Thorns

Dealing with Your Thorn in the Flesh

2 Corinthians 12:7

"And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure."

Nearly every morning when I am done studying the Word of God, I take a walk to meditate on what God gave me. One morning I started walking, and every time I would took a step I felt a sharp prick on my heel. At first I tried to adjust the sock a bit hoping that whatever it was would move, but I was not successful. Finally, the prick became so irritating that I stopped and took my shoe off to find out what was poking my heel. In my sock was a small thorn that protruded out just enough to poke me every time I put my foot down. Removing the thorn in my sock made the walk much more enjoyable.

Sadly, when you have a thorn in the flesh you can't stop and remove the thorn. The Apostle Paul had a thorn in the flesh, and he asked God three times to remove it. All three times God refused to grant Paul's request. Instead of griping about his thorn in the flesh, he accepted it and used it to help him serve God.

If you are going to do anything for God, you will have to eventually deal with a thorn in the flesh. It would be great if you could stop like I did that morning and remove the thorn, but most likely you will have to deal with it for the rest of your life. If you deal with your thorn in the flesh in a proper way, then God can use it to further the ministry that He has given to you. Let me give you some suggestions on how to deal with your thorn in the flesh.

First, accept it! Paul had to come to grips that his thorn in the flesh was not going to be removed. You are limiting what God can do through you as long as you complain and gripe about your thorn in the flesh. As uncomfortable as your thorn may be, you must come to grips that you will have to live with it for the rest of your life. Once you accept your thorn in the flesh, then you are one step closer to God using it to further your ministry in a greater way.

Second, allow your thorn in the flesh to remove your pride. Paul quickly learned that the thorn in the flesh was there to help him stay humble. Any person who has a thorn in the flesh understands that it is a humbling thing. You can either let your thorn in the flesh cause you to get bitter, or you can allow it to take your pride away so God can use you in a greater way.

Third, use your thorn in the flesh to give God glory. Paul used his thorn in the flesh as a tool to show the strength of God in his weakness. One of the reasons God gives you a thorn in the flesh is to show His strength to you. Don't hide your thorn in the flesh. It is there so that God receives the glory. Be sure to give God the glory for the strength He has given you to go on in spite of your thorn in the flesh.

Finally, use your thorn in the flesh as a tool to help others. I have found that God gave me a thorn in the flesh so that I could better help others. Without it I would have missed the opportunity to help many people. Likewise, God gives you a thorn in the flesh as a tool to help others who must deal with the same thorn. Don't keep the tool of your thorn in the flesh in your spiritual toolbox, but take it out and use it.

Your thorn in the flesh can be a blessing to your life if you will accept it. Stop griping about it, and realize that God's grace is sufficient to help you endure it. God would not have given it to you if He knew you could not bear it; therefore, take your thorn in the flesh and realize that God has already given you the strength to use it to help others. If you will use it to help others, God can use you in a greater way, and He will receive the glory.

Confusion

Author of Confusion

1 Corinthians 14:33

"For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."

One of the attributes that led to the worldliness and fleshly actions of the church at Corinth was the disorder in the church. One would think that disorder would not aid in sin, but God shows us otherwise. It was the confusion in the church that led to fornication, false doctrine, women preachers and dysfunctional homes.

In the verse above, God says that He "is not the author of confusion." That would mean that the Devil is the author of confusion. If God is the author of order, then the Devil is the author of disorder and confusion. The word "author" means, "One who produces or creates."In other words, God's ways do not produce confusion or disorder. If a person will follow the ways of God, then they will find there is peace.

Any time there is confusion, you will find instability, disorder, commotion and uncertainty. God is teaching us that He is not the author of these things. God wants us to be stable in life. God wants us to have peace in life. God wants us to experience order in all that we do. God wants us to be confident in how things are handled. Yet, if confusion reigns in our lives, then we will not experience these things. I find in this chapter there are some contributors to confusion.

