Thorns: turning :if only" into "because of".

Looking for change

This post Christmas, new year, looking forwards to the summer time is a time when I tend to look at myself and at my life and notice all the things I’m either not happy with or the things I would like to be different. That might be, I’d like to loose a few pounds or I’d like to read more or I’d like to be able to learn a new skill. It’s natural for us all to be in a position where we want improvement. Improvement in our health, our finances or maybe our situations.

Not a prosperity message.

Some christian speakers would talk about that all the changes we ever desire are possible because we serve an amazing God. We serve a God that can step into any situation and do any thing, He can Heal, He can restore, He can change situations he can open blind eyes, he can re-grow lost limbs all you have to do is have enough faith, or pray long enough or in the case of some often US TV channels: just call this number and pledge.....

I sometimes hear this prosperity message of, “if you work at praying, if you give enough, if you believe enough the everything will be amazing, all your problems will go away”.

I have three problems with it:

Although, we are called to be obedient in things like worship, prayer and giving - God steps in out of Grace and Love not as a pay-check for the things we have done.

John 15:20 NIV

20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

It doesn’t tie up with what (and it is that bit in the bible that I like to skip over) God has promised us that as followers of Jesus we will have issues.

I don’t see it in reality. I don’t look at the Church as a whole and see it for of Physically perfect, mentally perfect, Rich, good looking folk who have no problems - well ok I’ll give you the Good looking part.

John 15:20 NIV

20 Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also.

Like the prosperity preachers, I believe we serve an amazing God. We serve a God that can step into any situation and do any thing, He can Heal; He can restore; He can change situations; he can open blind eyes,; he can re-grow lost limbs. But I also believe that we are perfect in God whatever out condition - Dodgy hips, stressed minds, shyness and insecurity or a few extra pounds.

Not a barrier

Have a look at these images - who are they?

What do they have in common?

Picture

All of them had starting points that on the face of it would make achieving what they have impossible.

Sylvester Stallone - Iconic actor, one of most successful actors; wrote and starred in three-Oscar-winning (ten nominations) Rocky, which became a franchise; starred as iconic John Rambo; got steps of Philadelphia Art Museum named after him - Partially Paralysed face, throat and tongue from Birth.

Franklin Roosevelt - Four-time President of the United States - Paralysed from the waste down due to Polio

Tom Cruise - Nominated for three Academy Awards and has won three Golden Globe Awards; As of 2012, Cruise is Hollywood's highest-paid actor. Fourteen of his films grossed over $100 million domestically; twenty have grossed in excess of $200 million worldwide. - Grew up in poverty, with an abusive father.

Operah Winfrey - . She has been ranked the richest African-American of the 20th century, the greatest black philanthropist in American history, and was for a time the world's only black billionaire. She is also, according to some assessments, the most influential woman in the world.- suffered child abuse and grew up in poverty.

I deliberatly cho

All of them are successful, powerful, highly regarded.

Over coming Adversity

All of them had starting points that on the face of it would make achieving what they have impossible. Non of them could change the bad thing about them.

Not hiding behind the imperfect as an excuse

We live in a world where we make snap decisions about people based on their history their family where they grow and many other things. Culturally we set our expectations of people unfairly often based on things out of their control.

Not only do we do this to other people, but we frequently do this to ourselves. We spend our time defining our ability to do things based on a series of “if only”

If only I had gone to a better school

It only we’ve had more money

If only I could do maths

If only I had not been in that relationship

if only I was more confident

If only I was well

This morning I will say to you that God sees beyond our “if only...”, he sees our “because of...” opportunities.”.

God is bigger than our histories and our problems. We serve a transforming God the desires to see you successful. That doesn’t necessarily mean that the what ever it is that ends the “If only I ....” Statement will be taken away.

Sometimes God want’s to come alongside you and transform that “What if...” situation into a “despite of...” or better still a “because of...” without removing the cause.

He wants to transform you personally, take you on that transformational journey that brings healing, and fruit fulneness that will see you go from:

‘If only I hadn’t been in that relationship I could serve God’. To ‘despite having a history I can serve God’. Ultimately, onto ‘Because I was or even am this, I am able to come along side others’.

