1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, in keeping with the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus,

² To Timothy, my dear son:

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Thanksgiving

³ I thank God, whom I serve, as my ancestors did, with a clear conscience, as night and day I constantly remember you in my prayers. ⁴ Recalling your tears, I long to see you, so that I may be filled with joy. ⁵ I am reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also.

Appeal for Loyalty to Paul and the Gospel

⁶ For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands. ⁷ For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. ⁸ So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God. ⁹ He has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time, ¹⁰ but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. ¹¹ And of this gospel I was appointed a herald and an apostle and a teacher. ¹² That is why I am suffering as I am. Yet this is no cause for shame, because I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him until that day.

¹³ What you heard from me, keep as the pattern of sound teaching, with faith and love in Christ Jesus. ¹⁴ Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you—guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit who lives in us.

Examples of Disloyalty and Loyalty

¹⁵ You know that everyone in the province of Asia has deserted me, including Phygelus and Hermogenes.

¹⁶ May the Lord show mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, because he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains. ¹⁷ On the contrary, when he was in Rome, he searched hard for me until he found me. ¹⁸ May the Lord grant that he will find mercy from the Lord on that day! You know very well in how many ways he helped me in Ephesus.

(O)

I want to share a devo I read this week

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. vs. 7

More than once since I committed this verse to memory I have had to embrace it as truth and pray that I not give in to a “spirit of fear.” I have come to believe that the word “fear” really is a four-letter word and should be considered profanity. Wouldn’t it be great if we could somehow have it censored from all of our thoughts and feelings, like bleeping out a bad word? But instead, fear is very much a part of our reality, even more so than we realize or want to admit. I know there are times when being fearful can be a good thing, such as being afraid of doing something that might bring harm or danger. My husband bought me a motorcycle. I spent a significant amount of time preparing to ride it, taking courses, getting my license, but the bike still sat in the garage. I was hindered with fear from riding it.

The spirit of fear as mentioned in 2 Timothy 1:7 is a different kind of fear. This fear hinders what God has given us: His power, love and sound mind. This fear grips us with doubts and insecurities, waging war with our thoughts and feelings. This kind of fear is not of God but of the enemy, the devil. Fear is one of the greatest weapons Satan uses against us, as it attacks our minds. He tells us that we are no good, not worthy, unloved and useless. These thoughts affect us all, he picks on everyone, no one is spared. How can we fight against such thoughts? By believing the truth of the second part of the verse. God through His Holy Spirit has given us power, love and a sound mind, not in our strength but in His.

(A)

Are you dealing with fears today that are gripping you so tightly that you feel helpless and hopeless? How can these fears be conquered? Start by praying for the Lord to open your mind and help you understand how to use the power given by His Holy Spirit. The power precedes love, so next pray for your heart to be filled with His love, knowing that His perfect love casts out fear (1 John 4:18). What a great pair…power and love! Then, ask the Lord to clear your mind and bring to your thoughts His words, taking captive those thoughts not of Him. 

(S)

6 All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered. ² Those who have believing masters should not show them disrespect just because they are fellow believers. Instead, they should serve them even better because their masters are dear to them as fellow believers and are devoted to the welfare^[a] of their slaves.

False Teachers and the Love of Money

These are the things you are to teach and insist on. ³ If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, ⁴ they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions ⁵ and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

⁶ But godliness with contentment is great gain. ⁷ For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. ⁸ But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. ⁹ Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. ¹⁰ For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.

Final Charge to Timothy

¹¹ But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. ¹² Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses. ¹³ In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you ¹⁴ to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, ¹⁵ which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of lords, ¹⁶ who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.

¹⁷ Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. ¹⁸ Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. ¹⁹ In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life.

²⁰ Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care. Turn away from godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge, ²¹ which some have professed and in so doing have departed from the faith.

Grace be with you all.

