As we respond to the Lord’s call to use our unique gifts and talents to serve him, we sometimes run into trouble. It can be challenging to keep the proper balance between valuing what God has given us and, well, humility.
Paul has always been the perfect answer to that dilemma for me. He had to make his case to be called an apostle, and he never backed down from it, and he didn’t engage in false modesty about his gifts. But he also always, continually, made it clear that anything good that came out of his ministry was due to God’s grace. I am what I am and God has worked through me. What better balance is there than that?
For anyone who is interesetd in studying the Bible with Bible Study Fellowship and is doing it on your own with the BSF app, here is a lecture you can watch on Lesson Intro: https://youtu.be/vWQCxR-plhQ
Paul is definitely my favorite! When I was asked who I want to be in Scripture besides Jesus, I said Paul because his sense of humor (satirical writing) is unparalleled in Scripture :-) *** He called himself one who was born abnormally :-) Why? Because Jesus didn't call him in person like the twelve. But after Jesus has ascended into heaven, He appeared to Paul by blinding Paul! *** He is so funny and honest in his thoughts...Galatians 5:12, "I just wish that those troublemakers who want to mutilate you by circumcision would mutilate themselves." *** He is so real in sharing his struggles that anyone can relate in Romans 7:14-25, "So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin." ******* Paul was so in sync or in tune with God that he shared his expereince of God keeping him humble in 2 Corinthians 12:5-7, "That experience (visions and revelations in 12:1-4) 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 (physical ailment? He didn't say), a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud." *** Enjoy Paul's God inspired writing with his personality in these 13 or 14 books: Romans, 1 Corithians, 2 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, 1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, Titus, Philemon and may be Hebrews?
Amen! Thank you Holy Father for this beautiful day and for this Gospel today. Thank you Lord Jesus Christ for my faith, my life and for my family. Thank you Holy Father, most of all, for your great sacrifice and for the opportunity of forgiveness and reconciliation. Please Lord Jesus Christ have mercy. Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner. Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ, now and forever. Amen Holy Father, in the name of Jesus Christ, we ask that you release your warrior angels and heavenly hosts. We decry and declare that they would take us off the enemies' radar and scramble the enemies frequencies (airwaves). Your Kingdom must come now. Your will must be done right now, as in the heavens, also on earth. Amen Saint Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle. Be our protection against the wickedness and snares of the devil. May God rebuke him, we humbly pray; and do thou, O Prince of the Heavenly Host - by the power of God - Cast into hell satan and all evil spirits that prowl about the earth seeking the ruin of souls. Amen
Thank you, Lord, for all the gifts and blessings that you have given to me. May I always be grateful and humble. Our Mother of Sorrows, pray for us.
Yes, weakness too. I have observed how God can use our helplessness to create love in the hearts of others. Our hearts go out to the helpless, and God is creating love.
Yes Sheila, azmom and Vince I totally agree. Living faith family I would like to share this prayer from saint Alphonsus Liguori. About the cross. 4) Prayer to Jesus Christ for the Holy Souls by St. Alphonsus Liguori O most sweet Jesus, through the bloody sweat which Thou didst suffer in the Garden of Gethsemane, have mercy on these Blessed Souls. Have mercy on them. O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel scourging, have mercy on them O Lord O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most painful crowning with thorns, have mercy on them. O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in carrying Thy cross to Calvary, have mercy on them. O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer during Thy most cruel Crucifixion, have mercy on them. O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the pains which Thou didst suffer in Thy most bitter agony on the Cross, have mercy on them. O Lord. O most sweet Jesus, through the immense pain which Thou didst suffer in breathing forth Thy Blessed Soul, have mercy on them. O Lord. (Recommend yourself to the Souls in Purgatory and mention your intentions) Blessed Souls, I have prayed for thee; we entreat thee, who are so dear to God, and who are secure of never losing Him, to pray for us miserable sinners, who are in danger of being damned, and of losing God forever. Let us pray: O God, the author of mercy, the lover of the salvation of mankind; we address thy clemency, in behalf of our brethren, relations, and benefactors, who are departed this life, that by the intercession of Blessed Mary, ever Virgin, and of all the saints, thou wouldst receive them into the enjoyment of eternal happiness; through Christ our Lord. Mary Queen of Sorrows pray for us. Ken
Yes, Paul agreed in 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, "Three different times I begged the Lord to take it (the thorn in his flesh mentioned in 12:7) 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!" *** Paul lived on and by "God's GRACE!!!"
@sheila. Yes to your comments. My weakness is God's asset in my life. St. John of the Cross: To arrive at being all, desire to be nothing.
I don’t know much about St. Paul, other than what I read in scripture about him. But today message shows how strong he was in his beliefs and teaching, but most of all acknowledging that this all came from God. Amen
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Anything that is good in my life is God all of my sorrows come from that which happens to me because of my choices in the flesh. Father thank you for all that I am in You and please forgive me for my sinful ways. Thank you for you mercy and grace and for picking me up and pointing me back towards all that is Good.