A Thorn in the Flesh Makes for a Spiritual Rose

Mike Hosey, An Elder

In Paul’s second letter to the church at Corinth, he makes a very curious statement.  In 2 Corinthians 12:7, he writes about a thorn in his flesh, and states that it was put there to keep him humble. His thorny statement has been the subject of a lot of debate among students of the Bible for a very long time.  Some people argue that it was a physical ailment, some people claim it was a recurring temptation, some people contend it was a speech impediment. Personally, I side with those who argue that he was writing about another person, and I have a number of reasons for this. First it was brought to him by a messenger of Satan.  The Greek word for messenger in the New Testament almost always refers to a person, or an angel. Of course, this may also indicate Satanic involvement like that in the book of Job. Secondly, it makes more sense to understand the thorn as a spiritual or emotional ailment, since it was given to him to keep him from becoming conceited because of the incredible greatness of all the revelations he had received. Opposition from another person is far more likely to produce that result than a physical impairment. Third, the idiom “thorn,” in the Old Testament often refers to oppositional people (Numbers 33:55, Joshua 23:13). Fourth, we know that

By John Desjarlais from Pasadena, USA (Flickr) 

Paul sometimes had to contend with difficult false teachers (2 Timothy 4:14).

Unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you choose to look at it) the Bible doesn’t tell us what the thorn actually was.  Perhaps this is because its relevance isn’t about the actual thorn itself (whatever it was), but about God’s sovereignty in our lives (2 Corinthians 12:9).  Paul tells us that the thorn was given to him to keep him from getting conceited for the wisdom and knowledge God had shared with him.

Leave it to God to do things like that.  He will throw a barrier into our lives in order to keep us properly humble, and to remind us that He is in charge, and not us.  And in doing such a thing, God is ultimately growing us to be wiser, have more patience, and to be more subject to his grace and authority.

Those thorns may prick our flesh, but at the end of their stems, God makes blooming roses. 

You Want to Change Your Life? Start by Being Thankful.

An Elder

One thing I've noticed in life is that thankfulness and negativity do not go together. In fact, I've never met a negative person who was also truly thankful. Nor have I met a positive person who was ungrateful. Even more contrasting is that a lack of thankfulness might actually lead to a whole host of evils. Thankful people, after all, have a perspective, or a mindset, that helps guard their heart from darkness. Perhaps this is why the bible speaks so much about having a thankful heart.

The psalmist commands us to give thanks to the Lord because He's good and His steadfast love endures forever (Psalm 106:1). This command is so profound that it is repeated exactly that way at least 4 times throughout the bible. But it isn't just the command of the psalmist singing his song. It's also intimated by Paul in his letter to the Thessalonians. He tells them to give thanks in ALL circumstances, because this is the WILL of God (1 Thessalonians 5:18). It is the will of God that we be thankful in ALL circumstances.

Now for a moment, you might think Paul a bit callous. What do you mean Paul? Do you mean that those people who witnessed the bloodshed in Paris a week ago in a very up-close-and-personal way should be thankful for that traumatic experience? Well obviously, Paul isn't telling us that we are to be thankful for the evil that comes our way. We are to shun evil – even hate it (Proverbs 14:16, 1 Thessalonians 5:22). Instead, Paul's point is that we are to be thankful that God is in control, has a plan for our ultimate well being, and is seeing to it that the lives of those submitted to him will have meaning, purpose, and an ultimate reward (Romans 8:28-29). God knows that in order for us to be truly thankful, that we will have to acknowledge His place in our lives as provider, protector, author and finisher, and to recognize our place in the universe – which is to be a subject of the greatest of all kings.

When we are thankful, we cannot be ungrateful. When we are thankful, we cannot be resentful. People are never disobedient to those masters to whom they are really thankful. When we are thankful, it is difficult to be arrogant or proud. Now, notice what people who don't know Jesus will look like at the end of time on earth. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 tells us they will be arrogant, proud, disobedient and among many other things, ungrateful!

So if everything around you looks dark, follow the commands of the bible, and find something to be thankful to God for. If you look, you will find many things.  And it will change your perspective.  

