave Paul a ‘thorn in the flesh,’ a messenger of Satan to buffet him-to keep him from exalting himself. Paul asked God three to remove the thorn but God said to Paul “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:8. In this passage of scripture, there are two important truths we must grasp. One is that we need to ‘walk the walk.’ Paul makes this point clear when He says that he wanted no one to credit him with more than they ‘saw’ in him or ‘heard’ from him. One may have great intellect and has great knowledge, or may have accomplished a great feat, or may be a great orator, or have great revelations from God, or may hold a high office; and these could lead to boasting. At the same time, one who may not be considered accomplished according to the worlds standard may also find reason to boast. If not careful, we can say things that we hope will make us look good-look better. Also, those who teach or those who preach have to be keenly aware of the importance of living out what they teach or preach. Wow! What Paul said really is a plumb line for us: do our words and our actions ‘walk the walk.’ Is there any guile in us? Psalm 32:2 tells us “Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not inquiry, and in whose spirit there is no guile.” The second point for us is to understand and accept is the fact that power is perfected in weakness. It really is! By human nature we do not like weakness. For us to be content with weakness-and we all have weaknesses-we must know that God’s grace is sufficient and that He displays His strength in our weakness. Maybe not the the extent Paul had, but I think we all have a thorn in the flesh that is there to keep us dependent on God and to cause us not to trust in ourselves. So, let us be ones who walk the walk, and ones in whom there is no guile; and ones who acknowledge and accept our weaknesses knowing that His strength is made perfect in weakness.
Ephesians 4:1 “I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called,
Blessings, Buddy
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