November 16-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
Observe what it is saying.
The Thessalonians had some concerns about the coming of the Lord Jesus. In the first letter, they were worried about those believers who had already died believing they would miss out on Jesus’ return. Here, the issue that has caused alarm is there are those who have falsely spoken and written to them in the name of Paul that the day of the Lord had already come. So, they were upset that they had missed out on it. Paul reassures them that it has not happened yet because there are other events and persons that must come first. There will be a period of great rebellion and tribulation that will come upon the earth before Christ returns. Along with this or after this, there will be the man of lawlessness whom other writers describe as the anti-Christ. He will be opposed to everything that is Christ, including His followers. However, he will eventually be destroyed. He will rise up in rebellion and, at the timing of heaven, will come to his final end. The victory of Christ will win out over this final burst of opposition.
Relate it to your life.
Am I unsettled or alarmed about end-time teaching? What is the cause of my fear?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I am resting in Your grace and power to be victorious over all evil to the very end. Amen.
November 17-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:4-7, He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
Observe what it is saying.
This man of lawlessness, the anti-Christ, is doomed for destruction as we found out yesterday. Today, we discover why that is so. He opposes everything that is of the true God. He exalts himself over everything as though he were God, even in the very temple of God. He arrogantly attempts to take over the position in which God alone is worthy to hold. He manipulates and deceives creating an atmosphere of confusion. Because this lawless power is already at work, we know wherever there is confusion, deceit, and death, Satan is at work. It is no surprise, then, that so many people are confused about who is on the throne today. Paul says he delivered several messages about these truths that he writes again to them. This is a rebellion against God that is hidden to unbelievers but revealed by God to believers who sees it clearly. However, the man of lawlessness cannot be unveiled while what is restraining him is at work. Scholars vary on the identity of the identity of the restrainer including the Roman Empire/emperor, the Holy Spirit, and the archangel Michael.
Relate it to your life.
Do I recognize how the power of lawlessness is at work in the world today?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, help me to discern how the enemy is at work so I do not fall prey to his schemes. Amen.
November 18-Thessalonians-Hop
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-10, And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
Observe what it is saying.
Whenever the restraining power is no longer restricting the lawless one, he will be revealed. However, he is no match for Jesus who will simply blow him away into destruction at His coming. Until then, the anti-Christ will function as his master, Satan does. He will use miraculous signs and wonders that perpetuate the false message which stands totally opposed to the gospel. In the same way, he will deceive unbelievers with the same kinds of words and activities that captivate people now. They continue on in their same darkened ways without any concern for what is to come. They do not consider there might be a better way or a more fulfilling life, let alone, the hope of knowing eternal life. Instead, they are being led astray by false prophets, preachers, and politicians. They do not judge their messages with the insight of the gospel. If they can be led astray by such personalities today, then the same will happen when Satan’s frontman, the anti-Christ, comes. Paul gives us the reason why- they fail to be discerning and open themselves to the truth of the gospel and know the saving power of Christ.
Relate it to your life.
In a world where life-like voices and images are reproduced to deceive the best of us, we easily envision how difficult it will soon be to know what is spiritually real unless we have a strong grasp of the gospel.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, do not let us be deceived. Keep us close. Give us wisdom. Keep us strong in You. Amen.
November 19-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12, For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
Observe what it is saying.
“For this reason” indicates that God’s action does not cause people to reject the truth but is a consequence of their previous rejection. As part of his righteous judgment, God lets unbelievers follow the Antichrist by believing what is false. The blame for their destructive end rests on themselves because they rejected the truth of the gospel message that Paul preached. “God sends them” speaks of God giving sinners over to their own sin. Romans 1:24, “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.” God does not cause anyone to sin but does let those continue to encounter the results of their rebellion against Him if they fail to repent. The satanic promise that deceived Eve will find its ultimate fulfillment in the end-time master of deceit. They will mistake someone else and his lying promises for God and his truth. The end result is that they will "believe the lie." This is their only alternative because they have refused to love the truth and have chosen to delight themselves in evil.
Relate it to your life.
To be faithful, I must love, believe, and follow the truth at all times.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, do not let be deceived by the false claims of Satan. Give me discerning wisdom. Amen.
November 20-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Observe what it is saying.
