BTC Presents: "....but God..." A Weekday Morning Devotional Series 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10

Show Notes

2 Corinthians 12:7-10

Creators and Guests

Host

Chad McBeam

Business Leader, Foster Advocate and Fighter of Human Trafficking, Chad enjoys hosting this podcast channel as a way to spread and highlight the great examples of those who live out their faith daily. He can also be seen on occasion on your TV or Film Screen or be heard narrating one of your books as his love of acting has stuck with him since his childhood.

Writer

Aaron Marcarelli

After getting his under-graduate degree from Cal State University San Bernardino where he played college baseball and received all American honors. he was a graduate assistant baseball coach at both Trevecca Nazarene College in Nashville, Tennessee, and at Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington.  He received his master’s degree in Teaching from Whitworth, with plans to someday be a head baseball coach at a university.  However, God had other plans.  Aaron started teaching English and History and coaching baseball and other sports at the high school level and found out how much he loves high school kids, and he has been doing that for the past 27 years.     Personally, heI has been married to his wife Sharon for 32 years, they have one daughter, Amanda Parrish, who has been married to Austin Parrish for 2 years. Aaron also has two grandsons Travis age 2 ½ and Aden who is 13 months and are blessed to have another on the way due in May. Aaron loves reading, golfing, and spending time with his wife and grandkids.

LC

Designer

Linda Cowen

Linda Cowen of San Antonio Christian School is our gracious and talented art designer for the But God, weekday morning devotional series.

What is ...But God?

A weekday morning devotional series written by Aaron Marcarelli and hosted by Chad McBeam

“Because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, for this reason, to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me—to keep me from exalting myself! Concerning this I implored the Lord three times that it might leave me. And He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.” Most gladly, therefore, I will rather boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may dwell in me. Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
2 Corinthians 12:7-10 NASB1995
A lot of my friends and family are struggling through very difficult times right now. From cancer, to career ending injuries, to the death of a loved one. Some have had multiple setbacks, some have been separated from their families through discord and un-forgiveness. There has been so many times these close friends have asked for prayer. Some asked the question, why? Why is this happening to them? Why now? Even going so far as asking does God really care?
The apostle Paul got to that point also, when he asked God to take away his pain and suffering! God said no! But, Paul through the power of the Holy Spirit realized, God was teaching him perseverance and resilience. God was teaching Paul, and subsequently us through Paul’s writings that sometimes when we are too comfortable and things are going good we forget about God.
At Church we are going through Genesis and the story of Joseph. Talk about a man who had calamity after calamity. Sold into slavery, works his way up to boss and CEO, then he is betrayed, he’s sent to prison, works his way up to being boss of prison, looks like he’s gonna get out, but he’s gotta wait. Finally God allows him out and puts him in charge this time as second in command of Egypt. Then there is a famine. Yet Joseph still served God amidst the difficulties and struggles.
Pastor Todd at church shared this idiom with us yesterday, “We can’t expect too much from people or too much from God.”
All these difficulties we face are meant to draw us closer to God. Sometimes God allows us to go through the mess and gives us more than we can handle so we seek Him.
Lord, thank you for helping us focus on you by allowing us to struggle through. Thank you for helping us develop resilience and perseverance. Lord, help us to always seek you and your perfect righteousness in the midst of our storms. Knowing what it will develop in us. I pray all this in Jesus name. Amen…
Shalom blessings and Press In and Press On!