I am in a Bible Study Group that is studying 2 Corinthians 11:1-21. Paul talks about Boasting. One of the question in our lesson is: When is it OK to boast??? I think most people brag or boast at one time or another. I know I do when I did a good job at something. I don’t boast to get attention, I boast when I am proud of what I did, and I know it is with God’s help, but I don’t always say that When do you brag? Think about this… the Answer is Yes..but it is only legitimate to boast about the POWER THAT COMES THROUGH GOD AND FURTHERS THE GOSPEL AND GOD’S KINGDOM. This is why Paul is bragging in his letter to the Corinthians. SOMETHING FOR US TO THINK ABOUT………………..
Another question related to this Chapter: RECALL A life experience that made you feel weak and most in need of God’s strength?? It took me awhile to come up with an answer, I am sure there were many times, and then I realized that is part of MY FAITH JOURNEY. Think about this, every time we feel weak and most in need, are also the time we renew our faith in Jesus Christ. Because that is when we realize that we can’t make it without Him.
The time I thought of was when I was told by my first husband that he wanted a divorce. When it really hit me that he was moving away, and I was going to be taking care of 4 children, ages 7 to 16 by myself, I fell on my knees and prayed, many times, knowing I could not do it alone. Well, they are all grown up now, and because the Lord was there for all 5 of us, through many hard times, and many really good times, everything turned out well and my children are now wonderful, caring, Christian adults, and they also became wonderful parents. I can’t tell you how many times I asked God for help, and he was there every time we needed Him
When I came home from Bible Study, I thought of many more time and prayed and begged God to help me. It has not always been on my time, but in the end I know that the help I received came when I needed it most.
THERE IS A SONG OUT NOW, CAN’T THINK OF THE SINGER RIGHT NOW, BUT I HEAR IT ON THE STATION: KLOVE. It says something about: “I didn’t know it would be like this… And it made me start thinking of more of my Faith Stories. IN FACT, I am now 76 years old, and when I look back on my life and what I had planned when I started out, I would have to say “I didn’t know it would be like this… I has been so much better than I ever could have imagined. If we listen really hard, maybe we will understand that God wants so much more for us than we originally ask for. I pray that all of you will have so much more to life than you expect.
PRAYER; The prayer tonight is totally unrelated to the above subject. I received a request today from Catholic Relief Services to help the Christian Refugees in Iraq, Syria and Gaza. Catholic Relief Services and Caritas are working to help these families. Together, they have assisted 350,000 war affected Syrians across the region with shelter, food, medical care, and trauma counseling and education for children. In Gaza, they wait for breaks in the violence to rush in medical supplies and relief kits. CRS is committed to meeting the most urgent humanitarian needs in all 3 places, and they will remain in each of these war-torn areas for as long as there are families who need help. But they cannot do it alone, since the funds they need come mostly from donations. You can get more information at: http://www.crs.org Remember these are normal ordinary middle class families with normal lives, and all of a sudden, they are running for their lives simply because they are CHRISTIAN. Could it happen to us???THE PRAYER FOR TO NIGHT IS FOR THESE UNKNOWN REFUGEES.
A PRAYER FOR OUR UNKNOWN FRIENDS: HEAVENLY Father, welcome into your embrace our friends overseas whose names we do not know, but whose terrible plight we rush to remedy. Bless the suffering people who struggle and sacrifice on behalf of their families. Grant them sustenance, shelter and opportunity. For this we give you thanks. Amen
Mrs.American Patriot 