(O)

I want to talk about the first couple verses. We don’t have slavery around here anymore, but often the master/slave relationship is compared to the employer/employee of today. I think it is very fitting and let me give you an example of this in my life. I worked for a company for 20 years. It was very quickly apparant that the owners were Christians, and they were not afraid to have that as public knowledge. I was not a believer when I joined the company, but they treated me very well and I really felt compelled to work hard for them. When I became a believer a few years into my employ there, they were really supportive. When myself and others would evangelise in the shop, they gave us full reign and were ready to supply us with bibles, study material and so on for whoever might be interested. We decided to run an Alpha program during lunch hour, which the company supplied catered meals once a week for the duration. I could go on, but the fact is, it was my joy to work for a company with such incredible passion for Christ and who stood up for the Lord, even if it could have got them in legal trouble by today’s standards.

(A)

We all have jobs, and some of our jobs may not be exciting or maybe you aren’t where you would ideally like to be. But I want to encourage you today, you are exactly where God needs you today. I had breakfast with a guy today who drives truck for a living, and therefore is not home regularily and not able to volunteer at the various church programs like he would want to. So he decided to start on online bible study for whoever wanted to join, so many truckers and people from right across the country and even into South America I believe, joined this study. He is right where God needs him right now, because those followers need what he is giving them. Look around you today and ask God how you can make an impact in your workplace today. Can you be more cheerful? Can you put more effort into your work? Maybe you steal the company’s time with extended coffee breaks or looking at your phone while working. Is there someone in your workplace that is a loner and needs a friend? The workplace is our greatest mission field, ask God to open our eyes to it.

(P)

Lord help us to see the needs all around us. Give us contentment in where we are and give us love in our hearts for our company and co-workers today. Amen

(S)

Widows, Elders and Slaves

5 Do not rebuke an older man harshly, but exhort him as if he were your father. Treat younger men as brothers, ² older women as mothers, and younger women as sisters, with absolute purity.

³ Give proper recognition to those widows who are really in need. ⁴ But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God. ⁵ The widow who is really in need and left all alone puts her hope in God and continues night and day to pray and to ask God for help. ⁶ But the widow who lives for pleasure is dead even while she lives. ⁷ Give the people these instructions, so that no one may be open to blame. ⁸ Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

⁹ No widow may be put on the list of widows unless she is over sixty, has been faithful to her husband, ¹⁰ and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the Lord’s people, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.

¹¹ As for younger widows, do not put them on such a list. For when their sensual desires overcome their dedication to Christ, they want to marry. ¹² Thus they bring judgment on themselves, because they have broken their first pledge. ¹³ Besides, they get into the habit of being idle and going about from house to house. And not only do they become idlers, but also busybodies who talk nonsense, saying things they ought not to. ¹⁴ So I counsel younger widows to marry, to have children, to manage their homes and to give the enemy no opportunity for slander. ¹⁵ Some have in fact already turned away to follow Satan.

¹⁶ If any woman who is a believer has widows in her care, she should continue to help them and not let the church be burdened with them, so that the church can help those widows who are really in need.

¹⁷ The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching. ¹⁸ For Scripture says, “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain,”^[a] and “The worker deserves his wages.”^[b] 19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. ²⁰ But those elders who are sinning you are to reprove before everyone, so that the others may take warning. ²¹ I charge you, in the sight of God and Christ Jesus and the elect angels, to keep these instructions without partiality, and to do nothing out of favoritism.

²² Do not be hasty in the laying on of hands, and do not share in the sins of others. Keep yourself pure.

²³ Stop drinking only water, and use a little wine because of your stomach and your frequent illnesses.

²⁴ The sins of some are obvious, reaching the place of judgment ahead of them; the sins of others trail behind them. ²⁵ In the same way, good deeds are obvious, and even those that are not obvious cannot remain hidden forever.

(O)

Some very interesting instruction in this chapter. The first thing that caught my attention was vs. 2 where Paul says to treat the younger women like sisters, ‘with absolute purity’. I don’t think I ever caught that before. Until you decide to marry, speaking from a guys perspective, we are to treat the young women like sisters. That line of thinking would definitely help keep opposite sex relationships appropriate.

