OUTLINE:

Wisdom On Grace (2Co 12:9-11)
v12:9 - the greater the weakness, the brighter the grace
v12:10 - perspective is everything; we embrace weakness
v12:11 - remember where we’ve come from (humility)

Wisdom On Weaknesses (2Co 12:9-11)
Weaknesses are good because they cause us to turn to the Lord, to rely on Him and His power and grace, rather than our own. Is that not divinely good??! Isn't it good to be "helped" in getting out of the way??! So thanks to God is in order! Thus, we embrace our weaknesses.

Living Out God’s Grace
Being born again, and becoming a fruit bearing tree (ala Mt 7:18) is a permanent grace gift.

Not Quitting
Temptation, and even faltering for a time, is not the same thing as quitting; we call that stumbling (e.g., Job).

Forgiveness
A forgiving heart is a godly one. It’s impossible to fellowship with another person if we persist in unforgiveness. Imagine if God’s forgiveness were incomplete - how would we ever fellowship with Him for all of eternity???

Ro 3:23-24
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus.

The Sphere of Love
Unity suffers when unforgiveness persists. Peace is fleeting and we distance ourselves from love,  grieving the Spirit.

Mt 18:21-35
Satan despises forgiveness. It’s one of the reasons why he has rejected God’s salvation, himself. In the realm of spiritual death, there is no notion of forgiveness. A forgiving heart is a godly heart, something Satan hates. (ref: Jn 8:44)

Mt 18:27
“And the lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt.

Mt 18:27
released = apoluo ; to free fully, i.e. (literally) relieve, release, dismiss (reflexively, depart), or (figuratively) let die, pardon or (specially) divorce

Foolish Hearts
Human beings are so deceived that they actually believe that holding a grudge is somehow holding another person in their grip. That is a lie.

Pr 10:12
Hatred stirs up strife,
But love covers all transgressions.

2Pe 2:19
…for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved.

Slaves To Evil
When’s the last time you met a person who’s simultaneously stirring up strife and is themselves content and peaceful???

To cling to unforgiveness is to doubt the grace of God.

Entertaining Doubts
Cast it off immediately. Wash your hands of it, for doubts are like a virus - the longer we “play” with a virus, the more likely we are to become infected by it.

“that your faith may not fail”
The emphasis should not be placed on the potentiality of failure, but rather the effectiveness of the Lord’s prayer, “but I have prayed for you” (v32). Peter’s imperfect faith did fail at times, but it was never fully eclipsed - he always “turned again”.

Jesus’ Role In Salvation
Jn 18:9b “Of those whom You have given Me I lost not one.” Throughout scripture, Jesus is depicted as having a very active role in our salvation, both in the Gospel call (“My sheep hear My voice” - Jn 10:27) and daily (“I ask on their behalf” - Jn 17)

God's love must never be absent from any part of our lives.

Wisdom on Love
Love never fails; 1Co 13:8
Let all that you do be done in love. 1Co 16:14