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“... a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan, to torment and harass me—to keep me from exalting myself! (2 Cor 12:7)

It seemed like yesterday’s message was another ‘Marmite’ message – while some loved it, some didn't agree at all, and one sister's response was so well put together that I felt compelled to share it so as to bring balance ...

"Mysteries are given in Scripture to us discover the nature of God, the Hebrew scholars claim that every Scripture has 72 layers of meaning, so I would say we are only scratching the surface. But when we come to read Scripture, we have to come from the understanding of God's nature of unconditional love, His goodness, kindness and the fact that He restored our relationship as beloved sons on the cross. Also, Paul himself writes at that moment about where he is in his relationship with God, something we see change over time in his letters, so this is not a 'static' thing. The number 3, is not necessarily 3, in Hebrew it can just mean a representation, like Jesus said 70 x 7 to forgive does not mean that on occasion 491 you no longer need to forgive. Messenger denotes a being, not a disease. Wherever Paul went he was persecuted by the Jews, harassed, stoned etc. Would you not ask Father to stop that? However, God said He wouldn't stop that (allowing those Jews to have their own free will) but His grace would keep Paul, as He demonstrated many times from delivering him out of situations, reviving him after stoning etc. This helped him in his journey to be willing to lay down his life (humility) to do God's will , even when not understanding God's ways (His ways are higher than our ways). Do we not all need to come to the point that Jesus said, that if we lay down our life and take up His life, that's when we will live? We are not at the stage of the restoration of all things, of His Kingdom on earth as it is in heaven (all of one mind, one heart, one purpose etc etc). We are still at a stage where horrible things happen, and these things can bring us closer to completely trusting God for everything we need within these situations, or thinking God is punishing us (which punishments did Jesus take on the cross - all!!), or 'breaking us, that is such a human interpretation, because in the world people are still operating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which incorporates punishment), and until we realise that Jesus restores us to the tree of life (unconditional love, limitless grace, triumphant mercy), that's how we look at scriptures.

Paul knew God as few Christians do, but he was still discovering more. If we still believe God doesn't love us unconditionally as proven through the cross, but wants to teach us lessons by doing bad things to us, then we all need more revelation of 'He so loved the world that He gave his only son....'

I am still on that journey too, and usually end up with more questions, however I am in the process of giving up my right to want to know the answers, and learning to trust. He is working that in me because I have asked Him to. 1 Corinthians 13 goes a long way to revealing God's character and His ways. Xxx love to you Xxx"

As usual, I've asked the Lord what He wants to say to you, and after reading the above, I believe He led me here.

"Not that I have already obtained it [this goal of being Christlike] or have already been made perfect, but I actively press on so that I may take hold of that [perfection] for which Christ Jesus took hold of me and made me His own. Brothers and sisters, I do not consider that I have made it my own yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the [heavenly] prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature [pursuing spiritual perfection] should have this attitude. And if in any respect you have a different attitude, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us stay true to what we have already attained."

“Are your ears awake? Listen. Listen to the Wind Words, the Spirit blowing through the churches. Christ-conquerors are safe from Devil-death.” (Rev 2:11)