September 21-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
1 Thessalonians 2:13, And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.
Observe what it is saying.
In the midst of his defense of how he and his colleagues faithfully shared the gospel, Paul takes the opportunity to express how they regularly thank God for how the Thessalonians received the message. They did not receive it as an earthly word but, as it truly was, a heavenly word spoken by God Himself. Their hearts and minds were spiritually enlightened to grasp and understand the life-giving truth that was being offered. In fact, Paul said that eternal word was still at work in the lives of those who believed it to be true. God’s word is not a static but a dynamic power that not only saves but transforms us as we take it fully in. The author of Hebrews writes about the ongoing impact of God’s word. Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” It does surgical work within us to reveal if we are thinking or holding any attitude that is not worthy of our redemption. As we carefully, prayerfully take in Scriptural truth, we can expect it to instruct, challenge, correct, and encourage us so we will continue to undergo deeper spiritual change in becoming more like Jesus.
Relate it to your life.
What is the work the word of God is doing within me in this season of my life?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, help me to be attentive and responsive to Your Word that is alive within me. Amen.
September 22-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
1 Thessalonians 2:14, For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews
Observe what it is saying.
The second way the Thessalonians responded positively to Paul’s visit was their willingness to suffer for the Word. Earlier he said the Thessalonians were imitating him and the Lord and now he speaks of them imitating the churches in Judea. These were the very churches whom Paul himself persecuted before his dramatic call by the Lord. Welcoming the word and enduring sufferings often go together. In hostile cultures, it is no surprise when persecution comes when Christians pattern their lives after the Lord. Paul's connection with Christians in Judea was evidence of his desire to bring a sense of unity with all Christians no matter their ethnic background or geographical location. Both the Thessalonian churches and the churches in Judea suffered persecution from fellow-countrymen. For the Thessalonians these were predominantly Gentiles. For the Judean churches, it came from strong advocates of the Jewish religion that Christianity strongly threatened. Paul indicated by connecting the two together that Christians around the world often experience the same kinds of struggles. In addition, as we recognize that we are members of the larger global church known as the Body of Christ, we should continually pray, support, and encourage one another in times of difficulty.
Relate it to your life.
I need to keep an enlarged worldview that my membership is in the global church.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I pray for protection, provision, and peace for the family of faith who are being persecuted around the world. Give them strength to remain faithful in the most difficult moments. Amen.
September 23-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:15-16a, who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved.
Observe what it is saying.
Paul continued his thought about those who suffered back home in Judea. As they were known to have done to the prophets before Him, the Jewish leadership killed Jesus. As an extension of the righteous being persecuted, Paul and His colleagues faced the same kind of trouble throughout their missionary journeys. Paul knew firsthand about this because he, too, was a persecutor before the Lord turned his life around. As he had been, he said these Jewish leaders displeased God and were hostile to all men. In fact, they were militantly opposed to God, even though they thought they were serving God. Such zeal was not guided by knowledge. Passion without wisdom is dangerous. By opposing God's Messiah so strenuously, they foolishly became God's adversaries. In so doing, they became hostile to large numbers of people as they stubbornly refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. This carried into Paul’s ministry as they tried to keep him from evangelizing the Gentiles so they could be saved. The opposition refused to believe Jesus was the Messiah and rejected the idea that God wanted to include the Gentiles because that would imply God was forsaking Israel. Paul faced tremendous opposition, as did many who believed the message, due to the zealous actions of those who refused to believe the truth.
Relate it to your life.
In my zealous thoughts and acts, I must be cautious that my passion is based on truth and nothing less.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, may my zeal for You be directed so others are blessed and You are praised. Amen.
September 24-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
1 Thessalonians 2:16b, In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
Observe what it is saying.
