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October 31,1990 The Portland Observer- Page 3
i Portland Observer
RELIGION
S c rip tu re o f the ‘W ee^
II Corinthian 12:1-9
Learning To Live With a Limp, Part II
NORTH PORTLAND BIBLE
COLLEGE FALL BANQUET
□ From the Pulpit of Morning Star Baptist Church Rev. T.L. Lewis, Senior Pastor
Why is Paul’s thorn considered
a mystery? It is a mystery because we
don’tknow what it was. Puzzles remain
puzzles as long as they are unsolved.
Mysteries only remain mysteries as long
as you are unaware of what it is.
We know that Paul had a thorn
in the flesh because he told us so.
However, you can search the scriptures
from cover (p cover nowhere will you
find out what Paul’s thorn in the flesh
was. For hundreds and hundreds of
years, theologians and bible scholars
have been speculating about Paul’s thorn,
but it still remains a mystery.
Dr. Jimmy Allen, the past presi­
dent of the Southern Baptist Convention
tells the story of a bible college profes­
sor who was having problems with one
of his students falling asleep during class.
One day he caught the student napping
so he woke him up with this question:
“ Tell us brother, what was Paul’s thorn
in the flesh?’ ’ The young man woke up,
trying to pretend like he was sleeping,
and said, ‘ ‘Sir, I did know, but I forgot.”
The professor said, bible scholars have
been searching the archives of human
history for centuries trying to find out
what Paul’s thorn in the flesh was and
you knew, and you forgot.”
One theologian says that Paul’s
thorn in the flesh was a spiritual tempta­
tion to give up his apostleship. He just
didn’t want to the burden of having to
carry the gospel to the gentiles.
Another says his thorn was the
constant battle with those who tried to
undo his work. Some say it ws his
tempter.
The Roman Catholic church
holds the view that Paul’s thorn in flesh
was an insatiable sexual appetite. Though
he didn’t commit fornication, the tem-
pation constantly plagued him.
It has even been suggested that
Paul’s thorn in the flesh was his physical
appearance. Some believed him to be
ugly and disfigured.
Some scholars believed that he
had epilepsy, eye trouble, severe head­
aches, rheumatoid arthritis.
One writer says that when he
was shipwrecked in the deep he con­
tracted malaria and constantly gave him
trouble which was why he had to take
along Like the physician with him on his
missionary journey.
Then there are those that be­
lieve that Paul’s thorn in the flesh was
whatever is giving them trouble and
tribulations. For example, some hus­
bands believe that Paul’s thorn in the
flesh was a nagging wife.
Be that as it may, Paul’s thorn
remains a mystery. And part of the
reason I believe it remains a mystery is
simply because we would be comparing
ourselves to whatever it was that plagued
Paul. Some folk would say Paul would
not have been so great if he had to put up
with what I put up with. Some would
say if that all bothered him no wonder he
could do such a good job. If that’s all I
had to worry about I’d be criss-crossing
planet earth on missionary journey after
missionary journey.
But since it is a mystery no
excuse is valid for failure to be about our
father’s business.
II.
My second point is the mastery of the
thorn. Although thorns cannot be re­
moved they can be mastered. They can
be conquered to the extent where you
can successfully do the will of God.
There are those who say, if it
wasn’t for this thorn I could do so much
for the kingdom. Well that person is
lying. The text says that the thorn was
You are invited to
Old Fashioned Night at the Auction:
“ THE
F A B U L O U S FUICTIIES
Portland Youth for Christ Benefit Dinner Auction
Saturday, November 3, 1990
Portland Hilton Hotel
sent to humble the apostle lest he be
exalted above measure. It didn’t say it
was sent to hinder and handicap him
from being a productive worker in the
kinddom enterprise.
We can master the thom and go
on to do great work for the kingdom
because we have an example before us;
the apostle himself. In spite of the thom
in his flesh he ws the writer o f over two
thirds of the new testament. In spite of
the thom in his flesh he made over three
missionary journeys. In spite o f the
thom in his flesh he endured hardships
and kept on pressing toward the mark of
the high calling in Christ Jesus.
III.
Thirdly, a thorn in the flesh
makes us aware ofour need for God. For
when we are aware of our need for God
we stay prayerful. We stay in tune with
God. Thoms have a way of making us
keep the lines of communication be­
tween the creature and the creator.
As long as the thom remains in
our lives, God who is the giver of every
good and perfect gift is able to bless us.
And we are able to deal properly with
our blessings all because of the presence
of the thom.
Oh, if the Lord would remove
those thorns, many of us would quit
depending on the giver and start de­
pending the gift. We would cling to the
time bound rather than to the eternal.
