Think You Have Had a Rough Day? Where is Our Focus?

1 Samuel 11; 1 Samuel 12; 1 Chronicles 1; 2 Corinthians 11
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Scripture

2 Corinthians 11

But whatever they dare to boast about—I’m talking like a fool again—I dare to boast about it, too. 22 Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they descendants of Abraham? So am I. 23 Are they servants of Christ? I know I sound like a madman, but I have served him far more!

I have worked harder, been put in prison more often, been whipped times without number, and faced death again and again. 24 Five different times the Jewish leaders gave me thirty-nine lashes.

25 Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I was stoned. Three times I was shipwrecked. Once I spent a whole night and a day adrift at sea. 26 I have traveled on many long journeys. I have faced danger from rivers and from robbers. I have faced danger from my own people, the Jews, as well as from the Gentiles.

I have faced danger in the cities, in the deserts, and on the seas. And I have faced danger from men who claim to be believers but are not. 27 I have worked hard and long, enduring many sleepless nights. I have been hungry and thirsty and have often gone without food. I have shivered in the cold, without enough clothing to keep me warm.

28 Then, besides all this, I have the daily burden of my concern for all the churches. 29 Who is weak without my feeling that weakness? Who is led astray, and I do not burn with anger?

30 If I must boast, I would rather boast about the things that show how weak I am. 31 God, the Father of our Lord Jesus, who is worthy of eternal praise, knows I am not lying. 32 When I was in Damascus, the governor under King Aretas kept guards at the city gates to catch me. 33 I had to be lowered in a basket through a window in the city wall to escape from him.

Observation

No matter what you are going through I doubt that you or I could ever even imagine what Paul went through for the sake of the Gospel. When God called Saul to follow Him on the road to Damascus God said that Saul (soon to be Paul) would suffer for Him.

Maybe the believers in China or Vietnam or the Sudan know what it is like to suffer like Paul suffered but we in America have no idea.

Application

People who are lost and going to Hell need to be my primary concern and our church must focus on reaching them.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, help me to keep my focus on what is the priority of Your heart. Help me to focus on people that are not walking with You. Continue to bring those people into my life.

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