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2 Corinthians 6:3-13 – “6 As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain. For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.” I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.”
Paul’s Hardships
We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, 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.
We have spoken freely to you, Corinthians, and opened wide our hearts to you. We are not withholding our affection from you, but you are withholding yours from us. As a fair exchange—I speak as to my children open wide your hearts also.
In everything that Paul did, he always considered what his actions communicated to others about Jesus. If you are a believer, you are a minister for God. In the course of each day, unbelievers observe you. Don’t let your careless or reckless or undisciplined actions be someone’s excuse for rejecting Christ!
Being put in a jail cell we’re cause many many people to become better and to give up and to lose hope… But Paul saw jail time as one more opportunity to share and spread the good news of Jesus Christ. Paul ultimately realized that his current circumstances were not as important as what he did with them.
Turning a bad situation into a good one… All things must work together for good. Paul reached out to the Roman soldiers who made up the palace guard and encouraged Christians who were afraid of persecution.
We may not be in prison but we still have plenty of opportunities to be discouraged… We see things happening in our world and in our nation that can bring fear and anxiety… There are many times of deep indecision, we have financial burdens, family conflicts church conflicts, many people are without jobs, Many people are in a health crisis… this is where we need to dig deep into our faith and remember who we are in Christ!
How we act in such situations will reflect what we believe. Like Paul, always look for ways to demonstrate your faith even in bad situations… We must praise God in the storms of life… Whether or not the situation improves immediately or not… Our faith will ultimately grow stronger as we know that apart from God we can do nothing and that we must remain fully reliant on Him!
We are nothing without Jesus and what a huge difference it makes to know Him… He cares for us so deeply in spite of what the world thinks. Christians don’t have to give into public opinion and public pressures. Paul stayed faithful to God whether people praised him or slandered him. He remained joyous and content in the most difficult of hardships. Let’s never let the circumstances that surround us or other people’s expectations of us control us…
Be firm as you stand true to God and refuse to compromise or trade His standards for living for the worlds standards!
It’s time to get your armor on,it’s time to be battle ready in season and out.. it’s time to know the word of God for yourself so as to not be tricked.. it’s time to declare and decree the promises of God over every and all situations we face… God is not a God that should lie!
His promises are true for each and every one of us… His replies and his answers are always yes and amen according to His will for us!
We are God’s righteous because of the righteousness of God in Christ… And God’s righteousness cannot be partners with wickedness or evil… Light cannot live with darkness and there is no harmony between Christ and the devil… Stand firm ,know who you are in Him, know what you believe and never waiver or compromise!
Philippians 1:15-18
“15 It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill.16 The latter do so out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel.(A) 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition,(B) not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains.(C) 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice.”
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