First, improper roles of authority will contribute to confusion. It is interesting that you find women leading the men in this chapter. According to the Scriptures, this should not be. You will also see that there was more than one person in dual authorities. Again, this will cause confusion. God wants authority to be clear, and He wants authority to be in its proper place. Two pastors leading the same church will cause confusion. A home with dad and mom both vying for the leadership role will create confusion. Authorities must be clearly identified in every area of your life if you want to avoid confusion. Then once they are identified, you must keep them in their proper order.

Second, improper purpose will cause confusion. Verse 26 teaches us that everything is to be done to edify. In other words, everything we do in life should be done with a purpose of building people. If a church starts a ministry to get bigger and not to build people, then that church will experience confusion. Your purpose in everything you do should be to build people. Don't use people to build your efforts or work, but use your work or efforts to build people.

Third, improper handling of truth causes confusion. You will find in verse 36 that everything is to be based upon the Word of God. I have found that when we base our actions upon feelings and what we think and see, it always causes confusion. If you want peace, then make the Word of God your final authority. Let God's Word dictate every action.

Finally, verse 38 shows us that ignorance causes confusion. One of the reasons we teach is to avoid confusion. There are many people who are confused in life because they simply don't know how to do what they are doing. Knowing how to do things, and implementing what you know to do will keep you and others from being confused.

Christian, God wants us to be organized in life. He knows that if you will be organized and avoid these areas that cause confusion, that you will experience peace. God is the author peace, but that peace will only come through organization. Be sure to clarify the authorities in your life. Keep your purpose precise and clear. Let truth be the foundation that you build upon, and be sure that you learn how to do things in the areas of your ignorance. This will keep you from confusion, and it will help you to live a life of peace.

Your Mind

The Importance of Your Mind

Romans 7:25

"I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin."

The importance of thinking with your mind and not your flesh is seen in this verse. Paul said that the flesh leads to sin. In other words, when you allow your flesh to guide you, then you will end up committing sin. You often hear people making the statement that they feel it is the right thing to do. When they talk about making a decision with their feelings, then they are making a decision with their flesh. The flesh deals with feelings. What most don't understand is that their feelings are based off the emotion of the moment. When you make decisions based off the emotion of the moment, you are bound to make wrong decisions.

Most, if not all, sin is committed because of decisions based on the emotion of the moment. For instance, a person loses their purity because they are basing their decision off the emotion of the moment. A person goes into debt because they base their purchases off the emotion of the moment. People lose their temper based off the emotion of the moment. In each of these instances, the emotion of the moment caused them to make a wrong decision. If they wouldn't have thought with their flesh, then they wouldn't have made a wrong decision.

On the other hand, Paul stresses the importance of serving God with the mind. This is so important for you to understand. You will only be successful in your service to God by letting your mind make decisions and not your emotions or feelings. People who are successful in serving God make spiritual decisions based in their mind. The reason their mind makes spiritual decisions is because they base their decisions off the Word of God. If you make decisions by your feelings, then the Word of God will have no part in your decisions. But, if you make your decisions with your mind, then your mind will use the Word of God as its basis for right and wrong.

The mind that Paul is talking about is the mind of Christ. Philippians 2:5 says, "Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:" It is the mind of Christ that causes you to serve God. When you let your emotions make decisions, then your emotions will run to the flesh. When you let the mind of Christ control you, then that mind will bring you to the Word of God.

Because the mind is what determines your spirituality, it is important that you control what you let influence your mind. If you let the Word of God influence your mind, then the mind of Christ can be the mind that will guide you into serving the LORD. If you fill your mind with the things of the world, then you will find yourself making fleshly decisions.

Let me encourage you everyday to ask God to place His mind in you. Spend time on a daily basis reading the Word of God so that His mind can influence yours. Before you make any decision, always ask God to let His mind influence your decisions. Don't allow feelings to make your decisions. Let the mind of Christ be the main influence in your life. By doing so, you will find yourself successfully serving God, which is the only way to enjoy life to its fullest.