But what really is clear in a majority of this chapter is the importance of work. Not just work, but not being a burden to the church unnecessarily. What Paul instructs almost feels opposite of what we are so compelled to do. It’s almost a bit harsh. First he instructs them to not put any widows on the list until they are 60. And to add to that, they had to have been a woman of good character and was known for living her faith and doing good deeds. But if the woman has children or grandchildren, they need to be taught to take care of her. Not a bad policy, society would be way ahead to listen to advice like this.

And a couple times, Paul says to pay attention to the widows who are ‘really in need’. If a widow is being looked after, that person should remain the caregiver, and not burden the church (and I dare say the government), as well as the if the widow does not fit Pauls criteria, they should not qualify for help. That way there is resources available for those who really don’t have anywhere else to turn.

(A)

I don’t think Paul was intending to be legalistic by saying we need to scrutinize everyone’s life and lifestyle if they are asking for help. But what I think Paul is saying is we are stewards of His resources and we need to be wise with how we handle them. From experience, we all know when there is easy money or free handouts, there are those who need it and those who don’t need it but are willing to take it. Don’t stop doing good for others, give and give generously, love generously and pour out grace. But be wise, money isn’t always the answer that someone needs. Often is guidance, wise counsel and putting your foot down are sometimes much more helpful. I remember having to fire a guy one time, after giving too many chances which we thought was being full of grace. He came back months later and thanked us for firing him, because it was the best lesson he ever learned.

(P)

Pray our hearts will always be full of love and grace for people, with a willing heart to help those in need, having the wisdom to know the type of help that would be the most beneficial and whatever it is, to give it generously and with a joyful heart.

(S)

Instructions on Worship

2 I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for all people— ² for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. ³ This is good, and pleases God our Savior, ⁴ who wants all people to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth. ⁵ For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, ⁶ who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. ⁷ And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.

⁸ Therefore I want the men everywhere to pray, lifting up holy hands without anger or disputing. ⁹ I also want the women to dress modestly, with decency and propriety, adorning themselves, not with elaborate hairstyles or gold or pearls or expensive clothes, ¹⁰ but with good deeds, appropriate for women who profess to worship God.

¹¹ A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. ¹² I do not permit a woman to teach or to assume authority over a man; she must be quiet. ¹³ For Adam was formed first, then Eve. ¹⁴ And Adam was not the one deceived; it was the woman who was deceived and became a sinner. ¹⁵ But women^[c] will be saved through childbearing—if they continue in faith, love and holiness with propriety.

(O)

I think it’s easy to get distracted by the potentially controversial verses at the end of this chapter, but Paul has an incredible challenge to us all right from verse 1. And that is the priority of prayer.

verse one tells us that “first of all” we need to be praying for our authorities and “kings”. Prayed for our prime minister lately?

Then he goes on to challenge us as men to lift holy hands in prayer, in unity. Women to adorn themselves with good deeds rather than with fancy dress.

The point is that we need to humble ourselves and pray. Pray as a church family, pray united, take our eyes off the world and focus on Christ. Be ready to jump into action as God directs. Our world is in chaos right now, and there are people who need the Lord desperately, and we are the ones to light the way to Him.

(A)

Pray with urgency. Make it a priority in your day if you don’t already. Pray for our authorities, even if you don’t agree with them. Pray humbly and be prepared to do what God places on your heart

(P)

Help us all to lift our holy hands humbly and in unity today. Amen

(S)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the command of God our Savior and of Christ Jesus our hope,

² To Timothy my true son in the faith:

Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.

Timothy Charged to Oppose False Teachers

³ As I urged you when I went into Macedonia, stay there in Ephesus so that you may command certain people not to teach false doctrines any longer ⁴ or to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies. Such things promote controversial speculations rather than advancing God’s work—which is by faith. ⁵ The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. ⁶ Some have departed from these and have turned to meaningless talk. ⁷ They want to be teachers of the law, but they do not know what they are talking about or what they so confidently affirm.

