MARKED WITH APPROVAL
READING: 1 THESSALONIANS 2:1-12
In the verse above, the Apostle Paul acknowledged that he was approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. His statement is certainly authenticated by his accomplishments as a servant of the Lord. The Bible thoroughly documents his faithfulness to the gospel. As we view ourselves, those perceptions usually convince us that Paul was far, far greater than we could ever hope to be. It does seem extremely unlikely that anyone will ever be the equal of this great man of God. On the other hand, none of us should underestimate what the power of the Lord is able to do. After all it really is all about Him and His unlimitedness, not our skills and capabilities. Nothing about Paul’s earlier years even remotely hinted his future stature as a Christian. What is in our futures? Is there some Paul in us? The key is as mentioned above. The essence of Paul’s unique service was that his ministry was approved by God. With the approval of the Lord as its source, the resulting excellence of Paul’s ministry was assured. Today, that should serve to boost our hope. We should not allow self-perceived limitations to constrain us. Like Paul, we too are approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, and with God all things are possible. That’s a thought – about God’s Word.
RESPONSE
2. Are you being detained by self-imposed limits?