We should always give thanks for each other as believers since we are in the same family. Paul, also, reminds us that we are loved by the Lord. Sometimes, it is easy to forget that simple truth. Maybe, we need to stop for a moment and let that truth wash over you. In this very moment, say, “The Lord loves me.” Yes, even with all your flaws, He still loves you. Breathe that in and do not let that knowledge escape you. Paul reminded them they were among the first crop of believers through the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work to bring them to salvation. This is true for all who believe. The Holy Spirit works before we know He is working which we call prevenient grace. This grace goes before we trust in Him urging us to respond to Jesus’ life-giving way. We are called to this holy life through the proclamation of the gospel as we read Scripture, hear it proclaimed, and study God’s word together. The word of God is God’s call upon every heart to join in the magnificent glory we have in Jesus, both in this life and the life to come.
Relate it to your life.
I do not want to miss out living in the glory of Jesus!
Do something.
Lord Jesus, You have called me. I have responded to the gospel truth by faith. Thank You for the high honor to be able to share in Your glory, now and forever more. Amen.
November 21-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:15-17, So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
Observe what it is saying.
As this chapter comes to an end, Paul encourages the believers to remain faithful and follow the instructions that he gave them in person and in writing. As we have already discovered, the stakes are high. There will be troubling times. There will be the unleashing of the lawless one. In fact, that spirit is already at work in the world to undermine the work of Christ and His followers. So, this is no idle call to faithfulness. It is a pressing matter for anyone and everyone who has taken on the name of Christ. The enemy is at work deceiving the world, even believers, if they are not intently following the instruction of the Lord. As Paul goes on to pray, we cannot remain faithful without the help of the Lord. So, he prays a benediction prayer that God the Father and Son who loves us and gave us eternal hope would breathe courage within our hearts and give us supernatural strength to continue on in the faith by speaking many good words and doing many good works. To remain faithful requires an active participation in the work of the kingdom. As we will see in the next chapter, we cannot sit idly by and expect to have a faithful and fruitful life for Christ.
Relate it to your life.
What do my words and actions reveal about the kind of faith I have in Christ? Will such faith sustain me?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I pray that you will encourage the hearts and minds of all who read these words that they may be strengthened in all that they do and say for Your kingdom and glory. Amen.
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3, Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.
Observe what it is saying.
The Thessalonians had some concerns about the coming of the Lord Jesus. In the first letter, they were worried about those believers who had already died believing they would miss out on Jesus’ return. Here, the issue that has caused alarm is there are those who have falsely spoken and written to them in the name of Paul that the day of the Lord had already come. So, they were upset that they had missed out on it. Paul reassures them that it has not happened yet because there are other events and persons that must come first. There will be a period of great rebellion and tribulation that will come upon the earth before Christ returns. Along with this or after this, there will be the man of lawlessness whom other writers describe as the anti-Christ. He will be opposed to everything that is Christ, including His followers. However, he will eventually be destroyed. He will rise up in rebellion and, at the timing of heaven, will come to his final end. The victory of Christ will win out over this final burst of opposition.
Relate it to your life.
Am I unsettled or alarmed about end-time teaching? What is the cause of my fear?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I am resting in Your grace and power to be victorious over all evil to the very end. Amen.
November 17-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:4-7, He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.
Observe what it is saying.
This man of lawlessness, the anti-Christ, is doomed for destruction as we found out yesterday. Today, we discover why that is so. He opposes everything that is of the true God. He exalts himself over everything as though he were God, even in the very temple of God. He arrogantly attempts to take over the position in which God alone is worthy to hold. He manipulates and deceives creating an atmosphere of confusion. Because this lawless power is already at work, we know wherever there is confusion, deceit, and death, Satan is at work. It is no surprise, then, that so many people are confused about who is on the throne today. Paul says he delivered several messages about these truths that he writes again to them. This is a rebellion against God that is hidden to unbelievers but revealed by God to believers who sees it clearly. However, the man of lawlessness cannot be unveiled while what is restraining him is at work. Scholars vary on the identity of the identity of the restrainer including the Roman Empire/emperor, the Holy Spirit, and the archangel Michael.
Relate it to your life.
Do I recognize how the power of lawlessness is at work in the world today?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, help me to discern how the enemy is at work so I do not fall prey to his schemes. Amen.
November 18-Thessalonians-Hop
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:8-10, And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
Observe what it is saying.
