Titus 1:1
Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
Though Paul was a great hero of the faith, he never took on that mindset. Paul’s mindset focused on who he was and on what he was supposed to be doing. Paul could have easily had a mindset that he was someone great, but he never lost the focus that his whole purpose for everything he had was because of God. He never forgot who he was at best, and Who His God and His power to use someone that was so sinful.
If you have ever been around great Christians, you would always know that they never built themselves up as someone great. I have in my lifetime had the opportunity to be around some great Christians. One of my great friends of a lifetime was Bro. Jim Clemensen. If you were ever around him, you never felt that he thought he was better than you. Yes, he was a great leader and a great man of faith, but he never came across that he was better than you.
I think of my pastor for many years, Dr. Jack Hyles. Bro. Hyles pastored the largest Sunday school in the world, but he never carried himself as a big shot. He always made you feel like you were his best friend. It did not matter who you were or were not, how much money you had or did not have, what you had or had not accomplished; he never condescended towards anyone. His mindset about himself and towards others was never affected by what God did through him. Let me share the mindset that Paul, Bro. Clemensen, and Bro. Hyles had that is critical to God using you.
“I am a sinner” is the first mindset that everyone must embrace. Paul started the book out by saying, “Paul,.…” How did Paul see himself? He shows what he thinks of “Paul” in 1 Timothy 1:15 when he says, … Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Paul never forgot that, at best, he was a sinner. If you want God to use you, you must never forget that you are a sinner at best. It is when you forget that, at best, you are a sinner saved by God’s grace that your ability to be used by God is greatly hindered.
“I am a servant” is the second mindset that everyone must embrace to be used by God. Paul said, Paul, a servant. He did not say, “Paul, the great theologian, or Paul, the great Christian.” Paul was honored just to be a servant. It will not bother you to be a servant when you remember that you are a sinner at best. It does not matter what you have accomplished; you will always be a servant. If you always remember that you are a servant, no matter what you have accomplished, your potential for God to use you is limitless.
“I am privileged to have God as my master” is the third mindset you must embrace. Paul said, Paul, a servant of God. He realized he was privileged to keep God as his master. It is not burdensome for any believer with a servant’s mindset to realize that God is their master. The greatest master any person could have is God, for His yoke is easy and His burden is light, but best of all, He serves with you in that yoke.
“I am given position to serve others in a greater way” is the fourth mindset you must have. When you look at your position as a tool to help others in a greater way and not as a tool to have others serve you is when God will magnify your position so that more people are turned to Christ.
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