“I can do all things through Him (Christ) who strengthens me.”
We can learn a lot from the Apostle Paul’s experience. From the day that he became a Christian his life was in danger. When Paul became a Christian, he did a complete U turn from his former way of life. He went from persecuting Christians to preaching Christ. It was very difficult for Paul’s former friends to accept his new life. This would make a difference to a lot of people, but it did not make any difference to Paul. When Jesus saved Paul, it was a real experience and he could not be turned from it because of the problems that his conversion created for him. The problems that people caused for Paul could not stop his life in Christ, nor could they stop His commitment to serve Christ. We need some of what Paul had. What can we learn from Paul’s experience? We can learn that being a Christian is not always a “bed of roses.” There are some people who teach that when one accepts Christ, he or she will have a problem free life. It is for sure that when Christ is in our lives He will help us either around or through problems, but life will certainly not be problem free. Leonard Ravenhill wrote that everywhere Paul went there was a revival or a riot. When he was in Philippi with Silas, he and Silas ended up in prison because they healed a demon possessed girl. Their feet were actually anchored to the floor in stocks. Now, I would call that a problem. But this problem did not stop Paul, for after he and Silas were delivered from that experience, they went on to other places preaching the Gospel. Paul knew that it was not about him but about Christ. We have a tendency to want to quit when we encounter problems, for example, at church. We will quit if we think that it is about us instead of Christ. When we put Christ first, we can get up and go again after we have fallen. When we put Christ first, quitting is not an option. I don’t know what problems you are encountering now in your life, but don’t let them keep you from serving Christ. We can learn that we can “do all things through Christ who strengthens (us).” That is found in Philippians 4:13. We are timid sometimes about what we can do for Christ. Believe this: If Jesus wants you to do something, whatever it is, in the church or in the community, He will give you the wherewithal and the power to do it. There was very little in Paul’s background that prepared him for serving Christ, but Christ used him anyway. There was very little in my background that prepared me for the service that I have rendered for over fifty years, but He has given me the strength to do it. There might be very little in your background that prepares you to do what you know that Christ wants you to do. Step out by faith and do whatever it is. If Jesus didn’t think that you could do it, He would not have put it on your heart. Get up off of it and serve the Lord, for He will give you the strength to do it. We can learn that the anxieties of life do not have to get us down and keep us from the joy and happiness that we can experience in Christ. Paul wrote in Philippians 4:6-7 “Be careful for nothing (do not be anxious about anything) but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, shall keep your hearts and mind through Christ Jesus.” If anybody had things to be anxious about, it was Paul. But his anxieties could not keep Paul down, because he prayed and depended on God to get him through. We are no different from Paul. The same God who helped him overcome anxiety and get on with his life is the same God who can help us to do the same. I pray that we can all learn from this great man’s experience. After all, we serve the same Lord that he served. Bro. Joe
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AuthorDr. Joe Beauchamp is the author of this blog and website. Categories
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