WEBVTT 00:00:00.380 --> 00:00:03.320 Well, I know today is kind of like this somber day. 00:00:03.520 --> 00:00:05.220 And you were wrestling to get out of bed. 00:00:05.800 --> 00:00:06.680 It was so beautiful. 00:00:06.960 --> 00:00:10.520 This morning I wake up to that nice, crisp, wet air. 00:00:10.520 --> 00:00:12.880 And so thank you for coming out and worship today. 00:00:13.400 --> 00:00:20.720 In addition to that, I mean, maybe we should get a little excited before we start this morning and just say, hey, you just turned a bar into a church, right? 00:00:21.020 --> 00:00:22.540 We need a clap for things like that. 00:00:22.620 --> 00:00:23.540 Have a little bit of energy. 00:00:24.060 --> 00:00:24.740 That's good. 00:00:24.780 --> 00:00:25.220 All right. 00:00:25.800 --> 00:00:28.220 It's nice to know you're alive and with me here today. 00:00:28.220 --> 00:00:28.860 That's great. 00:00:29.700 --> 00:00:33.820 And, and we're in a series together called Rethink Church. 00:00:34.080 --> 00:00:36.860 And, here's the goal of this series. 00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:41.190 we want you to be excited for what God's doing. 00:00:41.940 --> 00:00:43.490 I guess there's a hidden agenda. 00:00:44.240 --> 00:00:46.620 We want you to be excited and motivated. 00:00:47.060 --> 00:00:54.220 Motivated for what the Lord is doing here in our midst as a church family, to think about where God has brought us as a church family 00:00:54.220 --> 00:01:01.250 in just a few short years, and being able to come into a facility that we now call home, and to worship him. 00:01:01.800 --> 00:01:06.440 And for us, it's a good place to stop and appreciate what God's done. 00:01:06.880 --> 00:01:10.400 And but we don't want to stop in the sense as a long term break. 00:01:11.720 --> 00:01:12.740 It's a pause. 00:01:13.880 --> 00:01:21.080 As we look back on what God's done gloriously in our lives and in our midst, and we anticipate all that God has for 00:01:21.080 --> 00:01:21.320 our future. 00:01:21.620 --> 00:01:28.940 If the Lord can do this with our church body in just five short years, starting with just a couple of people, I mean, you think five more years from now what that's 00:01:28.960 --> 00:01:33.560 going to look like for us as a church family, if we keep our eyes on the Lord? 00:01:35.880 --> 00:01:43.000 And so, to begin this series together, we've gone through a few discussions that were important for us to understand what it is that God has called his church 00:01:43.000 --> 00:01:43.620 to do. 00:01:44.880 --> 00:01:50.920 And the first is we thought about about the idea of church rethinking what church is about and its identity. 00:01:50.920 --> 00:01:53.800 Our identity is shaped solely upon Christ. 00:01:55.740 --> 00:01:59.700 And Jesus as we look throughout Scripture is referred to as King. 00:02:01.580 --> 00:02:08.680 And when Jesus came to this world, what he desired to establish was his kingdom and the terms that he used as he went 00:02:08.680 --> 00:02:13.660 throughout Israel preaching his message was of kingdom orientation. 00:02:16.140 --> 00:02:17.140 My home is not here. 00:02:17.140 --> 00:02:18.500 My home is in heaven. 00:02:18.660 --> 00:02:20.180 Our father, hallowed be your name. 00:02:20.280 --> 00:02:21.640 Your kingdom come. 00:02:21.640 --> 00:02:22.900 Your will be done. 00:02:26.520 --> 00:02:28.380 John stood on the edge of the Jordan River. 00:02:28.540 --> 00:02:34.460 He said, Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, prepare ye the way. 00:02:34.460 --> 00:02:36.220 It was a term that was used for kings. 00:02:36.320 --> 00:02:39.870 When the village people knew the king was coming, they would prepare the streets. 00:02:39.980 --> 00:02:45.600 In the past, they would even out the bumps in the road and making his travel light and his burden free. 00:02:47.000 --> 00:02:51.160 Jesus appointed apostles to go into this world and preach his message. 00:02:51.260 --> 00:02:54.980 He first appointed 12 apostles to reach the 12 tribes of Israel. 00:02:55.420 --> 00:02:58.940 Apostle was a term that kings used when a king would go into battle. 00:02:59.340 --> 00:03:01.860 After the battle was won, the village people wanted to know the village people. 00:03:02.720 --> 00:03:03.560 They wanted to know. 00:03:03.740 --> 00:03:04.720 They wanted to know. 00:03:05.160 --> 00:03:07.520 Is our king still king, or do we have a new king? 00:03:08.360 --> 00:03:15.500 And he would appoint an apostle, which was a messenger, and he would go into the town, and he would preach a message of proclamation of 00:03:15.500 --> 00:03:16.200 victory. 00:03:16.200 --> 00:03:17.640 That message was good news. 00:03:17.780 --> 00:03:21.420 We call that the gospel, which coincidentally means good news. 00:03:21.500 --> 00:03:27.720 And so when the apostles would go to the town, they would proclaim this good news, the celebration of victory. 00:03:27.720 --> 00:03:34.720 It was intended to gather the people from the houses into the streets and celebration for the King, who was about to come and march into 00:03:34.720 --> 00:03:36.560 the town in honor of his victory. 00:03:38.420 --> 00:03:43.060 He was a king, establishing a kingdom. 00:03:43.400 --> 00:03:46.340 This invitation was extended to you. 00:03:46.780 --> 00:03:49.040 The king came for you. 00:03:49.760 --> 00:03:57.080 And upon establishing coming to this earth and preaching about his kingdom, the method through which God desired for 00:03:57.080 --> 00:04:00.980 his kingdom message to continue came through the church. 00:04:03.160 --> 00:04:09.960 And the Bible tells us in the book of Matthew we saw last week where Jesus comes to Peter and says, who do they say that I am? 00:04:09.960 --> 00:04:13.460 And Peter says to Jesus, you are the Christ. 00:04:13.660 --> 00:04:16.829 He says, Peter, you are a rock or a small pebble. 00:04:16.980 --> 00:04:24.100 And upon your confession, upon that rock of your confession, is me as Christ and as King, I will build 00:04:24.100 --> 00:04:28.700 my church upon that, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it. 00:04:30.300 --> 00:04:31.860 The idea for us as a church. 00:04:33.100 --> 00:04:40.240 Jesus created a picture within our minds of this fortress of hell, and we as a church, go out into the 00:04:40.280 --> 00:04:46.340 world we're not concerned with what the world is doing to us, but more so what we are doing to this world. 00:04:46.340 --> 00:04:50.660 And we go out into this world and literally storm down the gates of hell. 00:04:51.500 --> 00:04:54.840 And the question we asked was, and when you get there, what do you do? 00:04:56.340 --> 00:04:57.080 I mean, you bust down gates. 