WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.040 --> 00:00:01.879 Well today, if you live in church world, there's a 2 00:00:01.919 --> 00:00:05.080 common phrase called the thorn in the flesh. Yes, and 3 00:00:05.120 --> 00:00:07.879 today Paul's going to uncover that and talk about his 4 00:00:07.919 --> 00:00:08.279 own life. 5 00:00:08.279 --> 00:00:10.960 And it's a real problem, it is, so he gives 6 00:00:11.039 --> 00:00:13.320 us some solutions. So he's Chris and I'm Jeff, and 7 00:00:13.359 --> 00:00:26.760 we're the Bibble guys, all right. So Chris, yes, you 8 00:00:26.839 --> 00:00:30.120 know that we are always looking for the very best 9 00:00:30.280 --> 00:00:32.880 news and information to share with our listeners. Absolutely, and 10 00:00:33.119 --> 00:00:36.000 we found our best favorite sources the Babylon b Yes, 11 00:00:36.280 --> 00:00:38.000 which is for those of you who don't know, it's 12 00:00:38.039 --> 00:00:41.359 a satire website, and we like satire. I think it's funny. 13 00:00:41.439 --> 00:00:42.159 Yeah, it's not real. 14 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:45.200 This isn't real. But here's the headline. Thousands of Spirit 15 00:00:45.280 --> 00:00:51.200 Airlines passengers disappointed their flights weren't canceled. Have you phoned 16 00:00:51.240 --> 00:00:55.039 Spirit before it can be Realugh Man. So a harsh 17 00:00:55.079 --> 00:00:58.600 winter storm has swept the nation, disrupting travel plans, canceling 18 00:00:58.640 --> 00:01:01.799 flights and leaving thousands of disappointed and stranded at the airport. 19 00:01:02.000 --> 00:01:04.560 Passengers for Spirit Airlines, on the other hand, were disappointed 20 00:01:04.560 --> 00:01:06.599 to learn that their flights had not been canceled. And 21 00:01:06.640 --> 00:01:09.719 we're move along its scheduled. You gotta be kidding me. 22 00:01:09.879 --> 00:01:12.439 Our Spirit Airlines flight is not being canceled or even delayed. 23 00:01:12.519 --> 00:01:15.680 Our planes arrived just unscheduled, complained Derek Johnson to his family. 24 00:01:16.280 --> 00:01:19.159 Well this is just great. Instead of being safely stuck 25 00:01:19.159 --> 00:01:21.120 in the airport for days like all these other folks, 26 00:01:21.200 --> 00:01:23.480 we have to actually board that thing and fly thousands 27 00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:27.599 of feet up in the air. According to sources, one 28 00:01:27.680 --> 00:01:30.879 passengers boarded Spirit Airlines, many asked the flight attendant several 29 00:01:30.959 --> 00:01:33.799 questions before takeoff. Are you sure the inspection came back 30 00:01:33.799 --> 00:01:36.239 all right? Can we check it again? Is the pilot 31 00:01:36.280 --> 00:01:38.519 starting to feel ill? Are you sure we don't need 32 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:42.000 to delay this thing another hour or five, said multiple 33 00:01:42.000 --> 00:01:44.680 concern passengers. No, really, we don't mind. It's not too 34 00:01:44.760 --> 00:01:48.280 late to cancel this thing altogether. At publishing time, people 35 00:01:48.280 --> 00:01:50.799 flying Southwest who'd been stranded the airport for days were 36 00:01:50.799 --> 00:01:53.680 told that there were finally dozens of flights available for departure, 37 00:01:53.719 --> 00:01:56.079 but unfortunately they were all through Spirit Airlines. 38 00:01:56.599 --> 00:01:59.599 It's so funny, hey man. 39 00:02:00.000 --> 00:02:02.359 Sometimes it can be rough, that whole passenger thing, and 40 00:02:02.799 --> 00:02:03.879 but you're flying. 41 00:02:04.239 --> 00:02:07.480 So Trey Thomas is our worship leader at our church 42 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:11.639 and on Christmas Day. On Christmas Day, he was supposed 43 00:02:11.639 --> 00:02:14.520 to fly back to Louisiana and he actually got stuck 44 00:02:14.599 --> 00:02:18.039 at the airport for I think it was nine hours 45 00:02:18.759 --> 00:02:22.800 and he was flying Spirit and his flight I canceled, 46 00:02:23.080 --> 00:02:26.680 so he ended up driving to Louisiana. Wow, so think 47 00:02:26.719 --> 00:02:29.280 about this Christmas Day. I know that you've had a 48 00:02:29.280 --> 00:02:34.319 bad Christmas Day before, but I can't even imagine that 49 00:02:34.599 --> 00:02:36.120 being chalked up in the books for me. 50 00:02:36.360 --> 00:02:37.759 Well, it may have been a blessing to get his 51 00:02:38.080 --> 00:02:41.240 Spirit Airlines flight canceled. Oh, that might have been a blessing. 