Topic: From Rejection To Success [Thursday March 22, 2018]
Text: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-12 (KJV)
Key Verse: “But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention” (1 Thessalonians 2:2).
MESSAGE:
When ridiculed about his serial failures in his attempt to invent the electric bulb, the well- known American scientist, Thomas Edison, said he had not been failing. He had only been trying out different approaches to realising his dream. He refused to accept defeat each time he ran into a brick wall till he finally made history with a breakthrough that has benefitted mankind throughout the ages.
In this epistle, Apostle Paul offers a glimpse into his experience with the church in Thessalonica. Being an assembly of new converts, he uses the well-known metaphor of a loving nurse to portray the unfeigned love he and his fellow labourers had for this young church. They were selfless leaders who did not exploit the church for personal satisfaction. They were not demanding or constituting themselves into financial burden. They worked to earn a living so they would also help fund the growth of the church. But above all, these sincere followers of Christ lived and practised what they taught.
The main route to success in ministry is unwavering commitment in the face of opposition, together with exemplary leadership through personal holy living that reflects the right doctrine preached from the Bible. This was the secret of Paul’s success. He looked for no glory for himself; he forged on even when the odds were stacked against him; he did not enrich himself through the sweat of the church members; he was not ashamed to do manual labour to support himself, never minding that the Greeks of his day viewed such undertaking as fit only for slaves. How we pray to have such leaders today!
Thought For The Day: Success in ministry comes from toiling for the Body of Christ.
Bible Reading in a Year: Deuteronomy 32-34; Psalm 91
DCLM Daily Manna was written by Pastor William Folorunso Kumuyi; is the founder and General Superintendent of the Deeper Life Bible Church situated at KM 42 on the busy Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria.
){kind=link}