Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-09-01
Sunday School Lesson
Blu Dr.. Marion McH Hull

his sore eyes that disigured him so ter
ribly, and made his bodily presence al
most contemplate? These were the
marks of his apostleship. The natural
man would not have mentioned these
things even, much less to boast of them.
Look carefully over this list again and
see how his boasting differed from lha;
of the average man.
THE NATURAL MAN
B irth
. WnerShip
A accomplishments.
ociety.
riumphS.
b eaten
. utcast.
A nXiety.
hipwreck and sacrifice.
I horn.
But to leave PauFs argument, con-
ceding that he has proven the charges
that he was a true minister of Christ
as false, let us answer the question
which is in our mind; why should
Paul. as the servant of Christ, have
had to suffer as he did?' This brings
US to that question which is as old as
the ages. The question which was an
swered in the oldest book in the Bible
the book of Job-the mystery of suf-
fering. Most people answer it as Jobs
three friends did, that it is because you
have sinned. Was this the reason why
Paul suffered as he did? Hardly. What
was the reason then? Principally to
bring him to the place where he would
have no confidence in himself. 1t was
to test himself first in order that he
might put God to the test. If you had
everything go your way all the time
you really would not know how
strong you We're or how weak, nor
would you be able to experience any
thing of the marvels of Gods grace
The rich man can never know as long
as he has wealth how gracious it is to
have God provide ones temporal needs,
to be up against it and not know where
the money was coming from to meet
the next demand and then to have God
provide it in an almost miraculous way.
Another reason for Paul's suffering
was to purify him. He had lots of the
old nature in him and that dross had
to be burned out, and the gold refined.
That is a marvellous passage in Mali
chi where God says, 81 will sit as a
retiner and purifier of silver" In other
words when we are in the crucible and
in the furnace of affection God never
takes his eye from us until the dross
has been burned out. and he can see, the
reflection of his image in our lives, and
then the crucible is removed from the
furnace. Otherwise the metal would be
oxiGiZed and ruined. God never let's us
stay in too long or takes us out too
soon.
AND the third reason is to magnify
his name. Paul not only suffered more
than any other man for Christs sake.
bue he had marvellous visions given
him Once, he tells us. he was caught
Up into the third heaven where God is
most manifest and there saw unspeak-
able things. To keep him from being
puffed up too much withs pride God al
lowed the devil to give him thorn IN
the flesh.
Three times he asked God to take
that away, but Gods answer was, mo,
Il 1 took that away 1 should also have
to take away my grace. / am going
to leave it. but at the same time 1 am
going to give you my grace which is
sufficient for thee" And when Paul re-
allied what that grace meant, he said
to the Corinthians, II would rather have
the thorn in the flesh and Gods grace
with it than to have it taken away and
not know the maFvels of that sufficient
grace" He had learned by it the great
est lesson that any man could learn.
That the way to- be strong is to be
weak. The way to be something is to
be nothing; the way to be independent
is to be absolutely dependent upon God.
The way to conquer is to surrender
YOUR SUFFERING.
Do you sometimes wonder why God
keeps you from having that greatest of
all physical blessings, health? Why you