52 00:02:41.360 --> 00:02:44.960 Yeah, maybe, Well. 53 00:02:44.879 --> 00:02:48.199 It's just a miserable flight usually anyways. So okay, well, hey, 54 00:02:48.280 --> 00:02:50.840 we are going to continue. We're getting close to wrapping 55 00:02:50.919 --> 00:02:57.159 up Corinthians. Yeah, second Corinthians here, and so I'm trying 56 00:02:57.159 --> 00:03:00.000 to find my email just disappeared. 57 00:03:00.120 --> 00:03:03.080 Here is to the chapter twelve, verses one through twenty one. 58 00:03:03.159 --> 00:03:04.960 Yeah, my phone is sticking. So we're just going to 59 00:03:05.000 --> 00:03:07.919 read all the way through it. Here we go, chapter twelve, 60 00:03:08.000 --> 00:03:10.520 verse one. It says this boasting will do no good. 61 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:12.280 Remember he was kind of had to go through his 62 00:03:12.319 --> 00:03:15.120 resume here, but I must go on. I will reluctantly 63 00:03:15.120 --> 00:03:17.800 tell about visions and revelations from the Lord. I was 64 00:03:17.840 --> 00:03:20.319 caught up to the Third Heaven fourteen years ago. Whether 65 00:03:20.360 --> 00:03:21.759 I was in my body or on my body, I 66 00:03:21.759 --> 00:03:24.840 don't know. Only God knows. Yes, only God knows whether 67 00:03:24.840 --> 00:03:26.840 I was in my body or outside my body. But 68 00:03:26.879 --> 00:03:29.080 I do know that I was caught up to Paradise 69 00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:31.800 and heard things so astounding that they cannot be expressed 70 00:03:31.800 --> 00:03:34.759 in words. Things no human is allowed to tell. That 71 00:03:34.800 --> 00:03:37.199 experience is worth boasting about, but I'm not going to 72 00:03:37.240 --> 00:03:40.400 do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. If 73 00:03:40.400 --> 00:03:42.439 I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in 74 00:03:42.520 --> 00:03:45.800 doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But 75 00:03:45.840 --> 00:03:47.599 I won't do it because I don't want anyone to 76 00:03:47.639 --> 00:03:49.599 give me credit beyond what they can see in my 77 00:03:49.639 --> 00:03:52.120 life or hear in my message. Even though I have 78 00:03:52.439 --> 00:03:55.960 received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me 79 00:03:55.960 --> 00:03:58.599 from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, 80 00:03:58.680 --> 00:04:01.199 a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me 81 00:04:01.240 --> 00:04:04.120 from becoming proud. Three different times I beg the Lord 82 00:04:04.159 --> 00:04:06.400 to take it away from me. Each time he said, 83 00:04:06.759 --> 00:04:09.960 my grace is all you need. My power works best 84 00:04:10.000 --> 00:04:12.360 in weakness, So now I'm glad to boast about my 85 00:04:12.400 --> 00:04:14.639 weaknesses so that the power of Christ can work through me. 86 00:04:15.039 --> 00:04:16.959 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in 87 00:04:17.040 --> 00:04:19.959 the insults and hardships and persecutions and troubles that I 88 00:04:19.959 --> 00:04:22.720 suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I 89 00:04:22.759 --> 00:04:25.639 am strong. You have made me act like a fool. 90 00:04:25.959 --> 00:04:28.480 You ought to be writing commendations for me, for I'm 91 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:31.040 not at all inferior to these quote unquote super apostles, 92 00:04:31.399 --> 00:04:33.439 even though I am nothing at all. When I was 93 00:04:33.480 --> 00:04:35.759 with you, I certainly gave you proof that I'm an apostle, 94 00:04:35.920 --> 00:04:38.879 for I patiently did many signs and wonders and miracles 95 00:04:38.920 --> 00:04:40.839 among you. The only thing I failed to do, which 96 00:04:40.839 --> 00:04:42.399 I do in the other churches, was to become a 97 00:04:42.439 --> 00:04:45.480 financial burden to you. Because please forgive me for this wrong. 