⁸ We know that the law is good if one uses it properly. ⁹ We also know that the law is made not for the righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, ¹⁰ for the sexually immoral, for those practicing homosexuality, for slave traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever else is contrary to the sound doctrine ¹¹ that conforms to the gospel concerning the glory of the blessed God, which he entrusted to me.

The Lord’s Grace to Paul

¹² I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. ¹³ Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. ¹⁴ The grace of our Lord was poured out on me abundantly, along with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.

¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶ But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Charge to Timothy Renewed

¹⁸ Timothy, my son, I am giving you this command in keeping with the prophecies once made about you, so that by recalling them you may fight the battle well, ¹⁹ holding on to faith and a good conscience, which some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. ²⁰ Among them are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan to be taught not to blaspheme.

(O)

Sorry I didn’t post yesterday. Some glitch, couldn’t get on the site.

Once again, Paul is addressing the issue of false teaching. It seems by what he says that there are some teaching the law, rather than grace.

let me share a devotional by Pastor Ed, an online blogger. I thought this was great food for thought today.

vs. 15-16¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶ But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life.

This familiar axiom, “to save sinners,” emphasizes that Jesus Christ did not come to redeem those living under some illusion of their own righteousness, but self-aware sinners. As Jesus said when He was criticized for sharing a meal with sinners, it is the “sick” who need a physician (Luke 5:31). Being a sinner, recognizing that you are one, is the first qualification necessary for becoming a child of God.

There is a grave danger in taking the terms sin and sinner out of our vocabulary, a growing trend among many pastors in the church today who are deliberately leaving out these terms and ideas because they don’t want to offend anyone. Paul was not afraid of the term, because he realized that all men are guilty sinners. And when the apostle says, “of whom I am the worst” we take that to mean: “The worst sinner has already been saved, so you don’t have that excuse!” He was arguing that God saved a sinner such as him, so that he would be an encouragement, “a pattern to those who are going to believe,” that no one is so great a sinner they can’t be saved by Jesus Christ’s shed blood. Songwriter and former slave trader John Newton said it this way: “Amazing grace! How sweet the sound / That saved a wretch like me!”

There is an old story of a man who came upon Michelangelo chipping away with his hammer and chisel at a huge shapeless piece of rock. The man asked the sculptor what he was doing. “I am releasing the angel imprisoned in this marble,” he answered. Jesus Christ is the only one who can see and release the hidden hero in every man. A hero in the faith is an example to others, leading them to know the God that hero serves and follows. Paul was a hero to young Timothy and to many others in the 1st century, and he continues to be so almost 20 centuries later.

“LORD, please conform us today just a little bit more into Your image.

(S)

Paul’s Request for Prayer

3 Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we ask you to pray for us. Pray that the Lord’s message will spread rapidly and be honored wherever it goes, just as when it came to you. ² Pray, too, that we will be rescued from wicked and evil people, for not everyone is a believer. ³ But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.^[b] 4 And we are confident in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we commanded you. ⁵ May the Lord lead your hearts into a full understanding and expression of the love of God and the patient endurance that comes from Christ.

An Exhortation to Proper Living

⁶ And now, dear brothers and sisters, we give you this command in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: Stay away from all believers who live idle lives and don’t follow the tradition they received from us. ⁷ For you know that you ought to imitate us. We were not idle when we were with you. ⁸ We never accepted food from anyone without paying for it. We worked hard day and night so we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹ We certainly had the right to ask you to feed us, but we wanted to give you an example to follow. ¹⁰ Even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “Those unwilling to work will not get to eat.”

¹¹ Yet we hear that some of you are living idle lives, refusing to work and meddling in other people’s business. ¹² We command such people and urge them in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and work to earn their own living. ¹³ As for the rest of you, dear brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.

¹⁴ Take note of those who refuse to obey what we say in this letter. Stay away from them so they will be ashamed. ¹⁵ Don’t think of them as enemies, but warn them as you would a brother or sister.^[e]

Paul’s Final Greetings

¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all.

¹⁷ HERE IS MY GREETING IN MY OWN HANDWRITING—PAUL. I DO THIS IN ALL MY LETTERS TO PROVE THEY ARE FROM ME.