Picture

John Kirkby, the founder of Christians Against Poverty - started off with debts of over £78000, camping in a friends bedroom with his two daughters from his marriage that failed through the stress of debt. He could have easily have hidden behind the “If only” mentality.

If only I was still married

If only I still had a Job and House,

If only wasn’t in debt....

God took him on a journey from If only, through the despite my situation, he started off with little cash (a £10 donation) sat at his kitchen table determined to help others escape similar situations. God transformed him through this, to the “because of...” stage. Because of his experience, his learning and the passion and compassion that God has planted in him John’s charity CAP helps over 20,000 people get through debt every year, both nationally and internationally. CAP literally saves lives.

All because one man went on a journey with God from being an ‘If only...’ man to becoming a “because of...” man - John sums this up in his book ‘Nevertheless’.

John is not the only one, look at Betel, the Rising from the Rubbles Cafe. Each person there has been on that same journey.

God is looking for that same journey with each of us, it may not be as someone at Betal dramatic as John’s or end up with you getting a CBE but the Journey is there to be had.

Now I have to throw in a caveat here. Would be easy to think about this as a self help or positive thinking message. So I want to be very clear from start. Gartner does not promise that we’ll have an easy time. God does not promise that you will solve all our problems in the timescales we expect

A journey supported by God’s Love and his desire for the best for you. He promises that you will never have to bear anything you cannot cope with. He promises that everything you as believers go through will come together for good. He is on your side in this Journey!

Why the journey why can’t it be perfect.

I want deceive you sometimes it living with our pasts and our imperfections can be tough. It would be so much easier if God would just take it away. we end up asking:

So why won’t God remove my challenges?

Picture

We are not alone when we asked this question. This was a question asked many times by Paul.

Paul referred to his challenge as a Thorn in the side and pleaded with God to remove it. God didn’t.

If Paul the mighty man of God who was clearly anointed and being used in amazing ways how to carry an affliction why was this?

Paul’s thorn is among the most famous afflictions in history, and we don’t even know what it was. There’s been a lot of speculation over the years. Paul’s thorn could have been a physical affliction. This is plausible given all the physical violence and deprivation he endured

2 Corinthians 11:23–27 NIV

23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.

Some think he may have suffered from an eye disease

Galatians 4:15 NIV

15 Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me.

Or since he referred to his thorn as a harassing “messenger of Satan,” he could have been vulnerable to significant spiritual-psychological struggles. This is plausible given the cumulative trauma of violently persecuting Christians, then suffering violent persecution, living in constant danger as a Christian, and then living with daily “anxiety for all the churches” ().

2 Corinthians 11:28 NIV

28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

Or given the context of , his thorn could plausibly have been the “super-apostles” and false brothers constantly dogging him and wreaking havoc in the churches he planted (, ). Or it might have been something else altogether.