Whenever the restraining power is no longer restricting the lawless one, he will be revealed. However, he is no match for Jesus who will simply blow him away into destruction at His coming. Until then, the anti-Christ will function as his master, Satan does. He will use miraculous signs and wonders that perpetuate the false message which stands totally opposed to the gospel. In the same way, he will deceive unbelievers with the same kinds of words and activities that captivate people now. They continue on in their same darkened ways without any concern for what is to come. They do not consider there might be a better way or a more fulfilling life, let alone, the hope of knowing eternal life. Instead, they are being led astray by false prophets, preachers, and politicians. They do not judge their messages with the insight of the gospel. If they can be led astray by such personalities today, then the same will happen when Satan’s frontman, the anti-Christ, comes. Paul gives us the reason why- they fail to be discerning and open themselves to the truth of the gospel and know the saving power of Christ.
Relate it to your life.
In a world where life-like voices and images are reproduced to deceive the best of us, we easily envision how difficult it will soon be to know what is spiritually real unless we have a strong grasp of the gospel.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, do not let us be deceived. Keep us close. Give us wisdom. Keep us strong in You. Amen.
November 19-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:11-12, For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.
Observe what it is saying.
“For this reason” indicates that God’s action does not cause people to reject the truth but is a consequence of their previous rejection. As part of his righteous judgment, God lets unbelievers follow the Antichrist by believing what is false. The blame for their destructive end rests on themselves because they rejected the truth of the gospel message that Paul preached. “God sends them” speaks of God giving sinners over to their own sin. Romans 1:24, “Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.” God does not cause anyone to sin but does let those continue to encounter the results of their rebellion against Him if they fail to repent. The satanic promise that deceived Eve will find its ultimate fulfillment in the end-time master of deceit. They will mistake someone else and his lying promises for God and his truth. The end result is that they will "believe the lie." This is their only alternative because they have refused to love the truth and have chosen to delight themselves in evil.
Relate it to your life.
To be faithful, I must love, believe, and follow the truth at all times.
Do something.
Lord Jesus, do not let be deceived by the false claims of Satan. Give me discerning wisdom. Amen.
November 20-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14, But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Observe what it is saying.
We should always give thanks for each other as believers since we are in the same family. Paul, also, reminds us that we are loved by the Lord. Sometimes, it is easy to forget that simple truth. Maybe, we need to stop for a moment and let that truth wash over you. In this very moment, say, “The Lord loves me.” Yes, even with all your flaws, He still loves you. Breathe that in and do not let that knowledge escape you. Paul reminded them they were among the first crop of believers through the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work to bring them to salvation. This is true for all who believe. The Holy Spirit works before we know He is working which we call prevenient grace. This grace goes before we trust in Him urging us to respond to Jesus’ life-giving way. We are called to this holy life through the proclamation of the gospel as we read Scripture, hear it proclaimed, and study God’s word together. The word of God is God’s call upon every heart to join in the magnificent glory we have in Jesus, both in this life and the life to come.
Relate it to your life.
I do not want to miss out living in the glory of Jesus!
Do something.
Lord Jesus, You have called me. I have responded to the gospel truth by faith. Thank You for the high honor to be able to share in Your glory, now and forever more. Amen.
November 21-Thessalonians-Hope
Write out the Scripture.
2 Thessalonians 2:15-17, So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.
Observe what it is saying.
As this chapter comes to an end, Paul encourages the believers to remain faithful and follow the instructions that he gave them in person and in writing. As we have already discovered, the stakes are high. There will be troubling times. There will be the unleashing of the lawless one. In fact, that spirit is already at work in the world to undermine the work of Christ and His followers. So, this is no idle call to faithfulness. It is a pressing matter for anyone and everyone who has taken on the name of Christ. The enemy is at work deceiving the world, even believers, if they are not intently following the instruction of the Lord. As Paul goes on to pray, we cannot remain faithful without the help of the Lord. So, he prays a benediction prayer that God the Father and Son who loves us and gave us eternal hope would breathe courage within our hearts and give us supernatural strength to continue on in the faith by speaking many good words and doing many good works. To remain faithful requires an active participation in the work of the kingdom. As we will see in the next chapter, we cannot sit idly by and expect to have a faithful and fruitful life for Christ.
Relate it to your life.
What do my words and actions reveal about the kind of faith I have in Christ? Will such faith sustain me?
Do something.
Lord Jesus, I pray that you will encourage the hearts and minds of all who read these words that they may be strengthened in all that they do and say for Your kingdom and glory. Amen.
Posted in Daily Devotionals