Study Desk

Even if it is hard for me to speak, I know what I am talking about. You know this by now.

Did I do wrong? I did not ask you for anything when I preached the Good News to you. I made myself poor so you would be made rich.

Some of the time I had no money when I was with you. But I did not ask you for money. The Christians from the country of Macedonia brought me what I needed. I did not ask you and I will not ask you for anything.

You listen to anyone who tells you what to do or makes money off of you or sets a trap for you. You will listen to anyone who makes himself bigger than you or hits you in the face.

Do they work for Christ? I have worked for Him much more than they have. (I speak as if I am crazy.) I have done much more work. I have been in prison more times. I cannot remember how many times I have been whipped. Many times I have been in danger of death.

I receive joy when I am weak. I receive joy when people talk against me and make it hard for me and try to hurt me and make trouble for me. I receive joy when all these things come to me because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

What makes you feel less important than the other churches? Is it because I did not let you give me food and clothing? Forgive me for this wrong!

This is the third time I am ready to come to you. I want nothing from you. I want you, not your money. You are my children. Children should not have to help care for their parents. Parents should help their children.

It is true that I was not a heavy load to you. But some say I set a trap for you.

It may look to you as if we had been trying to make everything look right for ourselves all this time. God knows and so does Christ that all this is done to help you.

I am afraid when I get there God will take all the pride away from me that I had for you. I will not be happy about many who have lived in sin and done sex sins and have had a desire for such things and have not been sorry for their sins and turned from them.

Christ's weak human body died on a cross. It is by God's power that Christ lives today. We are weak. We are as He was. But we will be alive with Christ through the power God has for us.

We cannot work against the truth of God. We only work for it.

He gave Him-self to die for our sins. He did this so we could be saved from this sinful world. This is what God wanted Him to do.

You have heard of my old life when I followed the Jewish religion. I made it as hard as I could for the Christians and did everything I could to destroy the Christian church.

But God chose me before I was born. By His loving-favor He called me to work for Him.

For God helped Peter work with the Jews. He also helped me work with those who are not Jews.

Even so, we know we cannot become right with God by obeying the Law. A man is made right with God by putting his trust in Jesus Christ. For that reason, we have put our trust in Jesus Christ also. We have been made right with God because of our faith in Christ and not by obeying the Law. No man can be made right with God by obeying the Law.

As we try to become right with God by what Christ has done for us, what if we find we are sinners also? Does that mean Christ makes us sinners? No! Never!

The Law has no power over me. I am dead to the Law. Now I can live for God.