II CORINTHIANS 12:7-10
WINNERS WITH A WEAKNESS
. . . 1976 FILM BAD NEWS BEARS FEATURING COACH MORRIS BUTTERMAKER (BILLY BOB THORNTON) WHO IS RECRUITED TO COACH THE BEARS, A WOEFULLY INEPT LITTLE LEAGUE TEAM CONSISTING OF 12 MISFITS TO A CHAMPIONSHIP AGAINST THEIR HATED RIVALS, THE YANKEES. THIS GROUP OF MISFITS WHO DESPITE HAVING THE DESIRE - BASEBALL . . .
FIRST/THIRD BASE
PITCHING POUND/ HOME PLATE
GROUND BALL/POP FLY
YET, DESPITE THEIR WEAKNESS – BASEBALL – WINNERS.
APOSTLE PAUL (PHENEMENON) OF WINNING WITH A WEAKNESS.
. . . DECLARED – THORN FLESH
THREE TIMES . . .
GRACE WAS SUFFICIENT . . .
GOD SPECIALIZE IN USING “AS IS” PEOPLE WITH WEKNESSES.
WATERPOT STORY . . .
ABRAHAM
MOSES
RAHAB
GIDEON’S ARMY . . .
NAAMAN
NOAH (DRUNK)
SARAH
NEW TESTAMENT – 12 DISCIPLES . . .
TRIUMPHS – FAULTS, JOHN MAXWELL - NOT KNOWN FOR THEIR SCHOLARSHIP OR ERUDITION (EAR – RA- DI-TION), WEREN’T GREAT ORATORS, THEOLOGIANS, THEY LACKED ANY TRUE NATURAL TALENTS OR INTELLECTUAL ABILITIES, MADE MISTAKES, MISSPOKE AT TIMES (MOTHER – CHILD), ATTITUDE PROBLEMS (PETER), LACKED FAITH AT TIMES, FAILED MISERABLY AT OTHER TIMES, SLOW LEARNERS, SPIRITUALLY DENSE AT TIMES, CHARACTER FLAWS, THEY WERE OUTSIDERS TO BOTH THE POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ARENA, AND YET EACH OF THEM WERE PERSONALLY SELECTED AND CALLED BY CHRIST.
JOHN 15:16 “HE CHOSE THEM BEFORE THEY CHOSE HIM.”
THEY WERE COMMON MEN WITH AN UNCOMMON CALLING, A FOUR-FOLD CALLING:
CONVERSION (SELF TO TOGETHER)
MINISTRY (SERVE OTHERS)
APOSTLESHIP (LEAD OTHERS)
MARTYRDOM (11/12 CRUCIFIED) . . .
WHO WERE THEY – NOBODIES – EVERYTHING – SOMEBODY – ANYTHING . . .
LUKE 18:28 PETER SAID TO JESUS “WE HAVE LEFT EVERYTHING TO FOLLOW YOU.”
JESUS REPLIED: “NO ONE WHO HAS LEFT HIS HOUSE, PARENTS, BROTHERS, WIFE, OR CHILDREN FOR THE SAKE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD, SHALL NOT RECEIVE MANY TIMES MORE IN THIS PRESENT TIME, AND IN THE AGE TO COME ETERNAL LIFE.” . . .
TEMPORARY/PERMANENT BLESSINGS . . .
WHERE WERE THEY FROM . . .
GALILEE – A PLACE DEEMED FOR LOW-CLASS, RURAL, UNEDUACTED PEOPLE . . .
REMINDER WHERE YOU FROM DOES NOT HAVE TO DETERMINE WHERE YOU GO...
TROY SMITH . . .
HOW COULD GOD USE THEM WHEN THEY POSESSED A WEAKNESS:
- MY WEAKNESS REMINDS ME OF MY NEED TO DEPEND ON GOD
GOD TOLD PAUL IN I CORINTHIANS 12:9 “MY POWER WORKS BEST IN WEAKNESS.”
PAUL SAID “WHEN I AM WEAK, THEN I AM STRONG.” . . .