¹⁸ May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

(O)

Allow me to share some stuff I read today

Idleness is not something that we often give much attention to. Why does it matter? Is it really important that we are not lazy? But here Paul discusses the importance of not being idle and why it is so important that Christian believers are people who live on purpose for the glory of God. We have here a warning, an example, and an instruction.

First, the warning. In verse 6, Paul strongly warns them – “in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you…” – to stay away from those who are idle and disruptive and do not live according to the teaching that they had received. Why such a strong warning, indeed a command? Because if someone is lazy and does not actually put into practice what they have heard, then they end up being disruptive. An old phrase was: idle hands are the devil’s workshop. It means that if you are not busy about doing good things, then it it is easier to succumb to temptation to do bad things.

Second, the example. From verses 7 to 10, Paul reminds them of his own example. He certainly could have lived on the generosity of these Christians – the famous apostle Paul could have ensured he was treated as a celebrity – but instead he worked hard. He didn’t even allow anyone to pay for his food. He worked night and day so he would not be a burden to anyone. And as he lived like this, he also gave them a saying in this regard to remember: The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat. He would not let Christians sponge off other Christians; you must be willing to work.

Third the instruction. Those who are busybodies – not busy with work but busy messing with other people’s business, gossiping and causing problems – he urges to settle down and earn the food they eat. Someone who has too much time on their hands should work, find a job, earn a living. And Paul says all of us, brothers and sisters, are to never tire of doing what is good.

All of this means that the gospel has a surprising corollary (a result that should naturally follow): work. Justification by faith alone, the gospel of grace and mercy, must nonetheless lead to work. And this is such a serious and necessary corollary that if someone is idle or lazy, they must be warned, and if they refuse to receive such a warning, then – Paul is saying – stay away from them. Don’t be drawn into gossipy chit chat. Instead, work hard for the Lord, and never tire of doing what is good. For the more we are realize what Christ has done for us, the more we will want to do whatever he asks us to do.

(P)

Lord, help us all to never grow weary, but that we find our rest in you. Help us all to work hard and not have idle hands. Amen.

(S)

Events prior to the Lord’s Second Coming

2 Now, dear brothers and sisters, let us clarify some things about the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and how we will be gathered to meet him. ² Don’t be so easily shaken or alarmed by those who say that the day of the Lord has already begun. Don’t believe them, even if they claim to have had a spiritual vision, a revelation, or a letter supposedly from us. ³ Don’t be fooled by what they say. For that day will not come until there is a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness is revealed—the one who brings destruction. ⁴ He will exalt himself and defy everything that people call god and every object of worship. He will even sit in the temple of God, claiming that he himself is God.

⁵ Don’t you remember that I told you about all this when I was with you? ⁶ And you know what is holding him back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. ⁷ For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back steps out of the way. ⁸ Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed, but the Lord Jesus will slay him with the breath of his mouth and destroy him by the splendor of his coming.

⁹ This man will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. ¹⁰ He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. ¹¹ So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. ¹² Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.

Believers Should Stand Firm

¹³ As for us, we can’t help but thank God for you, dear brothers and sisters loved by the Lord. We are always thankful that God chose you to be among the first to experience salvation—a salvation that came through the Spirit who makes you holy and through your belief in the truth. ¹⁴ He called you to salvation when we told you the Good News; now you can share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

¹⁵ With all these things in mind, dear brothers and sisters, stand firm and keep a strong grip on the teaching we passed on to you both in person and by letter.

¹⁶ Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal comfort and a wonderful hope, ¹⁷ comfort you and strengthen you in every good thing you do and say.

(O)

Let me share a story I heard years ago.

There was a man, let’s call him Bill. Now Bill was known to be a thief but was very clever. At least three times a week, we would come to cross the border on his bicycle with a sack of grain, or a sack of flour or a sack of something each time on his shoulder. The border guards knew he was smuggling something so each time they thoroughly searched him including his sack of goods. And each time they came up with nothing. They just couldn’t figure it out.