98 00:04:46.319 --> 00:04:48.360 Now I'm coming to you for the third time, and 99 00:04:48.399 --> 00:04:50.199 I will not be a burden to you. I don't 100 00:04:50.240 --> 00:04:53.439 want you what you have. I want you. After all, 101 00:04:53.560 --> 00:04:56.439 children don't provide for their parents, Rather parents provide for 102 00:04:56.480 --> 00:04:59.680 their children. I'll gladly spend myself and all I have 103 00:04:59.759 --> 00:05:01.680 for you you, even though it seems that the more 104 00:05:01.720 --> 00:05:03.920 I love you, the less you love me. Some of 105 00:05:03.959 --> 00:05:05.560 you admit I was not a burden to you, but 106 00:05:05.600 --> 00:05:08.079 others still think I was sneaky and took advantage of 107 00:05:08.079 --> 00:05:10.519 you by trickery. But how did any of the men 108 00:05:10.560 --> 00:05:12.800 I sent to you take advantage of you? When I 109 00:05:12.879 --> 00:05:17.240 urged Titus to visit you and sent our brother with him, 110 00:05:17.399 --> 00:05:20.079 did Titus take advantage of you? No, for we have 111 00:05:20.160 --> 00:05:23.000 the same spirit and walking each other's steps, doing things 112 00:05:23.000 --> 00:05:25.839 the same way. Perhaps you think we're saying these things 113 00:05:25.920 --> 00:05:28.199 just to defend ourselves. No, we tell you this as 114 00:05:28.279 --> 00:05:31.120 Christ's servants, and with God is our witness. Everything we do, 115 00:05:31.240 --> 00:05:34.120 dear friends, is to strengthen you. For I am afraid 116 00:05:34.120 --> 00:05:36.560 that when I come, I won't like what I find, 117 00:05:36.600 --> 00:05:38.920 and you won't like my response. I'm afraid that I 118 00:05:38.920 --> 00:05:42.360 will find quarreling and jealousy and angered selfishness, and slander 119 00:05:42.360 --> 00:05:45.399 and gossip and arrogance and disorderly behavior. Yes, I'm afraid 120 00:05:45.399 --> 00:05:48.240 that when I come again, God will humble me in 121 00:05:48.279 --> 00:05:50.639 your presence, and I will be grieved because many of 122 00:05:50.680 --> 00:05:52.759 you have not given up your old sins. You've not 123 00:05:52.839 --> 00:05:56.920 repented of your impurity, sexual immorality and eagerness for lustful pleasure. 124 00:05:58.399 --> 00:06:02.480 Ooh yeah, it's so interesting because you know, when you 125 00:06:02.519 --> 00:06:05.879 read the Word of God, I think that people, for 126 00:06:05.959 --> 00:06:07.959 the most part, they don't mean to be, but they're 127 00:06:08.040 --> 00:06:11.639 sort of selfish. Like when you come to church, you 128 00:06:11.680 --> 00:06:13.600 have no choice sometimes but to be just a little 129 00:06:13.600 --> 00:06:16.800 bit selfish. And here's what I mean by that is 130 00:06:16.839 --> 00:06:19.279 like when I walk in through the door, let's just 131 00:06:19.319 --> 00:06:20.959 say it's a church I don't know about, right, and 132 00:06:21.040 --> 00:06:24.720 I sit down. What I'm really really hoping is how 133 00:06:24.720 --> 00:06:25.480 can this help me? 134 00:06:26.120 --> 00:06:26.319 Right? 135 00:06:26.439 --> 00:06:28.920 I want to learn something that helps me. You know. 136 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:31.800 It's it's not just like, oh okay, well that that 137 00:06:31.920 --> 00:06:34.800 was interesting, but completely irrelevant to my life. And those 138 00:06:35.160 --> 00:06:37.600 times do happen, right, because you know, you read you 139 00:06:37.639 --> 00:06:39.879 read God's word and you're like, well that's interesting, but 140 00:06:39.959 --> 00:06:42.519 I'm not sure I could really apply that too much. 141 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:45.439 But that's why we sort of crave, you know, like 142 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:49.160 everybody loves going to series that revolve around felt needs, 143 00:06:49.240 --> 00:06:52.319 like like marriage or you know, or you know, or 144 00:06:52.360 --> 00:06:55.360 just feelings of forgiveness and anger and these kind of things. 145 00:06:55.879 --> 00:06:58.680 And all I have to say this, there are certain 146 00:06:59.680 --> 00:07:03.120 law passages of the Bible that seem to be us 147 00:07:03.199 --> 00:07:06.279 observing something that's going on that has absolutely nothing to 148 00:07:06.319 --> 00:07:08.120 do with us. Yeah, right, And it feels like this 149 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:12.040 whole passage is like, okay, so this has this was 150 00:07:12.079 --> 00:07:14.560 going on in the first century? Why am I reading this? 151 00:07:14.920 --> 00:07:17.399 It's like, I'm going to get through this passage and 152 00:07:17.480 --> 00:07:19.560 I'm not. I'm just being very very very honest here, 153 00:07:19.959 --> 00:07:24.319 So like, if not careful, you can say this doesn't 154 00:07:24.319 --> 00:07:27.000 have anything to do with me, but think about it 155 00:07:27.000 --> 00:07:30.720 this way, so I know this is just bear with 156 00:07:30.720 --> 00:07:32.720 me here. Have you ever seen Parenthood? 