DAY 160 - I Am Not A Fool But A Tool

Today’s Reading: 2 Corinthians 11

Please read 2 Corinthians 11: 1 – 33 and listen to what the Lord Jesus Christ would like to tell you before reading my Spiritual Journal below. If you would like to learn a simple and good way of Daily Devotion method please read my “Count Down 5” from this blog. You may click this link directly for the method: Subject Shifting Devotion.pdf . (You may begin with a song to praise the Lord and complete you devotion by singing another praise song.)

Please click the links below to 2 Corinthians 11:
Chinese: http://www.o-bible.com/cgibin/ob.cgi?version=hb5&book=2co&chapter=11
ESV: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%2011&version=ESV
NIV: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%2011&version=NIV
Message: http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=2%20Corinthians%2011&version=MSG


If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. 2 Corinthians 11: 30


Jesus is very humorous today. What I received from Jesus is today’s title “I am not a fool but a tool”. But when I looked that over in this chapter, I can’t find the word “tool”. This word leads me to think over this chapter in a deeper level. There are 6 “fool” and 9 “boast” in this chapter. Paul was being treated as a “fool”. He was being called useless, and his antagonists were all boasting of how good and useful they were. The Corinthians started not to listen to Paul but rather to those group of boasting leaders. Paul even described some of these as “super-apostles” and even “false apostles”.

According to Acts 18:11, Paul stayed in Corinth for one year and six months to teach people the word of God. How sad that when Paul wrote 2 Corinthians, no one was listening to Paul but rather to those boasting leaders. Paul changed his strategy to use boasting as his message but rather to boast of his weakness and boasting “in the Lord” (2 Cor. 10:17). Those people were boasting of themselves.

What do you think of yourself? Do you know how to boast of your weakness as Paul did? Are you willing to suffer, to be in prison, flogged and in danger as Paul? What would you feel when nobody is listening to you, thinking that you are a fool?! Don’t worry if you are in such kind of situation. Stay on course and focus on Jesus, just like Paul did. For “their end will be what their actions deserve.” 2 Corinthians 11: 15 You are useful, not a fool but a tool to be used by Jesus to bring transformation. Jesus knows you love Him!


Dear Lord Jesus,
Help me to remove any bitterness from being treated as a fool. Teach me to be willing to suffer for you. I love you Lord Jesus. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.


Prayer items today:

For ACiC/AI
Bishop: Rt. Rev. Silas Ng
Network Leader: Rev. Peter Klenner
Administrator: Mrs. Zenia Cheng

Pray for one ACiC/AI church one day at a time
Church of Our Lord, Comox
Rector/Senior Pastor: Rev. Dr. David Bowler
Priest: Rev. David Hollebone


We have started our 2nd phase of 100 days of prayer. I am calling you in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ to fill in your names in the new list below. Many wonderful things have happened in the past 100 days. Can we follow our King, our Shepherd, our Lord Jesus Christ to use an hour’s time to pray for His protection and blessings to my new ministry as the Bishop of ACiC/AI, all our ACiC/AI clergy, leaders and people? Pray that in the Holy and Mighty Name of Jesus Christ our Lord, we can win over Satan's tricks, in order to strengthen our brothers and sisters so that His Kingdom will be extended. Please click this new link to participate in our 2nd phase 100 days/24 hours Prayer Campaign (Nov 29, 2009 to March 8, 2010)