Think a Minute:
Did you know that the need for approval is an unintended, hidden motivator behind so much of what we do? Whether from our parents, our spouse, our children, our peers, our friends, or our boss, the need for approval is a silent inescapable influence upon our lives. Did you also know that our Eternal, Heavenly Father and God loves us with an unconditional, everlasting love? And He does not love us because we have done anything to win His approval, anything to deserve it. Rather, He loves you because He made you. Has the magnitude of that captured your thinking yet?
Once we have placed our faith and trust in Christ and His atoning work for us on the cross, then nothing can separate us form the approval of the Father. In John’s Gospel, we read, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; not one can snatch them out of my hand” (John 10:27-28). My friends, the approval of God secures your salvation. Your earthly father may never say, “I’m proud of you,” but your heavenly Father will personally wipe away every tear of yours someday. You have His Word on it. Approved and secure forever! Amen!
Prayer for the week: “Dear Lord, I confess that I have struggled to gain Your affection and approval. I know that I can never do anything to be good enough to win Your love. Instead, You love me because You made me. I surrender my doubts and my guilt to You, and I pray that You will remove them from my life. Thank you, Jesus, for dying on the cross for my sins, and for giving me eternal life. Because of You alone, I know that I have eternal life, that I will not be lost, that I will never perish. I know because of the authority of Your Word and the Spirit who testifies with my spirit. Amen and Amen!”
Pastor Rob Pesola