00:04:57.460 --> 00:04:58.380 I mean, I would like to do that. 00:04:58.400 --> 00:04:58.960 Give me a sledgehammer. 00:04:59.160 --> 00:04:59.760 Where's that gate? 00:04:59.940 --> 00:05:00.660 It'd be cool to watch. 00:05:01.760 --> 00:05:02.370 If I had the muscles. 00:05:04.250 --> 00:05:05.430 But what do you do when you get inside? 00:05:07.840 --> 00:05:09.490 When Jesus is after his people. 00:05:11.720 --> 00:05:12.560 Lords after your heart. 00:05:14.560 --> 00:05:21.600 And Lords after your heart and in working a miracle within your heart, he desires to send you as apostles, as messengers into this world, 00:05:21.900 --> 00:05:32.340 to storm down the gates and go behind those gates and grab the hearts of other people and bring them out into the kingdom in which 00:05:32.340 --> 00:05:32.340 Jesus has established. 00:05:32.340 --> 00:05:34.450 You think of the picture that Jesus creates of his church? 00:05:34.560 --> 00:05:36.600 It's not this pansy bunch of people. 00:05:36.660 --> 00:05:43.700 It's these people that God has called to be his agents into this world, to celebrate what 00:05:43.700 --> 00:05:46.310 Jesus has done and give this message of proclamation. 00:05:48.560 --> 00:05:49.620 I love that about the gospel. 00:05:50.080 --> 00:05:52.180 It's really not even a message of trying to convince people. 00:05:52.680 --> 00:05:55.820 It's a that's a message of proclamation of a victory in Christ. 00:06:00.200 --> 00:06:00.300 Last week. 00:06:02.200 --> 00:06:03.870 We looked at the importance of what you believe. 00:06:05.620 --> 00:06:06.380 When we said this. 00:06:06.480 --> 00:06:10.800 What you believe is as important as the sincerity of that belief. 00:06:13.020 --> 00:06:16.090 You may truly believe something, but what you could believe in could be wrong. 00:06:17.840 --> 00:06:24.920 And the Bible tells us very simply in John chapter four, Jesus goes to the woman at the well and says, he who worships me must worship me in 00:06:25.220 --> 00:06:26.500 spirit and in truth. 00:06:27.880 --> 00:06:33.020 If you want to connect to God, it's important that you connect to God truthfully as God has made himself known to us. 00:06:33.020 --> 00:06:37.300 And so what you believe is as important as the sincerity of your beliefs. 00:06:39.380 --> 00:06:46.500 You know, in this week or these past weeks, as we've talked about what Rethink Church means for us and coming into this new home and just keeping that 00:06:46.700 --> 00:06:48.660 energy alive about what God is doing. 00:06:48.660 --> 00:06:55.760 We've looked forward in anticipation of everything that we could do in the future, and in storming down those gates and proclaiming for this king and carrying this belief for him. 00:06:57.640 --> 00:07:00.240 And today I just want to take a moment and take a step back. 00:07:01.440 --> 00:07:02.520 In fact, I want to look back. 00:07:03.960 --> 00:07:11.210 Today, we're going to look at a passage that Paul is going to share with us, in which he has experientially related to us in the Lord. 00:07:12.260 --> 00:07:17.940 As he's gone into this world, the greatest missionary who's ever existed, the greatest apostle who has ever existed for the Lord. 00:07:18.160 --> 00:07:18.360 Done. 00:07:18.360 --> 00:07:21.980 Done more work than anyone comparable to what we find within Scripture. 00:07:22.880 --> 00:07:26.660 And Paul takes a moment and reflects back on what God does in his life. 00:07:28.100 --> 00:07:29.550 And he does this in the Corinthian church. 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:38.600 If you read the book of first Corinthians and second Corinthians, one of the things you'll find as you study this book is these people make you feel really good 00:07:38.600 --> 00:07:39.130 about yourself. 00:07:40.550 --> 00:07:44.360 If you walked into that church today, that would be the church that you visit once and never go back. 00:07:45.640 --> 00:07:47.020 Those people are cray cray. 00:07:47.100 --> 00:07:48.540 That's what you say as you go. 00:07:48.640 --> 00:07:49.540 Where's my Facebook? 00:07:49.540 --> 00:07:51.730 I got to tell people, do not go there. 00:07:51.900 --> 00:07:53.280 They got messed up, man. 00:07:54.720 --> 00:07:55.640 Or maybe you're the opposite. 00:07:55.920 --> 00:07:59.880 Maybe you're thinking, man, I am, I am crazy, I'm the guy at the family reunion. 00:07:59.880 --> 00:08:00.620 The people won't talk to. 00:08:00.860 --> 00:08:01.360 Send me there. 00:08:01.360 --> 00:08:02.120 Tell me where it's at. 00:08:02.340 --> 00:08:03.240 I want to read this book. 00:08:03.240 --> 00:08:04.120 How many feel good about myself? 00:08:06.540 --> 00:08:10.780 And Paul is writing this letter to the Corinthians, both first and second Corinthians. 00:08:11.040 --> 00:08:16.360 And he's helping them to understand that you have a greater impact in this world than you think. 00:08:18.600 --> 00:08:19.780 And what you do matters. 00:08:22.620 --> 00:08:29.440 The choices that you make, the way that you live your life, the way that you demonstrate the King that you proclaim matters. 00:08:32.140 --> 00:08:39.360 The way that you communicate to this world the idea of how this king came into your heart and changed your life and 00:08:39.360 --> 00:08:40.460 your perspective. 00:08:40.880 --> 00:08:42.700 It matters. 00:08:43.240 --> 00:08:46.800 And you have a greater impact in this world than you think. 00:08:48.800 --> 00:08:56.060 And what Paul is looking for in this passage is of first and second Corinthians, or people who recognize that there's problems, people who recognize 00:08:56.060 --> 00:09:00.160 that there's need, and people who want to do something for their king. 00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:09.280 That's why Paul in First Corinthians gets to a place in Scripture and he says this, whether then you eat or you drink or whatever it is, I don't care if 00:09:09.300 --> 00:09:10.930 you're getting a Slurpee at the gas station. 00:09:10.960 --> 00:09:14.260 Whatever you do it all for the glory of God. 00:09:14.260 --> 00:09:15.770 What you do matters. 00:09:16.020 --> 00:09:19.020 You have a tremendous impact in this world. 00:09:20.680 --> 00:09:27.340 You think of the way that Jesus has described you as individuals storming down as a church, storming down the gates of hell? 00:09:27.340 --> 00:09:28.360 What power is that? 00:09:28.360 --> 00:09:32.920 Your actions matter not just for you, but in light of all eternity. 00:09:33.460 --> 00:09:36.660 What you do matters. 