After several years of this, one of the border guards who had recently retired, saw Bill uptown and approached him. He said to Bill “listen, I know you were smuggling something, I’m retired now. I promise to never say anything if you tell me what you were smuggling”  Bill said “ok, if you promise not to tell. I was smuggling bicycles”

Paul addressed the Thessalonians about a rumor that was circulating that the day of the Lords return had begun. Paul says don’t get distracted by rumors and people claiming this and people claiming that about the end times. Paul said I already told you how it was going to happen. Don’t get distracted by false teachers and false claims. Don’t divert your attention from what’s right in front of you. Just like the border guards where distracted by Bill’s clever ploy to divert their attention to the sack of grain, they couldn’t see the obvious. False teachers will do the same, divert our attention from what the Word actually says to some very spiritual sounding revelation that can get us excited or very nervous. Paul reminds us to stand firm. Remember what the scriptures actually say and don’t begin to believe for a minute that it will be any different than that.

(A)

A couple questions to ask ourselves today:

How well do we actually know the scriptures? Would I recognize a false claim if I heard it?

If I hear a claim about the Lord’s return, do I actually turn to the scriptures to see if this lines up?

Am I focusing on what’s in front of me, which is my life and what I’m called to do for the kingdom, or am I too distracted looking for signs or worrying that I missed it.

 

(P)

Lord, give us all discernment to know when we have heard a false claim. Help us to stay focused on our mission and not be distracted by flashy words. Help us to hold strong to the Truth. In Jesus name, amen.

 

(S)

Greetings from Paul

1 This letter is from Paul, Silas, and Timothy.

We are writing to the church in Thessalonica, to you who belong to God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

² May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Encouragement during Persecution

³ Dear brothers and sisters, we can’t help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing. ⁴ We proudly tell God’s other churches about your endurance and faithfulness in all the persecutions and hardships you are suffering. ⁵ And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. ⁶ In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.

⁷ And God will provide rest for you who are being persecuted and also for us when the Lord Jesus appears from heaven. He will come with his mighty angels, ⁸ in flaming fire, bringing judgment on those who don’t know God and on those who refuse to obey the Good News of our Lord Jesus. ⁹ They will be punished with eternal destruction, forever separated from the Lord and from his glorious power. ¹⁰ When he comes on that day, he will receive glory from his holy people—praise from all who believe. And this includes you, for you believed what we told you about him.

¹¹ So we keep on praying for you, asking our God to enable you to live a life worthy of his call. May he give you the power to accomplish all the good things your faith prompts you to do. ¹² Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.

(O)

What an incredibly encouraging chapter. Can you imagine getting a letter like this, where your spiritual leader, in this case the Apostle Paul no less, is essentially saying how proud he is of their faith, and how proud he is of how they have endured through the persecution they suffered. It’s things like this that can give someone the courage and strength to face another day. It can give purpose to the hardships and a reason to not just walk away.

(A)

We have no idea what type of persecution the Thessalonians endured, and likely none of us are in danger for our lives because of our faith, but everyone is struggling with something. It may be a bad relationship, financial burdens, health, family, job, depression or anxiety. Each one of us needs encouragement on a consistent basis. I challenge everyone this weekend to reach out to at least two people and encourage them.

(P)

Ask God to give you names and how you can encourage these people.

(S)

5 Now concerning how and when all this will happen, dear brothers and sisters,^[a] we don’t really need to write you. ² For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. ³ When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. And there will be no escape.

⁴ But you aren’t in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won’t be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. ⁵ For you are all children of the light and of the day; we don’t belong to darkness and night. ⁶ So be on your guard, not asleep like the others. Stay alert and be clearheaded. ⁷ Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. ⁸ But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love, and wearing as our helmet the confidence of our salvation.

⁹ For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. ¹⁰ Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. ¹¹ So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

Paul’s Final Advice

¹² Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord’s work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. ¹³ Show them great respect and wholehearted love because of their work. And live peacefully with each other.

¹⁴ Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

¹⁵ See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.