2 Corinthians 11–12 NIV

1 I hope you will put up with me in a little foolishness. Yes, please put up with me! 2 I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him. 3 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough. 5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.” 6 I may indeed be untrained as a speaker, but I do have knowledge. We have made this perfectly clear to you in every way. 7 Was it a sin for me to lower myself in order to elevate you by preaching the gospel of God to you free of charge? 8 I robbed other churches by receiving support from them so as to serve you. 9 And when I was with you and needed something, I was not a burden to anyone, for the brothers who came from Macedonia supplied what I needed. I have kept myself from being a burden to you in any way, and will continue to do so. 10 As surely as the truth of Christ is in me, nobody in the regions of Achaia will stop this boasting of mine. 11 Why? Because I do not love you? God knows I do! 12 And I will keep on doing what I am doing in order to cut the ground from under those who want an opportunity to be considered equal with us in the things they boast about. 13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve. 16 I repeat: Let no one take me for a fool. But if you do, then tolerate me just as you would a fool, so that I may do a little boasting. 17 In this self-confident boasting I am not talking as the Lord would, but as a fool. 18 Since many are boasting in the way the world does, I too will boast. 19 You gladly put up with fools since you are so wise! 20 In fact, you even put up with anyone who enslaves you or exploits you or takes advantage of you or puts on airs or slaps you in the face. 21 To my shame I admit that we were too weak for that! Whatever anyone else dares to boast about—I am speaking as a fool—I also dare to boast about. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they Abraham’s descendants? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak, and I do not feel weak? Who is led into sin, and I do not inwardly burn? 30 If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 31 The God and Father of the Lord Jesus, who is to be praised forever, knows that I am not lying. 32 In Damascus the governor under King Aretas had the city of the Damascenes guarded in order to arrest me. 33 But I was lowered in a basket from a window in the wall and slipped through his hands. 1 I must go on boasting. Although there is nothing to be gained, I will go on to visions and revelations from the Lord. 2 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago was caught up to the third heaven. Whether it was in the body or out of the body I do not know—God knows. 3 And I know that this man—whether in the body or apart from the body I do not know, but God knows—4 was caught up to paradise and heard inexpressible things, things that no one is permitted to tell. 5 I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses. 6 Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool, because I would be speaking the truth. But I refrain, so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say, 7 or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me. 8 Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take it away from me. 9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 11 I have made a fool of myself, but you drove me to it. I ought to have been commended by you, for I am not in the least inferior to the “super-apostles,” even though I am nothing. 12 I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles. 13 How were you inferior to the other churches, except that I was never a burden to you? Forgive me this wrong! 14 Now I am ready to visit you for the third time, and I will not be a burden to you, because what I want is not your possessions but you. After all, children should not have to save up for their parents, but parents for their children. 15 So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well. If I love you more, will you love me less? 16 Be that as it may, I have not been a burden to you. Yet, crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery! 17 Did I exploit you through any of the men I sent to you? 18 I urged Titus to go to you and I sent our brother with him. Titus did not exploit you, did he? Did we not walk in the same footsteps by the same Spirit? 19 Have you been thinking all along that we have been defending ourselves to you? We have been speaking in the sight of God as those in Christ; and everything we do, dear friends, is for your strengthening. 20 For I am afraid that when I come I may not find you as I want you to be, and you may not find me as you want me to be. I fear that there may be discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, slander, gossip, arrogance and disorder. 21 I am afraid that when I come again my God will humble me before you, and I will be grieved over many who have sinned earlier and have not repented of the impurity, sexual sin and debauchery in which they have indulged.

2 Corinthians 11:5 NIV

5 I do not think I am in the least inferior to those “super-apostles.”

God is bigger than our challenges.

2 Corinthians 11:26 NIV

26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.

attack and oppression

illness

Disagreement and discord

the enemey

So why go through them

The fact that we really don’t know what Paul’s thorn was turns out to be both merciful and instructive to us. It’s merciful because, given the various possibilities, we all can identify with Paul to some degree in our problem places. It may be

attack and oppression

illness

Disagreement and discord

other people

the enemy

It’s helpful not knowing because what Paul’s thorn was isn’t the point. The point is what God’s purpose was for the thorn.

What was it>

What was its purpose>

Thorns can be there for a purpose

Just like Paul’s, our thorns our ‘issues’ weaken us. Sometimes they are visible to others, but often they are hidden from public view, known only to those who know us best.

They almost always humble us in embarrassing rather than noble ways. In our view our long lasting issues, our thorns, only seem to hinder us in being effective or bearing fruit. We think they detract from our reputations if others see them or hear of them . Which is why we, like Paul, plead with God to remove them ().

You know, God sees them differently, He sees that our ultimately thorns end up producing greater joy in us and make us more effective and fruitful as we go on that Journey with Him from ‘If only...’ to ‘because of...’

On this journey we learn that it is not about us and all about God. The thorn strips away our pride and our self-reliance and places the focus firmly on the Creator. Which is why, as with Paul, God often answers our pleas for deliverance with a “no.” Because without the thorn, we would never experience that “[God’s] grace is sufficient for [us],” that his “power is made perfect in weakness” ().

Which is why, as with Paul, God often answers our pleas for deliverance with a “no.” Because without the thorn, we would never experience that “[God’s] grace is sufficient for [us],” that his “power is made perfect in weakness” ().

