TO GLORY OR NOT TO GLORY FROM 2 CORINTHIANS 12

2 Corinthians 12

TO GLORY OR NOT TO GLORY

PRIDE

Thank You LORD for the visions and revelations that come from You. LORD, doubtless we have nothing to glory of in the flesh. Jesus is our hope of glory.

If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. 1 Peter 4:11

He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him. - John 7:18

I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. - Isaiah 42:8

But he that glories, let him glory in the Lord. 2 Corinthians 10:17

But let him that glories glory in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, says the LORD. - Jeremiah 9:24

You let us know that pride is in the top sin list and it was satan's demise. You said you shall raise us up when we are humble. May we never be taken by pride and the messenger of satan take advantage of it. When he comes to buffet us with the thorn of the flesh, may the weak boldly say, I AM STRONG.  For You are our strength. Your grace is sufficient for us: for our strength is made perfect in weakness. We worship You when we are in the mountain top, and also glory in our infirmities that the power of Christ may rest upon us.

GLORY IN INFIRMITIES
You encourage us to glory in our infirmities because when we are weak we find that You are our strength. Therefore, may we remember to glory in:

+infirmities
+reproaches
+necessities
+persecutions
+distresses for Christ's sake

for when we are weak, then are we strong.

It should not matter if we are criticized for it rather than commended for it.

But rejoice inasmuch as you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed. - 1 Peter 4:13

SIGNS OF AN APOSTLE
LORD, Apostle Paul in all patience worked among Your assembly:

+signs,
+wonders,
+and mighty deeds

He put others' needs before his own, seeking others' welfare as a godly parent does with his children and wanting not to be burdensome.

Apostle Paul gave himself to Christ's church with such love, though it does not seem like the church responded to him with the same love. He said at one time to follow him as he followed Christ. The life of Christ in him was lived out in this world.

LORD, this is what Your every saint should desire and we know You commissioned us with this ministry with power and all spiritual gifts according to the will of Your Spirit.

SIN IN THE CAMP
Unlike Apostle Paul nor Titus and whom he also sent to the Corinthians, who did not exploit nor take advantage of the assembly. They walked humbly in Your Spirit to strengthen and edify the assembly, speaking dearly in love to them before You God in Christ.

LORD, this is the leadership we pray for, and for every one that calls themselves a Christian.

Apostle Paul caught among the Corinthians treacherous cunning deceit and he meant to address wrong behavior which he suspected and lamented:

-quarreling,
-jealousy,
-anger,
-selfishness,
-slander,
-gossip,
-arrogance,
-and disorderly behavior.

Unrepentant
-uncleanness
-fornication
-lust

LORD we also lament that this kind of behavior is in our local churches. May we submit to those under-shepherds you sent to us to feed and disciple, to strengthen, and to edify your people. May we step up to the plate and move from spiritual milk into meat to also teach and as members of Your body be used as Your Spirit directs.

LORD, the lost need to see You in us, and we pray our lost loved ones will see Jesus lifted up in the assembly. Lead them, LORD, to a church where they will hear Your saving Gospel, be discipled and used for Your glory. In Christ Jesus name we pray.

SUFFERINGS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE, from 2 Corinthians 11

2 Corinthians 11


SUFFERINGS FOR CHRIST'S SAKE



FOOLISHNESS TO THE NATURAL MAN

Our Father, Your witnesses trust in Your wisdom and are not dismayed to appear foolish to those that do not think with the mind of Christ.



"For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom,

and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength. ... " 1 Cor 1:25



GOD'S WISDOM AND STRENGTH

Your servants seek and choose Your wisdom and Your strength.



JEALOUS

LORD Your name is Jealous, You are a jealous God.

Your servants have Your Spirit

and are jealous with a godly jealousy for Your disciples.

Your church has been promised to one husband, to Christ.

You are looking for a church that is a pure virgin to Him.



THE SERPENT'S LIES

Our Father, deliver Your disciples and those Your church witness to from the deception of the cunning serpent.

We pray these minds be not lead astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Deliver Your disciples and our lost loved ones from another Jesus that is an imposter,

and from receiving a different spirit from the Holy Spirit that You sent,

and from believing a different gospel from Your one true gospel.

May this not be put up with, LORD!



