The Fry’s with the 2nd year apprenticesWe recapped James 1:2 – 4 and the major lesson from these sessions have been on patience.
Today we’ll look at the Life of Paul. He had incredible impact on Christianity and was significant in God’s plan. Paul was a prime persecutor of Christians, a vehement, fundamentalist who was prepared to kill and persecute for what he believes to be right. Then he had the magnificent Damascus experience where he encountered the Living God and his life took a 360 degree turn.
Given the norms we live in today and when we think of Paul, his story would go around the internet very quickly, books would be written, tapes and DVD’s would be on sale. He’d probably be on the God Channel and be the “must-have” speaker at conferences. Needless to say – his ever-growing fan club and so on. That’s often how things happen. People have an insatiable appetite for the spectacular.
This isn’t what happened to Paul. After his conversion, he disappears off the radar screen for 14 years. What was God doing with him? When his story is picked up in Galatians, we see God had been building in him revelation and character. He went to Jerusalem and began sharing what God had revealed to him.
Security
Paul wasn’t fazed or intimidated by anyone. He didn’t need to climb the ladder of importance or “hang” out with the inner circle of those considered important. Paul had a deep experience with God and was really secure of who he was in Christ. In Romans 12:1 he was able to say what he did about the mind being renewed because of his personal experience.
Insecurity
Insecurity is our greatest enemy to ourselves. We start to act double mindedly in order to “fit in”. We succumb to pressure from people both in the church and outside. Insecurity can cause us to do things that we shouldn’t just to please others. There is a drivenness in people that is destructive and it’s caused by deep seated insecurity. It is not Godly.
God took time to prepare Paul and the work takes longer than we realize. What do we do in the meantime? We need to be aware of who we are in God and the measure we have. Let’s not be lured by anything particularly the need to climb the ladder. God is in the business of working in us and changing us.
Today we’ll look at the Life of Paul. He had incredible impact on Christianity and was significant in God’s plan. Paul was a prime persecutor of Christians, a vehement, fundamentalist who was prepared to kill and persecute for what he believes to be right. Then he had the magnificent Damascus experience where he encountered the Living God and his life took a 360 degree turn.
Given the norms we live in today and when we think of Paul, his story would go around the internet very quickly, books would be written, tapes and DVD’s would be on sale. He’d probably be on the God Channel and be the “must-have” speaker at conferences. Needless to say – his ever-growing fan club and so on. That’s often how things happen. People have an insatiable appetite for the spectacular.
This isn’t what happened to Paul. After his conversion, he disappears off the radar screen for 14 years. What was God doing with him? When his story is picked up in Galatians, we see God had been building in him revelation and character. He went to Jerusalem and began sharing what God had revealed to him.
Security
Paul wasn’t fazed or intimidated by anyone. He didn’t need to climb the ladder of importance or “hang” out with the inner circle of those considered important. Paul had a deep experience with God and was really secure of who he was in Christ. In Romans 12:1 he was able to say what he did about the mind being renewed because of his personal experience.
Insecurity
Insecurity is our greatest enemy to ourselves. We start to act double mindedly in order to “fit in”. We succumb to pressure from people both in the church and outside. Insecurity can cause us to do things that we shouldn’t just to please others. There is a drivenness in people that is destructive and it’s caused by deep seated insecurity. It is not Godly.
God took time to prepare Paul and the work takes longer than we realize. What do we do in the meantime? We need to be aware of who we are in God and the measure we have. Let’s not be lured by anything particularly the need to climb the ladder. God is in the business of working in us and changing us.
NB: Premature action will always get us into trouble. It brings premature results.
Compiled by Molly Manhanga
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