We would attempt to become settlers
instead of sojourners in this barren land.
Not only does the thom makes
us aware of our need for God but it also
makes us aware of the power of God.
Paul sought the Lord three times to
remove the thom from his flesh and God
told him, “ My grace is sufficient for
thee. My grace is all you need for my
strength is made perfect in weakness.”
For as long as Paul suffered
with his limp, his thom God was able to
get the glory from his life.
This spiritual experience blast
some modem theology right out of the
water. The prosperity prophets who
believe that God wants everybody healthy,
wealthy and wise. You just tune in on
their blessing plan and all your troubles
will be behind you.
You just name it and claim it.
Just blab it and grab it. And whatever
921 S.W. Sixth A venue
you want will just be at your fingertips,
and they would have you to believe that
the only reason wh you don’t have it is
because you lack faith in God.
Well, that's not necessarily true
because here ws the apostle Paul, a man
of monumental faith, who is considered
to be the greatest Christian who ever
lived. He sought the Lord three times to
remove the thom from his flesh. He
named it and claimed it three times. He
blabbed it and grabbed it three times but
still God persisted in saying no. “ My
grace is sufficient for thee.”
And that’s how the Christian
life is really lived, by the grace of God.
Sometimes up and sometimes down, but
by the grace of God. Sometimes on the
mountain and sometimes in the valley,
but by the grace of God.
God grace is that power to endure
no matter what situation or circumstance
you find yourself in. His grace will see
you through.
ALBINA MINISTERIAL ALLIANCE/
USDA CARE FOOD PROGRAM
The Albina Ministerial alliance
announces the sponsorship of the USDA
Child Adult Care food Program in its 12
Child Care Centers and 175 Family Day
Care Homes. Meals will be available to
enrolled children at no separate charge
without regard to race, color, handicap,
age, sex, or national origin. Any person
who believes that he or she has been
discriminated against in any USDA re­
lated activity should write immediately
to: Secretary of Agriculture, Washing­
ton D.C. 20205.
The Albina Ministerial Alliance Child
Care Centers are located throughout the
Reduced-Price
Family
Monthly
Yearly
Size
969
11,618
1
1,299
15.577
2
1,628
19,536
3
1,958
23,495
4
2,288
27,454
5
2,618
31,413
6
2,948
35,372
7
3,278
39,331
8
For each additional family member,
+330
+3,959
Hosted by Professional Auctioneer. Gary Day
Entertainment by George Fox College Jazz Band
(includes reserved seating
plus $50 in Auction Scrip)
Yearly
8,164
10,946
13,728
16,510
19,292
22,074
24,856
27,638
Free
Monthly
681
913
1,144
1,608
1,698
1,840
2,072
2,304
Weekly
157
211
264
371
371
425
478
532
+2,782
+232
+54
Reverend and Mrs. C.T. Vivian, right,
veteran civil rights activists, explain to
participants in the Congressional Black
Caucus Foundation’s Brain Trust Issues
Forums why scores of demonstrators
gathered recently on the Capitol steps to
urge President Bush to sign the 1990
Civil Rights Bill. Two of the attentive
listeners included Betty Shine, left, a
Media Supervisor for Pepsi-Cola and
Sam Hall, Manager, Community Pro­
grams, Pepsi-Cola Company. The 1990
Civil Rights Bill has been passed by
Congress and was on the President’s
desk during the demonstration. A mem­
ber of the late Dr. Martin Luther King’s
executive staff during the height of the
civil rights movement, Rev. Vivian has
worked more recently through his own
organization, ‘BASIC,’ to fight racism
on several fronts.
Prison Ministries
PRISON MINISTRIES, INC
P.O. BOX 12396
PORTLAND, OREGON 97212
Sunday School
9:00 A.M.
Morning Worship
God Bless You!
10:30 A.M.
Proceeds benefit the ministry work of Portland Youth for Christ
For more information or reservations call 234-9776
Maranalha School o f Ministry
JOHN OR VIVIAN PARKER
6:30 P.M.
Mid-Week Services • Wednesday
7:30 P.M.
Rev. Wendell H. Wallace
Senior Pastor
Jesus Loves You!
Morning Worship
Y.P.W.W.
Evening Worship
8:00 pm
7:00 p.m.
TO
Stone Tower Church,
N.E. Sandy Blvd. & 3Oth
11:15 am
Worship Services 8:00 A.M. & 11:00 A.M.
Church School 9:30 A.M. to 10:30 A.M.
Bible Study, Wednesdays. 116 N.E.Schuyler
10:30 A.M. and 6:30 P.M.