00:09:37.290 --> 00:09:41.080 And Paul begins to reflect on his own relationship in the. 00:09:41.300 --> 00:09:41.880 And the Lord. 00:09:43.500 --> 00:09:48.350 And it begins to be open about his living for Christ. 00:09:49.880 --> 00:09:57.220 And Paul recognizes very honestly for us that he's wise enough to flee from darkness and simply walk with Jesus. 00:09:59.880 --> 00:10:00.690 Well for you this morning. 00:10:00.860 --> 00:10:07.980 If you're an individual who desires to honor your king, who wants to experience his goodness in your life, he's not just an 00:10:07.980 --> 00:10:12.460 arbitrary thought, but he is a real God reigning in heaven. 00:10:12.820 --> 00:10:17.650 And the question we ask is, how can I experience the hand of his grace in my life? 00:10:19.700 --> 00:10:21.890 When Paul begins to open up about his Christian living. 00:10:24.300 --> 00:10:26.360 Book of Corinthians should be. 00:10:26.360 --> 00:10:27.660 I don't know if it's listed right in your notes. 00:10:27.820 --> 00:10:34.920 It should say Second Corinthians chapter 12 and verse seven, Paul begins to explain to us his struggles as he desires to live for 00:10:34.940 --> 00:10:36.130 the Lord in this world. 00:10:37.500 --> 00:10:41.410 Very simply says this, beginning in verse seven, to keep me from exalting myself. 00:10:41.460 --> 00:10:48.220 There was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me, to keep me from exalting myself. 00:10:49.560 --> 00:10:53.280 Concerning this, I implored the Lord there three times that it might leave me. 00:10:53.280 --> 00:10:58.110 And he said to me, my grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness. 00:10:58.160 --> 00:11:03.500 Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 00:11:04.320 --> 00:11:11.360 Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ's sake. 00:11:11.700 --> 00:11:16.600 For when I am weak, then I am strong. 00:11:17.880 --> 00:11:22.420 Paul recognized something very quickly in the book of Second Corinthians, chapter 12, beginning of chapter. 00:11:22.460 --> 00:11:29.500 He talks about these revelations, these special revelations that God had given him concerning the nature of Christ and what God desired in this world and 00:11:29.500 --> 00:11:33.150 what's what is what led Paul to write many of the epistles in the New Testament. 00:11:33.820 --> 00:11:39.200 But the man tendency within Paul was to struggle and to think himself as something special than everyone else. 00:11:40.440 --> 00:11:43.060 You know, this is this is my God. 00:11:43.140 --> 00:11:44.690 And he loves me more than other people. 00:11:44.960 --> 00:11:46.290 And I'm going to look down upon people. 00:11:46.440 --> 00:11:53.620 And what it says in verse seven is as rather than begin to take that attitude, what happened, what he found within his life is that he began to struggle 00:11:53.620 --> 00:11:54.260 with an area. 00:11:56.040 --> 00:11:56.820 Paul calls this. 00:11:58.280 --> 00:11:59.150 The thorn in his flesh. 00:12:01.100 --> 00:12:08.240 What Paul is doing for us is a group of believers is that as we recognize the need to live for Christ in this world, we also 00:12:08.240 --> 00:12:09.740 recognize that it's not always easy. 00:12:12.000 --> 00:12:19.140 But the important thing that I think Paul does within this passage of Scripture is he begins to communicate to us about his walk with the Lord is that, 00:12:19.300 --> 00:12:26.180 first of all, Paul is open with his struggles before God. 00:12:26.700 --> 00:12:29.660 He recognizes he too is still just a man. 00:12:31.220 --> 00:12:37.390 And just like all people living for the Lord and thinking about storming down the gates of hell, it's not always easy. 00:12:38.630 --> 00:12:40.650 He's got a thorn in his flesh. 00:12:42.480 --> 00:12:46.580 And I would like to tell you this morning, and this is that thorn, but I can't. 00:12:48.140 --> 00:12:55.380 For hundreds of years, theologians have looked at this passage of Scripture and contemplated what exactly is this thorn 00:12:55.380 --> 00:12:57.180 that Paul is struggling with? 00:12:57.360 --> 00:12:59.540 And no one knows exactly what this thorn is. 00:12:59.800 --> 00:13:06.340 So I'm going to give you my most educated thought and assumption towards this passage of Scripture and make application for us in our own lives. 00:13:08.250 --> 00:13:15.300 Some people have suggested this, that the struggle that Paul has within his life is that thorn is a physical 00:13:15.300 --> 00:13:15.640 ailment. 00:13:17.120 --> 00:13:24.120 And you can imagine being Paul going into the prisons that he's been in, taking the beatings that he's that he's taken in his life, that he may walk a little 00:13:24.120 --> 00:13:27.850 crooked, stand a little hunched over and be a little malnourished. 00:13:28.140 --> 00:13:32.460 And so to have some sort of physical element would be understandable in the life of the Apostle Paul. 00:13:34.260 --> 00:13:37.980 Other people think that it may be maybe some individuals who are bothering him. 00:13:39.540 --> 00:13:43.060 Let me read the book of Galatians or the account in acts. 00:13:43.060 --> 00:13:46.730 I think it's chapter 17, when Paul has to go back to Jerusalem to defend the faith. 00:13:47.180 --> 00:13:54.380 And Paul writes about these individuals who pursued him throughout his ministry, who harassed what he was trying to do in honor 00:13:54.380 --> 00:13:55.080 of the Lord. 00:13:57.420 --> 00:14:00.540 Other people have thought maybe Paul had a sin that he struggled with. 00:14:02.480 --> 00:14:03.020 What about this? 00:14:04.780 --> 00:14:05.260 He's a man of guilt. 00:14:07.380 --> 00:14:08.150 As the Bible tells us. 00:14:08.500 --> 00:14:12.040 Before Paul became Paul, when he was Saul, he was a persecutor of the church. 00:14:13.400 --> 00:14:20.500 And when he was on his way to Damascus, before he became a believer in Christ, he was on the road to Damascus to persecute, imprison and 00:14:20.500 --> 00:14:20.860 kill Christians. 00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:28.220 The Apostle Paul was there at the very first martyrdom of the very first person in the Bible of Stephen. 00:14:31.160 --> 00:14:34.780 Maybe he's walking in this world serving Jesus and he's got guilt on the shoulders. 00:14:37.820 --> 00:14:39.560 No one really knows what Paul's thorn is. 00:14:41.660 --> 00:14:46.020 Let me tell you, I think that we can blanket whatever that thorn is that Paul struggles with. 00:14:46.040 --> 00:14:48.240 I think that we can blanket that thorn under one thought. 