Trouble

Ya know that one guy? The one that is always going on about how good he has it. How he has the latest and best cell phone. The fastest and coolest car. The name brand cloths and just on and on. AND I bet that when you do hear someone bragging it’s because of something good. Right? Have you ever heard someone brag about how bad they had it? Like it was an honor to be so encumbered or hurt. That is exactly what Paul does here in his 2nd letter to the Church at Corinth. False teachers and been deceiving the people so Paul and to remind them of the truth and in doing so he had to remind them of his credibility and authority and reminding them of the many hardships he had endured in his service to Christ. In speaking about the false teachers Paul said…

* 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.

- 2nd Corinthians 11:23-28

Paul wins! I do not have it that bad. At all! In fact I have it pretty darn good. I would dare to say that none of us have faced as much for Christ as Paul did. And he did it all for Christ. To show his love as Christ loved him. To show his character and to demonstrate faith. Next time we start to throw ourselves a little pity party we may do well to remember Paul and just how excruciating some of the things he faced was and just how good we have it. I believe that when we do that it will be easy to server the Lord with a grateful heart. That it will be easy to…

Press on. Fight the good fight. As a Soldier for Christ.