What is “A Thorn In The Flesh”

Hi Guys!!  I’ve always wanted to explain something about my illnesses and the scriptures that I believe the Lord gave me and to show you a balance that the Word of Faith /Healing  movement so often left out.

The Thorn in the Flesh

2 Corinthians 12:7-10    

And lest I (Paul) should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Everyone doesn’t have a “thorn in the flesh”  ,  but we all have trials and tribulations for various reasons.  God still heals people,  but sometimes things are there for a reason for a season!  

God is good in all He does and allows.  Romans 8:28  “He works all things together for good to those that love the Lord and are called according to His purpose.’

Always look for the treasure within .  Then even if it’s a move by Satan to steal , kill and destroy  (John 10:10)  God can always bring something good out of it.  

Okay.  LOL.   My sermon for the day!   ❤  

How Has God Set You Up for Good Things. – An eyeopening uplifting message and cool stories just for you! Worth your time I promise!!

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

It is important to see things through the eyes of God, which can totally be found in the scripture if we read it for ourselves and ask His help to understand it.  Everything happening today was foretold by God.  Thousands of years in advance.  Because “ He knows the end from the beginning.”  He dwells outside of time.  That’s why it is so foolish for man to seek “mediums” and horoscopes and such to find “wisdom”  when God is Wisdom Himself.  He made everything and knows what it’s purpose is, and when it will come to an end.

The beauty is – that He has offered us through accepting what Jesus Christ did on the cross and accepting Him as our Lord – we are offered the promise of living in His kingdom – forever – where there are no more tears, pain, sorrow…..heaven.  And in the here and now – we will never be alone.  He will never leave us or forsake us.  Good promises to stand on.  Having faith is believing what He said – no matter what you see.

God will protect us in this crazy time or take us home to His house at our appointed time.

As for where we are now…..it’s all in the Book.  Don’t be afraid to look.  

God will arise to judge the earth – but if we are in Him, in Christ – it will all be okay for us.

Here is an interesting scripture about God “shaking” the earth.  For us – it is so our reliance will be on Him.  But for the world and the enemy of humanity, the devil, Satan.  He gets his way for only a moment in time – and people decide who their allegiance will be to.  Then for Satan and all those that have chosen to follow his ways……it will end…..and not well.  Choose life.  God rules heaven and earth and yes, we will have to live by His ways…..because a kingdom divided against itself cannot stand.  And heaven is undivided.  

Isaiah 2:17-22

 The arrogance of man will be brought low    and human pride humbled;

the Lord alone will be exalted in that day,

and the idols will totally disappear.

 People will flee to caves in the rocks

and to holes in the ground

from the fearful presence of the Lord

and the splendor of his majesty,

when he rises to shake the earth.

 

In that day people will throw away

to the moles and bats

their idols of silver and idols of gold,

which they made to worship.

 They will flee to caverns in the rocks

and to the overhanging crags

from the fearful presence of the Lord

and the splendor of his majesty,

when he rises to shake the earth.

Stop trusting in mere humans,

who have but a breath in their nostrils.

Why hold them in esteem?

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Did you know…..King Solomon – the wisest man that lived, wrote the entire book of Proverbs and was chosen to build the temple of God.  Did you know that he fell away from God and worshipped idols at the end of his life?  I don’t think I have ever heard a sermon on it, though I had read it in the Bible.  And still, it shocks me today.  Here is the account in 1 Kings.

1 Kings 11:4-10   “For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David.  For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom[b] the abomination of the Ammonites.  Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David.  Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon.  And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.

 So the Lord became angry with Solomon, because his heart had turned from the Lord God of Israel, who had appeared to him twice,  and had commanded him concerning this thing, that he should not go after other gods; but he did not keep what the Lord had commanded.

So the reason I bring this up is because of the following scripture below concerning the falling away

2 Thessalonians 2:3,4    “Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,  who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.

At end of his life, after such a life of glory – he fell away from God.  Soloman!!   How could this be?   It is actually quite simple.  He did not obey God in everything and ignored God’s warnings and command.   

1 Kings 11  “But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— 2 from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love.