00:14:50.260 --> 00:14:54.080 That the thorn in Paul's flesh that continues to harass him. 00:14:55.760 --> 00:14:58.000 Would lead to sin. 00:15:01.560 --> 00:15:03.400 The idea in verse ten says this to us. 00:15:03.600 --> 00:15:05.560 I'll explain the sin in just a minute in verse ten. 00:15:05.780 --> 00:15:10.960 If I gave my educated guess, I would say that the thorn in Paul's flesh is external to Paul. 00:15:11.040 --> 00:15:18.200 I think people are probably harassing him because verse ten, as it begins to explain where Paul's going to be content in his life as he has these thorns, the place 00:15:18.200 --> 00:15:24.930 that he wants to be content is in his weaknesses and insults and distresses and persecutions and difficulties, for Christ's sake. 00:15:25.240 --> 00:15:26.910 So Paul is saying, okay, I've got this thorn. 00:15:27.000 --> 00:15:33.750 It's bothering me, but I'm going to be content because all this pressure I'm feeling from the outside of my life, I know that God's glory is going to be made known in that. 00:15:34.620 --> 00:15:40.320 So I would say educated guess, that the place that Paul is finding this thorn is through people that are harassing him. 00:15:43.120 --> 00:15:45.660 We're going to tell you the struggle also with Paul and the thorn is sin. 00:15:46.880 --> 00:15:48.720 Here's why. 00:15:48.940 --> 00:15:54.450 When Paul describes this thorn to us, he refers to it as a messenger from Satan. 00:15:56.380 --> 00:16:01.960 Every time Satan shows up in the Bible, he is tempting someone to sin. 00:16:03.320 --> 00:16:10.440 I don't care if it's pressure from someone on the outside who wants you to stop following the Lord, or it's the own your own temptation that you're following in your in 00:16:10.440 --> 00:16:10.960 your lives. 00:16:11.560 --> 00:16:18.700 When Satan is present, when temptation is there, every time Satan shows up in 00:16:18.700 --> 00:16:20.500 the Bible, his objective. 00:16:21.640 --> 00:16:22.820 Is to lead you towards sin. 00:16:25.260 --> 00:16:26.880 Adam and Eve in Genesis chapter three. 00:16:27.120 --> 00:16:30.580 Satan shows up in the garden as temptation to get them to eat of the fruit. 00:16:30.660 --> 00:16:33.570 You can call it an apple, but it was to send in the book of job. 00:16:33.920 --> 00:16:40.240 And in chapter one, Satan's desire was to get job, to curse God and to lead him from God and to get him to sin. 00:16:40.580 --> 00:16:47.600 And in Matthew chapter four, when Satan shows up in the wilderness tempting Jesus, his desire was to get the perfect sacrifice that is Christ 00:16:47.600 --> 00:16:48.440 to sin. 00:16:49.520 --> 00:16:56.100 Every time Satan shows up in your life, his desire is to get you to sin. 00:16:57.500 --> 00:17:04.040 This is the important part I love in this opening thought of Paul is that as Paul becomes human. 00:17:05.180 --> 00:17:09.930 It gives us the freedom as well to admit we all have thorns that we struggle with in our lives. 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:12.140 Yeah. 00:17:12.359 --> 00:17:14.640 I don't like it that Paul may have this temptation to sin. 00:17:14.660 --> 00:17:15.690 I don't want Paul to sin. 00:17:17.000 --> 00:17:18.670 I want him to live in light of Christ. 00:17:19.780 --> 00:17:22.280 I want them to experience the joy in his relationship with the Lord. 00:17:22.380 --> 00:17:24.930 But I got to admit, there's a part of me that just says thank you. 00:17:26.260 --> 00:17:26.520 Mr. 00:17:26.520 --> 00:17:28.380 perfect isn't perfect, ladies. 00:17:28.780 --> 00:17:30.720 He's still not out there, right? 00:17:32.340 --> 00:17:35.570 I look at Paul and I think, man, if Paul can struggle. 00:17:36.940 --> 00:17:38.460 And so can I. 00:17:38.880 --> 00:17:39.620 And then I look at Paul. 00:17:39.620 --> 00:17:42.600 I'm thinking if Paul can be open about his struggles. 00:17:44.260 --> 00:17:46.420 So can I. 00:17:47.520 --> 00:17:54.540 There's something freeing about the confession that Paul brings before the Lord and before us to say, listen, guys, I've got these struggles 00:17:54.540 --> 00:17:55.160 too. 00:17:55.200 --> 00:18:02.260 And Satan pokes you with thorns as his entire goal is to immobilize you from what the Lord has 00:18:02.260 --> 00:18:03.240 called you. 00:18:05.360 --> 00:18:11.080 Their lives as we think about the failures that might keep us from God, or the failures that we allow to weigh on our past. 00:18:11.220 --> 00:18:14.300 We say things like, why would God want to use me? 00:18:14.320 --> 00:18:17.320 I did this, or why would God want to use me? 00:18:17.360 --> 00:18:19.620 Does he even know I think about this? 00:18:19.640 --> 00:18:22.850 Or does he know that this is in my past and does? 00:18:23.420 --> 00:18:24.930 Does God not know? 00:18:28.700 --> 00:18:35.770 Satan's desire is to immobilize Paul through this thorn, to prevent him from carrying on the work that God has called him to. 00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:44.460 It fits the character of Satan, because in revelation chapter 12 and verse ten, it tells us he's the great accuser of the brethren or the great accuser 00:18:44.580 --> 00:18:45.240 of the church. 00:18:45.440 --> 00:18:51.720 His desire is to flaunt your failures in your face, to immobilize you from pursuing Jesus with your life. 00:18:51.860 --> 00:18:57.380 And guys, I gotta tell you, when Jesus died on the cross for your sins, he died for all of your sins. 00:19:00.040 --> 00:19:07.160 Well, I love the beauty of that because Paul knows it, and that's what gives him the freedom in this moment, just to be open 00:19:07.420 --> 00:19:11.220 about what's hindering him from pursuing God in his life. 00:19:11.480 --> 00:19:19.120 I've got this thorn, and I'm learning just to be content, and I'm being open about it, and I'm sharing it with the Lord God, because I want 00:19:19.120 --> 00:19:22.160 to experience your joy in my life. 00:19:26.920 --> 00:19:27.580 Satan knows. 00:19:30.320 --> 00:19:33.520 The greatest threat to your joy in the Lord. 00:19:34.760 --> 00:19:34.960 Get this. 00:19:36.420 --> 00:19:38.680 The greatest threat to your joy in the Lord isn't sin. 00:19:40.900 --> 00:19:45.230 The greatest threat to your joy in the Lord is alive. 00:19:47.360 --> 00:19:52.340 Bible tells us in Romans chapter one, they exchanged the truth for the lie and worshiped and served the creator. 00:19:52.840 --> 00:19:55.440 Or excuse me, the creature rather than the creator. 