Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

July 10
Saturday


THE PRICE
OF INVOLVEMENT

READ:
2 Cor. 11:22-33
_____________________________________________________________

...besides the other
things, what comes
upon me daily: my
deep concern for all
the churches.
__2 Corinthians 11:28
_____________________________________________________________

While making his landmark documentary about world War 2, filmmaker Ken Burns and his colleagues watched thousands of hours of military footage. Scenes of the devastating Battle of Peleliu often invaded their dreams at night. Burns told Sacramento Bee reporter rick Kushman, "Your'e listening to the ghosts and echoes from an almost inexpressible past. If you do that, you put yourself into the emotional maelstrom."

There's a price to becoming involved in the struggles of others, whether artistically or spiritually. Paul experienced this in his work of sharing the gospel: "Apart from such external things, there is the daily pressure on me of concern for all the churches. Who is weak without my being weak? Who is led into sin without my intense concern?" (2 Cor. 11:28-29) NASB).

Oswald Chambers said we enter this spiritual struggle as we "deliberately identify ourselves with God's interests in other people" and "find to our amazement that we have power to keep wonderfully poised in the center of it all."

Paul realized that God's strength is made perfect in our weakness (2 Cor. 12:9). Jesus paid the greatest price to be involved in our world, and He strengthens us as we share His love with others. __David McCasland
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```````````````Though weak, you still can serve today``````````````
````````````````````And follow Christ's command;`````````````````
````````````````````Behind the lines or in the fray`````````````````
`````````````````In Jesus' strength you stand. __Hess`````````````
_____________________________________________________________

If we obey God's calling,
He will provide the needed strength.

**********Today's Bible Reading __ 2 Corinthians 11:22-33**********

22 Ae they Hebrews? So am
I. Are they Israelites? So am
I. Are they the seed of
Abraham? So am I. 23 Are
they ministers of Christ?__I
speak as a fool__I am more:
in labors more abundant, in
stripes above measure, in
prisons more frequently, in
deaths often. 24 from the
Jews five times I received
forty stripees minus one.

25 Three times I was beaten
with rods; once I was stoned;
three times I was
shipwrecked; a night and a
day I have been in the deep;

26 in journeys often, in perils
of waters, in perils of
robbers, in perils of my own
countrymen, in perils of the
Gentiles, in perils in the city,
in perils in the wilderness, in
perils in the sea, in perils
among false brethren; 27 in
weariness and toil, in
sleeplessness often, in hunger
and thirst, in fastings often,
in cold and nakedness__

28 besides the other things,
what comes upon me daily;
my deep concern for all the
churches. 29 Who is weak,
and I am not weak? Who is
made to stumble, and I do
not burn with indignation?

30 If I must boast, I will
boast in the things which
concern my infirmity. 31 The
God and Father of our Lord
Jesus Christ, who is blessed
forever, knows that I am not
lying. 32 In Damascus the
governor, under Aretas the
king, was guarding the city
of the Damascenes with a
garrison, desiring to arrest
me; 33 but I was let down in a
basket through a window in
the wall, and escaped from
his hands.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

As Paul lists his sufferings for the gospel, he affirms that he did
not endure these things by his own strength. In verses 29-30, he
acknowledges his own frailty, reminding us that it is only by the
grace oF God that we endure. __BILL CROWDER

[Lani]

*Amen2*

"Though weak, you can still serve today" Ohhhhhhhhh That is great!!!!

All to often people feel to "broken", to "lost", not smart enough....

God uses ALL people and ALL experiences to Help Us help each other! Shift your focus from that which overwhelms your life and help someone else over come their obstacles..... God is at work in both of y'all!!!



Peace and Love in Christ,
Lani