In this week’s episode we will be discussing, “Useless, Am I? Don’t Believe Everything You Hear, Jesus Has Paid Your Debt” according to God’s Word. Scriptures: Philemon 1:8-11, 17-18, Psalm 139:14, Jeremiah 29:11, 1 Corinthians 2:9
Teen Bible Study Taught 'N Ten Minutes
Useless, Am I? Don’t Believe Everything You Hear, Jesus Has Paid Your Debt
"Yeah, come on, it's like that, it's like that." Hello and welcome to my young loyal listeners of Teen Bible Study Talk in 10 minutes. So what do you know? Word on the go. This podcast is brought to you by and produced by Real Time with the Bennet, where real talk happens all the time. I'm your host, Minister Bennet of today's episode, and my co-host is the lovely sister Bennet as my husband affectionately calls me. Thank you for allowing and trusting us to be a part of your Christian walk. In this week's episode, we will be discussing useless, Emma, don't believe that Jesus has paid your debt according to God's Word. We are back live in the P&T podcast studio with another great lesson for another great week. And yep, you guys guessed it. We're going to talk about useless and debt pain. So let's dive right down into it. It's a world and biblical meaning of useless, not fulfilling or not expected to achieve the intended purpose or desired outcome. We can find this in Philharmon 1-8-11, "Therefore, although in Christ I could be bold in order you to do what you ought to do, yet I prefer to appeal to you on the basis of love. It is as none other than Paul, the old man, and now also a prisoner of Christ Jesus, that I appeal to you for my son Anisimus, who became my son while I was in chains. Formerly, he was useless to you, but now he has become useful, both to you and me." What a powerful opening. I mean, think about that. Paul used the word himself. He called this young kid useless. But when he got with Paul, he became useful. Have you ever felt like you served no value in life? And I mean, let's be honest. We've all been there, done that, and we have the t-shirt to show that we've done it, right? And we felt that way. We find here in Philharmon where Paul openly admits Anisimus was useless to the people where he lived, where he went to school, where he worked, where he played ball, to only later to be changed through his association relationship with Paul, a prisoner and lover of Jesus Christ. I want you to understand that. You probably felt the same way that, hey, God has a call of purpose on my life, I've heard that. But when I go to school, when I'm at the playground, when I'm at my neighborhood, people don't respect me. People look up to me. But there's a reason why that is. God can use other people that he has changed from being useless, like Paul was, to his kingdom, to useful to those, to people like you and me, to change our mindset from not being able to live out our call or purpose placed on us or in our life planted by God himself. Yeah, I set a mouthful there. See, there are other people that felt just like you and I, that God changed their lives. So we can live by their example, they can share with us how they changed, and how they got on the right course and the right path to doing God's will. The truth is, God needs each and every one of us to further his kingdom. So you have value just from that alone. The truth is, when we decide to be in relationship with Jesus Christ and allow the power of his changing love to alter, reshape, and do the work on us that we can accomplish on our own, oh my God, great things happen. The truth is, you're not what people see you as. You are or will be exactly who God made you to be. This is what Psalm 139 and 14 tells us, "I praise you because I'm fearfully and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know that for well." See, there's a very good and real reason why you're not useless. You see what I'm saying? Watch this. Watch this. Jeremiah 29 and 11. "I've used it before, but it fits perfect here. Find no the plans I have for you," declares the Lord. Plans to prosper you, not to harm you. Plans to give you hope and a future. Think about that. Does God fund that verse of scripture sound like the type of God or God that would just leave us hanging? Absolutely not. God not only comes to us with His plan, He will also execute that plan. If you never achieved the awesomeness of God that He has planned for you, then that's not on God. That's on you. That's because we are most likely, in many cases, out of place, out of line, or just playing out of service. First Corinthians 2, line speaks to this, "With no eye has seen, with no ear has heard, but no human mind has conceived that things God has prepared for those who love Him." That is why only God can fulfill the plan in your life, because not even to devil know the plans God had for you. No one can stop what God wants to do for you and through you except you. All you have to do is align your will with God's will and plan for your life by giving your life to His Son, Jesus Christ, to experience the growth and fulfillment and prosperity