Paul continued to speak about those who attempted to stop him from spreading Jesus’ message to the Gentiles in the Mediterranean world. "They always heap up their sins to the limit" refers to the outcome of killing the Lord Jesus and all their adverse activity against the growing church. This heaping up refers to a well-defined limit of sin appointed by divine decree. After generations of repeated rebellion, they had arrived at that point. The climax had come especially with rejecting the Messiah himself. Paul reminds us of the sober results of rejecting the good news of Jesus. "The wrath of God" has come. This is the wrath the unbelieving world is destined for. All prerequisites for unleashing this future torrent have been met. God has set conditions in readiness through the first coming and the rejection of Messiah by this people. The determination cannot be reversed. At the end, how we have responded to the gospel will determine whether we experience the wrath of God or the blessedness of God. This is why Paul was so zealous to evangelize as much of the known world as possible. He understood the eternal consequences of failing to trust and follow the Lord Jesus. Let’s be as clear as we can. What we do with Jesus determines whether we will experience God’s eternal wrath or God’s eternal blessedness. The choice is ours.
Relate it to your life.
Do I understand the severity of rejecting Jesus? If I do, what am I doing to get the word out?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, give me Paul’s passion to proclaim the life-saving message so others will be spared the wrath that is coming and enjoy the eternal bliss of the new heaven and earth. Amen.
September 25-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
1 Thessalonians 2:17-18, But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.
Observe what it is saying.
We cannot miss Paul’s deep feeling for the Thessalonians. As he has already done, Paul speaks, once again, so affectionately for these fellow believers. He uses dramatic language of being orphaned from them to describe his deep love for them. He reassured them that such separation was in body only and not in mind. He thinks of them often. He holds them dearly in his heart. He speaks of his great desire to get back to them. Paul understands the high value of personal connection in the church family. As Paul had such tremendous zeal to share the good news of Jesus, he holds the same passion to re-unite with fellow believers so that he might encourage and enjoy fellowship with them. When we are truly in Christ, we have an equal desire to be in relationship with the body of Christ. The two go together and cannot be separated. The strong tug on Paul’s heart is manifested by the words "certainly I, Paul." Though Timothy and Silas had already returned to Thessalonica, Paul's failure to do so did not come from lack of intention. He had attempted a visit several times. Paul believed the only thing that could hinder such intense desire was Satanic disruption. The real existence of a supernatural devil is beyond denial. We should not be surprised at the enemy’s intense efforts to feverishly frustrate the spread of the gospel and the warm fellowship of Christ’s family. However, we know the word and the church cannot be stopped!
Relate it to your life.
Whenever I fully surrender to Christ, I can expect Satan’s activity to be against me.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, keep me from being discouraged when the enemy is at work to defeat my deepest desires for good. Amen.
September 26-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
Observe what it is saying.
Paul continues to reveal his heart concerning his love for the Thessalonians. After stating he was blocked by Satan from coming to visit them, he speaks these words that are a bit surprising. You would think such language would be reserved to describe Jesus Himself. Hope, glory, and crown are descriptions of what we have in Jesus. Yet, he gives us a beautiful picture of who the redeemed are in God’s eyes and what they should be in our eyes. Because Paul was used by the Holy Spirit to reach the Thessalonians for the kingdom, he anticipates they will bring him a victor's wreath to glory in when Christ returns. This future event is identical with the appearance of every Christian before the judgment seat of Christ, where our works will be evaluated. Because of his friends’ spiritual standing, Paul feels this will be an occasion for great joy and victory. In the same way, we should consider the ones God has used us to bring into His kingdom as our greatest joy and victory. "When he comes" is a word that in secular Greek sometimes meant a ruler's visit. Our King Jesus will visit one day to judge His people and bring them into His glorious kingdom filled with uncontainable joy. This is a day to anticipate and prepare for today.
Relate it to your life.
Do I celebrate the faith others have and consider their eternity in my list of things to be most joyful for?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, use me today and each day to show and tell others the way into Your kingdom. Amen.
Write out the Scripture.
1 Thessalonians 2:13, And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.
Observe what it is saying.