157 00:07:33.199 --> 00:07:33.519 Yes? 158 00:07:33.759 --> 00:07:37.120 Okay, so Parenthood is this series that I just have 159 00:07:37.160 --> 00:07:40.079 absolutely loved and you know, and and it's years since 160 00:07:40.120 --> 00:07:42.480 it's been done. Sure, But what ends up happening is 161 00:07:42.519 --> 00:07:45.120 you sort of get involved in the LIFs, in the 162 00:07:45.160 --> 00:07:48.720 lives of these people, and you watch them and everything 163 00:07:48.759 --> 00:07:52.879 you watch has nothing to do with you, rite nothing, right, 164 00:07:52.920 --> 00:07:56.879 But here's what happens. You you sort of understand how 165 00:07:56.879 --> 00:08:01.600 they respond to situations, you understand their character. You know, 166 00:08:01.639 --> 00:08:04.680 you can't put yourselves exactly in their shoes, but you 167 00:08:04.680 --> 00:08:08.000 you sort of draw out of it so many great 168 00:08:08.079 --> 00:08:11.560 and valuable things, and you relate to it in different 169 00:08:11.560 --> 00:08:13.839 ways and say, geez, my situation is not like there's 170 00:08:14.240 --> 00:08:17.279 but the way they responded that really challenges me or 171 00:08:17.319 --> 00:08:19.839 encourages me things like that. Anyway, I just want to 172 00:08:19.839 --> 00:08:23.920 say this, It's not it's not necessarily important to keep 173 00:08:23.920 --> 00:08:30.680 on focusing on Paul's you know, rants about super apostles, 174 00:08:30.720 --> 00:08:33.559 false doctrine and and you know, being a burden financially 175 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:35.720 because he says that so many times, yeah. 176 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:38.240 Like four times every every couple of chapters he comes 177 00:08:38.279 --> 00:08:39.639 back and brings it all up again. 178 00:08:39.559 --> 00:08:41.960 Right, And what I'm saying is is like it's like 179 00:08:42.159 --> 00:08:44.840 when we read the Word of God, instead of saying 180 00:08:45.480 --> 00:08:47.759 this again has nothing to do with me, it's it's 181 00:08:47.799 --> 00:08:50.639 it's important to say, Okay, God, what is it in 182 00:08:50.679 --> 00:08:53.840 these passages that you have for me to learn? You know? 183 00:08:53.879 --> 00:08:56.480 What is it about Paul and and about you know, 184 00:08:56.600 --> 00:09:00.600 his godly character and about his responses and about his 185 00:09:00.639 --> 00:09:02.679 Holy Word? You know? It was written for a reason 186 00:09:02.879 --> 00:09:04.000 that I can draw out of it. 187 00:09:04.360 --> 00:09:06.879 And there's a lot today, Yeah, I believe, Well, I 188 00:09:06.879 --> 00:09:10.039 think one thing that we can draw. Let's set aside 189 00:09:10.159 --> 00:09:12.600 the thorn in the flesh and my grace suspiciony for 190 00:09:12.639 --> 00:09:14.559 you for a minute, because that's the really, that's the 191 00:09:14.600 --> 00:09:16.519 gem of this passage. I think, yes, I agree, but 192 00:09:17.320 --> 00:09:19.759 the rest of it, I think that there is something 193 00:09:19.759 --> 00:09:22.399 that we can take from this. He keeps bringing it up. 194 00:09:22.639 --> 00:09:25.720 There's some significant issues in this church, right, and Paul 195 00:09:25.799 --> 00:09:28.440 knows it. Paul finally kind of gives them a laundry 196 00:09:28.440 --> 00:09:30.200 list of things that he thinks is going on. That 197 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:32.759 kind of because he's already sent Titus, and he sent 198 00:09:32.799 --> 00:09:34.679 that other guy with Titus, and he sent other people 199 00:09:34.720 --> 00:09:36.879 down there, and they've all come back and given him reports. 