2 Corinthians 1:8-11 says,...
Today's verses are 2 Corinthians 1:8-11, which read,
For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.
Paul gives us a couple more long sentences to go through this morning. Something terrible has happened to Paul and his interns that warrants words like "burdened excessively,""beyond our strength" and "despaired even of life." Something happened that even had on them "the sentence of death" that they thought they were truly going to die. The word "despaired" literally means "no passage" so Paul saw no way out of this situation and the final outcome of physical death. He was at the point of no return humanly to resolve so all that was left and all that received the glory was God, who raises the dead (which we covered so much in the first letter to the Corinthians), would raise them out of this situation. Paul wanted the Christians in Corinthian church to know how bad it was so that they could see how great God is.
Paul thanks them for their prayers and that their prayers and the practice of prayer mattered. The knowing that others are praying for you to stand strong in your walk with the Lord and the service of Him does something in you to keep going forward with this hope in what God can do. It is a "favor" or "gift" to the one receiving the benefit of those prayers. Our missionaries ask for financial support to be on the field but it would be only a weak part if we did not spent time in prayer for them, for their spiritual work there and their very spiritual lives.
We don't know exactly what this situation was that Paul and his companions were going through but we know that it was for the sake of the gospel. Paul gives us a couple times in the Scripture a list of all the things that happened to him like being shipwrecked and beaten and left for dead and so this might be one of them but it definitely was something that put Paul in a situation that is similar to Abraham taking Isaac up on the mountain for the sacrifice. Abraham was to the point that if he and Isaac came back down the mountain together it was because of God and God alone.
Our walk with the Lord might seem very pale to this description that Paul is giving here. I don't think I have ever had a situation that I feared for my life over the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have heard and read of others but it is few and far between. The point is that it does happen and even though it is not happening to us at this moment there are Christians who need our prayers to stand for the Lord in those times now. Those prayers of God's people matter to them when it seems that this physical life looks like it is coming to a violent end. God's will determines the outcome. They will either be in the next moment in the arms of their Savior or they will be rejoicing at God's hand rearranging the situation they are in. In both of these cases, "to God be the glory" is their cry.
Do we pray or pray enough for the persecuted church? Do we think or expose ourselves to what is happening to others who would describe themselves like Paul is in this passage? Would we want others to be praying for us if the roles were reversed? I think the answer would be a resounding "yes." Find out today about the persecuted church and spend some time in prayer for those at the end of their rope but not at the end of God. Here is a link to a website that might help to educate, "not want you to be unaware," and expose you to those in need of yours and my prayers today.
http://www.persecution.com/
"Lord, may we take some time today to pray for those in the same situation that Paul and his companions were in. May we be aware of situations that may be so different than our own right now. May the prayers and support that we give be some type of encouragement to them to stand strong in the Lord like the prayers of the Corinthians for Paul. Lord help us to pray today. Amen."
Pastor Adam
For we do not want you to be unaware, brethren, of our affliction which came to us in Asia, that we were burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life; indeed, we had the sentence of death within ourselves so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope. And He will yet deliver us, you also joining in helping us through your prayers, so that thanks may be given by many persons on our behalf for the favor bestowed on us through the prayers of many.
Paul gives us a couple more long sentences to go through this morning. Something terrible has happened to Paul and his interns that warrants words like "burdened excessively,""beyond our strength" and "despaired even of life." Something happened that even had on them "the sentence of death" that they thought they were truly going to die. The word "despaired" literally means "no passage" so Paul saw no way out of this situation and the final outcome of physical death. He was at the point of no return humanly to resolve so all that was left and all that received the glory was God, who raises the dead (which we covered so much in the first letter to the Corinthians), would raise them out of this situation. Paul wanted the Christians in Corinthian church to know how bad it was so that they could see how great God is.
Paul thanks them for their prayers and that their prayers and the practice of prayer mattered. The knowing that others are praying for you to stand strong in your walk with the Lord and the service of Him does something in you to keep going forward with this hope in what God can do. It is a "favor" or "gift" to the one receiving the benefit of those prayers. Our missionaries ask for financial support to be on the field but it would be only a weak part if we did not spent time in prayer for them, for their spiritual work there and their very spiritual lives.
We don't know exactly what this situation was that Paul and his companions were going through but we know that it was for the sake of the gospel. Paul gives us a couple times in the Scripture a list of all the things that happened to him like being shipwrecked and beaten and left for dead and so this might be one of them but it definitely was something that put Paul in a situation that is similar to Abraham taking Isaac up on the mountain for the sacrifice. Abraham was to the point that if he and Isaac came back down the mountain together it was because of God and God alone.
Our walk with the Lord might seem very pale to this description that Paul is giving here. I don't think I have ever had a situation that I feared for my life over the gospel of Jesus Christ. I have heard and read of others but it is few and far between. The point is that it does happen and even though it is not happening to us at this moment there are Christians who need our prayers to stand for the Lord in those times now. Those prayers of God's people matter to them when it seems that this physical life looks like it is coming to a violent end. God's will determines the outcome. They will either be in the next moment in the arms of their Savior or they will be rejoicing at God's hand rearranging the situation they are in. In both of these cases, "to God be the glory" is their cry.
Do we pray or pray enough for the persecuted church? Do we think or expose ourselves to what is happening to others who would describe themselves like Paul is in this passage? Would we want others to be praying for us if the roles were reversed? I think the answer would be a resounding "yes." Find out today about the persecuted church and spend some time in prayer for those at the end of their rope but not at the end of God. Here is a link to a website that might help to educate, "not want you to be unaware," and expose you to those in need of yours and my prayers today.
http://www.persecution.com/
"Lord, may we take some time today to pray for those in the same situation that Paul and his companions were in. May we be aware of situations that may be so different than our own right now. May the prayers and support that we give be some type of encouragement to them to stand strong in the Lord like the prayers of the Corinthians for Paul. Lord help us to pray today. Amen."
Pastor Adam
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