Friday, September 14, 2007

Vision: Paul Was a Futurist (1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:11)

Extracted from The Maxwell Leadership Bible

As he closes his letter, Paul turns his attention to the future and the day of the Lord. Every leader can count on Christ's return as the one certain future event. Bacause of this, Paul casts vision for the future and communicates his convictions about this great event.

Like all good leaders, Paul understood the power of vision. He purposely closed this letter with encouraging words that would motivate his readers for years to come. He knew that when there is no hope for the future, there is no power in the present. By communicating his vision, Paul accomplished the following:

1. Comfort for those who had lost loved ones (4:13-15).
2. Assurance for those who believe (4:16-18).
3. Warning for those who might forget (5:1-5).
4. Direction for those who needed it (5:6-11).

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