200 00:09:36.919 --> 00:09:38.840 And on one side they come back give him some 201 00:09:38.879 --> 00:09:41.240 good reports, but then clearly they give him some bad ones. 202 00:09:41.240 --> 00:09:43.399 Because he says, what I'm expecting when I get there 203 00:09:43.879 --> 00:09:45.679 is there's going to be still You're going to be 204 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:49.120 quarreling and jealousy and anger and selfishness and slander, gossip 205 00:09:49.159 --> 00:09:53.159 and anger and arrogance and disorderly behavior, and you're living 206 00:09:53.279 --> 00:09:56.720 like wicked lives. So and he said, you know, you 207 00:09:56.799 --> 00:10:00.559 haven't really repented of a lot of your sins. Paul 208 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:02.960 is recognizing the fact and pointing out the fact that 209 00:10:03.000 --> 00:10:05.399 there's a lot of problems in this church. But there's 210 00:10:05.440 --> 00:10:07.600 never anywhere in this book that he tells them that 211 00:10:07.639 --> 00:10:11.480 they should leave their church, right right, Yes, So these 212 00:10:11.519 --> 00:10:14.840 people are there's a few. He says, some of you 213 00:10:14.840 --> 00:10:19.159 you are faithful, and you're faithfully following what I've taught 214 00:10:19.200 --> 00:10:21.039 you and doing those things. Some of you are and 215 00:10:21.080 --> 00:10:24.039 some of you are being jerks back and forth. And 216 00:10:24.080 --> 00:10:26.320 he doesn't tell the faithful ones to leave the jerks, 217 00:10:26.720 --> 00:10:29.879 and he doesn't kick the jerks out. He's saying, change 218 00:10:29.879 --> 00:10:33.360 your direction and go. You know, the local church is 219 00:10:33.440 --> 00:10:35.919 worth it. It's worth putting up the struggle. It's worth 220 00:10:35.960 --> 00:10:39.600 going through the tough things. It's worth dealing with the 221 00:10:39.639 --> 00:10:42.480 fact that there's other sinners attending the same church you attend, 222 00:10:43.480 --> 00:10:46.360 and they, you know, maybe rub you the wrong way. 223 00:10:47.080 --> 00:10:50.200 In his mind, it's not even an option to divorce 224 00:10:50.279 --> 00:10:54.440 this family and move on to another family. In his mind, 225 00:10:54.519 --> 00:10:56.759 it's we've got to do the heavy lifting to make 226 00:10:56.799 --> 00:10:58.559 it through this, and it's going to be worth it 227 00:10:58.600 --> 00:11:00.960 because the bride of CHRISTI is the local church. So 228 00:11:01.120 --> 00:11:03.480 he tells us in Ephesians is that the local church 229 00:11:03.519 --> 00:11:06.360 is a bride of Christ. And you know, I know 230 00:11:06.440 --> 00:11:08.879 Christians sometimes who just get burned by other Christians, or 231 00:11:08.919 --> 00:11:12.279 they get tired of trying to navigate all the relationships 232 00:11:12.320 --> 00:11:14.519 of all the sinners that attend the church that they 233 00:11:14.519 --> 00:11:17.600 go to. And it comes, I think, sometimes from what 234 00:11:17.639 --> 00:11:20.039 can I get from my church versus what can I give? 235 00:11:20.200 --> 00:11:22.759 How can I help serve the people in my church? 236 00:11:23.080 --> 00:11:26.320 And so he's commending those that are being faithful, he's 237 00:11:26.399 --> 00:11:29.080 challenging those that are being unfaithful. But it's never an 238 00:11:29.120 --> 00:11:32.000 option in his mind to leave it. Right, that's right, 239 00:11:32.120 --> 00:11:33.600 and I think there's a really great that's a great 240 00:11:33.600 --> 00:11:34.440 principle to take in that. 241 00:11:34.600 --> 00:11:37.639 Yeah, and and constantly, just like you mentioned in Ephesians 242 00:11:37.639 --> 00:11:41.639 and also in Philippians, he always asks for harmony, he 243 00:11:41.720 --> 00:11:44.480 asks for unity. Right, he begs the church and said, 244 00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:46.440 and he uses the word beg. You know, I beg 245 00:11:46.519 --> 00:11:48.600 that you know, you'll be helpful to one another, you'll 246 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:49.639 submit to one another. 