Poor leadership

Poor Leadership Characteristics

Acts 26:1

"Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Thou art permitted to speak for thyself. Then Paul stretched forth the hand, and answered for himself:"

When Paul was tried for the accusations against him, he faced several different leaders. Most of these leaders exemplified poor leadership characteristics. Paul was no doubt the greatest leader of them all. Paul should have been in their shoes instead of standing before them being tried. Let me show you the poor leadership characteristics of these men so that you can avoid them.

The first poor leadership characteristic is leading by ignorance. Acts 23:2 says, "And the high priest Ananias commanded them that stood by him to smite him on the mouth." Ananias responded out of ignorance and not by knowing the whole situation. Paul simply made a comment about living his life with a good conscience to which Ananias had someone smite him for that comment. Ananias should have listened to the truth about Paul's life instead of making a decision through ignorance. I have found there are leaders who don't want to know the whole truth about situations. This is sad because you cannot properly lead and make right decisions without knowing the whole truth. Part of being a leader is learning the whole truth about situations so that you can make the right decisions. Leaders who live in ignorance are poor leaders.

The second poor leadership characteristic is leading by convenience. Felix said in Acts 24:25, "...when I have a convenient season, I will call for thee." Many leaders only want to handle situations that are convenient to their detriment. Leadership is not always going to be convenient. If you are going to lead, you are going to have to handle inconvenient situations. It's not easy to handle inconvenient situations, but good leaders will handle them.

The third poor leadership characteristic is leading by popularity. In Acts 25:9, Festus kept Paul bound because it made the people happy. You will often see politicians who lead by whatever the polls say. This is poor leadership. Leadership does what is right even when it is not popular. If you want to be popular and liked by everyone, then you best not hold a leadership position. Leaders will have to do things that are not always popular. Leaders will find there will be times of loneliness because of decisions they have to make. They will be second guessed, but good leaders will do what is right even when it is not popular.

The fourth poor leadership characteristic is leading by indecision. Agrippa said in Acts 26:28, "...Almost thou persuadest me to be a Christian." I have found there are some leaders who just can't pull the trigger and make a decision. They lead by indecision which frustrates their followers. Part of leadership is making decisions. Indecision is just as bad as making bad decisions. If you are going to be a good leader, then you must learn to make decisions, even if they are difficult.

The last poor leadership characteristic that we see is leading for gain. In Acts 24:26, Festus left Paul bound because he hoped that Paul would give him money to let him go. One of the greatest mistakes I see leaders make is to look for what they can get out of their position. You are not to lead to see what you can get out of your followers, but you are to lead to see what you can put into them.

Everyone is a leader in some area. Wherever you lead, don't let these poor leadership characteristics be indicative of your leadership. If you find yourself leading with one of these characteristics, then do your best to change that area so you can better help your followers.

Handpicked

Handpicked by God

Acts 9:15

"But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:"

Throughout the Scriptures you will read that God chose people to do a work for Him. What is interesting about the Apostle Paul is that He understood that he was a chosen vessel, and he lived like one. Let me remind you that God has made you a chosen vessel.

To be a chosen vessel means several things. First, it means that you were handpicked by God. In other words, God picked you because He liked you for something more than anyone else. I understand that we are sinners saved by the grace of God, but to understand that God handpicked you can help you gain the confidence that God loves you. You may think that you are no one special, but that simply is not true. When God looked on the shelves of life, He saw you among all the other vessels and handpicked you.

Second, it means that God handpicked you because you were the most appropriate to do something for Him. You will notice that God chose Paul to bear His name to the Gentile world. Likewise, God handpicked you because you were the most appropriate choice for a task that He called you to do. Nobody can do that task that you were chosen to do like you can. Certainly, somebody can do your job, but they will never be able to do it like you can.

Let me illustrate. Have you ever worked on something and needed a part or a screw to finish the job but didn't want to go to the store to get that part? I have found myself in that position many times. A while back my riding lawn mower lost a screw that holds the steering wheel in place. Instead of going to the store and getting the right part, I used a plastic tie to tighten the wheel. Yes, it worked, and it keeps the steering wheel from moving around, but it is not as secure as the screws would make it.

