Scripture Post #364: *FREQUENT PAIN*

2nd Corinthians 11:

24 Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one.

25 Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep;

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Context: This Scripture was from Apostle Paul and Timothy, unto the Church at Corinth (2nd Cor. 1:1-2).

2nd Corinthians 11

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV):

V. 24: "Five times the Jews have given me their punishment of 39 lashes with a whip."

V. 25: "Three different times I was beaten with rods. One time I was almost killed with rocks. Three times I was in ships that were wrecked, and one of those times I spent the night and the next day in the sea."

Ever go through a season of pain? It feels like one bad thing happens to you right after another, over and over, and you think, "When will it end?" Sometimes it'll be the loss of a family member, then, days later, another family member passes away. Soon after that, more loved ones die. Or maybe it's your physical body. If it's not one thing wrong with you, it's another. You just go in the hospital for a *check-up*, and by the time the doctor's done telling you all that's wrong with you, you're about ready to *check out*! When things like this happen, I think it's always good to look to Scripture—look to GOD. This passage of Scripture states that the Apostle Paul experienced *FREQUENT PAIN*! And if you read the 1st chapter of the Book of Job, you'll see that Job experienced great pain so very frequently, that it was borderline simultaneous! The good thing about going through great pain while being a Christian, is that we have the COMFORTER (the HOLY GHOST)! And while going through pain we can still have great joy!

John 14:26: "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you."

2nd Cor. 7:4: "Great is my boldness of speech toward you, great is my glorying of you: I am filled with comfort, I am exceeding joyful in all our tribulation."

2nd Cor. 6:4: "But in all things approving ourselves as the ministers of God, in much patience, in afflictions, in necessities, in distresses,"

V. 5: "In stripes, in imprisonments, in tumults, in labours, in watchings, in fastings;"

V. 6: "By pureness, by knowledge, by longsuffering, by kindness, by the Holy Ghost, by love unfeigned,"

V. 7: "By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,"

V. 8: "By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true;"

V. 9: "As unknown, and yet well known; as dying, and, behold, we live; as chastened, and not killed;"

V. 10: "As sorrowful, yet alway rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things."

And remember, whatever you may be goin' through physically, emotionally or psychologically, always know spiritually, that you have the COMFORTER in you. And if the COMFORTER dwells in you, then HIS fruits also dwells in you: Gal. 5:22: "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,"

V. 23: "Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law."

To bring balance: Apostle Paul suffered the things mentioned in this Scripture Post for the sake of the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST. He could've avoided these sufferings if he'd just stopped preaching JESUS and furthering the Kingdom of GOD. But he didn't—he went hard for GOD and suffered tremendously for it. JESUS meant that much to him. How much does JESUS mean to you?

Originally Published: Wed. 9/11/13