Useful Thinking

Useful Thinking

Philemon 1: ⁸ For this reason I could be bold enough, as your brother in Christ, to order you to do what should be done. ⁹ But because I love you, I make a request instead. I do this even though I am Paul, the ambassador of Christ Jesus, and at present also a prisoner for his sake. ¹⁰ So I make a request to you on behalf of Onesimus, who is my own son in Christ; for while in prison I have become his spiritual father. ¹¹ At one time he was of no use to you, but now he is useful both to you and to me.

 

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Listening to the suggestions from the crowd, I began thinking of ways to get out of class and work. I wanted to play cards and hang out I got nervous when I was almost fired, so I straightened up temporarily.

 

• I hated my job, even though it paid the bills.
• I was constantly looking for ways to goof off or leave.
• I never thought of ways to improve the situation or to add value.

 

Paul humbly makes a request of Philemon on behalf of Onesimus. He describes Onesimus as being useful, but acknowledges that at one point in time he was not useful. Something change with Onesimus and he began serving Paul, the prisoner.

 

My Observations

• There are times when I want to complain, but this is useless to serving.
• There are times when I want to serve myself, but this is useless to drawing other people to GOD.
• There are times when I think only of myself and this type of thinking is useless  to helping other people.

 

Selfishness is blinding. I mean, the more I think of myself, I make excuses for not serving other people. In fact, I may even blame him or her for not serving me in the way “I” think I ought to be served. This type of thinking is useless to bringing people to GOD. Fortunately HE is so, so, so forgiving.

 

HE shows me my selfishness and opens my eyes to a plentiful harvest that HE wants to draw back to HIMSELF. HE show me the hurt and the lost and wants me to seek them and bring them to HIM. There are plenty to bring to HIM, but my eyes have to be opened. I am glad GOD includes me in HIS plan and forgives me when I think only of myself.

 

Challenge

• What tone is the writer taking?
• Have you ever felt sorry for yourself and felt you deserved more?
• Will you change your mindset and ask GOD “What do YOU want me to do for YOUR kingdom today?”

Useful Life

Useful Life

Titus 3: ¹² When I send Artemas or Tychicus to you, do your best to come to me in Nicopolis, because I have decided to spend the winter there. ¹³ Do your best to help Zenas the lawyer and Apollos to get started on their travels, and see to it that they have everything they need. ¹⁴ Our people must learn to spend their time doing good, in order to provide for real needs; they should not live useless lives.

 

¹⁵ All who are with me send you greetings. Give our greetings to our friends in the faith.

God's grace be with you all.

 

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Getting deeper and deeper into trouble, I found my life a mess. Even the parties and living it up seemed empty. When I looked around, I had helped no one but myself and even that was old.

 

• I tried “the good life” and that was getting old.
• I found my heart empty as I sought pleasure, but trouble outweighed my pursuits.
• I felt that there was more to life that seeking what others called “living the life.”

 

Paul sends final greetings to all believers of JESUS. In this greeting, he urges people to “do good” and “provide real needs.” He then drops a bombshell by saying “They should not live useless lives.”

 

My Observations

• GOD cursed the earth when sin entered it, but I still have to live here.
• Heaven is a destination, but earth is where I live
• Some of my life should be dedicated to serving the LORD.

 

Seeking pleasure as medicine can sometimes work, but not always. I mean, when I only seek the pleasures of life, I fond myself wanting more and more of them. Soon, I cannot discern from “needing” pleasure versus “wanting it.” When the waves of life hit, the world’s pleasures seem empty. BUT GOD’s path is full of life.

 

HE wants me to fill my heart with other people and seek HIS kingdom first. Sometimes the world’s pleasures will be included and sometimes difficulty will arise. HE opens my eyes to the fact that through it all, HE is there and walking strong with me. I am grateful for HIS constant love for me an you.

 

Challenge

• What life is the writer referring to?
• Have you been trying really hard to live life and it just does not seem to be working?
• Will you see GOD in all you do so HE can walk solidly with you through trouble and good times, so you can live a useful life for HIM without pressure today?

My Prayer

Dear LORD, please bless this reader with the fact that YOU love him or her dearly. Open eyes to servanthood and also bring servants into lives who need to be served today. Help us understand the true meaning of abundant life because the world has tried to change the definition. Guide us to YOUR plan today. amen

Someone please “stand up” for me.

Philemon 1:  ⁸ Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold and order you to do what you ought to do, ⁹ yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul—an old man and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus— ¹⁰ that I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, who became my son while I was in chains. ¹¹ Formerly he was useless to you, but now he has become useful both to you and to me.

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Tempers flared as we were about to go toe to toe over a business issue we were trying to resolve.  My department thought of one solution and another department had the opposite. The other department had more clout and began to pull back their support for our other projects.

Our department was quickly becoming useless so I had to weigh being “dead right” or going with their solution. Fortunately I knew high ranking officers and got them to step in and speak on our behalf. We not only got support for our existing projects, we also established a compromise to the dilemma that started the battle.

• There are times when I will be “useless” to others because of something I have said or done.
• There are times when I will be “useless” to others due to a mistake I have made.
• There are times when I will be “useless” to others from lack of understanding or blindness on my part.

Many times in my life I have let sin get the best of me and then I have become “useless” to a person or a group of people. Whether it was a lie or fulfillment of lust or treating someone poorly, I have at one time or another, become useless.

During these “useless” situations, I need a change of heart and then an arbitrator, one who will speak on my behalf. Fortunately for me JESUS is my arbitrator to GOD.

• When I sinned as was sentenced to Hell, JESUS spoke for me.
• When I didn’t care about GOD, JESUS sent the HOLY SPIRIT to me.
• When I continue to sin, the HOLY SPIRIT speaks to the FATHER on my behalf, begging and pleading for me.

Sometimes I take my relationship with JESUS a little too lightly. I mean HIS salvation does not give me a license to sin or live any way I want. I really do need for HIM to step in and plead on my behalf because my righteousness is “useless” to GOD. HIS perfection is far greater than anything I could do.

I am so glad I have JESUS and the HOLY SPIRIT speaking on my behalf. By believing, I now have become “useful” to the FATHER.

• Is your life pleasing to GOD?
• Have you made a mistake and require someone to step in?
• Can you let JESUS “step in” and transform your “useless” life into something “useful?”