of God. Father God, I come to you right now, give you thanks for this great and awesome day. I say that you forgive us whether in thought, deed, or actual Lord God, that we may come boldly before your throne of grace, Lord God, asking that you forgive us. Give us this day our daily bread and all that you give, Lord God, and in that giving, give us wisdom as part of that male Lord God. Have your way in our young loyal listeners, hearts, and minds, Lord God, that you have a use for them, and all they have to do is connect to the right brother or sister, Lord God, that would help them grow in this which you have called them into their purpose, their walk, Lord God, which you can do to serve your kingdom, Lord God. Give them courage and power to do just that in the boldness, Lord God, when they get that knowledge and wisdom, that they work, walk circumspectly and do your will, leading other young people to Christ. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen. Amen. Hey, let's see what they're wrapping about over here in the conversation corner. Hey, minister Bennett. What y'all wrapping about over here? You were chatting about Paul's ask to Philharmon and some of the youth could not believe that he did that, but what sets some of them off was verses 17 and 18 which reads, "If then you count me as a partner, receive him as you would me, but if he has wronged you or owes you anything, put that on my account." They could not believe that after Philharmon's slave, Onissimus, stole from him and then fled, Paul was now asking this man to take him back. They were just flabbergasted, and not only that, they could not believe that Paul would take on Onissimus, I believe that's how you pronounce it. So forgive me if I mispronounce it, Onissimus' debt and pay it for him. I explained to the youth that there are two lessons I wanted them to get tonight. Forgiveness, at the time that Onissimus stole and fled, he was not saved nor did he confess to be a Christian. When he fled, he somehow, but we all know that that's how God works. He came in contact with Paul and through Paul's preaching and teaching, Onissimus was saved. Now the forgiveness that I'm speaking of is while Paul asked Philharmon to take him back, I and I agree, fullheartedly that that was a humongous ask. But Philharmon being a Christian, how could he deny this request? So it doesn't tell us in the Bible, but I believe that Philharmon forgave Onissimus and accepted him back. How many times do we throw away people because they wronged us? You know, well, you don't know, but I'm getting ready to tell you. I was quick to dismiss people that did me wrong, but I've since learned that as a Christian and in my growth, that I have to forgive them. Whether I see or hear from them again, it doesn't matter. Nothing matters is that God is pleased with me and that my heart is not heavy and filled with unforgiveness. Now the second lesson I wanted to show them was when Paul said that he would pay Onissimus debt, I wanted them to see that Paul didn't do anything different than what Christ did for us. Jesus knew that we were all sinners. He knew that in us was a no good thing. He knows us and not one of us is perfect, but yet and still he goes to that cross carrying all of our sins and dies for us. He paid our debt. And that is what Paul did for Onissimus. He knew what he had done was wrong, but he also knew that he was sending him back as a Christian and not as a thief. So he was willing to pay his debt given Onissimus a second chance. Jesus could have left us in our sinful state, but he didn't. And now we have been given chance after chance after chance to get it right and do right by Christ. He paid our debt. Now we must be grateful enough to turn from our sinful ways and do what is right and pleasing in his sight. Be blessed, our young lawyer listeners. In summary, the person knowing you are way more useful than you think. We will close with this and a quote. Why do we allow the words of others to affect us? Why do we allow the actions of others to dictate our uselessness or usefulness? We shouldn't because only one word and one act matters. The one word is Christ and the one act is salvation. Remember God created the plan for your life, not your haters. Trying to fight the devil without first being sure our beliefs and intentions are in agreement with the word of God is useless. As always, please don't forget to subscribe and share so that you and your friends will get all future notifications when new and exciting episodes are uploaded and posted. Until next time, stay safe and live a life wholly and acceptable to God after all its reusable service. With a special thank you to L.J. Productions for post-reductions editing techniques used for this podcast. This podcast was sponsored by the Body of Christ Church in Waldorf, Maryland, Pastor Kenneth E. Stewart, its Christian education ministry in association with real time with the Bennett. The real talk, "What? You got it. Happens all the time." Yeah! It's like that! It's like that!