II Corinthians 12:8,9a

"For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, (three times) that it (this thorn in the flesh) might depart from me. 9. And he (the Lord Jesus Himself) said unto me, `My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect (or complete) in weakness....'"


Again I have to take us back to I Corinthians because this is the whole concept of Christian service. I don't mind a bit when, once in a while, someone will say to me, "Les, the Lord is blessing your ministry so don't get the big head." Because that's always a danger in any ministry, and don't think we don't know that. The moment we think that we can do it ourselves we're all done. It has to be done as a weak vessel that God has seen fit to use.


I Corinthians 1:26

"For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:"


Now that says it all doesn't it? God doesn't go to the kings and queens of world, nor does he usually go to the ivy covered halls of universities for his servants. He never has. All you have to do is go back into the Old Testament economy and look. Don't think for a moment that there weren't more highly polished people to be used than Amos, Gideon, and Ezekiel and some of these people. They were just common ordinary members of the Jewish nation, but that's what God saw fit to use. So Paul is really an exception to the rule. Paul was highly educated and no doubt had a lot of polish because he certainly moved in the upper echelons of Judaism. This is why he constantly puts himself down as nothing, because he realizes that God cannot use somebody unless they are nothing.


Do you know the prime example for that situation in Scripture is Moses. Do you remember back there in Exodus. Moses, at the end of his first 40 years, having lived in Pharaoh's palace (and was the second top man in Egypt), what did he think he could do? Well, he thought he could take the children of Israel out of slavery because of his own power and pomp and circumstance, wisdom, and leadership, so he went out to the children of Israel and as the Book of Acts says:


Acts 7:25

"For he supposed his brethren would have understood how that God by his hand would deliver them: but they understood not."