SCC Deptford

2 Corinthians 12:7

A few weeks ago in the midweek “Searching Issues” group we were discussing St Paul’s “thorn in his side”. I was reminded of a hospital visit to Ray James where, in a Bible discussion, he told me he thought it likely that homosexuality was being referred to by the Apostle to the Gentiles. Ray, now with the Lord, was a Bible School graduate whose ministry was cut short by firstly Ankylosing Spondilitis (which we believed was completely healed miraculously) then Multiple Schlerosis (he believed the audible voice of God told him he would be healed of it but sadly MRSA got him first). Anyway he knew his Bible very well and had personally and painfully experienced "thorns in the flesh". His opinion on the 2 Corinthians 12:7 enigma is certainly worthy of consideration. It occurred to me this evening that if this view were even possibly tenable our attitudes to the current debate in the Church of England (and elsewhere) on homosexuality might be transformed dramatically. Mmm....

Help!

I have to prepare a Bible study on discipleship and Christian service.: how we should spend our time, what we should be doing, that sort of thing, for next Wednesday. Can anyone help out with some suggestions?

Baal?

Bible Gateway have an amazing online Bible with loads of translations and good search facilities. Just in case anyone doesn't know this excellent resource the URL is http://www.biblegateway.com/cgi-bin/bible. I've just been looking up "breakthrough" as that was a Word into the SCC quite a while back and I use it and pray it but could understand it better. I found it in the NASB and was reminded that David named the place of his victory Baal-Perrazim i.e. "master of the breakthrough". We actually received the Word as "Lord of the breakthrough". So Why did David choose the word Baal when referring to his God? I thought Baal worship was mega unkosher? A further search for "baal" (in the NIV) seems to indicate that the word is bad. Any help gratefully received.