247 00:11:49.879 --> 00:11:51.639 And he has to do that because that's not what 248 00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:53.879 they're doing. Right, That's why he's bringing it up. 249 00:11:54.039 --> 00:11:56.960 Right, that's great. Well, then let's go ahead and talk 250 00:11:57.000 --> 00:11:58.919 about this thorn in the flesh. I think it's an 251 00:11:58.960 --> 00:12:03.000 interesting comparison. Again, it's another visual aid. And think about this, 252 00:12:03.200 --> 00:12:05.519 how many times have I said visual aid over the 253 00:12:05.519 --> 00:12:09.080 past several weeks. Right. So Paul yet again says, you know, 254 00:12:09.440 --> 00:12:11.759 everybody knows what it's like to get a thorn. You know, 255 00:12:11.840 --> 00:12:15.000 you hit, you swing by a rose bush, right, or 256 00:12:15.039 --> 00:12:17.240 something worse, you know, and then you get these pricklies 257 00:12:17.279 --> 00:12:19.759 in your flesh, and it's like, oh, it's so small, 258 00:12:20.159 --> 00:12:23.960 and yet that small little thing causes a lot of irritation, 259 00:12:24.440 --> 00:12:26.480 a lot of pain. It's the thing that you sort 260 00:12:26.519 --> 00:12:28.639 of focus on. And he's saying in the same way, 261 00:12:28.799 --> 00:12:30.600 this is what's happened to me, And I've had a 262 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:32.200 thorn in the flesh. 263 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:35.440 I was out hunting and I harvested a deer, and 264 00:12:35.480 --> 00:12:38.440 then that the deer had gone just I was hunting 265 00:12:38.480 --> 00:12:40.519 round the edge of a swamp and it had about 266 00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:43.559 three hops four hops out into the swamp. It gets 267 00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:46.600 into some thick brush. So when I went to go 268 00:12:46.639 --> 00:12:50.240 get it, I tripped and fell, and I fell on 269 00:12:51.399 --> 00:12:53.679 a bush that had all these thorns, and when I 270 00:12:53.759 --> 00:12:57.200 came up in three of my fingertips I had deeply 271 00:12:57.279 --> 00:13:00.840 embedded thorns in there. So you know, I pulled him 272 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:03.159 out and that that just hurts because it's on your 273 00:13:03.399 --> 00:13:05.720 fingertips like that. But one of them I didn't get 274 00:13:05.759 --> 00:13:07.679 the whole thing out, you know what I mean. And 275 00:13:07.759 --> 00:13:09.840 have you ever had that where you can see it 276 00:13:09.919 --> 00:13:12.519 under your skin and when you touch it, it's I'm okay, 277 00:13:12.879 --> 00:13:15.720 But then you hit that just right, that little thorn, 278 00:13:16.639 --> 00:13:19.120 and it hits that nerve and just sends you through 279 00:13:19.120 --> 00:13:21.039 the roof. It got so bad, fine, I had to 280 00:13:21.039 --> 00:13:22.759 get my knife out, and I had to think it 281 00:13:22.799 --> 00:13:26.639 out that way, because it was just it would seem fine, 282 00:13:26.960 --> 00:13:28.639 and I'd be going along fine and all of a sudden, 283 00:13:28.840 --> 00:13:31.159 just brush it in the wrong way and it sent 284 00:13:31.200 --> 00:13:33.639 me through the roof with pain. That's that's what I'm 285 00:13:33.720 --> 00:13:35.080 envisioning when he talks about that. 286 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:38.720 And so the best I think it's the best part 287 00:13:38.759 --> 00:13:42.960 about this. I really do that Paul never identifies what 288 00:13:43.039 --> 00:13:44.279 the thing that he prayed about was. 289 00:13:44.320 --> 00:13:46.080 I wished he had, no I wish. 290 00:13:46.279 --> 00:13:47.879 I love the fact that he didn't. 291 00:13:47.960 --> 00:13:50.240 I'm always wondering, I wonder what that Yeah, of course. 292 00:13:50.320 --> 00:13:53.600 Yeah. So some people think that it's malaria. Some people 293 00:13:53.840 --> 00:13:56.519 there's a theory out there that it's epilepsy. Right. Some 294 00:13:56.559 --> 00:13:59.440 people say that, you know, he references having bad vision 295 00:14:00.120 --> 00:14:02.679 something with his eyes, right, because that's mentioned later on 296 00:14:02.720 --> 00:14:05.480 in one of the epistles. Sure, so, so people have 297 00:14:05.559 --> 00:14:08.799 theorized those are probably the most three common most theories, 298 00:14:09.519 --> 00:14:10.320 but nobody knows. 299 00:14:10.480 --> 00:14:15.080 I've also heard some significant that sinful temptation. 300 00:14:15.399 --> 00:14:17.000 Oh yeah, yeah, it's. 301 00:14:16.879 --> 00:14:21.639 A messenger of Satan and the solutionist God's grace. Okay, right, 302 00:14:21.679 --> 00:14:23.159 so I've heard people talk about that that he had 303 00:14:23.200 --> 00:14:26.039 some kind of temptation. He was a single man in Greece. 