1. “Embracing Wisdom, the Very Knowledge of God” 2 Corinthians 12:7-10

2. What have you experienced that you would not wish on your worst enemy?
How often are you tempted to see your hardships more as a curse than a blessing?
How does God work all things together for good, when things are bad?

3. then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. Proverbs 2:5
for wisdom will come into your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; Proverbs 2:10

4. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
James 1:2-3

5. Ephesians 4:17-19

6. Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds.
They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.

7. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.

8. Only in the Spirit can we be the repentant, humbled sinner.
At any given moment our natural man can lead us to be either the prodigal younger brother or the self-righteous older brother.
Only in the Spirit can we be the repentant, humbled sinner.

9. As children of God, our trials are gifts, not curses.1.
As children of God, our trials are gifts, not curses.
2 Corinthians 12:1-7

10. Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep Your word.
You are good and do good; teach me Your statutes Psalm 119:67-68
It is good for me that I was afflicted, that I might learn your statutes Psalm 119:71

11. For it has been granted to you that for the sake of Christ you should not only believe in Him but also suffer for His sake,
Philippians 1:29

12. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.

13. So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.
Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.

14. except of my weaknesses—
On behalf of this man I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast,
except of my weaknesses—
2 Corinthians 12:5

15. The Lord’s Table The Bread 1 Corinthians 11:23-24

16. For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when He was betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it, and said, “This is My body which is for you Do this in remembrance of Me.”

17. 2.
As children of God, it is only when we are humble that we receive grace.
2 Corinthians 12:9a

18. But he gives more grace. Therefore it says,
“God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:6

19. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’
Luke 15:21

20. But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you,

21. 3.
As children of God, it is the very power of God that both weakens us and gives us strength.
2 Corinthians 9b

22. Isaiah 40:27-31

23. Why do you say, O Jacob, and speak, O Israel,
“My way is hidden from the LORD, and my right is disregarded by my God”?

24. Have you not known. Have you not heard
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The LORD is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; His understanding is unsearchable.

25. He gives power to the faint, and to him who has no might he increases strength.
Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted;

26. but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.

27. for My power is made perfect in weakness.”

28. The Lord’s Table The Cup 1 Corinthians 11:25-26

29. In the same way also He took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.

30. How do you know when you are walking with Christ in the midst of your trial?

31. Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses,
so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

32. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities.
For when I am weak, then I am strong.

33. As children of God, our greatest joy is being connected with God!