But this is the way our thorns have to be. Because if they were noble and heroic, if they enhanced our reputations, they would be of no help at all in guarding us from our pervasive pride. Which is why, as with Paul, God often answers our pleas for deliverance with a “no.” Because without the thorn, we would never experience that “[God’s] grace is sufficient for [us],” that his “power is made perfect in weakness” ().

This is the reason the prosperity message does not hold true. The imperfections in us, the troubles we experience, the thorns we carry: These are the weakeners that strengthen us. Without them, we would miss experiencing the glory of God’s powerful grace that ultimately make us more effective and fruitful.

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ()

The paradox summed up by Paul

The whole idea of carrying a thorn (an ongoing problem) and being active or even successful is somehow counter cultural

How many people do you know who, when they are challenged as to their credentials, as to whether "God is with them" respond”

"actually, I’m an utter coward. I’ve run away and hide at times.

“Our agonizing thorns end up producing greater joy in us and ultimately make us more effective and fruitful.”TweetShare on Facebook

“I have huge weaknesses and character flaws"

“I’m frustrated and fall out with my friends and coworkers”

Paul did.

Yet, we feel that we have to put on this face of everything perfect. We do the christian equivalent of “how are you?”

“I’m fine, how are you?”

“I’m good” or we duck the question completly.

We have a value on in the Church of ‘being authentic’ but we miss it by a mile when it comes down to conversations about how we are with God.

Paul doesn’t, He is absolutely Authentic. Here one of the greatest men of God, tells it as it is.

But this is the way our thorns have to be. Because if they were noble and heroic, if they enhanced our reputations, they would be of no help at all in guarding us from our pervasive pride. Which is why, as with Paul, God often answers our pleas for deliverance with a “no.” Because without the thorn, we would never experience that “[God’s] grace is sufficient for [us],” that his “power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Corinthians 12:9).

- while the other ’apostles’ are boasting about what they’ve achieved, their heritage, their flash cars , burgeoning ministries, good looks, oratory ability, special knowledge (gnosis), pearly smiles and how ’supposedly’ God has used them

Paul just says ’I’m really a broken man’

This is the reason we have our thorns. They are weakeners that strengthen us. Without them, we would choose a weaker strength and miss experiencing the glory of God’s powerful grace and realize lesser joys as a result. It’s just one more wonderful kingdom paradox: our agonizing thorns end up producing greater joy in us and ultimately make us more effective and fruitful. The more we press into this paradox, the more we will say with Paul,

Had to escape in a basket. How undignified, humiliating

He had a a major weakness - the thorn.

Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:9–10)

He didn’t hide behind his successes or a public image he declared,

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. ()

2 Corinthians 12:9–10 NIV

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. 10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Paul was keen to show that his successes were not of him, his thorn helped in this it pointed people to the source of signs, wonders, miracles, and even Paul’s perseverance.

It shows who must have done these incredible things: God

- he certainly couldn’t have done them. V12: signs, wonders, miracles, perseverance

it wasn’t the power of Paul that impressed, fooled, tricked or even helped people it was God’s Holy Spirit

o it was God’s Holy Spirit

Paul’s brokenness show where the power comes from. In fact- the brokenness brings the power. This is the paradox of the Kingdom -

John 3:21 NIV

21 But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what they have done has been done in the sight of God.

Paul’s brokenness show where the power comes from. In fact- the brokenness brings the power. This is the paradox of the Kingdom -

2 Corinthians 12:10 NIV

10 That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

It shows where the power comes from. In fact- the brokenness BRINGS the power

Mark 10:31 NIV

31 But many who are first will be last, and the last first.”

Take this in! Non of us is perfect, non of us is strong enough to out perform God.

This is a upside down nature of the Kingdom of God

It undermined the super-apostles of Pauls day

It demolished the theories of our day about goals, achievement, power, drivenness, success

The truth is God’s power is made manifest… it is made perfect… in our weakness not in our strength.

Not human strength

It’s one of the great surprises of the way God works

Philippians 2:6 NIV

6 Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage;

did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

Philippians 2:7 NIV

7 rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.

taking the very nature of a servant,

being made in human likeness.