It is often that we do the same things.  Cling to the very things God has asked us to let go.  We stay in the “worldly mindset” and don’t renew our minds and lives to the Word of God and God’s ways.  It may not matter for a long, long time – but look at the end results.  

This should be a warning, especially in this hour to listen and obey God’s directives.  Lest we think, like Soloman, and dismiss some of  God’s commands and end up snared and trapped.  Apart from God we can do nothing…

I know it’s a lot to think about.  But we are living in the last days and things can’t be taken for granted.  We need to live under the shadow of the Most High (Psalm 91)  where our good Father just wants to protect us and keep us safe.  

Lord show us any area we have been ignoring and blowing you off.  Keep us safe in the shadow of Your wings and protect us in the hour.  Amen

A LITTLE LESSON ON SAFETY GUIDELINES FOR BIBLICAL DREAM INTERPRETATION

Witchcraft, New Age, And the Church

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

As I was re-reading the Book of 2 Thessalonians this morning, I wondered and began to pray, “Lord, have I said enough? If we get cut off electronically or otherwise, has everyone in my sphere of life heard the truth about You, the second coming, and the necessary warnings about the anti-christ and the beast system that You Lord have not hidden, because it is written in Your Book. (Bible). Are people even reading the Bible? (I know many of you are) Do they know the consequences and danger they may be in by not knowing the truth?

Jesus greatest concern about the people alive at the end of the age was “deception”. (Matthew 24) He even wondered if He would find faith on earth when He returned. Do people know there will be a great falling away? (from the true faith) even some that called themselves Christians and may have even preached well for decades…..that even these could be fooled? You can’t “fall away” from something you have not been a part of.

2 Thessalonians 2:3,4 “ Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day (Day of the Lord) will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.”

We automatically think that this means a temple in Jerusalem and maybe so…..but the Bible also says that WE are the temple of the Holy Spirit. Does God consider our human bodies a temple? (1 Corinthians 6:19-20
“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?”)

We know that Satan will completely possess the man of perdition aka anti-christ after he “recovers” from a mortal wound. (Revelation 13:3)

2 Thessalonians 2:9,10 “ The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

He may come with the false prophet saying: “We are together” (one world religion) , “We are loved” (tolerance without holiness) , “I am God” (new age already teaches this)

I guess what I’m encouraging all of us to do is to prayerfully study the scriptures more. NOT read someones interpretation of it – although that’s okay if you understand that people can make a mistake. But each one of us needs to read for ourselves, hear and know the Word of God and how to be led by the Holy Spirit. individually. (John 10:27 “My sheep hear my voice, I know them and they follow Me”)

One of our greatest treasures is the written Word of God. It anchors us, protects us, helps us to know the true and living God. Then as we prayerfully follow God, I pray for us all that we will navigate this intense time of deception and do it well. Only Light can shine in the darkness and dispel it.

TREASURE YOUR BIBLE AND KNOW IT WELL even if you don’t understand all you read – read it anyway and ask God for understanding.

Praying it will be a blessed 2019

John 16:33 “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

I was reading this morning in the Daily Walk Bible and this analogy about trials really blessed me.  It read:   “If you want to get in shape physically, there are some helpful steps you can take:  eat properly, get adequate sleep, take a multi-vitamin capsule every day.  But in the final analysis, there is no substitute for exercise – working against a resistance.  The same is true in the Christian life.  Proper nourishment from the Word is essential but so is “exercise” –  in God’s strength, facing and conquering trials and difficulties.  God – the perfect Coach- knows exactly what kind of “workout” you need in order to turn an area of weakness into an area of Christlikeness.

So maybe some of our trials are more of a workout – allowed by God – than some kind of negative thing.  It’s worth pondering.  Sometimes I get tired of trials, but I’ve never gone through one (while leaning on God)  that I did not come out either stronger, or with a wisdom and understanding that I lacked before it.  