304 00:14:26.240 --> 00:14:28.519 And I've also heard about something like a hunchback or something. 305 00:14:28.600 --> 00:14:29.279 Yeah yeah maybe. 306 00:14:29.399 --> 00:14:32.759 Yeah. So anyway, so the point is is that he 307 00:14:32.799 --> 00:14:34.840 doesn't list it. I love the fact that he doesn't 308 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:38.559 list it because it could translate for us into anything. 309 00:14:38.639 --> 00:14:40.240 Well, that's the benefit of it. We just gave like 310 00:14:40.320 --> 00:14:42.759 seven things that could be a couple of physical things. 311 00:14:42.799 --> 00:14:43.960 Maybe a sinful temptation. 312 00:14:44.200 --> 00:14:46.879 Yeah yeah, yeah, but but it doesn't matter sort of 313 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:49.320 what it is. Really that's the application, because he says 314 00:14:49.360 --> 00:14:51.840 he goes to God and says, God, if you're gonna 315 00:14:52.080 --> 00:14:54.960 heal me, okay, or take or remove something from my 316 00:14:55.000 --> 00:14:58.159 life if it's not physical or medical or whatever. So 317 00:14:58.720 --> 00:15:00.639 you know, it's this one thing. And he said three 318 00:15:00.639 --> 00:15:03.519 different times, I went to God, I beg God, please 319 00:15:03.639 --> 00:15:07.639 take this away, and God didn't, and so instead, you know, 320 00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:10.600 the words are read in my Bible where you know, 321 00:15:10.679 --> 00:15:13.679 and he said to me, my grace is all you need, 322 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:16.559 and we memorize it as my grace is sufficient for you, 323 00:15:17.000 --> 00:15:19.960 right or for the for power works best in weakness. 324 00:15:20.399 --> 00:15:22.919 So that number one is just an unbelievable statement that 325 00:15:22.960 --> 00:15:26.159 Paul unpacks about being strong. When I'm weak, then I'm strong. 326 00:15:26.600 --> 00:15:29.360 But the fact that remains is that the heart of 327 00:15:29.399 --> 00:15:33.399 that gem is that my grace is sufficient. In other words, 328 00:15:33.399 --> 00:15:36.720 my grace is all you need. Right, It's enough. Grace 329 00:15:36.799 --> 00:15:38.919 is enough. And I would even argue and say it's 330 00:15:38.960 --> 00:15:41.600 more than enough, right, so, which is why it's enough. 331 00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:47.279 And so so Paul doesn't get his prayers answered. Now, 332 00:15:47.360 --> 00:15:50.120 let me just talk about this for a second. I 333 00:15:50.159 --> 00:15:51.799 only have a few things that well, he. 334 00:15:51.759 --> 00:15:53.600 Does get it answered. He just doesn't get an answered 335 00:15:53.600 --> 00:15:54.279 the way he wants it. 336 00:15:54.360 --> 00:15:57.120 That's right, that's right, that's right. It doesn't give his 337 00:15:57.200 --> 00:16:02.080 request his specific request answer. Okay, So, uh so there 338 00:16:02.080 --> 00:16:05.919 are people who have a physical ailment. Sure, so my 339 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:08.639 struggle my son struggles with his mental health. There are 340 00:16:08.639 --> 00:16:11.360 people who struggle with you know, cancer and and and 341 00:16:11.399 --> 00:16:15.080 different things, and uh, In fact, I just got to 342 00:16:15.159 --> 00:16:17.639 notice today somebody who just went and prayed with I 343 00:16:17.720 --> 00:16:19.679 referenced in a podcast just a couple of weeks ago. 344 00:16:19.679 --> 00:16:22.120 I remember actually it was like five six days at 345 00:16:22.120 --> 00:16:25.960 whatever it was. Uh she just passed last night, and uh, 346 00:16:26.000 --> 00:16:29.720 they thought she had a few months. But anyway, the 347 00:16:29.759 --> 00:16:32.360 point is is that you can go to God and say, Okay, God, 348 00:16:32.600 --> 00:16:34.879 I know you can do it, so take this away. 349 00:16:35.519 --> 00:16:40.200 And then sometimes it happens miraculously and it's wonderful, and 350 00:16:40.200 --> 00:16:43.080 you're like the doctors are so confused. Uh you know, 351 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:45.120 or it's a or it's a miracle, or you know, 352 