One Sin to Ruin Them All - Himalayan Heights – July 2 Readings: 2 Corinthians 12:1-5 – Third Heaven

2 Corinthians 11-12: God is Strong in Our Weakness

All Scripture is God-breathed and useful, but there are some Scriptures that we can consider the Himalayan mountaintops of the Bible. In the next few months, we will be looking at a series of great texts that inspire and move us - the "Himalayan Heights" of God's Word.

Today's Reading:  2 Corinthians 12:1-5

The Corinthians were Paul's problem church. In chapters 11-12, he defended his apostleship and shows us the value of weakness and humility.

Through the Bible Readings: 2 Chronicles 21-22, Acts 7:1–18, Psalm 78:40–46, Proverbs16:17–19

If you wish to read through the Bible in a year, follow these readings. 

Devotional: One Sin to Ruin Them All     

I remember some times when God's power and his blessings have overwhelmed me. Sometimes, when I am preaching, it is a struggle, putting words together and making the sense of the Scriptures clear to my listeners. Other times, though, God seems to just surround me with wisdom and knowledge and it is as if his words are flowing through me. I claim no inspiration, but I certainly sense his illumination.

In 2017, I had the privilege of serving as president of the Pastors' Conference for the SBC. I remember standing for the first time on the stage, the day before the conference started, thinking, "What on earth am I doing here?" A friend snapped this photo as I tried to put my mind around what was about to happen. I was in awe of the privilege I had and wondered if I'd be able to carry it off.

Paul, though, had experiences like nothing I have ever had. He had visions of God and was, according to his words in 2 Corinthians 12, taken up into the "third heaven" where he heard "inexpressible words - things he just could not put into human language.

It is a funny thing. The times I've sensed the presence of God in my preaching are often those times when I've gone into the pulpit feeling empty, feeling the need for him. I tell him, "Lord, I cannot do this without you. I need your help." When I ran for the PC office, I knew beyond any doubt that unless God was in it, there was no way that it was going to happen for our team. I knew I was absolutely dependent on God. Yet, even though I knew these things, there is an odd thing that happens when God pours out his rich blessings on us. Our fleshly human pride begins to rise up and seeks to take credit for what God has done. "Wow, I was good today in the pulpit." Human pride is pernicious.

Paul experienced this in a powerful way. He was given glorious gifts that no other Christian ever received. He did not get to walk and talk with Jesus here on earth, but he was taken into the highest heaven to hear things no one else heard. God revealed himself in a unique way.

That is why Paul's most important lesson was to boast in Christ and in his weaknesses, which is what he is doing in these chapters. In the next reading (tomorrow - you can read ahead, of course) we will be introduced to Paul's "thorn in the flesh" which God gave him to keep him humble.

Here's the point, my friends. We are all weak and none of us deserves the great things that God might do through us. Yet we all want God (or should want) God to do through us things that are amazing supernatural. No Christian should be satisfied with anything less than a life that is eternally significant. But we learn in these two chapters that there is one sin that is disqualifying above all the others, and that is pride. Arrogance. Self-glory.

God worked powerfully through Paul but also painfully ON Paul to prevent him from being vainglorious. If we want God to work in us, we can never be prideful. God will work in us to humble us, to prevent pride.

Lord, use me powerfully, but humble me, even painfully, if need be. 

Think and Pray:

Are you self-centered and proud?
Do you humble yourself before God and live for his glory?
The key way to know this is if someone criticizes you - how do you respond?