Sufficient Grace -- Friends Sharing Scripture

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Subject: Sufficient Grace

Author:
Hillbilly

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Date Posted: 09:11:18 04/19/13 Fri

2 Corinthians 12:9 9And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

In times of trouble, sickness or heartache we tend to doubt the above statement that Paul made concerning his own affliction. Paul had an affliction that bothered him and was truly a "thorn" to him. He desired relief and in his mind needed relief. Three times he requested to God that He give him relief in this matter. God said no and in the minds of many rubbed salt in the wound by saying "my grace is sufficient" This is somewhat like the illustration James gave in James 2:15-16 If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16 And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?

How many times have we looked at things this way? We have a need and we pray. God says "My grace is sufficient for your need" and we go on in the same condition we were in when we asked for relief. If we are not careful we become weak and are prone to doubt. Paul took the opposite attitude. To paraphrase Paul he in effect stated. "If God wants me in this condition then this is the condition I want to be in!" How many of us are willing to become spiritually stronger through physical weakness?

Can we with Paul say: "Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me." God knows our needs both spiritual and physical. God also knows that it is not the physical man that needs healing as much as the spiritual man. This natural man is going to return to the dust. We are not going to live for ever in this natural body. The spiritual man will live for ever and be in the presence of God throughout eternity. God will give us what we need to obtain a better resurrection. (Heb. 11;35) and not what we need to strengthen our physical bodies. It is through the knowledge of the frailty and the temporary nature of our physical life that we grow more and more to depend on God and His grace that He has imparted unto us.

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Replies:

[> Subject: Hillbilly
Author: Gerryb [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 16:00:35 04/20/13 Sat Yes, God's grace is sufficient for all of our needs. I got a comment on Potpourri that our getting into Heaven depended on how we lived our lives. How wrong that person is.

[> [> Subject: A question for him
Author: Hillbilly [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 16:57:16 04/20/13 Sat If he could live it then why did Jesus have to come and die for his sins?

[> Subject: Thank you Hillbilly
Author: Caren [ Edit \| View ]	Date Posted: 13:46:36 04/21/13 Sun Gerry - I will pray for Jim.