Usefulness in God’s Kingdom Depends on a Clear Conscience

Pray – (1/2 minute)

Read – (2 1/2 minutes) – “I am sending him – who is my very heart – back to you. I would have liked to keep him with me so that he could take your place in helping me while I am in chains for the gospel.” (Philemon 1:12-13)
  Passage: Luke 19:1-10

        A man went to his doctor and said, “Doc, I’ve been struggling with doing things I know I shouldn’t do and wonder if there’s anything you can give me to help.” The doctor replied, “You want something to strengthen your willpower?” The man answered, “No. I want something that will weaken my conscience.” No one is perfect and all of us will fail at time in our attitudes and actions. The answer is not a weakened conscience. The answer is to make things right and gain a clear conscience.
        Onesimus had a change in his life when he believed in Jesus and was converted. His character was changed and he became useful to God and could be very useful in ministry to help Paul. However, he was a runaway slave, and he needed to go back to Colossae and make things right with Philemon. There was no guarantee that Philemon would receive him back, even though Paul wrote the letter with that goal. His return wasn’t as much about the outcome as it was about the process of clearing his conscience and showing his repentance. An unclear conscience is a barrier to effective usefulness. Follow God’s plan to gain a clear conscience and be useful for Him.

Apply - (2 1/2 minutes)
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Pray - (1 1/2 minutes)