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:48.120 I've overcome this thing, whatever it is. But so many 353 00:16:48.159 --> 00:16:51.440 times it just doesn't happen that way. And and then 354 00:16:51.480 --> 00:16:54.679 we just lean on God's grace, which is sufficient and 355 00:16:54.840 --> 00:16:57.200 uh and it's and it's it's enough. It's not just 356 00:16:57.240 --> 00:17:00.559 a crotch. It's it's actually enough. Anyway, Here's here's what 357 00:17:00.600 --> 00:17:02.120 I want to say. I want to say my soapbox 358 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:08.799 is this years ago, I had a girl who had 359 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:11.799 a friend who had who had a girl who was 360 00:17:11.839 --> 00:17:14.319 a teenager at the time, and she was going to 361 00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:18.680 these healing services, right, and what she was being told 362 00:17:18.799 --> 00:17:21.319 is the reason why she wasn't being healed is because 363 00:17:21.319 --> 00:17:24.119 her faith wasn't strong enough. Who's her fault. 364 00:17:24.759 --> 00:17:25.599 That's just not true. 365 00:17:25.759 --> 00:17:29.359 It's not true. So it's spiritual manipulation. And I guess 366 00:17:29.359 --> 00:17:31.559 what I'm trying to focus on is the fact that 367 00:17:31.599 --> 00:17:34.440 sometimes when we pray to get healed, it doesn't happen. 368 00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:37.359 Well, the better answer for Paul in this moment was 369 00:17:37.720 --> 00:17:41.799 rely on my grace. Right, Well, be we me and 370 00:17:42.160 --> 00:17:45.519 you know God, and you will be closer if you 371 00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:48.880 learn to rely on me in this You've mentioned the 372 00:17:48.920 --> 00:17:51.680 band New Song a few times, right, because we're both 373 00:17:51.720 --> 00:17:54.200 that old yeah world they have they have a song. 374 00:17:54.240 --> 00:17:56.559 One of the lyrics says, when you believe He's all 375 00:17:56.599 --> 00:18:00.279 you need, that'll be your defining moment. And that's that's 376 00:18:00.359 --> 00:18:03.720 this phrase right here. That's when he said, you know, God, 377 00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:05.799 take it away. God take it away, God take it away. 378 00:18:05.799 --> 00:18:07.400 Look all I'm doing for you, Why don't you take 379 00:18:07.440 --> 00:18:10.160 this away from me? And God goes, I'm all you need. 380 00:18:10.680 --> 00:18:11.079 Yeah. 381 00:18:11.279 --> 00:18:14.279 That then Paul says, from that moment, so now I'm 382 00:18:14.319 --> 00:18:17.359 glad to boast about my weaknesses. Now he's saying God 383 00:18:17.480 --> 00:18:21.960 uses me in spite of my weakness right right. 384 00:18:21.440 --> 00:18:23.119 In spite of that specific thorn in the flesh. 385 00:18:23.240 --> 00:18:26.200 Right So when you finally do realize that he's all 386 00:18:26.279 --> 00:18:31.000 you need, then whatever God does is good. That's fine. 387 00:18:31.119 --> 00:18:33.480 So we all have an appointment. You know, your friend, 388 00:18:33.519 --> 00:18:37.640 the lady that just passed away. We all have an appointment. 389 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:40.720 It's appointed under humanity once to die and after this 390 00:18:40.799 --> 00:18:44.079 the judgment, we all have an appointment. So that's not 391 00:18:44.160 --> 00:18:47.440 because God is mean, but because sin exists and because 392 00:18:47.440 --> 00:18:51.920 of sin death right, So death comes. So then God says, 393 00:18:51.960 --> 00:18:54.079 I'll deliver you from this body of death and disease, 394 00:18:54.119 --> 00:18:56.480 and I'll take it. I'm telling you right now. She 395 00:18:56.799 --> 00:18:59.839 a Christian. She's not regretting the fact that that was 396 00:18:59.880 --> 00:19:03.640 her last breath here on earth. She's delighting in eternity, right. 397 00:19:04.039 --> 00:19:07.359 So God's grace to take her through that journey from 398 00:19:07.359 --> 00:19:10.359 this life to the next. That was all she needed 399 00:19:10.400 --> 00:19:12.680 and she's delighting in it. We are looking at it 400 00:19:12.720 --> 00:19:15.880 from the opposite direction, but from her. That's why in 401 00:19:15.920 --> 00:19:18.720