00:19:55.440 --> 00:20:00.700 In James one it tells us we're enticed by our own desires, and in those desires sin is born. 00:20:03.260 --> 00:20:07.660 And the idea is this If Satan can convince you of a lie, that is true. 00:20:07.680 --> 00:20:14.120 If you could believe that lie to be better for you than the truth of God, then sin follows his birth in your life. 00:20:20.330 --> 00:20:27.700 Satan's desire in this passage, I would say, is to convince Paul of some sort of lie that he would pursue sin 00:20:27.700 --> 00:20:32.130 in his life, rather than the joy of the Lord and what God has called him to. 00:20:34.160 --> 00:20:40.810 Maybe if Paul's struggling with people on the outside, Satan could just be tempting him and whispering, Paul, it's just not worth it. 00:20:43.320 --> 00:20:44.350 What do you think of the struggles? 00:20:44.700 --> 00:20:46.560 You can just give up at any moment? 00:20:46.940 --> 00:20:47.100 God. 00:20:47.340 --> 00:20:48.730 God doesn't need you. 00:20:50.380 --> 00:20:51.150 I mean, he doesn't want you. 00:20:51.160 --> 00:20:54.500 Look, every time you go into a town, you tick people off and people are angry at you. 00:20:55.160 --> 00:20:56.360 You think of the last town you left? 00:20:56.440 --> 00:20:58.300 People were beaten because of you. 00:20:58.740 --> 00:21:00.680 Today, people stand in jail because of you. 00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:02.660 Proclaiming Christ isn't worth it. 00:21:02.800 --> 00:21:03.780 Believe this light. 00:21:06.020 --> 00:21:10.050 This lie is far better for you than the truth. 00:21:11.640 --> 00:21:18.280 There's a famous saying that says this be killing sin or sin that'd be killing you. 00:21:19.460 --> 00:21:21.810 The way that we kill sin within our life is the truth. 00:21:23.640 --> 00:21:27.700 Now some people see the solution to sin as this way I sin, I make bad mistakes. 00:21:27.700 --> 00:21:32.740 So what I'm going to do is I'm going to avoid from doing bad things or you know what, I sin, I do bad things in my life. 00:21:32.920 --> 00:21:34.900 And rather than sin, I'm going to do good things. 00:21:36.040 --> 00:21:37.470 The Bible's solution is this. 00:21:37.580 --> 00:21:42.910 You sin in your life, and rather than that, pursue Jesus. 00:21:45.660 --> 00:21:46.910 Be open about it. 00:21:48.240 --> 00:21:49.810 Talk to the Lord about your thorn. 00:21:50.360 --> 00:21:53.320 Communicate it with other people who are here to lift you up. 00:21:53.460 --> 00:21:57.900 The Bible tells us in James, confess your sins to one another, but the goal is not stop sinning. 00:21:58.200 --> 00:21:59.340 The goal isn't do good. 00:21:59.420 --> 00:22:00.900 The goal is to seek Jesus. 00:22:03.520 --> 00:22:10.520 And so Paul is open with his struggle before God for us and helps us to see the need within our own lives to come before 00:22:10.520 --> 00:22:14.340 a King who is already paid for all of sin penalty for our lives. 00:22:17.680 --> 00:22:20.070 Paul could have said, I'm going to struggle with the sin on my own. 00:22:20.120 --> 00:22:22.070 But the beauty is he takes it to Christ. 00:22:24.260 --> 00:22:31.660 And the wisdom for us this morning is that we as people, when we feel these temptations, when we feel these thorns poking in our lives, that we have enough wisdom 00:22:31.660 --> 00:22:38.520 to flee from that temptation, to flee from that lie, to flee from that sin and just run to Jesus. 00:22:42.640 --> 00:22:43.540 And Paul says this. 00:22:45.100 --> 00:22:51.160 As he makes the struggle before the Lord, he tells us he finds in verse nine and he said to me. 00:22:51.840 --> 00:22:55.860 My grace is sufficient for you. 00:22:57.540 --> 00:23:04.640 No one knows exactly what the thorn is that Paul is facing, but whatever Satan is doing, we can rest assured it was to hinder 00:23:04.640 --> 00:23:09.940 Paul from living or excuse me, to living apart from Christ. 00:23:12.020 --> 00:23:15.080 Second thing I love about this passage, I think is encouraging for us as a church family. 00:23:15.280 --> 00:23:17.040 We look to all that God has for our future. 00:23:17.540 --> 00:23:21.940 Is that the answer Paul got was no in that cool it man. 00:23:22.020 --> 00:23:26.680 If Paul got yes, if there was one guy that got yes to everything it was Paul would have been the yes man, right? 00:23:27.760 --> 00:23:34.780 But it tells us that Paul, he has this struggle in this thorn that's preventing him in pursuing God the way that he 00:23:34.800 --> 00:23:35.420 would desire. 00:23:35.420 --> 00:23:38.280 And so he takes this before God, and he thinks he knows. 00:23:38.280 --> 00:23:41.260 The solution is that God just wants to remove this from his life. 00:23:41.320 --> 00:23:41.500 Right? 00:23:41.500 --> 00:23:46.040 God's got to want to remove this because I'm the one that God tells no or doesn't say no to. 00:23:47.460 --> 00:23:49.200 And he says he praise the Lord three times. 00:23:49.200 --> 00:23:49.730 And God says. 00:23:51.060 --> 00:23:52.820 Now. 00:23:53.460 --> 00:23:56.570 But, as you read this passage of Scripture that the healthiest thing. 00:23:57.900 --> 00:24:00.080 If the Lord could have done for Paul in this moment. 00:24:02.160 --> 00:24:03.230 Was to say no. 00:24:04.840 --> 00:24:12.200 Bible tells us that what the Lord did was allowed Paul through the struggle that he was experiencing, rather than trust in himself, 00:24:12.200 --> 00:24:14.400 and to think of his goodness and glory. 00:24:14.800 --> 00:24:19.460 He thought of the goodness of the Lord and the sufficiency that Christ brought into his life. 00:24:21.080 --> 00:24:24.560 Rather than become independent apart from God, he became dependent upon God. 00:24:26.240 --> 00:24:33.560 It's one of the beautiful things, I think, when Paul selected his word choice and calling it a thorn in the flesh for us, it recalls within our mind when 00:24:33.560 --> 00:24:37.800 thorns first began in Genesis three, when Adam and Eve were created, they sinned. 00:24:37.800 --> 00:24:43.030 And God tells us that he cursed the earth and that the ground would grow thorns and fight against us. 00:24:45.080 --> 00:24:52.180 But you know the beauty of the curse that God permitted to happen in the life of Adam and Eve was also the very thing that would drive them 00:24:52.180 --> 00:24:55.120 to depend on the one who could supply for their lives. 00:24:58.940 --> 00:25:02.380 Brought about a humble spirit before God. 00:25:02.880 --> 00:25:04.600 And telling no to Paul. 00:25:04.740 --> 00:25:11.860 It drove Paul closer to the one who would supply the needs for what he had to do, what he called him to do into this 00:25:11.860 --> 00:25:12.160 world. 