The Reluctant Missionary

Authentic stories from the travels of Michael Smalley.

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marriage parenting personal growth Nov 20, 2018

You know when God does something so unexpected in your life, you can’t help but fall down flat on your face thankful and overwhelmed by how much God loves you? That happened to me on Sunday and it involved an addiction, the death of my father and a jacket.

Coming up on today’s show:

  1. Miracles
  2. Power
  3. And total fulfillment in your life no matter what is going on around you

Distraction of the Day:

Twitter has once again reached out into the ethos to discover the answer to: What did you have 20 years ago that you don’t have today? Insanity ensues.

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“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, a messenger from Satan to torment me and keep me from becoming proud. Three different times I begged the Lord to take it 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.” ‭‭2 Corinthians‬ ‭12:7-10‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Paul’s experience itself then illustrates his message to the church. The true boast of an apostle, of one sent out by the Lord on a mission, is that in the course of such a mission, the Lord has faithfully provided power in moments of necessity so that the apostle may claim “when I am weak, then I am strong” (v. 10). (Davis, James A. “1-2 Corinthians.” Evangelical Commentary on the Bible. Vol. 3. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1995. 995. Print. Baker Reference Library.)

The most famous thorn in history!

  • physical affliction. (2 Corinthians 11:23–27)
  • an eye disease (Galatians 4:15).
  • he could have been vulnerable to significant spiritual-psychological struggles.(2 Corinthians 11:28)
  • “super-apostles” and false brothers constantly dogging him and wreaking havoc in the churches he planted (2 Corinthians 11:5, 26)
  • https://www.desiringgod.org/articles/why-you-have-that-thorn Jon Bloom

God’s power is the only answer

Psalm 35:10 (NLT) — 10 With every bone in my body I will praise him: “Lord, who can compare with you? Who else rescues the helpless from the strong? Who else protects the helpless and poor from those who rob them?”

1 Samuel 12:21 (NLT) — 21 Don’t go back to worshiping worthless idols that cannot help or rescue you—they are totally useless!
Romans 7:24 (NLT) — 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death?

God has you

Isaiah 41:10 (NLT) — 10 Don’t be afraid, for I am with you. Don’t be discouraged, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you. I will hold you up with my victorious right hand.

Hebrews 13:6 (NLT) — 6 So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me?”
Your one job is to tell God you need him. Run to God and let him renew your soul.

 

1 Samuel 7:8 (NLT) — 8 “Don’t stop pleading with the Lord our God to save us from the Philistines!” they begged Samuel.

Psalm 22:11 (NLT) — 11 Do not stay so far from me, for trouble is near, and no one else can help me.

Recognize God’s power to renew you:

Exodus 18:10 (NLT) — 10 “Praise the Lord,” Jethro said, “for he has rescued you from the Egyptians and from Pharaoh. Yes, he has rescued Israel from the powerful hand of Egypt!

Don’t project your weakness on to God’s greatness!

God has you no matter what:

From trouble

Daniel 6:27 (NLT) — 27 He rescues and saves his people; he performs miraculous signs and wonders in the heavens and on earth. He has rescued Daniel from the power of the lions.”

From oppression

Psalm 72:12–14 (NLT) — 12 He will rescue the poor when they cry to him; he will help the oppressed, who have no one to defend them. 13 He feels pity for the weak and the needy, and he will rescue them. 14 He will redeem them from oppression and violence, for their lives are precious to him.

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