S: 1 Samuel 13:8 "Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn't come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away.9 So he demanded, "Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!" And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself. 13 "How foolish!" Samuel exclaimed. "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever."
2 Corinthians 12:9 Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.10 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
O: Saul was supposed to wait for Samuel to give the offering, however because of the Philistine army approaching and losing troops he couldn't wait. He sacrificed the offering himself. Because of this disobedience he lost the priveledge of being king.
Paul was saying that he took pleasure in weakness, because when he did God showed up strong in his life. He was referring to a "thorn in the flesh" that God wouldn't take away. He said God wouldn't take it away so that he didn't become proud. This apparently made Paul weak, however God was strong.
A: What are the areas of my life that I become frustrated by weakness? What areas do I continue to pray that God would remove, however just maybe He is not removing so that I don't become proud? When I have hardships, do I take delight in this because God will be strong? Am I like Saul, who scrambles to find a plan B instead of waiting on God?
P: God, I need to have a radical change in my perspective. I need to see my difficulties in life a testing ground for your faithfulness. You will be my strength when I am weak. Help me to see things differently and lean heavily on you and your strength. May I not run to other quick fixes but rely on you.
Title: Strength in Weakness
ReplyDeleteS: 1 Samuel 13:8 "Saul waited there seven days for Samuel, as Samuel had instructed him earlier, but Samuel still didn't come. Saul realized that his troops were rapidly slipping away.9 So he demanded, "Bring me the burnt offering and the peace offerings!" And Saul sacrificed the burnt offering himself. 13 "How foolish!" Samuel exclaimed. "You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you. Had you kept it, the Lord would have established your kingdom over Israel forever."
2 Corinthians 12:9 Each time he said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.10 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
O: Saul was supposed to wait for Samuel to give the offering, however because of the Philistine army approaching and losing troops he couldn't wait. He sacrificed the offering himself. Because of this disobedience he lost the priveledge of being king.
Paul was saying that he took pleasure in weakness, because when he did God showed up strong in his life. He was referring to a "thorn in the flesh" that God wouldn't take away. He said God wouldn't take it away so that he didn't become proud. This apparently made Paul weak, however God was strong.
A: What are the areas of my life that I become frustrated by weakness? What areas do I continue to pray that God would remove, however just maybe He is not removing so that I don't become proud? When I have hardships, do I take delight in this because God will be strong? Am I like Saul, who scrambles to find a plan B instead of waiting on God?
P: God, I need to have a radical change in my perspective. I need to see my difficulties in life a testing ground for your faithfulness. You will be my strength when I am weak. Help me to see things differently and lean heavily on you and your strength. May I not run to other quick fixes but rely on you.
Title: "When I am Weak, Jesus is Big"
ReplyDeleteS: 2 Corinthians 12:9 "My grace is enough for you. When you are weak my power is made perfect in you."
O: When Paul suffered and made weak, Jesus was big in Paul's life.
A: To know that when I get hurt or have a bad day that Jesus is big in my life.
P: Dear God, help me to know when I get hurt or have a bad day that you are big inside of me.