1:17For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with words of human wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. ... 20Where is the wise man? Where is the scholar? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength. ... 30It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption.
2:2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.
4:For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. 10We are fools for Christ ... 11To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.
2:2For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling.
4:For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like men condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to men. 10We are fools for Christ ... 11To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. 12We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; 13when we are slandered, we answer kindly. Up to this moment we have become the scum of the earth, the refuse of the world.
Does that sound like my life? Or, does my life sound like, "I don't want to be a freak, so I'll just blend in and when they see that I'm just like them, they'll want what's different about me."
Prayer
Heavenly Father, I pray that you will lead me away from esteeming the wisdom of the world. Lord, please help me focus on Christ, who is Wisdom. Father, please make me a fool to this world. I pray that I will preach the Gospel of Christ purely. Lord, I pray that you will live through me so that I will bless when cursed, endure persecution, and show mercy when offended. May I be crucified to this world, and may the life of Christ be resurrected in me. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
Shane,
ReplyDeleteI'm praying for you today. I'm praying that everything you've prepared for in your schooling will come to fruition and that you will find peace, comfort, strength, and a sound mind as you set to finish your draft today.
Thanks, Nate. That means a lot to me. A whole lot.
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