Protecting Our Eternal Life.

A Christ Follower Endures--

2Co 11:23  Are they ministers of Christ? (I speak as a fool) I am more; in labours more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. 

2Co 11:24  Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. 

2Co 11:25  Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; 

2Co 11:26  In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 

2Co 11:27  In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness. 

2Co 11:28  Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches. 

2Co 11:29  Who is weak, and I am not weak? who is offended, and I burn not? 

2Co 11:30  If I must needs glory, I will glory of the things which concern mine infirmities. 

2Co 11:31  The God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is blessed for evermore, knoweth that I lie not. 

Glorying in infirmities.

2Co 12:5  Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 

2Co 12:6  For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 

2Co 12:7  And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 

2Co 12:8  For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 

2Co 12:9  And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

Thorn in the flesh- lest I should be exalted.

How easy it is to become exalted.

What grounds us in God? Left to our own devices we easily fall far short of living in the space God has provided for those who love Him. I almost said, for those He loves, but truthfully, He offers His love to all and everyone chooses either to love Him or not to love Him. When we choose to love Him, God will give us all we need to be His and that doesn't mean our lives will be easy- in fact it means the opposite. If all we are interested in is having an easy life then choosing to follow our Savior is not what we're looking for. Too many believe following Christ should be easy, that we should have a special protection that keeps us from harm in all its many forms. What we are guaranteed when we accept Christ is our ETERNAL reward, not earthly treasures. When we ask our Savior to be His, we will need to remember He will protect in ways that will care for our eternal life even if that means we suffer horrifically here and now.