FREELY RECEIVE, FREELY GIVE

Your servants make this perfectly clear in every way:

Your servants humble themselves to preach the gospel, in some instances, free of charge. LORD, is it a sin, "to take from Peter to give to Paul?"

Your servants love You and love the brethren, and would not be a burden to any financially, but You will supply through those that cheerfully give for the sake of preaching the gospel.

FATHER, You "separate the men from the boys" in the principle of preaching the gospel at all costs, because as Paul the Apostle said,

"For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel!" 1 Corinthians 9:16



FALSE PREACHERS

Deliver Your disciples and our lost love ones from celebrity and mega church false preachers.

Those You send as Your ambassadors may be untrained as speakers, but have knowledge with the power of the Holy Ghost to preach.

Father, deliver our lost loved ones from the hirelings. May hirelings not be a stumbling block to them.



The hired hand runs away because he's working only for the money and doesn't really care about the sheep. - John 10:13

Your word says in 2 Corinthians 11:13

"For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve."



"FOOLISHNESS" FOR CHRIST

Lord, Your servants are not fools, but there may be those that think so, and that brings Your blessings:



What blessings await you when people hate you and exclude you and mock you and curse you as evil because you follow the Son of Man. - Luke 6:22



Your servants do not boast as the world does, but LORD Your said:



"Let not the wise boast of their wisdom or the strong boast of their strength or the rich boast of their riches, but let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD. -Jeremiah 9:23-24

Father, You do not desire the world nor for false brethren to enslave, or exploit, or takes advantage, or brag against and slap Your servants. A brother in the faith would not do such a thing.

To this regard, the Apostle Paul remarked, "To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that!"



BOASTING OF SUFFERINGS

Lord, true servants may be tempted to boast of suffering for delivering Your gospel when they hear the boasting of those that say they have suffered not only for preaching but also for resisting the temptation to sin.



In your struggle against sin you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. - Hebrews 12:4



THE APOSTLE PAUL, A HEBREW, CHOSEN TO SUFFER

Lord, You chose Paul the Apostle, a Hebrew, an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, to be a servant of Christ, though others of his time talked as they were, but this Hebrew You chose to suffer for You., as an example that we could do all things because You are the strength of Your servants.



And I will show him how much he must suffer for my name's sake. - Acts 9:16



He said of his experience:

WORK

+I have worked much harder

+I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep

PRISON

+been in prison more frequently

BEATEN, EXPOSED TO DEATH

+been flogged more severely

+been exposed to death again and again

+Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.

+Three times I was beaten with rods.

+ Once I was pelted with stones.

IN THE SEA AND RIVERS

+Three times I was shipwrecked.

+I spent a night and a day in the open sea.

+I have been constantly on the move.

+I have been in danger from rivers.

DANGER OF BANDITS, FELLOW JEWS, GENTILES

+ in danger from bandits

+ in danger from my fellow Jews

+in danger from Gentiles

DANGER IN THE CITY, COUNTRY, SEA

+ in danger in the city

In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me.

But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands.

+ in danger in the country

+ in danger at sea

DANGER FROM FALSE BELIEVERS

+in danger from false believers.

HUNGER AND THIRST

+I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food

COLD AND NAKEDNESS

+I have been cold and naked

EVERYTHING ELSE

+Besides everything else

+I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches



LORD, we think we have suffered, but this Your servant Paul, a living testimony that still speaks, of suffering said,

"Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn"



And they have defeated him by the blood of the Lamb and by their testimony. And they did not love their lives so much that they were afraid to die. - Revelation 12:11



PLEASURE IN OUR WEAKNESSES

Therefore, LORD, we ought to take pleasure in our weaknessess to be strong in You.



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. - 2 Corinthians 12:10



If there is any boasting, it is of the things that show our weakness. The Apostle Paul wrote inspired by Your Spirit, God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is praised forever, and the Apostle Paul lied not as You are the Witness of the words he wrote, and as You are the Witness of Your word to us today.



For examples of patience in suffering, dear brothers and sisters, look at the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. - James 5:10



For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. - 1 Peter 2:21



Our Father, there can be no suffering as that of eternal perdition, which is why You sent us Your Son. We must let the world and our loved ones know that there is no need for their soul to be lost forever when Your Son did everything and finished it all for them to be saved upon believing in Him as You have said in the gospel.