The Apostle Paul says:  “ My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials”   (James 1:2)   Joy?  I used to think he was nuts.  Who gets joyful at trials?  Until you really begin to believe and value the rest of his statement.  “ knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”  (James 1:3,4)    Perfect and complete lacking nothing!!!   I would like that!!   I’ve come to the conclusion that it is wise to embrace the pain so to speak or at least don’t fear it.  One person said it this way,  “Run to the roar.”   Remembering that like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego;  Jesus was with them in the fire.  (see Daniel 3)

Lord, grant us a fresh perspective in these areas.  Help us see that you waste nothing that happens to us.  Even the things that the devil brings to steal, kill, and destroy (John 10:10)  you can turn around and make it work for our good  (Romans 8:28) when we go through things with you!  Always remember that God is for us and not against us.  (Rom. 8:31)  If we are going through some thing painful – we might as well get something of value from it!  With God all things are possible!  

Shalom!

THE PAINTERS HOPE – POETRY

We paint upon the canvas

Of our childrens very souls

What picture we do paint

Will forevermore be told

 

Not one of perfection

Does our dear Lord require

But an honest projection

Our need for Him is dire

 

We paint on them forgiveness

Our lives can be a mess

We show them how great His love

Our sins we must confess

 

We paint an honest picture

Denial to avoid

As we come before the Lord

His mercy we implore

 

We paint upon them hope

Of an ever loving God

One we need not hide from

Who is alway on our side

 

We paint upon them grace

That can never be earned

Freely given to us

His character we learn

 

We paint upon them attitude

Of a humble heart we choose

Always bowing down our heads

Or else there’s much we’ll lose

 

We paint upon them seeking

The One who should come first

There is no higher person or thing

For which our hearts should thirst

 

We paint upon them dignity

Our actions shine out loud

What we do in secret too

That’s hidden from the crowd

 

We paint the crown of righteousness

A life well lived receives

Giving glory to the Lord

For the good things we’ve achieved

 

We paint on them the honor

Of service to the Lord

Obedience unto our call

Commitment to His Word

 

We paint upon them sacrifice

His example we must see

Taking up our cross each day

Continuing to believe

 

We paint His face of Justice

He sees both good and bad

One He will reward so good

The other makes Him sad

 

We paint the hope of heaven

With friends we’ll reunite

A happy place that’s paradise

All things will be made right

 

We paint on them endurance

One day at a time

Clinging to the promises

His faithfulness we’ll find

 

We paint on them their value

A gift we have to give

Showing them how much they’re worth

Our words can help them live

 

We paint on them the love we have

Received from God above

Passing it on to them

With prayers He’ll fill their cup

 

We cannot reach perfection

This side of the dirt

We point in His direction

And hope that they will learn

 

Amen.

copyright  2018  Jean Chamblee

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

A THOUGHT FOR THE DAY

Sometimes it’s easy to be going through life and forget that we, as Christ followers, have an enemy. And a crafty one at that. Look how he deceived Eve to commit the very first act of disobedience. But how beautiful that so quickly the Father came with a plan to “undo” what was done. He would send His only begotten Son (Jesus is the only human whose biological father (seed) was God) It was at a great cost that He fulfilled the legal price to purchase our freedom and entrance into the kingdom of God.

Anyway my point for the day is that Lucifer – who rebelled against God and desired to become God himself . Since he can’t overthrow God, he longs to cause God’s beloved creation (you and me) harm and pain. He goes before God and accuses us day and night. Check out this scripture….
Revelation 12:10
Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, “Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the ACCUSER OF OUR BRETHREN, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.
Yay! That day is coming and was foretold to the apostle John so we would know it is coming.

How does he accuse us? Many times in our thoughts and sometimes through others that won’t let go of our past, or hunt for any faults and failures in us.

You see when we mess up and ask God for forgiveness and do our best to change….. the Bible says that He throws our sins as far as the east is to the west. He remembers them no more.

^{Psalm 103: 12} As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us.

He is not ever the one “beating us up” in our thoughts about our past. That is coming from Satan …..our “accuser”. So if you are being tormented by accusations by people or from thoughts. Cast them down (thoughts/words) and resist accepting them if you have dealt with it before God. Satan and sometimes people want to hold you in prison to your past mistakes. Don’t let them.

For you are a new creation in Christ Jesus when you accept Him as Lord. Don’t let yourself be beaten up for something in your past. Remember God is for us and not against us! (Romans 8:31)

It is for Freedom that Christ has set us free. Have a great day – Shalom