In the midst of his defense of how he and his colleagues faithfully shared the gospel, Paul takes the opportunity to express how they regularly thank God for how the Thessalonians received the message. They did not receive it as an earthly word but, as it truly was, a heavenly word spoken by God Himself. Their hearts and minds were spiritually enlightened to grasp and understand the life-giving truth that was being offered. In fact, Paul said that eternal word was still at work in the lives of those who believed it to be true. God’s word is not a static but a dynamic power that not only saves but transforms us as we take it fully in. The author of Hebrews writes about the ongoing impact of God’s word. Hebrews 4:12, “For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” It does surgical work within us to reveal if we are thinking or holding any attitude that is not worthy of our redemption. As we carefully, prayerfully take in Scriptural truth, we can expect it to instruct, challenge, correct, and encourage us so we will continue to undergo deeper spiritual change in becoming more like Jesus.
Relate it to your life.
What is the work the word of God is doing within me in this season of my life?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, help me to be attentive and responsive to Your Word that is alive within me. Amen.
September 22-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
1 Thessalonians 2:14, For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews
Observe what it is saying.
The second way the Thessalonians responded positively to Paul’s visit was their willingness to suffer for the Word. Earlier he said the Thessalonians were imitating him and the Lord and now he speaks of them imitating the churches in Judea. These were the very churches whom Paul himself persecuted before his dramatic call by the Lord. Welcoming the word and enduring sufferings often go together. In hostile cultures, it is no surprise when persecution comes when Christians pattern their lives after the Lord. Paul's connection with Christians in Judea was evidence of his desire to bring a sense of unity with all Christians no matter their ethnic background or geographical location. Both the Thessalonian churches and the churches in Judea suffered persecution from fellow-countrymen. For the Thessalonians these were predominantly Gentiles. For the Judean churches, it came from strong advocates of the Jewish religion that Christianity strongly threatened. Paul indicated by connecting the two together that Christians around the world often experience the same kinds of struggles. In addition, as we recognize that we are members of the larger global church known as the Body of Christ, we should continually pray, support, and encourage one another in times of difficulty.
Relate it to your life.
I need to keep an enlarged worldview that my membership is in the global church.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I pray for protection, provision, and peace for the family of faith who are being persecuted around the world. Give them strength to remain faithful in the most difficult moments. Amen.
September 23-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:15-16a, who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved.
Observe what it is saying.
Paul continued his thought about those who suffered back home in Judea. As they were known to have done to the prophets before Him, the Jewish leadership killed Jesus. As an extension of the righteous being persecuted, Paul and His colleagues faced the same kind of trouble throughout their missionary journeys. Paul knew firsthand about this because he, too, was a persecutor before the Lord turned his life around. As he had been, he said these Jewish leaders displeased God and were hostile to all men. In fact, they were militantly opposed to God, even though they thought they were serving God. Such zeal was not guided by knowledge. Passion without wisdom is dangerous. By opposing God's Messiah so strenuously, they foolishly became God's adversaries. In so doing, they became hostile to large numbers of people as they stubbornly refused to acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah. This carried into Paul’s ministry as they tried to keep him from evangelizing the Gentiles so they could be saved. The opposition refused to believe Jesus was the Messiah and rejected the idea that God wanted to include the Gentiles because that would imply God was forsaking Israel. Paul faced tremendous opposition, as did many who believed the message, due to the zealous actions of those who refused to believe the truth.
Relate it to your life.
In my zealous thoughts and acts, I must be cautious that my passion is based on truth and nothing less.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, may my zeal for You be directed so others are blessed and You are praised. Amen.
September 24-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
1 Thessalonians 2:16b, In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
Observe what it is saying.