When God handpicked you to do a certain job and you don't fulfill that job, you are making God use plastic ties to replace your job. Yes, it will work, but it will not work to the degree that it could if you would do what God handpicked you to do. Don't ever underestimate your importance to God. He handpicked you for a task, and you are the only one who can fulfill that task the best.

Third, it means that you should use your vessel to do what God wants you to do and not what you want to do. Too many Christians soil their vessel with sin, and they hurt their capability to do what God wants them to do. Christian, remember that your body belongs to God. It is a chosen vessel that should only be used for that for which it was made. Don't use your vessel for the world's pleasures, but keep your vessel clean so that God can use it to the greatest capacity.

Being a chosen vessel of God is special. Don't ever forget that God handpicked you for a special task. Find that task and fulfill it. Don't let anything pull you away from what God handpicked you to do. Though others may be able to fill in your task, nobody can do it like you can. Be the vessel that God intended for you to be. Make God proud that He handpicked you by doing what He picked you to do.

Friend?

Are You a Friend?

Luke 11:5

"And he said unto them, Which of you shall have a friend, and shall go unto him at midnight, and say unto him, Friend, lend me three loaves;"

One of the signs of a person maturing in Christ is whether their focus is upon themselves or on others. When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, you will notice that He spent more time showing them how to pray for others than He did in showing them how to pray for themselves. Jesus talked about a man whose friend came to him late at night and was hungry. This man was so concerned about feeding his friend, that he went to a neighbor and asked for bread so that he could feed his friend. This man wasn't concerned with the lateness of the hour, because he was concerned about the need of a friend. Because this man wouldn't stop asking, his neighbor gave him bread so that he would leave him alone.

A true friend is one who learns to pray for others. There are many people who have no problem praying for themselves, but if you were to look at their prayer life it is a very selfish one. Just like your life will not realize satisfaction until you start living for others, likewise your prayer life will seem unfulfilled until you begin to pray for others. The greatest prayer life that you could have is a prayer life for others.

Let me ask you, are you a true friend in your prayers? Look at your prayer life and see how often you pray for others. I believe your prayer life will often reveal how good of a Christian you are. You may be able to put on a facade in front of others to impress them, but the true test of your Christianity is found in the prayer closet and how much you pray for others. It is rare to find people who even have a prayer life, but it is even more rare to find people who truly pray for others. The degree that you pray for others is the degree of your friendship to others.

You will notice in this verse that this man prayed for the needs of his friend in a greater degree than he prayed for his own needs. Let me explain by using myself as an illustration. I am not one who finds it easy to ask others to help me with my needs. I've had people tell me it's too much pride, and I don't know if that is true, but I know I have a hard time asking for myself. However, I have no problem asking for others. If I see that someone has a need I can't meet, I will do my best to find someone who can and ask them. I believe God wants you to be more concerned with the needs of others than your own needs. God has already promised to meet your needs, so most of your prayer life should be for the needs of others.

Furthermore, your prayers for others should be as passionate if not more passionate than your prayers for yourself. The man in this story asked late at night, and wouldn't stop asking until he got the answer for which he was looking. Do you stay up late or rise early to pray for others? Are you as fervent about the needs of others as you are for your own needs? Do you continue to pray passionately for the needs of others until their need is met? Your answer to all of these questions should be "Yes." A true friend is one who will pray until the needs of their friend are answered.

So, let me ask you, are you a true friend? Can others truly depend on you praying for their needs? There are many times when you are asked to pray for others. Do you follow through on those requests? Christian, don't just promise someone you will pray for them, but truly pray for them. If you give your word that you will pray for others, then keep your promise. There is nothing wrong with praying for your needs, but let your prayer life become one that is filled more with prayers for others than with your own needs. Make your prayer life a selfless one. Become that person who prays more for others than for yourself.