Rash Decisions and a Little Honey

Mike Hoey, an Elder

If you are anything like me (or most of the human race) you’ve made some rash decisions in your life.  I’ve discovered that these decisions are almost always birthed from a place of emotion, rather than a true faith.  In my experience, the rashest decisions are made from negative emotions, although I’ve also made some rash decisions from quite a few “feel good” moments as well. As a side note, these rash decisions can be avoided through prayer, and by seeking the will of God (John 5:30, Hebrews 4:12).

We begin making rash decisions based on emotions from an early age.  I know one little boy, who, when he would get in trouble with his parents, would blurt out, “I’m never going to eat again!”  His parents will tell you how he would tell them not to pack him a lunch, and how when they, being good parents, would pack one anyway, he would throw it in the trash while at school.  His rash decision only made his situation worse, since by the time he got home he would be tired, irritable, and even more prone to getting into trouble.  At that age, he didn’t have the sense to understand fully the needs of his body, or the social, cultural, or disciplinary needs of the situation he was in.  You’ve seen that kind of behavior with adults before too, I’m sure. “I’m never going to that church again!” “I’m never going to talk to that person again until they do x, y, or z.”  Too many times, we make unconscious decisions not to enjoy ourselves until some unrealistic criterion is met.  For instance, “I’m not worthy to enjoy myself there because of what I did then.”  Such rash decisions are dangerous because they deprive us of things that we actually need.

Saul made a similar decision in 1 Samuel 14:24-30.  The men of Israel were engaged in battle with the Philistines. They were hard pressed and taking losses.  Saul charged the men not to eat until the evening, and until his enemies had been pounded pretty decently. As you can imagine, an unfed soldier doesn’t do as well in battle. Interestingly, Saul’s son, Jonathon didn’t hear the command, and when he came upon some honey, he took some, and his mood and general constitution were enhanced.  The people told him of his transgression, but he immediately knew that his father’s command had prevented them from doing better in battle.

Here’s the thing to remember: A) avoid rash decisions.  Instead seek God first, and B) remember that you NEED to taste and experience the good things of God at the appropriate times.

God Provides BUT You Just Had to Be There to Get it!

Mike Hosey, An Elder

When Abram was living his sweet and comfortable life in the land of Ur of the Chaldeans, God came to him and told him to leave that land.  “Go to a place I will show you,” God told him.  He provided no details (Genesis 12:1). He only told him to leave his comfortable “here” and go to an unknown “there.” Abram simply had to take it on faith that God would provide for him. In fact, if he didn’t have that faith – if he had been so comfortable that he was numb to that faith -- he wouldn’t have acted.  Thankfully he did act, and God certainly provided for him. Eventually, Abram’s name was changed to Abraham, and his children became a great nation – a nation that preserved God’s word for us, and was later used to give us that word in the person of Jesus.

God worked in a similar way in 1 Kings 17:1-24. It is there that Elijah the prophet tells the evil King Ahab that there will be no rain in the land until Elijah declares it to be so. God then told Elijah to go to the Cherith brook where he could drink from the brook during the drought, and where the ravens would bring him food. Elijah obeyed. And he experienced God’s provision as he was fed and watered during the drought.  But because there was no rain in the land the brook dried up. Elijah had to move. God told him to leave his “here” and go to the “there” of the small coastal town of Zarapheth.  “I have commanded a widow there to feed you,” God told him (1 Kings 17:9).  Once again he obeyed. But when he got there he found a hungry widow and her child. She fully expected to die of hunger. She didn’t even have enough flour or oil to make a final meal. She certainly didn’t have enough to feed Elijah.  But Elijah commanded her to make a meal from the flour. He had seen the provision of God already. He told her that her small amount of oil and flour would not run out until it once again rained in the land. She obeyed, and they ate for many days.

What if Elijah had not gone to the brook at Cherith? What if when he got to the brook he had become too comfortable? What if the brook had not dried up? If he had been so comfortable in his “here” at Cherith, what would have happened to the widow at Zarapheth?   

What about you? Are you so comfortable in your “here” that you won’t be able to move “there” if God requires it? . . . Because you just have to be "there" to get His provision.