12 and our text will be verses 5 through 7. On Sunday mornings we're going through 2 Corinthians,

almost done with 2 Corinthians. And so once you're there in your Bibles, I'll ask you to

stand if you're able. You can follow along as I read. If not, that's all right.

The Apostle Paul is speaking in the third person of a man who was caught up to the

third heaven in verses 1 through 4, and he continues in verse 5 saying, I will boast about a man

like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses.

Even if I should choose to boast, I would not be a fool because I would be speaking the

truth, but I refrain so no one will think more of me than is warranted by what I do or say or verse seven because of

these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from being conceded,

I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan to torment me.

Let's pray if you would join with me. Again, we'll ask God's blessing on our time.

Lord, thank you for your word. Thank you for these verses that we have here before us this morning.

Lord, we're looking to you, the author and the finisher of our faith, to speak into our lives in and through this passage that we have in our Bibles. Lord, would you speak in that still

small voice of the Holy Spirit? And when you do, Lord, we want to have ears to hear and hearts

to receive that which you would desire to minister to us.

So Lord speak, your servants are listening.

We ask this in Jesus' name.

Amen.

You can be seated, thank you.

So today's teaching is going to be part two of a new series we began last week titled

Why We Go Through Trials.

Are you in a trial here this morning?

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