SCRIPTURE: 2Timothy (NIV) 2:8 Remember Jesus Christ, raised from the dead, descended from David. This is my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering even to the point of being chained like a criminal. But God’s word is not chained.
OBSERVATION: If Satan was trying to limit the spread of the gospel by putting chains on the Apostle Paul and putting him in prison, it would have to be noted as his second greatest failure. Of course, the first would be causing the death of Jesus who had never sinned and was not under the curse of death. Without His death, there would be no resurrection!!!
The second greatest failure of Satan would be putting the Apostle Paul in prison. It resulted in Paul having time to write letters under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit! Paul could not get out and the Holy Spirit could not be kept out!!!! Under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, Paul wrote letters that have gone far beyond Paul’s limitations of traveling and of time!!!
APPLICATION: We all experience limitations. We can be restricted by poor health, by limited finances, by location, by lack of understanding, by available resources, etc. BUT God’s Word is not limited. It is not chained! When all Paul could do was write letters, he wrote letters. How glad we are to day to be able to read those letters! Remember: Paul could not get out, and the Holy Spirit could not be kept out!
We may not have the resources to build a church building, but we can go out to the streets to witness to someone going past our house. We may not have opportunity to minister to hundreds of people, but we can teach our children to love the Lord; we can write a letter to someone needing encouragement. We may not have a large offering to give, but we can give our loaves and fishes and trust Him to multiply it to meet the need!
PRAYER: Lord, limitations can be used to focus my attention on what you really want me to do. Help me not to be disappointed or discouraged because of the limitations I face. Use the limitations to set the timing for my life. May my faith lift me to see above and beyond the limitations. Amen
Pastor Leon
Making friends for time and eternity!
On Facebook: Today’s SOAP from Pastor Leon
SOAPs by Pastor Leon 