Religion & Spirituality
In this episode, drPHIL examines the Apostle Paul and how he kept himself usable as a disciple of Jesus Christ. GOD CAN USE ANYBODY! “. . . Give yourselves completely to God – every part of you – because you’ve been brought from death to life, and now you want to be used by God for good, and for his righteous purposes.” Romans 6:13 (LB/TEV) PAUL’S SECRETS OF STAYING USABLE 2 CORINTHIANS 4:1-18 1. NEVER FORGET IT’S ALL BECAUSE OF GOD’S MERCY “God IN HIS MERCY has given us this ministry and work to do. That’s why we do not become discouraged and never give up!” 2 Corinthians 4:1 MERCY: undeserved forgiveness & unearned kindness “You know what I was like . . . how I violently persecuted Christians. I did my best to get rid of them! . . . But then something happened! For it pleased God in his kindness to choose me and call me, even before I was born! What UNDESERVED MERCY!” Galatians 1:13+15 (NLT) “It is God himself who has made us what we are and given us new lives from Christ Jesus; and long ages ago he planned that we should spend these lives in helping others.” Ephesians 2:10 (LB) 2. BE REAL “We don’t try to trick anyone, and we don’t twist the word of God. Instead we teach the truth plainly, showing everyone WHO WE REALLY ARE. Then they can know in their hearts what kind of people we are in God’s sight.” 2 Corinthians 4:2 (NLT/NCV) “The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God!” Romans 8:15(NCV) 3. REMEMBER, IT’S NOT ABOUT ME “Our message is not about ourselves. It is about Jesus Christ as the Lord. We are merely your servants for Jesus’ sake.” 2 Corinthians 4:5 (GW) “We are like clay jars in which this treasure is stored. The real power comes from God and not from us.” 2 Corinthians 4:7 (CEV) 4. USE MY PAIN TO HELP OTHERS “We often suffer, but we are never crushed. Even when we don’t know what to do, we never give up. In times of trouble, God is with us, and when we are knocked down, we get up again.” 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 (CEV) “All of these sufferings of ours are for your benefit. And the more of you who are won to Christ, the more there are to thank Him for his great mercy, and the more God gets glory!” 2 Corinthians 4:15 (LB) “This is why we never give up! Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For ourpresent troubles are quite small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us an immeasurably great glory that will last forever!” 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 (NLT) 5. STAY FOCUSED ON ETERNITY “These little troubles are getting us ready for an eternal glory that will make all our troubles seem like nothing.” 2 Corinthians 4:17 (CEV) “So we don’t look at the troubles we can see right now; rather, we look forward to what we have not yet seen. For the troubles we see will soon be over, but the joys to come will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NLT) The Key to Staying Focused: SMALL GROUPS “A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. And three people are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken.” Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT) Jesus: “For wherever two or three come together in my name, I will be there with them.” Matthew 18:20 (NIV)