00:25:15.300 --> 00:25:18.360 How many of you guys think within your life there are things that you have prayed for? 00:25:20.600 --> 00:25:22.520 And you thought five years down the road, you know what? 00:25:23.540 --> 00:25:26.300 I am sure glad God said no to that. 00:25:26.760 --> 00:25:30.480 If he had, if he had said that, I don't even know where I would be right now. 00:25:30.580 --> 00:25:34.560 I thought this was so important, but thank God he knew better in my life. 00:25:36.160 --> 00:25:41.960 Do you think about the roads that we walk sometime and the difficulty that we face and the prayers that we bring before the Lord. 00:25:41.980 --> 00:25:44.410 And we say, no way, God, I am not you. 00:25:44.580 --> 00:25:45.260 Take this out. 00:25:45.320 --> 00:25:47.120 There's no way I'm doing that. 00:25:47.140 --> 00:25:54.200 And then and then you go through that experience and you look back to where the Lord has you now, and you think, I didn't want to go through that at the time, 00:25:54.200 --> 00:25:56.040 but having gone through it. 00:25:56.660 --> 00:25:58.000 Look what God's done. 00:25:59.360 --> 00:26:06.360 I wouldn't pick that for anyone, but the Lord has allowed me to experience that in such a way that he has matured me to 00:26:06.360 --> 00:26:10.460 be exactly who he wanted me to be, and the place I am right now. 00:26:12.720 --> 00:26:15.220 To God's answer wasn't completely no to Paul. 00:26:16.400 --> 00:26:16.740 It was just. 00:26:18.020 --> 00:26:19.380 I'm not going to answer it in that way. 00:26:20.700 --> 00:26:28.040 Paula, I'm hearing your request, and I'm not saying know completely what I'm saying no to is the specifics of the request that you're having. 00:26:28.820 --> 00:26:31.140 I'm saying no to taking the thorn away, but I'm. 00:26:31.620 --> 00:26:32.920 I'm saying yes to how I can. 00:26:33.360 --> 00:26:37.660 I can demonstrate to you my power and sustaining you through that thorn that you're experiencing. 00:26:41.120 --> 00:26:48.680 I would say for our lives, it's far better to experience the power of the Lord regardless of what we're going through, than to experience life apart from him. 00:26:51.660 --> 00:26:59.020 Paul saying this to us in this passage of Scripture that just because God says, no, God isn't saying, and I won't help. 00:27:01.080 --> 00:27:01.570 And I love. 00:27:02.220 --> 00:27:09.220 As Paul communicates to this, he never says to us in the Lord eventually took away the thorn, but he continues to remind us that the thorn was used as a 00:27:09.260 --> 00:27:12.720 basis for God to draw him near to him. 00:27:15.140 --> 00:27:18.880 But the Bible tells us that Jesus loves hearts that are humble before him. 00:27:18.920 --> 00:27:23.780 In Psalm 51 and 17 it says this my sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit. 00:27:23.920 --> 00:27:28.110 A broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise. 00:27:30.260 --> 00:27:34.160 And third is this. 00:27:34.540 --> 00:27:41.760 As Paul talks about this thorn in our lives, he demonstrates to us the need just to be open about the struggles that 00:27:41.760 --> 00:27:46.390 we face in this world and the lies that we can believe and the sin, the temptation that we can fall into. 00:27:47.040 --> 00:27:52.020 But he also shares with us how the Lord can use those things to teach us. 00:27:52.020 --> 00:27:52.600 And like this. 00:27:54.120 --> 00:27:57.000 Paul wants to show us how the power of God. 00:27:58.320 --> 00:28:00.560 Carriage carries you over those thorns. 00:28:02.400 --> 00:28:07.660 So this verse tends to be a verse that is very beneficial for glass half empty kind of people. 00:28:08.100 --> 00:28:09.960 My life stinks, you know. 00:28:11.420 --> 00:28:12.400 My kids are this. 00:28:12.400 --> 00:28:16.420 My job is this, my spouse is this, and it's the country's just going to pot. 00:28:18.460 --> 00:28:22.900 I mean, if that's your tendency, this verse becomes your verse. 00:28:23.680 --> 00:28:28.880 Thorns, this verse teaches us, aren't what prevent you from serving Jesus. 00:28:29.000 --> 00:28:29.520 Let me just say that again. 00:28:30.040 --> 00:28:32.860 Thorns aren't what prevent you from serving Jesus. 00:28:33.460 --> 00:28:36.100 That's the lie Satan wants you to believe. 00:28:36.160 --> 00:28:36.660 But listen to this. 00:28:37.180 --> 00:28:43.400 Thorns are the avenue through which the power of Christ can be more clearly seen in your life. 00:28:46.080 --> 00:28:49.450 So we look at these thorns sometimes, and we make gods out of our thorns. 00:28:49.500 --> 00:28:56.660 And our Lord not big enough to care for our needs and look over the things that we need in our lives, not even thinking that the thorn is the very 00:28:56.660 --> 00:29:00.520 place that God's power desires to be made known in your world. 00:29:03.060 --> 00:29:07.580 Thorns are the avenue through which the power of Jesus can be more clearly seen. 00:29:07.680 --> 00:29:08.160 How do I know that? 00:29:09.720 --> 00:29:11.460 Because after the Lord tells Paul no. 00:29:12.900 --> 00:29:15.010 He reminds us of what he learns and the lesson. 00:29:16.040 --> 00:29:16.740 He says this. 00:29:17.660 --> 00:29:19.490 My grace is sufficient for you. 00:29:20.040 --> 00:29:21.400 For power is perfected in weakness. 00:29:21.940 --> 00:29:22.140 Moore. 00:29:22.440 --> 00:29:28.140 Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. 00:29:28.220 --> 00:29:33.920 Therefore I am content with weaknesses, with insults, with distress, with persecutions, with difficulty, for Christ's sake. 00:29:34.160 --> 00:29:40.320 For when I am weak, then I am strong. 00:29:40.820 --> 00:29:43.180 So the strength that we carry apart from God is a delusion anyway. 00:29:45.780 --> 00:29:51.720 I'm Paul saying, when I look at this thorn now, I now see the presence of God and how his power can be made known in my life. 00:29:51.720 --> 00:29:57.520 Therefore, I will more gladly boast in my weakness, that the power of Christ may be made known in my life. 00:30:03.140 --> 00:30:03.970 Maybe in your thorn. 00:30:05.860 --> 00:30:07.190 Maybe in your struggle. 00:30:08.540 --> 00:30:15.330 Maybe in your openness of that struggle, Christ desires to make his power known in your life. 00:30:17.460 --> 00:30:18.280 See what you do matters. 00:30:20.860 --> 00:30:27.900 Because in the moment of weakness, when you can just share that with people and God sees the power of the Lord working in 00:30:27.900 --> 00:30:31.420 that, there's no other praise that can be given other than to God. 00:30:34.400 --> 00:30:35.740 I want to encourage you this way as a Christian. 00:30:37.920 --> 00:30:41.400 If you've never done anything big or bold for the Lord in your life. 00:30:44.080 --> 00:30:49.680 Do something bigger, bold for the Lord in your life of everything that you do can be explained within your own power. 