DYSMAS CONDUIT
FREE FOOD
(Isa 55:1)
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2009
Question for the day: What can we pray with YOU about today?
Good morning,
This is just a reminder that every day, while we are studying God’s Word to add to our website, someone from our ministry, Dysmas Conduit, is holding you up before the Lord in prayer. May He greatly bless you today as you pursue His will and He is glorified through you.
God’s blessings, our love,
George & Sidney Granger
Today’s Chapter in God’s Word
2 Corinthians 12
Listen at
http://www.audiotreasure.com/webindex.htm
Strength from Weakness
1-5
You've forced me to talk this way, and I do it against my better judgment. But now that we're at it, I may as well bring up the matter of visions and revelations that God gave me. For instance, I know a man who, fourteen years ago, was seized by Christ and swept in ecstasy to the heights of heaven. I really don't know if this took place in the body or out of it; only God knows. I also know that this man was hijacked into paradise—again, whether in or out of the body, I don't know; God knows. There he heard the unspeakable spoken, but was forbidden to tell what he heard. This is the man I want to talk about. But about myself, I'm not saying another word apart from the humiliations.
6
If I had a mind to brag a little, I could probably do it without looking ridiculous, and I'd still be speaking plain truth all the way. But I'll spare you. I don't want anyone imagining me as anything other than the fool you'd encounter if you saw me on the street or heard me talk.
7-10
Because of the extravagance of those revelations, and so I wouldn't get a big head, I was given the gift of a handicap to keep me in constant touch with my limitations. Satan's angel did his best to get me down; what he in fact did was push me to my knees. No danger then of walking around high and mighty! At first I didn't think of it as a gift, and begged God to remove it. Three times I did that, and then he told me,
My grace is enough; it's all you need.
My strength comes into its own in your weakness.
Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size—abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.
11-13
Well, now I've done it! I've made a complete fool of myself by going on like this. But it's not all my fault; you put me up to it. You should have been doing this for me, sticking up for me and commending me instead of making me do it for myself. You know from personal experience that even if I'm a nobody, a nothing, I wasn't second-rate compared to those big-shot apostles you're so taken with. All the signs that mark a true apostle were in evidence while I was with you through both good times and bad: signs of portent, signs of wonder, signs of power. Did you get less of me or of God than any of the other churches? The only thing you got less of was less responsibility for my upkeep. Well, I'm sorry. Forgive me for depriving you.
14-15
Everything is in readiness now for this, my third visit to you. But don't worry about it; you won't have to put yourselves out. I'll be no more of a bother to you this time than on the other visits. I have no interest in what you have—only in you. Children shouldn't have to look out for their parents; parents look out for the children. I'd be most happy to empty my pockets, even mortgage my life, for your good. So how does it happen that the more I love you, the less I'm loved?
16-18
And why is it that I keep coming across these whiffs of gossip about how my self-support was a front behind which I worked an elaborate scam? Where's the evidence? Did I cheat or trick you through anyone I sent? I asked Titus to visit, and sent some brothers along. Did they swindle you out of anything? And haven't we always been just as aboveboard, just as honest?
19
I hope you don't think that all along we've been making our defense before you, the jury. You're not the jury; God is the jury—God revealed in Christ—and we make our case before him. And we've gone to all the trouble of supporting ourselves so that we won't be in the way or get in the way of your growing up.
20-21
I do admit that I have fears that when I come you'll disappoint me and I'll disappoint you, and in frustration with each other everything will fall to pieces—quarrels, jealousy, flaring tempers, taking sides, angry words, vicious rumors, swelled heads, and general bedlam. I don't look forward to a second humiliation by God among you, compounded by hot tears over that crowd that keeps sinning over and over in the same old ways, who refuse to turn away from the pigsty of evil, sexual disorder, and indecency in which they wallow.
CURRENT PRAYER REQUESTS:
Please pray for Mike and Sandy Brommer. They have also requested prayer for guidance concerning a particularly troublesome personal issue.
THANK YOU FOR PRAYING FOR PASTOR BOB ALLMANN
Please remain in prayer concerning his continued healing and that he is upheld by the Spirit, becoming physically strong as he returns to serving the Lord… what he loves to do!
Please continue to pray for Billy Hamburg, whose doctors found 5 tumors in his bladder. He had surgery June 29th and the biopsy results showed a cancerous condition. He will be undergoing chemo & radiation treatments and will need the Lord’s Hand to overcome his anxiety as well as the cancer.
UPDATE:
After more testing, the doctors have found that, despite the number of tumors found in and around the bladder, that the cancer has NOT spread to any surrounding muscle tissue or organs. They are looking at completely removing the bladder and replacing it with a piece of intestine. WE PRAISE GOD AND GIVE HIM THE GLORY FOR THIS; WE ALSO PRAY THAT BILLY WILL RECOGNIZE THIS AS GOD WORKING IN HIS LIFE!!!!!!!!!
I just received a phone call from Lois Rohde. Her son Greg has had a heart attack and being taken to the hospital right now. Please pray for Greg and for his parents, Lois and Bill. Jackie
"All the believers were one in heart and mind.
No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own,
but they shared everything they had...
There were no needy persons among them.
For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them,
brought the money from the sales and put it at the apostles' feet,
and it was distributed to anyone as he had need."
Acts 4:32-35
Have you ever been confused by that passage from Acts 4 or even bothered by it? "What? Were the early Christians communist?!"
No, they weren't communists. The early Christians were not aspiring to communism; they were participating in something many North American Christians have yet to experience... community.
As we read about these early Christians, what we miss is that they are doing life together in community. They are not strangers to each other. They know each other well. They are friends. And based on that relationship, they know when someone is in need and gladly share with them.
This is a new way to redistribute wealth! When we think of redistributing wealth, we usually think it is a bad word. But somehow the Scriptures see it as not only good - but as our responsibility! What's wrong with this picture? We forget about community. The Bible advocates redistribution - not based on taxes and impersonal government programs, but based on relationship and personal care.
Think of it this way. Who is your best friend in the world right now? Now, if that person came to you and needed your help would you not, out of your friendship and care, come to their aid? Of course you would! You know them. You love them. You want to help them. You would use whatever assets you could.
Redistribution based on relationship. Sounds just like Jesus.
And then all of a sudden passages like Proverbs 22:9 make sense. "A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor." This is not an impersonal mandate but a personal privilege.
Now, here's the rub. We don't personally know very many people in need. Our lifestyles, our neighborhoods, our transportation systems and our pace of life all conspire to keep us insulated from people who are poor. People who could be our friend rather than our stranger.
So, if everything is conspiring against us, what can we do?
Choose to step out of the conspiracy.
Take courage and intentionally put yourself into environments where you have unhurried time with people who happen to have need. What you will probably find is that all the stereotypes fall away. All the excuses you had for staying away were unwarranted. That the poor are people just like you. They love, they trust, they hurt; they desire dignity and friendship and Jesus.
What will courageous generosity look like in your life?
Be wise and be Church,
Pastor Greg
Generosity in Hard Times
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