¹⁶ Always be joyful. ¹⁷ Never stop praying. ¹⁸ Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

¹⁹ Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. ²⁰ Do not scoff at prophecies, ²¹ but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. ²² Stay away from every kind of evil.

Paul’s Final Greetings

²³ Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. ²⁴ God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.

²⁵ Dear brothers and sisters, pray for us.

²⁶ Greet all the brothers and sisters with a sacred kiss.

²⁷ I command you in the name of the Lord to read this letter to all the brothers and sisters.

²⁸ May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

(O)

Some great practical advice for each of us today

• be on your guard
• stay alert
• be clear-headed
• encourage each other
• build each other up
• give your spiritual leaders honor and respect
• live peacefully with one another
• warn those who are lazy
• encourage the timid
• care for the weak
• be patient with each other
• do good to each other
• be joyful
• pray always
• be thankful
• don’t stifle the Holy Spirit
• don’t scoff at prophecies
• test everything said
• stay away from evil

Paul’s reason for reminding us of all this is that we don’t know the day or hour of Christ’s return. We need to be prepared and ready. Don’t put off doing what you know you must just because you think you have time and can do it later. Not one person reading this can say for sure they will be alive tomorrow, so right now is the right time to accept Christ as your savior. Christ is coming and it will be without warning.

(A)

We have quite a job as Christians, the list above is just a small bit of proof of this. But that is not what will save us. Only accepting the forgiveness Jesus offered by dying on the cross for each of our sins. The list above is stuff we should want to do because of the forgiveness and grace God has given us. I once had one of our church elders say “we don’t work to be a Christian, we work because we are one”, and our work is sharing the Good news with everyone. Let’s not put off getting right with God until tomorrow, do it right now. It is the most urgent thing in your life. If you have not been doing your part to build his kingdom, today is a great day to start.

(P)

Romans 10:9

“if you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved”

 

Have a great day!

(S)

Live to Please God

4 Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God, as we have taught you. You live this way already, and we encourage you to do so even more. ² For you remember what we taught you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

³ God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. ⁴ Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor— ⁵ not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. ⁶ Never harm or cheat a fellow believer in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. ⁷ God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. ⁸ Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

⁹ But we don’t need to write to you about the importance of loving each other, for God himself has taught you to love one another. ¹⁰ Indeed, you already show your love for all the believers throughout Macedonia. Even so, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you to love them even more.

¹¹ Make it your goal to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we instructed you before. ¹² Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others.

The Hope of the Resurrection

¹³ And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. ¹⁴ For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died.

¹⁵ We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. ¹⁶ For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. ¹⁷ Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. ¹⁸ So encourage each other with these words.

(O)

Paul ends this chapter with a bit of a tease of what is to come when Jesus returns. It’s exciting and mysterious and full of hope. Some of the reason we commit our lives to our Lord, the end goal for each and every one of us.

But just before this, Paul gives an interesting warning. It seems to not fit the rest of the book so far, as the Thessalonians seemed to be right on track. But there it is, some instruction on sexual purity. There must have been some reason for Paul to have to mention this, obviously some concern had reached his ears. And it’s a good reminder, because sexual sin is a very real problem, and unfortunately within the Christian church.

Sexual sin has become very commonplace, perhaps trendy. It is sad to see that some Christian teaching has allowed this to become normal. It feels like the old saying “if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em”, in an attempt to justify our sin and lack of self control. But I like what Paul says in vs. 7  ⁷ God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives.  How do we overcome this ever-increasing problem within the church?

(A)

One thing the bible teaches us over and over is the importance of community. We need each other. And it’s a proven fact it is nearly impossible to overcome sexual sin on your own. We need to find someone we trust and “confess our sins to one another”. There is incredible healing in confession. It removes the devil’s power over you, he can no longer shame you into secrecy. I’ve seen incredible healing in this area simply from confessing and keeping accountable to someone. Find someone today you can talk to.

(P)

Ask God to show you who you could trust to talk to today. God is faithful and wants to see complete victory from sin in your life, whether sexual sin or anything other! Seek His incredible counsel today!