00:30:50.240 --> 00:30:57.480 It's time to step out of your comfort zone and allow the glory of God to be made known in your life, that when it takes place, 00:30:57.560 --> 00:31:00.180 no other praise can be given than to the Lord. 00:31:03.160 --> 00:31:03.720 That scares me. 00:31:05.820 --> 00:31:06.680 I don't even like saying it. 00:31:08.120 --> 00:31:14.520 Especially as a pastor, when you say something like that, he's like, okay, put your money where your mouth is and prove it, Buster. 00:31:16.580 --> 00:31:20.180 I feel like part of part of me has lived like that in Utah. 00:31:21.880 --> 00:31:22.450 And we're going to get a building. 00:31:22.680 --> 00:31:23.260 You're right. 00:31:24.280 --> 00:31:26.510 I'm going to move to Utah in just a matter of months. 00:31:26.880 --> 00:31:27.260 Yeah, right. 00:31:28.180 --> 00:31:30.380 Lord's going to provide for you while you're here every month. 00:31:30.440 --> 00:31:30.800 You're right. 00:31:33.340 --> 00:31:33.880 We'll just trust. 00:31:36.320 --> 00:31:42.640 I think of the thorns that come into my own life and I say, God, I know what you've called me to is beyond my own scope, beyond my own power, beyond my own limits. 00:31:42.880 --> 00:31:44.590 And I am not comfortable with that. 00:31:45.500 --> 00:31:47.330 And the thorns come into my life and say, you know what? 00:31:47.460 --> 00:31:47.560 Don't. 00:31:47.640 --> 00:31:49.260 Don't talk to that person about me. 00:31:49.300 --> 00:31:50.240 Don't share my love. 00:31:50.260 --> 00:31:52.290 Don't even open your mouth. 00:31:52.920 --> 00:31:53.520 There's a thaw. 00:31:54.280 --> 00:31:55.330 You know you want to move. 00:31:55.460 --> 00:31:56.150 You don't want to do ministry. 00:31:56.680 --> 00:31:59.120 I mean, there's so many people that are better than you. 00:31:59.120 --> 00:32:01.700 I mean, I could probably spout off thousands right now because. 00:32:01.720 --> 00:32:02.320 Don't need me. 00:32:04.740 --> 00:32:05.880 But the same is true for you. 00:32:07.860 --> 00:32:09.100 When serving the Lord. 00:32:09.100 --> 00:32:09.990 The thorns in your life. 00:32:10.060 --> 00:32:10.840 They come in, don't they? 00:32:12.280 --> 00:32:12.460 I'm not. 00:32:12.600 --> 00:32:13.420 I'm not good enough. 00:32:13.420 --> 00:32:13.700 That's. 00:32:13.760 --> 00:32:15.050 I'm just like I'm a bench player. 00:32:17.240 --> 00:32:18.900 What the A-Team do I. 00:32:19.900 --> 00:32:20.380 Mr. 00:32:20.380 --> 00:32:22.150 T, right? 00:32:23.060 --> 00:32:23.920 It's not for me. 00:32:25.810 --> 00:32:27.420 God's never called me to be anything special. 00:32:28.260 --> 00:32:31.890 God's never given me any sort of miraculous ability. 00:32:34.340 --> 00:32:35.100 Can I tell you this morning? 00:32:36.740 --> 00:32:38.240 God doesn't call the equipped. 00:32:40.300 --> 00:32:41.520 He equips the called. 00:32:43.540 --> 00:32:44.920 You want the Lord desires more than anything. 00:32:45.600 --> 00:32:46.200 I've already said it. 00:32:47.940 --> 00:32:48.460 Just a willing heart. 00:32:51.100 --> 00:32:54.910 So there's beauty in the weakness of who you are that allows the beauty of who Christ is to be demonstrated. 00:32:57.760 --> 00:32:59.030 It doesn't have to be anything miraculous. 00:32:59.620 --> 00:33:00.210 It's just faithfulness. 00:33:03.160 --> 00:33:09.260 To not believe the lie of the thorn, to not give in to the temptation of the sin, but just desire instead to walk with Jesus. 00:33:11.780 --> 00:33:13.200 I love the simplicity of that. 00:33:13.200 --> 00:33:16.740 As a church, we don't require this religious onset upon you. 00:33:16.740 --> 00:33:17.780 We just say, walk with Jesus. 00:33:19.680 --> 00:33:20.910 What you do in this world matters. 00:33:21.120 --> 00:33:24.920 The impact that you're making is far greater than you understand in your weakness. 00:33:25.260 --> 00:33:27.000 Let the beauty of Christ be made known. 00:33:27.060 --> 00:33:27.980 If you're afraid, it's okay. 00:33:28.320 --> 00:33:29.230 I'm afraid to. 00:33:31.600 --> 00:33:34.440 I'm going beyond my own abilities and trusting in the Lord. 00:33:34.500 --> 00:33:37.610 And if he proves to be unfaithful, we don't have anything to live for anyway. 00:33:38.080 --> 00:33:39.700 So I just trust in him. 00:33:43.620 --> 00:33:44.020 We're gladly. 00:33:44.340 --> 00:33:48.420 Would I rather boast in my weakness at the power of Christ may be made known in my life. 00:33:50.900 --> 00:33:51.800 To share with you. 00:33:51.820 --> 00:33:58.840 Just one more Bible verse comes in acts chapter four and verse 13, the remark that they made of the 00:33:58.840 --> 00:33:59.290 disciples. 00:33:59.600 --> 00:34:01.740 I put these guys on a pedestal in my own reading my life. 00:34:01.800 --> 00:34:06.700 You think these are giants in the faith for Christ, the disciples of Jesus. 00:34:06.820 --> 00:34:07.730 No one compares. 00:34:08.580 --> 00:34:14.360 And then when you study about them, they're like, they're smelly fishermen, uneducated, whatever. 00:34:14.400 --> 00:34:17.489 As low as you can go on the worthy poll and human standards. 00:34:17.760 --> 00:34:18.600 That's these guys. 00:34:18.820 --> 00:34:21.000 But the eyes of the Lord, they're beautiful to him. 00:34:21.000 --> 00:34:28.239 And it says this in acts chapter four and verse 13, when they saw the courage not in themselves but in the Lord, when they saw the courage 00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:31.550 of Peter and John, they realized that they were unschooled men. 00:34:32.159 --> 00:34:32.929 They were astonished. 00:34:33.260 --> 00:34:36.380 And they took note that these men had been with Jesus. 00:34:39.620 --> 00:34:40.719 These guys. 00:34:40.719 --> 00:34:47.060 Courageous in the Lord, unschooled the people that you would not prepare or pick to lead any sort of movement. 00:34:48.060 --> 00:34:49.219 And what made them powerful. 00:34:51.100 --> 00:34:51.560 Therewith. 00:34:51.560 --> 00:34:53.340 Jesus. 00:34:57.480 --> 00:35:00.040 When I lived my life and I think about the end of my life. 00:35:02.340 --> 00:35:07.660 To my desire, having been able to say so right now, was to make my life count for more than just tomorrow. 00:35:10.300 --> 00:35:12.220 If I can make my life count for eternity. 00:35:14.400 --> 00:35:14.900 I want to do this. 00:35:16.800 --> 00:35:18.400 I want to make my life matter. 00:35:20.680 --> 00:35:21.180 Here's the answer. 00:35:23.060 --> 00:35:23.990 Spend time with Jesus. 