Ὁ ἀπόστολος Παῦλος (Ho apostolos Paulos - The apostle Paul). A man so accomplished in the σοφία (sophia - wisdom) of this world - educated under Γαμαλιήλ (Gamaliēl - Gamaliel), a Φαρισαῖος (Pharisaios - Pharisee) of Φαρισαίων (Pharisaiōn - Pharisees), blameless according to νόμος (nomos - law). Yet he counted ALL of it as σκύβαλον (skubalon - dung, refuse) that he might gain Χριστόν (Christon - Christ) (Philippians 3:8)!

A man anointed by Θεός (Theos - God) Πατήρ (Patēr - Father) through Χριστός (Christos - Christ). Powerful in λόγος (logos - word) and ἔργον (ergon - deed), blessed with χαρίσματα πνευματικά (charismata pneumatika - spiritual gifts) and ἀποκαλύψεις (apokalupseis - revelations) beyond measure. Who accomplished more than any of the other μαθηταί (mathētai - disciples), writing a substantial portion of the Καινή Διαθήκη (Kainē Diathēkē - New Testament).

And yet every sentence he spoke exuded ταπεινοφροσύνη (tapeinophrosunē - humility) and φόβος Θεοῦ (phobos Theou - fear of God).

Παῦλος (Paulos - Paul) himself declared: "I came to you in ἀσθένεια (astheneia - weakness) and φόβος (phobos - fear) and πολλῷ τρόμῳ (pollō tromō - much trembling)" (1 Corinthians 2:3). This man, mightier than the chiefest ἀποστόλων (apostolōn - apostles) (2 Corinthians 11:5), walked in constant awareness of his utter dependence on Θεός (Theos - God) through Χριστός (Christos - Christ)!

Do we not realize how μικρός (mikros - little, small) each of us truly is? How desperately we need Θεόν (Theon - God)? We must press into Him - not occasionally, but πάντοτε (pantote - always, at all times) - throughout every day, every hour, every moment!

Your only success in bearing καρπός (karpos - fruit) for the αἰῶνα μέλλοντα (aiōna mellonta - age to come) depends entirely on how closely you περιπατέω (peripateō - walk) with Κύριος (Kurios - Lord). Not merely walking after Him, but being so close that you walk ἐν (en - IN) Him and He ἐν (en - IN) you!

Every day Θεός (Theos - God) grants us the blessing to wake, our first words should be: "Θεέ (Thee - O God), take my ζωή (zōē - life), use me today!" We are ὀφειλέται (opheiletai - obligated, debtors) to fulfill that εὐχή (euchē - vow) by forcing our νοήματα (noēmata - thoughts) to remain fixed on Him and His λόγος (logos - Word).

Παῦλος (Paulos - Paul) - supernaturally σῳζόμενος (sōzomenos - saved) by Θεός (Theos - God), who περιεπάτησεν (periepatēsen - walked) with Θεόν (Theon - God) until his very last breath. Who preached powerful messages with δάκρυα (dakrua - tears) streaming down his face. This same man declared he ὑπωπιάζω (hupōpiazō - beat into subjection, treat roughly) his σῶμα (sōma - body) and enslaved it, because if he didn't, he would become ἀδόκιμος (adokimos - disqualified, rejected, reprobate) (1 Corinthians 9:27)!

If Παῦλος (Paulos - Paul) - who received such incredible ἀποκαλύψεις (apokalupseis - revelations), who was caught up to the third heaven, who spoke in γλώσσαις (glōssais - tongues) more than all - if he said he must enslave his body or risk being ἀδόκιμος (adokimos - rejected), what about us? (More here)

Παῦλος (Paulos - Paul) also told us clearly: God "found me πιστός (pistos - faithful)" putting him in διακονία (diakonia - ministry) (1 Timothy 1:12). But he explained that mercy was shown to him because he acted in ἄγνοια (agnoia - ignorance) and ἀπιστία (apistia - unbelief) when persecuting believers (1 Timothy 1:13).

