As many of you are aware, I am not one for taking praise for anything or boasting in my own achievements especially when it comes to my own future. You see there are so many out there who preach salvation through works and yet scripture is so clear that it is not by my own merit that I am saved but rather the grace of God. I want to take us back momentarily to the teachings from the past couple weeks where I talked about temporary power and selfish desires instead of focusing to serve the needs of the common good. To look for the needs of the many around us is not what gets us to Heaven, but it is a reflection of what the Master did for us. I am so tired of hearing the term “self-made person” because, truth be told, we all owe who we are to our Creator. Jesus came to save us through His personal sacrifice, He did not come to make everyone super important through temporary power or super rich with things that are very temporary like money and trinkets. In fact, you will not find access to Glory based on your bank account, you can only find it through the grace of God.
That experience is worth boasting about, but I’m not going to do it. I will boast only about my weaknesses. If I wanted to boast, I would be no fool in doing so, because I would be telling the truth. But I won’t do it, because I don’t want anyone to give me credit beyond what they can see in my life or hear in my message, even though I have received such wonderful revelations from God. So to keep me from becoming proud, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud.
Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Cor 12:5-10 NLT
This is a tough passage to dig into but on Sunday, I will dig in deeper to this so that we cannot only reflect on how God’s grace is all sufficient for each and every one of us, but I also want to help us all examine His perfect gift for us all and the promise He has given to all His creation. This is not a time to find ways to drive in wedges around us but rather unite around Him and rally the faithful to take back that which the devil has stripped of us all. Little arguments becoming massive threats, threats becoming wars and canyons becoming so wide that there is little chance for grace and love to fill in the chasm. Pride and selfish desires are the tools of the devil, doubt is the fuel for the fire and his only focus, his only goal is to cause so much chaos that the faithful lose focus and each wander in separate directions into the wilderness. Once the strand of the rope of faith is unraveled, it is easy to cast it to the wind and the faith family is weekend. The devil says the sky is falling, the Lord says, do not be afraid, my grace is sufficient for you.
This Sunday, we will continue with the Temporary Power series, the third of four with Pastor Todd. Please plan to join us either in person or online at 10:30 AM this Sunday. The service will be broadcast online on our website (https://www.mainavefellowship.ca/socialplatforms) or you are more than welcome to join us in person at 402 Main Ave. W in Sundre, AB.
Blessings,
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