00:35:26.500 --> 00:35:30.720 The transformation that takes place within our lives as it builds within us. 00:35:30.800 --> 00:35:38.080 A people who are courageous and bold in the Lord, not trusting in our own strength, not relying on our self to remove these storms, but depending 00:35:38.080 --> 00:35:41.040 upon God. 00:35:41.860 --> 00:35:42.360 This morning. 00:35:42.400 --> 00:35:49.560 I share this with you because we've looked at these passages of scriptures today, and it's encouraged us to look forward to all that 00:35:49.560 --> 00:35:50.190 God has. 00:35:50.340 --> 00:35:56.440 But you could be waiting just in the moment before pursuing this gate storming church that the Lord wants to build. 00:35:56.620 --> 00:36:00.800 And you're saying, I feel like I've stepped into a boxing ring with Satan. 00:36:03.800 --> 00:36:05.070 He's got you against the ropes. 00:36:07.420 --> 00:36:09.250 And you're wondering how you're going to get out. 00:36:11.720 --> 00:36:14.120 His thorns are poking you. 00:36:16.140 --> 00:36:18.110 In your life is like it's running dry. 00:36:20.600 --> 00:36:21.880 He's prayed to the Lord. 00:36:23.780 --> 00:36:25.360 This answer seems to be no. 00:36:29.160 --> 00:36:30.340 I'll share this with you this morning. 00:36:32.240 --> 00:36:33.520 To say this is grace. 00:36:34.720 --> 00:36:37.630 His grace is sufficient for you. 00:36:39.260 --> 00:36:43.080 Share this with you this morning so that rather than believe the lies of the thorn. 00:36:45.000 --> 00:36:50.860 It would turn from what's robbing you of the joy in the Lord and just be open before Christ. 00:36:52.400 --> 00:36:53.300 Just confess it. 00:36:55.900 --> 00:36:57.360 To understand that. 00:36:57.560 --> 00:36:59.200 No, doesn't have to be no. 00:36:59.200 --> 00:37:00.870 Like you're thinking no, that God cares. 00:37:01.080 --> 00:37:05.000 And his desire could be to use that thorn to show his glory. 00:37:05.500 --> 00:37:13.030 And rather than just simply remove you from that thorn in this world, to simply show you how his power far supersedes 00:37:13.580 --> 00:37:15.660 any thorn that you experience in this life. 00:37:19.780 --> 00:37:21.760 Encouragement this morning. 00:37:22.880 --> 00:37:28.180 It's to stop allowing your thorn to prevent you from what God has called you to do in this world. 00:37:30.020 --> 00:37:37.170 Start making gods of your thorns and start making the Lord the God that you serve, so that you can experience his great hand. 00:37:38.420 --> 00:37:40.520 Be open about the thorns you're going through. 00:37:40.520 --> 00:37:44.320 Learn in the nose how the power of God can be made known in your weakness. 00:37:44.400 --> 00:37:51.180 And let the grace of God supply for your life, because his grace far supersedes any thorn that you experience. 00:37:53.700 --> 00:37:56.760 God doesn't want the equipped people to call. 00:37:57.160 --> 00:38:02.840 He wants to call people so that he can equipped that his power may be made known. 00:38:05.560 --> 00:38:06.760 What you do in this world matters. 00:38:08.700 --> 00:38:10.780 And God has called you to make a difference. 00:38:12.260 --> 00:38:14.640 I'm going to close with this one reading for you this morning. 00:38:15.620 --> 00:38:17.720 I put this in your notes in the bulletin if you want. 00:38:17.760 --> 00:38:19.840 If you didn't grab one, you can grab it on your way out. 00:38:19.920 --> 00:38:23.160 But this is written in a book called Extreme Devotion by Voice of the martyrs. 00:38:23.280 --> 00:38:26.300 It's a book that's just written by martyrs who have given their life for Christ. 00:38:27.280 --> 00:38:29.610 This is titled The Fellowship of the unashamed. 00:38:29.820 --> 00:38:31.290 It's written by an African martyr. 00:38:31.740 --> 00:38:34.820 It's a testimony that attributed to him, and it says this. 00:38:35.900 --> 00:38:37.020 Think about serving the Lord. 00:38:37.040 --> 00:38:39.680 He says, I'm a part of the fellowship of the unashamed. 00:38:41.340 --> 00:38:44.080 I have stepped over the line, the decision has been made. 00:38:44.100 --> 00:38:45.740 I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. 00:38:46.880 --> 00:38:50.660 I won't look back, let up, slow down, back away or be still. 00:38:50.700 --> 00:38:52.100 My past is redeemed. 00:38:52.100 --> 00:38:54.320 My present makes sense and my future is secure. 00:38:55.020 --> 00:39:02.600 I'm finished and done with low living sight walking, small planning, smooth knees, colorless dreams, tamed vision, mundane 00:39:02.600 --> 00:39:04.820 talking, cheap loving and dwarfed goals. 00:39:05.760 --> 00:39:10.380 I will no longer need preeminence, prosperity, position, promotions or popularity. 00:39:10.640 --> 00:39:11.320 Popularity. 00:39:11.360 --> 00:39:13.320 Excuse me, I don't have to be right. 00:39:13.500 --> 00:39:16.960 First topped, recognized, praised, regarded or rewarded. 00:39:17.320 --> 00:39:18.720 I now live by faith. 00:39:18.860 --> 00:39:23.700 Lean on his presence, walk by patience, live by prayer and labor by his power. 00:39:24.480 --> 00:39:25.600 My face is set. 00:39:25.660 --> 00:39:26.520 My gait is fast. 00:39:26.860 --> 00:39:27.780 My goal is heaven. 00:39:28.140 --> 00:39:29.260 My road is narrow. 00:39:29.460 --> 00:39:30.320 My way rough. 00:39:30.580 --> 00:39:31.740 My companions few. 00:39:31.960 --> 00:39:33.290 My guide reliable. 00:39:33.300 --> 00:39:33.970 My mission clear. 00:39:34.520 --> 00:39:36.880 I cannot be bought, diluted or delayed. 00:39:36.940 --> 00:39:38.960 I will not flinch in the face of sacrifice. 00:39:39.420 --> 00:39:41.500 Hesitate in the presence of adversity. 00:39:41.600 --> 00:39:45.770 Negotiate at the table of the enemy, or meander in the maze of mediocrity. 00:39:46.200 --> 00:39:47.000 I won't give up. 00:39:47.340 --> 00:39:49.680 Shut up and let the cause of Christ go. 00:39:49.780 --> 00:39:51.660 I am a disciple of Jesus. 00:39:51.660 --> 00:39:53.100 I must go till he comes. 00:39:53.460 --> 00:39:54.580 Give till I drop. 00:39:55.020 --> 00:39:57.900 Preach till all know and work till he stops me. 00:39:58.400 --> 00:40:02.950 And when he comes for his own, he will have no problem recognizing me. 00:40:03.500 --> 00:40:05.620 My banner will be clear. 00:40:08.300 --> 00:40:09.660 And thought, is this? 00:40:12.140 --> 00:40:13.760 To garbage with the thorn. 00:40:16.160 --> 00:40:21.360 What God's called you to in this world is by far more beautiful than any thorn that Satan presents. 00:40:23.400 --> 00:40:24.400 The open. 00:40:26.940 --> 00:40:29.440 Be open as Paul was open. 00:40:29.560 --> 00:40:31.110 If the Lord says no. 00:40:31.300 --> 00:40:38.660 Learn what the Lord desires to do in that moment, and watch how his grace is sufficient in your life.