Word for Today....The Weakest Link??????
Scripture: 9For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me. 1 Cor. 15:9, 10
For I am the least of the apostles...
Paul considered himself the weakest link of Christ's apostles. Not because he didn't know the law or the scriptures, but because he was the one who sought to kill folks for believing in Christ and was even consenting to the death of Stephen. Paul hadn’t walked with Jesus on the earth. He wasn’t called from fishing like Peter, James and John. He wasn’t commissioned from the tax table like Matthew, but he was called as one out of due time. Many of the things that Saul (his Jewish given name) had done, the Apostle Paul (his God given name) was ashamed of and if possible would reverse the hand of time and erase them completely. We could say that Paul was the Osama Bin Laden of that day, only he didn't send messages and hide. He was bold enough and bad enough to back up his threats. Can you remember some of the things you did 2, 5, 10 or 15 years ago and some not that long ago? Aren't there some things in your past that you don't EVER tell anyone or want anyone to ever know. The only people, who know about those terrible acts, are the people who were actually there and you have sworn them to secrecy. When you have embarrassed God and yourself it is really hard to forgive yourself and often times we wonder why God would forgive you. Many of the things that we have done in our previous life, we wish would could take back or do a lot differently. But God knew who you were when he called you and what you had done. But the beautiful thing about God is that He uses those failures and mishaps to get glory for Himself. Paul had to be embarrassed by his past, but it wasn't his past that God was looking at; it was his future. The bible says that God declares the end from the beginning. And Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. He is the author and finisher of our faith and he had designed your mess to be recreated into a message for someone who is coming up along the same way you came.
Be Blessed!
For I am the least of the apostles...
Paul considered himself the weakest link of Christ's apostles. Not because he didn't know the law or the scriptures, but because he was the one who sought to kill folks for believing in Christ and was even consenting to the death of Stephen. Paul hadn’t walked with Jesus on the earth. He wasn’t called from fishing like Peter, James and John. He wasn’t commissioned from the tax table like Matthew, but he was called as one out of due time. Many of the things that Saul (his Jewish given name) had done, the Apostle Paul (his God given name) was ashamed of and if possible would reverse the hand of time and erase them completely. We could say that Paul was the Osama Bin Laden of that day, only he didn't send messages and hide. He was bold enough and bad enough to back up his threats. Can you remember some of the things you did 2, 5, 10 or 15 years ago and some not that long ago? Aren't there some things in your past that you don't EVER tell anyone or want anyone to ever know. The only people, who know about those terrible acts, are the people who were actually there and you have sworn them to secrecy. When you have embarrassed God and yourself it is really hard to forgive yourself and often times we wonder why God would forgive you. Many of the things that we have done in our previous life, we wish would could take back or do a lot differently. But God knew who you were when he called you and what you had done. But the beautiful thing about God is that He uses those failures and mishaps to get glory for Himself. Paul had to be embarrassed by his past, but it wasn't his past that God was looking at; it was his future. The bible says that God declares the end from the beginning. And Jeremiah 29:11 says, For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end. He is the author and finisher of our faith and he had designed your mess to be recreated into a message for someone who is coming up along the same way you came.
Unlike Jesus' other apostles, Paul had not known Jesus in person. Paul asserted that he received the Gospel not from man, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ. He had received grace from God even when the church people were afraid of him, because they thought he was out to kill them. But the grace of God, which is sufficient, is extended to us and makes up the shortage of our messed up life. Though Paul had a shady past, his future in Christ was bright and it had nothing to do with his education, association or skills. We have to understand that everything we do, whether we think we have the "power" and "ability" to do HAS to be done by God's grace.
When I look at my own life I realize the grace of God has nothing to do with my biblical or secular education and knowledge. It has nothing to do with my money or lack thereof. It has nothing to do with my prestige or position or lack thereof, because God's grace is what drive me and sustains me. I remember the older saints used to say with great conviction, "God's grace kept me." So although I may not be regarded by many and I just might be last or the weakest link, the bible decrees that the first shall be last and the last shall be first. So that is why I rejoice because I realize that by and through grace my time is coming. My breakthrough will happen and like Gideon, who felt like the least among my brethren, God has a plan for my like AND your life. I stand in the guarantee of the power of God, because I recognize that it is not by my might, nor by my power but it is by HIS spirit saith the Lord.
Be Blessed!
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