The distinction is critical: sins of ἄγνοια (agnoia - ignorance) versus ἑκούσιον ἁμαρτάνειν (hekousion hamartanein - willful sinning). As it says in Hebrews 10:26: "If we deliberately keep on sinning after receiving ἐπίγνωσις (epignōsis - knowledge) of ἀλήθεια (alētheia - truth), no sacrifice for sins remains."

Τὸ πνεῦμα (To pneuma - The spirit) of Θεός (Theos - God) is contending with you, pleading with you to μένω (menō - abide, remain) in Ἰησοῦ Χριστῷ (Iēsou Christō - Jesus Christ) πάντοτε (pantote - always) - all day, every day, until the τέλος (telos - end) of your ζωή (zōē - life). Keeping your λύχνοι (luchnoi - lamps) filled with ἔλαιον (elaion - oil)...

May Θεός (Theos - God) grant us ὦτα ἀκούειν (ōta akouein - ears to hear) and a καρδία (kardia - heart) that συνίημι (suniēmi - understands) His λόγος (logos - Word). May we bring forth καρπός (karpos - fruit) ἑκατονταπλασίονα (hekatontaplasiona - a hundredfold)!

The πρώτη (prōtē - first) and μεγάλη ἐντολή (megalē entolē - greatest commandment) is to ἀγαπάω (agapaō - love) Κύριος (Kurios - Lord) our Θεός (Theos - God) with ὅλης τῆς καρδίας (holēs tēs kardias - all our heart). We must realize this must be us if we claim to be His!

See my other messages in the top right column for more understanding regarding Θεός's (Theos's - God's) δύναμις (dunamis - power) toward us and the different kinds of ἁμαρτία (hamartia - sin): ἁμαρτίαι πρὸς θάνατον (hamartiai pros thanaton - sins unto death) versus ἁμαρτίαι μὴ πρὸς θάνατον (hamartiai mē pros thanaton - sins not unto death) - ἑκούσιαι ἁμαρτίαι (hekousiai hamartiai - willful sins) versus ἁμαρτίαι ἐν ἀγνοίᾳ (hamartiai en agnoiā - sins in ignorance) and going πλανάομαι (planaomai - astray) (1 John 5).

You can be σωθῇς (sōthēs - saved)!

Θεός (Theos - God) ἠγάπησεν (ēgapēsen - loved) the κόσμος (kosmos - world) so much that He came down through Ἰησοῦν Χριστόν (Iēsoun Christon - Jesus Christ) to die for us. If Θεός (Theos - God) is opening your καρδία (kardia - heart) to His message and you feel ἔλεγχος (elegchos - conviction) for your ἁμαρτίαι (hamartiai - sins) which have separated you from ἅγιος (hagios - holy) Θεός (Theos - God), and you feel the need to be forgiven, then say this prayer. This is how I was powerfully μετενόησα (metenoēsa - converted/repented) in 1997!

Say: "My Κύριος (Kurios - Lord) and my Θεός (Theos - God), have ἔλεος (eleos - mercy) on me, a ἁμαρτωλός (hamartōlos - sinner). I believe Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous - Jesus) Χριστός (Christos - Christ) died on the σταυρός (stauros - cross) and shed His precious αἷμα (haima - blood) for the ἄφεσις (aphesis - forgiveness) of all my ἁμαρτίαι (hamartiai - sins). I believe Ἰησοῦς (Iēsous - Jesus) rose from the dead and ascended into οὐρανός (ouranos - heaven) and is now at the right hand of Θεός (Theos - God) Πατήρ (Patēr - Father) listening to this prayer. I open the door of my καρδία (kardia - heart) and invite You in, Κύριε Ἰησοῦ (Kurie Iēsou - Lord Jesus). Thank you, Θεέ (Thee - O God), for saving my ψυχή (psuchē - soul), and I vow to serve you with ὅλης τῆς καρδίας μου (holēs tēs kardias mou - all my heart), which is the first and greatest ἐντολή (entolē - commandment). Ἀμήν (Amēn - Amen)."