Fresh Vision for Missions

Though living for Christ

It won’t be easy

2 Corinthians

KOIN Local 6 Last Update: 5/28 11:35 am

Story from PHILOMATH, Ore.

A cougar wandered into a cul-de-sac in the small town of Philomath, near the Oregon State University campus. The cul-de-sac sits atop a hill that backs up to a wooded area with deer trails. It jumped a low lying fence into a yard where two dogs, Chiquita a chiuaua and Rosie a border terrier lived.

The cougar briefly pinned down Rosie, who squealed.

But Mark Twain wrote, “It’s not the size of the dog in the fight; it’s the size of the fight in the dog.”

Hearing Rosie squeal Chiquita ran at the cougar barking ferociously.

Well, one big cat didn’t want to find out the size of the fight in two small dogs.

The dogs' owner, Loren Wingert, said “My dogs see something in the yard, they go after it.

Loren Wingert, the dogs’ owner, said her pups are fine. But she also said they were lucky

 “I think we’re more traumatized than they are. They’re fine,” Wingert said.
 

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I.       Tough circumstances

A.     Be aware: Trouble is certain

 (NKJV) 2 Corinthians 1 8 For we do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, of our trouble which came to us in Asia:

1.      In the midst of living for God

2.      Giving and sacrificing

3.      Trouble came

B.     Trouble beyond our capability

(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 1 8 that we were burdened beyond measure, above strength, so that we despaired even of life. 9 Yes, we had the sentence of death in ourselves,

1.      Unable to stand up to the burden

2.      Trouble to great

II.    Inner struggles

A.     Weak containers

(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, ...

1.      Common Clay pots – nothing special – weak / limited / fragile

2.      Holding treasure – the truths of God (especially the gospel and its proclamation)

B.     Pressure and stress

(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 8 We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed;

1.      Pushed from every side, inside and out – pressure everywhere

2.      Not smushed  - narrow space – hemmed in or cornered

C.     Don’t understand

(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 8 … we are perplexed, but not in despair;

1.      GK No and Way – be at a loss – no way out – confused – uncertain how to act – intensely

2.      Not giving up – not at an utter loss – feeling lost but never at a total loss – stuck unable to pass, but passing through anyway

D.    People opposition

(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 9 persecuted, but not forsaken;

1.      Some intends to do harm - torment

2.      Not by Jesus – pursued but not overtaken – Jesus never leaves

E.     Failure

(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 9 … struck down, but not destroyed—

1.      Literal or figurative.

2.      Knocked down but not out (play on words)

(NKJV) Psalm 37 24 Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand.

III. But the hardships with Purpose

A.     That I would operate with His power not mine

(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.

1.       Transcendent power / power beyond any comparison

B.     That I would trust Him not me

NKJV 2 Corinthians 1:9 … that we should not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead, 10 who delivered us from so great a death, and does deliver us; in whom we trust that He will still deliver us,

a)      Past

b)      Present

c)      Future

C.     That Jesus might be made known

(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 10 always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 11 For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

D.    That I might be able to help others

 (NKJV) 2 Corinthians 1 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

IV. So be encouraged

A.     Don’t be discouraged

(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 16 Therefore we do not lose heart.

B.     Let the inner man renew

(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 16 … Even though our outward man is perishing, yet the inward man is being renewed day by day.

C.     Affliction is light compared to what it is producing

(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, is working for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory,

D.    Live by faith for eternity

(NKJV) 2 Corinthians 4 18 while we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.