Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1902-06-18
GODS OPPORTUNITY.
1t Is Most Perfectly Realized Dur
ing Mans Extremity.
Sermon by the "HiGhwny and Byway"
Preacher on One Of the Profound
est Secrets of Happy md Sue
cessful Christian Life.
Copyright. 1902 by A. N. Kellogg Newspa-
per Coz

Chicago. June 10. 1902
Text-My grace Is sufficient for thee for
My strength is made perfect In weakness. -
IL. Cor. 1919.
PaurS Experience. Here in this
twelfth chapter of second Corinthians
we touch the extremes in Paul's life,
and from the third Heaven in Paradise
where his soul was in such transports
of celestial JOY that he knew not
whether he was in the body or out Of
the body, aud where he heard things
which never mortal cdr heard him
speak-t they were so sacred: from that
glorious height TO which God by spe-
cial favor raised him. we find him few
verses farther on plunging down TO
the depths of human misery and weak
ness. as for a time the infirmity of
the flesh, whatever il was. obscured
the blessed face of his Lord and shut
out all the JOY from his Christian eX-
perlence. This thorn in the flesh, this
messenger of Satan. was the one
plague-spot of his life. the fly Of cor
ruption in the ointment OF his frag-
rant Christian life Down on his
knees in the dust goes Paul, and he
beseeches God. not once nor twice.
but thrice, that it might depart from
him. Then, like the rift in the dark
cloud through which the golden glor-
les Of the splendid sun come stream
ing. illuminating and transforming
that which has been dark and forbid
ding into glowing. glistening noun
tain peak of heavenly beauty-then.
Paul finds in the marvellous love and
wisdom Of God his thorn in the flesh
i to become all aglow with the glory
ana power of Christ; that. instead of
being removed according TO his agon-
lied and repeated petition, it is to he
transformed and become subduing.
softening influence on his life. 1t is
to be no longer a thorn Of sorrow.
but a fragrant rose Of gladncss. and
his heart breaks forth into song as he
eXclaims; Most gladly. thereto
will | glory in my infirmities. that the
power of Christ may rest upon met"
His thorn has become God golden-tip-
ped goad to better service
The Thorn in the Flesh-Perhnp
there has been no incident in the life
OF Paul over which there has been
more speculation than this thorn in
the flesh, and the curiosity to know
just what that thorn was As though
exact knowledge in this respect would
aid in better unders tanding the ex-
perience and learning its lesson. lam
uDder+be p,,-.1' I''". au'
taft +ba - 90 "P'.'
in order tbat +ha f,r,i ''',,' I''''e
Christ MOL. -,,; .,
it, tboir 81, III
Il nirb+Le oo,,III,o tn..,
way as that ~ parI 49, ~ ~. ,',i''e
io,isIv +r,r.f,r,,,oI o.,.. ''''' ia
Ycu zoo if pan had 49,. a. Wa ms
brother vii, ei,,,i,..1 >, l'-'' ~ ny
be cIaimino p,cr.,r,.I,- +t;',.f.l. ~,
experience and ..\fo Ia pa.,I,, .','I
Le his tbema and 49, u' ~ 5.
touraosd br,,L,,. ,,.i,I, '1:tY P'o,
NJ tborr ,,..,,,l,f MN"
;pg hi. r,or.ana,I - '""I Dear
A thorn :. , ,,,.,,,.t.,.,. "''' NM
on rosab,,.b 80 49, va my, IL
Same hand oar, t,,,, a.. or"
from niercira tI,o tao,ia.. az ~ ""' "
Lord can dol III al - ~
fasb and tr,r.f,.,,, IT,.
serinc influence. ''''' '''''''N
PauI's undorhtodr,
pte Case 10 .ta
corn nature os totax ,bo -. ,'un-
r ~ christ ~ bof, ~, , Po"
PAUL. under the direct irs,,ir..iI
,he UoIv Sniri, yay r,aIo pa J'"n oI
himself the cbiefes+ '',;'rs ~ ..eVIgre
that he miobt hecor,. ',,',e.S ~ oIUeF
pIe Of the .oyi,o ga lam I'm
10 in his thorn ne ciyes enco,,r,,,ornan.
20 all similarly afPicted rftbo . Ter5
was able 70 fror.forr, ~ nv .''iG
His yraco 90 .,,g,,;aI' '''S H.
Iacerafions made hv -. 49, ny me
then there l. bore e. l'I'i -
nnd we can come ,,i,b l,tt5 80 ""t M, M,
throne Of grace a.,4 No., ~ ~,
find grace 10 helm in ti,ro - -, naa3 .. 'N'
These thorn ~. rra.o,.
life 10 oreater ~ ,o.. ~ ''e't
thorn in The Ell =, ,a.-.:,lk.''' ~
Auence or circ,,,.,,noa ',,,."E I''-