1Corinthians 4:21 - Prayer Tents

4Don't imagine us leaders to be something we aren't. We are servants of Christ, not his masters. We are guides into God's most sublime secrets, not security guards posted to protect them.G3049G444G3779G3049G2248G5613G5257G5547G2532G3623G3466G2316 2The requirements for a good guide are reliability and accurate knowledge.G3739G1161G3063G2212G1722G3623G2443G5100G2147G4103 3It matters very little to me what you think of me, even less where I rank in popular opinion. I don't even rank myself. Comparisons in these matters are pointless.G1161G1698G2076G1519G1646G2443G350G5259G5216G2228G5259G442G2250G235G350G3761G1683 4I'm not aware of anything that would disqualify me from being a good guide for you, but that doesn't mean much. The Master makes that judgment.G1063G4894G3762G1683G235G1344G3756G1722G5129G1344G1161G350G3165G2076G2962 5So don't get ahead of the Master and jump to conclusions with your judgments before all the evidence is in. When he comes, he will bring out in the open and place in evidence all kinds of things we never even dreamed of—inner motives and purposes and prayers. Only then will any one of us get to hear the "Well done!" of God.G5620G2919G3361G5100G4253G2540G2193G302G2962G2064G3739G2532G5461G2927G4655G2532G5319G1012G2588G2532G5119G1538G1096G1868G575G2316 6All I'm doing right now, friends, is showing how these things pertain to Apollos and me so that you will learn restraint and not rush into making judgments without knowing all the facts. It's important to look at things from God's point of view. I would rather not see you inflating or deflating reputations based on mere hearsay.G1161G5023G80G3345G1519G1683G2532G625G1223G5209G2443G3129G1722G2254G3361G5426G5228G2443G3739G1125G3363G1520G5448G5228G1520G2596G2087 7For who do you know that really knows you, knows your heart? And even if they did, is there anything they would discover in you that you could take credit for? Isn't everything you have and everything you are sheer gifts from God? So what's the point of all this comparing and competing?G1063G5101G1252G4571G1252G1161G5101G2192G3739G2983G3756G2983G1161G1499G2983G5101G2744G5613G2983G3361G2983 8You already have all you need. You already have more access to God than you can handle. Without bringing either Apollos or me into it, you're sitting on top of the world—at least God's world—and we're right there, sitting alongside you!G2235G2075G2880G2235G4147G936G5565G2257G2532G3785G1065G936G2443G2249G2532G4821G5213 9It seems to me that God has put us who bear his Message on stage in a theater in which no one wants to buy a ticket. We're something everyone stands around and stares at, like an accident in the street.G1063G1380G3754G2316G584G2248G652G2078G5613G1935G3754G1096G2302G2889G2532G32G2532G444 10We're the Messiah's misfits. You might be sure of yourselves, but we live in the midst of frailties and uncertainties. You might be well-thought-of by others, but we're mostly kicked around.G2249G3474G1223G5547G1223G1161G5210G5429G1722G5547G2249G772G1161G5210G2478G5210G1741G1161G2249G820 11Much of the time we don't have enough to eat, we wear patched and threadbare clothes, we get doors slammed in our faces,G891G737G5610G3983G2532G3983G2532G1372G2532G1130G2532G2852G2532G790 12and we pick up odd jobs anywhere we can to eke out a living. When they call us names, we say, "God bless you."G2532G2872G2038G2398G5495G3058G2127G1377G430 13When they spread rumors about us, we put in a good word for them. We're treated like garbage, potato peelings from the culture's kitchen. And it's not getting any better.G987G3870G1096G5613G4027G2889G4067G3956G2193G737 14I'm not writing all this as a neighborhood scold just to make you feel rotten. I'm writing as a father to you, my children. I love you and want you to grow up well, not spoiled.G1125G3756G5023G1788G5209G235G5613G3450G27G5043G3560 15There are a lot of people around who can't wait to tell you what you've done wrong, but there aren't many fathers willing to take the time and effort to help you grow up. It was as Jesus helped me proclaim God's Message to you that I became your father.G1063G1437G2192G3463G3807G1722G5547G235G3756G4183G3962G1063G1722G5547G2424G1473G1080G5209G1223G2098 16I'm not, you know, asking you to do anything I'm not already doing myself.G3767G3870G5209G1096G3402G3450 17This is why I sent Timothy to you earlier. He is also my dear son, and true to the Master. He will refresh your memory on the instructions I regularly give all the churches on the way of Christ.G1223G5124G1223G3992G5213G5095G3739G2076G3450G27G5043G2532G4103G1722G2962G3739G363G5209G363G3450G3598G3588G1722G5547G2531G1321G3837G1722G3956G1577 18I know there are some among you who are so full of themselves they never listen to anyone, let alone me. They don't think I'll ever show up in person.G1161G5100G5448G5613G3450G2064G3361G2064G4314G5209 19But I'll be there sooner than you think, God willing, and then we'll see if they're full of anything but hot air.G1161G2064G4314G5209G5030G1437G2962G2309G2532G1097G3756G3056G5448G235G1411 20God's Way is not a matter of mere talk; it's an empowered life.G1063G932G2316G3756G1722G3056G235G1722G1411 21So how should I prepare to come to you? As a severe disciplinarian who makes you toe the mark? Or as a good friend and counselor who wants to share heart-to-heart with you? You decide.G5101G2309G2064G4314G5209G1722G4464G2228G1722G26G5037G4151G4236