The Christmas season

As the Christmas season approaches I always look forward to dancing like an elf. Wait, what? Well anyways go and check this out: http://elfyourself.com/
You can put pictures of your loved ones, or no so loved ones on a dancing elf. Always a good time. Comment with a link to your finished product.

I'm Back

Well It's been an eventful few weekends, and for those who sorely missed me, I'm back. I know, I know, you can barely contain yourself. For those of you who are still reading and actually care, I had a great time at the National Youth Workers Convention (yes, they have conventions for youth workers), and I also had a great time camping. I think the convention was the best because I got to hear great speakers, get some wonderful resources, and all the free t-shirts were nice too.

I think the count was up to 12 free t-shirts for me, a few for Allison, and also a free t-shirt to the first person who mentions this blog to me. Either email me or leave a comment and you get a free t-shirt. I do have different sizes depending on who it is.

Free t-shirts are just one more reason to be happy during this post-Thanksgiving week.

2 Corinthains 13:1-14

Yes I know it seemed like I was dead, and I practically was. I has my wisdom teeth pulled on Thursday morning so I have been out of it for quit some time now.

On with the scripture!

Paul has many good things to say in this last chapter of 2 Corinthians but one thing that I want to dwell on, and I hope you dwell on is his words in verse 11. "Aim for perfection..." I like that. It's simple, short, and not complicated. Although when it comes down to doing it, it isn't simple, short, or uncomplicated. Aiming for perfection is a hard thing that takes time and can even take a lifetime. I hope we can all aim for perfection, and I hope these past few weeks have given us the encouragement and strive to aim for that perfection.

well I think my pain medication is getting to me, I better go.

Hope to see everyone at Impact practice on Sunday.

2 Corinthians 12:11-21

In this passage you can really see the love that Paul has for this church. I feel like this relationship is like a father and his rebellious teenager. Paul keeps asking them and pleading with them to accept God's word and him, but they don't seem to care. Paul's heart really goes out to this church since he is the one that started it, and he wants to see it prosper.

2 Corinthians 12:1-10

Now the first part of this passage is pretty weird. Paul says that if he was to brag, he would brag about such things as seeing a third heaven and being in paradise. There are some commentators that think Paul is talking about himself here, not someone else. I don't know what to think of it other than it must be awesome if "He heard inexpressible things, thing that a man is not permitted to tell." I wonder if they aren't allowed to tell it, or just couldn't even if they tried.

The second part of this passage I will leave up to Matthew Henry:
"The apostle gives an account of the method God took to keep him humble, and to prevent his being lifted up above measure, on account of the visions and revelations he had. We are not told what this thorn in the flesh was, whether some great trouble, or some great temptation. But God often brings this good out of evil, that the reproaches of our enemies help to hide pride from us. If God loves us, he will keep us from being exalted above measure; and spiritual burdens are ordered to cure spiritual pride. This thorn in the flesh is said to be a messenger of Satan which he sent for evil; but God designed it, and overruled it for good. Prayer is a salve for every sore, a remedy for every malady; and when we are afflicted with thorns in the flesh, we should give ourselves to prayer. If an answer be not given to the first prayer, nor to the second, we are to continue praying. Troubles are sent to teach us to pray; and are continued, to teach us to continue instant in prayer. Though God accepts the prayer of faith, yet he does not always give what is asked for: as he sometimes grants in wrath, so he sometimes denies in love. When God does not take away our troubles and temptations, yet, if he gives grace enough for us, we have no reason to complain. Grace signifies the good-will of God towards us, and that is enough to enlighten and enliven us, sufficient to strengthen and comfort in all afflictions and distresses. His strength is made perfect in our weakness. Thus his grace is manifested and magnified. When we are weak in ourselves, then we are strong in the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ; when we feel that we are weak in ourselves, then we go to Christ, receive strength from him, and enjoy most the supplies of Divine strength and grace."

2 Corinthians 11:1-33

There is a whole lot of stuff that could be talked about just from this one chapter. Foolishness, boasting, trials, temptation, persecution, false apostles, the devil, angels, etc... You get my point. One thing that I did want to talk about is what Paul mentions in verse 4. Paul says that we shouldn't follow any other Jesus than what he preached. He isn't saying that there are a bunch of guys named Jesus and we need to follow the right one, but he is saying that we need to know what Jesus was like, and not make him into some other person that he wasn't. Here is a great article from Relevant Magazine. Check it out at http://relevantmagazine.com/god_article.php?id=7430
I think he hits the nail right on the head.

2 Corinthians 10:1-18

Paul again starts out having to defend himself and his apostleship. Apparently some people were making fun of Paul because his words were harsh but he wasn't much to listen to face to face. Paul addresses this head on because he wants to stop this thinking. Another problem that these people were facing was a lot of bragging. I don't know exactly what they were bragging about, but Paul didn't like it. If you read ahead or just wait until Monday to read it you will see that Paul the one that doesn't brag really had something to brag about.

2 Corinthians 9:6-15

Well this was a nice short passage of scripture that is pretty straightforward. Paul talks about giving money to the Lord's work. As I have been researching things about Islam (A study we are doing in small group), I have found that they are required to give a certain amount of their income. I wonder how much giving at Poinciana would increase if we made people give with force. It would probably be a lot better than it is now. But does God really want that money? Does God want what we don't want to give him?...Nope. This is exactly what Paul is saying in this passage.