“THE GIFT OF THORNS”
What would you think if someone came to work-house. Wherever you were, and gave you a big bunch of .....thorns?
Would you think somebody was angry at you? Didn’t like you anymore? Well that’s what happened to Paul in 2 Corinthinas 10.
“There was given to me a thorn in the flesh.”
God gave Paul some thorns-not because He was angry at him but b/c He loved Him!!!
Every generation since Adam has a sure reminder of the curse on creation—via THORNS!
Genesis 3:18 “ cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee”
In a way…..life IS a BED OF ROSES! …but all the Roses have THORNS!!!
No matter where you go- trouble is waiting for you when you get there. Nobody has it made- we are all stuck with Thorns in our life!
Trials…tribulations… and troubles. Discouragement… Disappointment, and Disasters!
Thorns come in a thousand frustrating forms.
Surely suffering is a thorny issue. If you have never asked the question, "Where is God when it hurts?" One day you will. You may not need my message this moment, but you may need it in the next minute or the next month.
The greatest Christian of all, the Apostle Paul, knew what it was to have problems.
Notice………..
1. THE THORN AS AN ASSIGNMENT "was given me"
- God uses Thorns in our lives to TEACH
Trials are designed to call your faith to the witness stand ~ to validate what you declare you believe.
A faith that cannot be TESTED cannot be TRUSTED!
TESTS are to do two things:
1.) Show us what we learned 2.) Teach us what we haven’t learned yet!
A little boy girl had been promised the privilege of climbing to a nearby hilltop where his big brother played. But when he came within sight of the steep, rough path, he drew back. "”There isn't a smooth spot anywhere. It's all bumpy and stony!". His big brother, "How else would we climb if it wasn't? The stones and bumps are what we step on to get there."
God allows affliction, and puts in our path what some might consider to be stumbling blocks.
Even in so called ACCIDENTS- we see his APPOINTMENTS.
2. THE THORN AS AN AILMENT "in the flesh"
Trials are designed to call your faith to the witness stand ~ to validate what you declare you believe.
A faith that cannot be TESTED cannot be TRUSTED!
TESTS are to do two things:
1.) Show us what we learned 2.) Teach us what we haven’t learned yet!
A little boy girl had been promised the privilege of climbing to a nearby hilltop where his big brother played. But when he came within sight of the steep, rough path, he drew back. "”There isn't a smooth spot anywhere. It's all bumpy and stony!". His big brother, "How else would we climb if it wasn't? The stones and bumps are what we step on to get there."
God allows affliction, and puts in our path what some might consider to be stumbling blocks.
Even in so called ACCIDENTS- we see his APPOINTMENTS.
2. THE THORN AS AN AILMENT "in the flesh"
- God uses Thorns in our lives to TENDERIZE
Suffering can come in many shapes and sizes from many sources!
As to the nature of this thorn there have been many equally inconclusive guesses.
Some say it was poor eyesight. Some say it was a speech impediment. Some say it was a physical handicap. Some say it was his mother-in-law. Whatever it was- it hurt!.
Its best that we do not know what Paul’s problem was. Why? Because I am preaching to people who have thorns and are experiencing buffetings right now. If Paul had named his thorn, then we might conclude that the promises of God associated with that thorn were only good for others with the same problem. But, since we don’t know what he suffered from, we can apply the promises he received to the situations we face!)
3. THE THORN AS AN ASSAILANT "Messenger of Satan to buffet me"
Suffering can come in many shapes and sizes from many sources!
As to the nature of this thorn there have been many equally inconclusive guesses.
Some say it was poor eyesight. Some say it was a speech impediment. Some say it was a physical handicap. Some say it was his mother-in-law. Whatever it was- it hurt!.
Its best that we do not know what Paul’s problem was. Why? Because I am preaching to people who have thorns and are experiencing buffetings right now. If Paul had named his thorn, then we might conclude that the promises of God associated with that thorn were only good for others with the same problem. But, since we don’t know what he suffered from, we can apply the promises he received to the situations we face!)
3. THE THORN AS AN ASSAILANT "Messenger of Satan to buffet me"
- God uses Thorns in our lives to TEAR DOWN
Matt 13:22 Thorns always try to choke out the word of God!!!
One thing we know for sure about Paul’s thorn is this: it may have been carried out by Satan, but it was conceived by God! Whatever it was, it was part of God’s plan!
God could have kept Daniel out of the lions’ den- or kept Job from Satan’s assault- or the3 Hebrews out of the fiery furnace. However, God had a purpose for each of the trials they endured.
Don’t be sad because the roses have thorns, but rather rejoice because the thorns have roses.
Thorns outnumber roses 10 to 1!
If a man gives his wife Roses freshly picked- the wife wont look at bouquet and said “Why’d you bring me a bunch of thorns!?” No! Why can’t we be like that? We have all these good things-but focus on the thorns!
Would you be a better believer if all things went well? If you never had a hurt?
Or is it the opposite true?
There is a tendency and a temptation when things are going great to think that things are going so great, because you are so great, that God is so good to you, because you are so good to Him.
* This thorns Purpose was to Prevent Paul from getting proud.
Matt 13:22 Thorns always try to choke out the word of God!!!
One thing we know for sure about Paul’s thorn is this: it may have been carried out by Satan, but it was conceived by God! Whatever it was, it was part of God’s plan!
God could have kept Daniel out of the lions’ den- or kept Job from Satan’s assault- or the3 Hebrews out of the fiery furnace. However, God had a purpose for each of the trials they endured.
Don’t be sad because the roses have thorns, but rather rejoice because the thorns have roses.
Thorns outnumber roses 10 to 1!
If a man gives his wife Roses freshly picked- the wife wont look at bouquet and said “Why’d you bring me a bunch of thorns!?” No! Why can’t we be like that? We have all these good things-but focus on the thorns!
Would you be a better believer if all things went well? If you never had a hurt?
Or is it the opposite true?
There is a tendency and a temptation when things are going great to think that things are going so great, because you are so great, that God is so good to you, because you are so good to Him.
* This thorns Purpose was to Prevent Paul from getting proud.
That which hurt him helped him !!!!
“God resisteth the proud, but gives grace unto the humble”!
* When God allows some suffering in your life…
“God resisteth the proud, but gives grace unto the humble”!
* When God allows some suffering in your life…
Do You GET THE POINT?
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