1-12 Would to God you could bear with me a little in my folly — and indeed you do bear with me.
For I am jealous over you with godly jealousy; for I have espoused you to one Husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ.
But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
But I fear lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.
For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit which ye have not received, or another gospel which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.
For I consider myself not a whit lower than the very chiefest apostles.
Though I am rude in speech, yet I am not in knowledge; for we have been made thoroughly manifest among you in all things.
Have I committed an offense in abasing myself that ye might be exalted, because I have preached to you the Gospel of God without charge?
I robbed other churches, taking wages from them to do you service.
And when I was present with you and was in want, I was burdensome to no man, for that which I lacked the brethren who came from Macedonia supplied; and in all things I have kept myself from being burdensome to you, and so will I keep myself.
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So many ministers are burdens on their church groups. They foolish enter into big works for which they cannot pay and they try to get people to pay "for their works".
I have found when God told me to do a work there was money there to pay for that work without burdening anyone.
And from the time I was born again, I was careful to get out of debt and to purchase only those things I was able to pay for, not wanting to have to burden the church.
Therefore I chose to live in an apartment rather than to buy a house until there was cash to pay for the house with no mortgage. I also chose to drive an old car rather than purchase a new car and make payments. I live debt free and have continued debt free since I was born again. This is one way I keep myself from being a burden to the church.
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II Corinthians 11:12-15 But what I do, that I will continue to do, that I may cut off occasion from those who desire occasion, that wherein they glory they may be found even as we.
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ.
And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.
Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works.
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As "an angel of light" Satan brings thoughts which you might think to be "revelations" from God.
The idea can seem very godly and noble and it can cause you to sacrifice yourself, but it can be an inspired word from Satan, light which is really darkness.
Only those works authored by God will work.
Mt. 7:21-23 Jesus says: Not every one that saith unto ME, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of MY Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to ME in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in THY name? and in THY name have cast out devils? and in THY name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from ME, ye that work iniquity.
I receive frequent emails from men who identify themselves to me as ministers and tell of their many "good" works and beg for money to pay for their "good works" ... feeding orphans, caring for widows, giving out Bibles ... none of which they can pay for and are wanting me to pay for.
I do not send money to these ministers because I know when God authors a work, God provides for that work.
Many works that men say are "good" are not authored by God.
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II Corinthians 11:16-33 I say again, Let no man think me a fool; if otherwise, yet as a fool receive me, that I may boast myself a little.
That which I speak, I speak it not after the Lord, but as it were foolishly, in this confidence of boasting.
Seeing that many glory after the flesh, I will glory also.
For ye suffer fools gladly, seeing ye yourselves are wise.
For ye suffer, if a man bring you into bondage, if a man devour you, if a man take of you, if a man exalt himself, if a man smite you on the face.
I speak as concerning reproach, as though we had been weak. Howbeit whereinsoever any is bold, (I speak foolishly,) I am bold also.
Are they Hebrews? so am I. Are they Israelites? so am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? so am I.
Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.
Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities.
The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not.
In Damascus the governor under Aretas the king kept the city of the Damascenes with a garrison, desirous to apprehend me: And through a window in a basket was I let down by the wall, and escaped his hands.
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Is it helpful to us today to read what Paul went though?
I think it is. For we also know Paul explained: Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. II Timothy 3:12
The persecution we suffer today might not be imprisonment and physical beatings, though this does happen in some countries of this world. Our persecution is usually in the form of having people despise us because of the Word we have spoken and because of the way we choose to live on this present earth.
As I read about Paul, I know we go through very little in this twelfth-hour on earth.
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