Philippians 2:8 NIV

8 And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!

he humbled himself

and became obedient to death--

Philippians 2:9 NIV

9 Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name,

even death on a cross!

and gave him the name that is above every name,

Philippians 2:10 NIV

10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

As we are on our journey with God let’s recognise this, let’s be real with ourselves an each other about where we are and where we are trying to go. Our failings and our successes.

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

Philippians 2:11 NIV

11 and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

- to the glory of God the Father.

Shape and mould us

I was warned on my leadership training I would have to make sure my life was spotlessly clean, that I was beyond reproach - a role model. And while I understood what they meant, I can’t go dipping in the collection or having a fling with the Organist, It is easy to extend this to being false. We need to be authentic with each other, lets face it we’re not very good at hiding out flaws anyway.

Shape and mould us

So- what has God allowed you to go through? Horrible though it may have been? What pain can you offer Him for His power to work through? Rather than wanting to run

- pause and think about it

PURPOSE

Because the promise is that for Christians, it is not purposeless

He says to Paul, and He says to you

- ’my grace is sufficient for you’

While the thorn would not be removed… not in the short term, anyway…. there was the promise and purpose that His grace would help Paul cope

- and with it.. with the refining fire.. would come

o humility and power

o grace and sufficiency

o all that he needed to be what God purposed: an apostle doing signs, wonders and miracles. Changing the world. Even us.

Gods view

God is not looking for people who are perfect- rather people who are human, broken, vulnerable and available

people who will offer their lives, experiences and brokenness to Him… for His power

people who will turn to Him for His grace and sufficiency

not turn inwards and revel in the thorn

people who will believe in His purposes- by faith- and submit to them. Even when it’s not what THEY would have chosen

He is looking for a people who are willing to travel with Him on that journey from the ‘If only...” to the “because of...”

As we progress on that Journey some of us will find that the thorn we carry remains but we see it differently. For some of us God will step in and mercifully and miraculously remove it bringing complete healing and restoration. Whatever the path God’s mercy, grace and love will heal and restore us, as we are made perfect in Christ.

It could have been anything. Everything. It could have been whatever you have had to go through.

- certainly it was something very painful to Paul…as he cries out 3 times "oh God, remove it!"

- does that sound a familiar cry?

- how many of you have cried out "Oh God, no! Take it away!"

The answer to Paul was ’no’. Not now. Probably not ever- for my power is made perfect in weakness

o Illustr: I don’t want to revel in it but I can only say I cried out daily to God for my voice in the 5 years that I croaked my way painfully through each sermon and day

" (minimum 1,825 times!)

The answer to Paul was ’no’. Not now. Probably not ever- for my power is made perfect in weakness

It makes one wonder if there is something in the ’praying thrice’

- it’s very akin to Jesus in Gethsemane. . Praying three times "My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done."

- And accepting that there is something deeper that God wants to do if the answer hasn’t come then

o Need to balance this with persistence in prayer- but, you know, God isn’t deaf or slow to answer if we pray sincerely

Maybe He has a deeper plan. For power.

God is not looking for people who are perfect- rather people who are human, broken, vulnerable and available

- people who will offer their lives, experiences and brokenness to Him… for His power

- people who will turn to Him for His grace and sufficiency

not turn inwards and revel in the thorn

- people who will believe in His purposes- by faith- and submit to them. Even when it’s not what THEY would have chosen

I want to finish with a video that shows how God steps in. As you will see in each story God does something. For one a complete renewal for others, a Thorn is left, the outcome is not what we would see as perfect but God’s presence and power is evident in all.

VIDEO. https://youtu.be/YY7KDwSlkhk

Stay plugged in

Don’t quit trying with your faith.

James 1:12 The Message

12 Anyone who meets a testing challenge head-on and manages to stick it out is mighty fortunate. For such persons loyally in love with God, the reward is life and more life.

Pray for each other support each other. Be Authentic with each other and yourselves most importantly with God. Go on the journey.

2 Thessalonians 3:13 NIV

13 And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.

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