Tuesday Prayer and Bible Band 7:30 pm
Thursday Pastoral Teaching 7:30
You are invited to worship with
The New Testament family.
4236 N.E. Eighth Avenue
(corner of 8th & Skidmore)
Portland, Oregon 97211
Where we preach Jesus Christ
We teach the Bible
We reach out and care for people
(503) 287-0261
&
WE ARE MOVING
SUNDAY SERVICES
1237 NE Failing
Sunday School
9:30 am
For information Call: (503) 284-7563
MT OLIVET BAPTIST
CHURCH
NEW TESTAMENT
CHURCH
Phillip S. Nelson, Pastor
THE STRUGGLE
CONTINUES!
Portland Observer!
Sunday Services
Come and bid on Travel & Entertainment Packages,
Health Club Memberships. Weekend Getaways. &
Auto. Legal, Tax & Personal Services & benefit a worthy causel
C U RTIS SA LG A D O TO
FRO NT
TH A N K SG IVIN G
G O SPEL CR UISE
Support Our Advertisers!
Say You Saw It In The
4222 N.E. 12th Avenue
Portland Oregon
Adults $25.00
Patron $100 per couple
will begin at 5pm. A dinner, $25 per
person, will be served at 6pm. All reser­
vations must be in no later than October
31. Then, at 7pm the oral auction will
begin. There will be entertainment from
the George Fox College Jazz Band. Over
200 items will be available for auction,
such as: week-end trips, medical and tax
services, Winter Hawk tickets,overnight
hotel stays, home improvement items
and more.
Portland Youth For Christ is an
outreach organization which has approxi­
mately 1,000 youth from all over the city
doing work in the high schools, the juve­
nile detention hall and street ministry to
the homeless youth of our city. The or­
ganization is a non-denominational group
of young people. All proceeds from the
auction will go to benefit youth minis­
tries throughout the Portland area.
For reservations and more informa­
tion concerning this important event,
call 234-9776. Ask for Julie.
City of Portland its Family Day Care r ,T h i s Thanksgiving Gospel
Homes are located throughout the City ^ ¡ s e aboard the Sternwheeler Colum-
, t ,
j
.
c __bia Gorge wdl feature Northwest R&B
of Portland and its Family Day Care
6
,
. j
recording artist Curtis Salgado and sev-
Homes are located in North/Northeast
f
.
. .
r,
„ , ,
,
n
eral well known Portland musicians. Curus
Portland and Clark County, Washing-
.
.
wdl be accompanied by Janice Scrog-
lon' .
. . .
___ _
gins. John Mazzocco, Jeff Minneweather,
Anyone desiring more information ®
about the Family Day Care Homes and
.W a"d* ™ ° mpson
C en terssh o u ld c o n J.o u ,o m t e.u 1425 " d 'h c W J d e ' W“ d sG o s[K lS m 8crs;
This gospel cruise is one in a continuing
NE Dekum-Portland.
series of entertainment cruises sponsored
Eligibility for free and reduced-price
by Henry Weinhard’s Private Reserve
meal reimbursement is based on the fol­
aboard the Stemwhecler Columbia Gorge.
lowing income scales effective from July
1, 1990 to June 30, 1991.
Weekly
224
300
376
452
528
605
681
757
add:
+77
ARANATHA
HURCH
Doors open 5:00 p.m. • Dinner 6:00 p.m.
Oral Auction 7:00 p.m.
On November 2, 1990, the North
Portland Bible College will be holding
its 2nd annual fall banquet at the West­
minister Presbyterian Church on NE 16th
and Hancock Streets. Tickets are on sale
for a donation of $15 per person. If you
attended last year’s, then you shouldn’t
want to miss this year’s banquet For
more information, call 288-2919. Rev.
Michael Lindsey, Dean.
KEEP CHRIST IN CHRISTMAS
The Keep Christ In Christmas com­
mittees are all geared up and are prepar­
ing for another tremendous year of ex­
citement, decorations, singing, crafts and
fellowship. This year’s festival of events
will be held at the Miller Hall World
Forestry Center on November 25, 1990
from noon through 6pm. Call 254-8312
for more inquiries.
PORTLAND YOUTH FOR CHRIST
Come support the Christian Youth
of Portland! An auction will be held on
Saturday, November 3, 1990 at the Hil­
ton Hotel (Downtown). A silent auction
Radio Ministry each Sunday. 8:00 A.M.-KBMS
Elder Leon Brewer
Pastor
A Teaching Church With A Reaching Mlnlstiy
Dr. James E. Martin. Senior Pastor
Call
284-7594
Church Office 116 N.E. Schuyler,
I
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