Whatever time I have, it's really not for me, it's for others.

Whatever treasure has been entrusted to me, it's not really for me,

it's for others in serving the Lord.

In the book of Philippians, the Apostle Paul wonders if it would be better for him to die and go to Christ

or to continue living and serve the Church, aware that there was still work to do,

Paul embraced his calling to serve Jesus.

Today on renewing your mind, Dr. Stephen Lawson shows us that true joy and effectiveness in the Christian life

are found in offering ourselves in service to others.

Well, in this session, we are in Philippians chapter 1

and we're going to be starting in verse 24, though I'm going to begin reading in verse 23

because that's where the sentence actually starts.

We left off last time at the end of verse 23.

Paul writes, beginning in verse 23,

but I am hard pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ

for that is very much better.

Yet, to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.

Convince to this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and join the faith

so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again.

In these verses, Paul is torn between two paths that are open before him.

The first path is the one he wants to walk.

It is the desire to be with Christ, which would mean his execution under Caesar,

but he knows that he would graduate to glory.

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