KEY VERSES:
“For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.” Phillipians 1:21-24 (NIV)
No person, apart from Jesus Himself, shaped the history of Christianity like the apostle Paul. Even before he became a believer, his actions were significant. His frenzied persecution of Christians following Stephen’s death got the church started in obeying Christ’s final command to take the gospel worldwide. Paul’s personal encounter with Jesus changed his life. However, he never lost his fierce intensity, instead it became an unshaken faith in Jesus Christ and from then on it was channeled for the gospel.
Until Paul’s conversion, little had been done about carrying the gospel to non-Jews. Paul worked hard to convince the Jews that Gentiles were acceptable to God, but he spent even more time convincing the Gentiles that they were acceptable to God. These he did sometimes at the risk of his life and those of his travelling companions but Paul was not a man to be stopped. He was never afraid to face an issue head-on and deal with it. However, in spite his strong personality, Paul always did as God directed.
Paul was a man who allowed his faith wings to fly to do exploit for the Lord. The lives Paul touched were changed and challenged by meeting Christ through him. His faith was active and greatly manifested in the way he lived his life and in the lives of others. At some point when he and Silas were put in prison, they prayed and sang hymns to God instead of fretting. The result? The jailer and his entire household were saved…”But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison…supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself…Then they (Paul & Silas) spoke the word of the Lord to him (the jailer) and all who were in his house…and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.” Acts 16:25-27,32,34b (NIV)
When in prison at another point in time, he wrote the book of Philippians, a letter full of encouragement to the Philippian church and by extension, Christians today.
Does it then mean that Paul was happy or comfortable in times of trouble? Certainly not! But he allowed his faith in God manifest to encourage himself and others. Paul sums it all up himself this way in 2 Corinthians 6:4-10:
“…Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in everyway: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonment and riots; in hardwork, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and the left; through glory and dishonour; bad report and good report; genuine yet regarded as impostors; known yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything…” (NIV)
“For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labour for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body.” Phillipians 1:21-24 (NIV)
No person, apart from Jesus Himself, shaped the history of Christianity like the apostle Paul. Even before he became a believer, his actions were significant. His frenzied persecution of Christians following Stephen’s death got the church started in obeying Christ’s final command to take the gospel worldwide. Paul’s personal encounter with Jesus changed his life. However, he never lost his fierce intensity, instead it became an unshaken faith in Jesus Christ and from then on it was channeled for the gospel.
Until Paul’s conversion, little had been done about carrying the gospel to non-Jews. Paul worked hard to convince the Jews that Gentiles were acceptable to God, but he spent even more time convincing the Gentiles that they were acceptable to God. These he did sometimes at the risk of his life and those of his travelling companions but Paul was not a man to be stopped. He was never afraid to face an issue head-on and deal with it. However, in spite his strong personality, Paul always did as God directed.
Paul was a man who allowed his faith wings to fly to do exploit for the Lord. The lives Paul touched were changed and challenged by meeting Christ through him. His faith was active and greatly manifested in the way he lived his life and in the lives of others. At some point when he and Silas were put in prison, they prayed and sang hymns to God instead of fretting. The result? The jailer and his entire household were saved…”But at midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God and the prisoners were listening to them. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone’s chains were loosed. And the keeper of the prison…supposing the prisoners had fled, drew his sword and was about to kill himself…Then they (Paul & Silas) spoke the word of the Lord to him (the jailer) and all who were in his house…and he rejoiced, having believed in God with all his household.” Acts 16:25-27,32,34b (NIV)
When in prison at another point in time, he wrote the book of Philippians, a letter full of encouragement to the Philippian church and by extension, Christians today.
Does it then mean that Paul was happy or comfortable in times of trouble? Certainly not! But he allowed his faith in God manifest to encourage himself and others. Paul sums it all up himself this way in 2 Corinthians 6:4-10:
“…Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in everyway: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonment and riots; in hardwork, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and the left; through glory and dishonour; bad report and good report; genuine yet regarded as impostors; known yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything…” (NIV)
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