5-27-21 Today in the Word

STAND FIRM AND HOLD FAST Before Paul wrote 1 and 2 Thessalonians, he wrote a letter to the Galatians. The church there had “astonished” the apostle by “turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all.” False teachers had arrived, perverted the truth, and thrown the Galatians into confusion. Paul’s response was clear and forceful: “If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!” (Gal. 1:6–9). Paul didn’t want the Thessalonians to make the same mistake. In the face of false teaching and rumors, they should remember his teaching: “stand firm and hold fast” (v. 15). After his dramatic narrative of how those who reject the gospel will be deceived by the man of lawlessness during the Day of the Lord, Paul returned to his present time to give thanks that the Thessalonians were not like that (vv. 13–14). They had received the gospel with joy. Their lives had been transformed by the loving choice and call of God and the ongoing sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. They were “firstfruits” in the sense that there would be more believers to come. Their destiny would not be judgment but rather sharing in Christ’s glory (v. 14; Rom. 8:17). Paul was so thankful that he once again burst into a word of prayer, blessing, and benediction (vv. 16–17). His prayer was that their hearts would be strengthened and encouraged to persevere and to do good works, even as they experienced suffering. The Trinity features clearly in today’s reading. All three Persons are mentioned in verse 13. Both Father and Son are mentioned again in verse 14 and invoked in verse 16. Paul’s blessing is thus not a feel-good, therapeutic thing—it’s a rock-solid biblical truth with God’s sovereign power to back it up! >> What person or group in your life needs the blessing of verses 16–17? If you’re not sure, ask God to bring someone to mind. Then pray these words of Paul for them! PRAY WITH US We each know people who need prayer right now. Lord God, we echo Paul and ask that you encourage their hearts and strengthen them in every good deed and word.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

9-17-23 Not in a Billion Years

Not In A Million Billion Years :: By Dave Hubley Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles (There is a special message at the end of this article for those who might happen to read this and do not have Jesus in their life and are looking for peace and a way to better understand the present-day insanity and confusion.) Several years ago, I had a conversation with a guy in a waiting room while getting an oil change (in the car, not me). I don’t recall exactly how the conversation originated or how it progressed, but I have never forgotten it. As I recall, it had something to do with evolution and an article that was contained in a “waiting room magazine” that was available there. He made the observation that God was “something that man had made up.” I can’t recall the exact reason he used to justify his opinion, but it had something to do with the usual reasons people give: Weak-willed people needing a crutch, and blah, blah, blah. I engaged him in a “witness,
Read more

9-16-23 Santa Staleness

Santa Staleness :: By Edwin Tan Published on: December 24, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles My one and only trip to Israel had more than a profound effect on my present-day psyche. It might have been three decades ago, but there is more than a lingering aftertaste. It happened smack in the last fortnight of the year. Surprisingly absent were the familiar sights and sounds of the Christmas most people are accustomed to. Hardly any Christmas decorations in downtown Tel Aviv, if not any of the shopping thoroughfares across the Holy Land. Hanukah was a breath of fresh air – not anything resembling a Christmas carol most people grew up with did surface. The Christmas Eve service in a small Protestant church not far away from Jerusalem’s Old City was awesome; songs that truly celebrated the virgin birth of our Lord, which though seemingly unheard of, were a welcome inspiration to many a soul. There was even one sung in Arabic! So it began, my overt disdain for the secular Christmas t
Read more

9-15-23 Miracles 2

Miracles 2 :: By Jim Towers Published on: December 21, 2022 by RR10 Category:General Articles This story is a continuation of the exciting things God continues doing in my life. I was supposed to have died a while back, and sometimes I feel as though I may do so soon. But since I’m ready to meet my maker, I have no fear of death. In fact, my evangelistic zeal has only increased, especially as I see the fast approaching of the “Tribulation period” mentioned in the book of Revelation. Insofar as my acting career is concerned, I just finished filming a soliloquy featuring Melchior, one of the three Magi who followed the star to Christ lying in the manger, and am preparing to portray a Jewish Priest on stage. Like I said, God is working overtime in my life, and I will be appearing on stage singing Broadway show tunes sometime in March, so I have a lot of rehearsing to do. In the meantime, I will be signing Christmas carols acapella at a park here in Naples. Since it is a spontaneous th
Read more