23 Are they servants of Christ? (I am out of my mind to talk like this.) I am more. I have
worked much harder,been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and
been exposed to death again and again.
24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one.
25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was
shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea,
26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from
bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city,
in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers.
27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger
and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked.
28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.
1 Corinthians 11:23-28
I think you will agree with me, Paul went through an a lot of hard times. As I read this
scripture I began to think:
Did Paul ever think God had abandoned or hate him?
He was shipwrecked, beaten, stoned, whipped, hungry, naked and a lot more.
I think it would be easy to get discouraged and think God was punishing him.
But that is not the case here. Paul is not complaining when he writes this.
He is giving glory to God, He is praising God!
We know without a doubt that God was with Paul through every step of the way.
God was with Paul when he was in prison
God was with Paul when he was whipped
God was with Paul when he was at the point of death,
when death was knocking at the door God was by his side!
God never left Paul, not once! He was by his side through it all….
God was with Paul when he spent a whole night at sea adrift on
a board!
When he was in danger from bandits and his own people, God
was with him!
In toil and hardships God was with him!
When he had nothing to eat or drink, when he was naked, God
was with him.
The trials Paul went through drew him closer to God.
The trials he went though strengthened his faith in God.
What troubles are you going through?
I want you to know, as you go
through the storm God is with you. He knows exactly what you are
going through. He will not abandon you!!
Praise God in the storms you are going through right now.
He wants to reveal His greatness to you.
He cares about you and will never leave you alone!
Rely on Him, call on Him in those times.
As God was with Paul, He is with you!
Rolain
kingspeech 