Paul continued to speak about those who attempted to stop him from spreading Jesus’ message to the Gentiles in the Mediterranean world. "They always heap up their sins to the limit" refers to the outcome of killing the Lord Jesus and all their adverse activity against the growing church. This heaping up refers to a well-defined limit of sin appointed by divine decree. After generations of repeated rebellion, they had arrived at that point. The climax had come especially with rejecting the Messiah himself. Paul reminds us of the sober results of rejecting the good news of Jesus. "The wrath of God" has come. This is the wrath the unbelieving world is destined for. All prerequisites for unleashing this future torrent have been met. God has set conditions in readiness through the first coming and the rejection of Messiah by this people. The determination cannot be reversed. At the end, how we have responded to the gospel will determine whether we experience the wrath of God or the blessedness of God. This is why Paul was so zealous to evangelize as much of the known world as possible. He understood the eternal consequences of failing to trust and follow the Lord Jesus. Let’s be as clear as we can. What we do with Jesus determines whether we will experience God’s eternal wrath or God’s eternal blessedness. The choice is ours.
Relate it to your life.
Do I understand the severity of rejecting Jesus? If I do, what am I doing to get the word out?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, give me Paul’s passion to proclaim the life-saving message so others will be spared the wrath that is coming and enjoy the eternal bliss of the new heaven and earth. Amen.
September 25-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
1 Thessalonians 2:17-18, But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.
Observe what it is saying.
We cannot miss Paul’s deep feeling for the Thessalonians. As he has already done, Paul speaks, once again, so affectionately for these fellow believers. He uses dramatic language of being orphaned from them to describe his deep love for them. He reassured them that such separation was in body only and not in mind. He thinks of them often. He holds them dearly in his heart. He speaks of his great desire to get back to them. Paul understands the high value of personal connection in the church family. As Paul had such tremendous zeal to share the good news of Jesus, he holds the same passion to re-unite with fellow believers so that he might encourage and enjoy fellowship with them. When we are truly in Christ, we have an equal desire to be in relationship with the body of Christ. The two go together and cannot be separated. The strong tug on Paul’s heart is manifested by the words "certainly I, Paul." Though Timothy and Silas had already returned to Thessalonica, Paul's failure to do so did not come from lack of intention. He had attempted a visit several times. Paul believed the only thing that could hinder such intense desire was Satanic disruption. The real existence of a supernatural devil is beyond denial. We should not be surprised at the enemy’s intense efforts to feverishly frustrate the spread of the gospel and the warm fellowship of Christ’s family. However, we know the word and the church cannot be stopped!
Relate it to your life.
Whenever I fully surrender to Christ, I can expect Satan’s activity to be against me.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, keep me from being discouraged when the enemy is at work to defeat my deepest desires for good. Amen.
September 26-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
1 Thessalonians 2:19-20, For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
Observe what it is saying.
Paul continues to reveal his heart concerning his love for the Thessalonians. After stating he was blocked by Satan from coming to visit them, he speaks these words that are a bit surprising. You would think such language would be reserved to describe Jesus Himself. Hope, glory, and crown are descriptions of what we have in Jesus. Yet, he gives us a beautiful picture of who the redeemed are in God’s eyes and what they should be in our eyes. Because Paul was used by the Holy Spirit to reach the Thessalonians for the kingdom, he anticipates they will bring him a victor's wreath to glory in when Christ returns. This future event is identical with the appearance of every Christian before the judgment seat of Christ, where our works will be evaluated. Because of his friends’ spiritual standing, Paul feels this will be an occasion for great joy and victory. In the same way, we should consider the ones God has used us to bring into His kingdom as our greatest joy and victory. "When he comes" is a word that in secular Greek sometimes meant a ruler's visit. Our King Jesus will visit one day to judge His people and bring them into His glorious kingdom filled with uncontainable joy. This is a day to anticipate and prepare for today.
Relate it to your life.
Do I celebrate the faith others have and consider their eternity in my list of things to be most joyful for?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, use me today and each day to show and tell others the way into Your kingdom. Amen.
Posted in Daily Devotionals