A daily chat with Pastor Mike and other resources to encourage listeners to connect with the Word of God and grow in their faith.
Subscribe:.rss.atom.json.md.m3u.pls
Failing Last read · last published · next check
Last read successfully 3 days ago; attempts since then have failed.
Saves to your Listen queue, to pick up on another day or another device.
Yesterdayin verse 10, Paul reminded the Thessalonians how he and his companions hadlived among them: “holily and justly and unblameably.” Now in verses 11and 12, Paul says: “As you know how we exhorted and comforted and chargedevery one of you, as a father does his children, That you would walk worthy ofGod, who has called you unto His kingdom and glory.” Earlier, in verse 7,Paul compared himself…
Paulwas willing to put his life on display and say, in effect, “You watched us. Yousaw how we lived. And not only did you see us—God saw us too.” There are twoaudiences watching our lives: people are watching us, and God is watching us. Paulbegins by saying, “You are witnesses.” The Thessalonians had been closeenough to Paul to see what he was really like. They didn't simply hear himpreach a…
Noticethose words: “Our labor and travail.” Paul was reminding theThessalonians that his ministry among them had cost him something. The word“labor” speaks of hard work and weariness. And “travail” carries the idea ofdifficult, strenuous effort. Paul wasn't sitting back and expecting everyoneelse to take care of him. He says they were: “Laboring night and day.” Weknow from Acts 18 that Paul's…
Paulbegins by saying: “We were gentle among you.” Paul was certainly acourageous man. He was bold enough to preach the gospel even after being beatenand imprisoned at Philippi. He was bold enough to stand before kings andrulers. He was bold enough to confront false teachers. But Paul understood thatboldness and gentleness are not opposites. You can be strong in yourconvictions and still be gentle…
Paul understoodsomething that every believer needs to remember: The purpose of our lives isnot to bring glory to ourselves. It is to bring glory to God. Jesussaid in Matthew 5:16: “Let your light so shine before men, that they may seeyour good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.” Notice Jesusdidn't say that people should see our good works and glorify us. He said theyshould see our…
There are two very important statements in this verse. Paulsays, first, “Neither at any time used we flattering words.” And then hesays, “Nor a cloak of covetousness.” Paulis reminding these believers that when he came to Thessalonica, he wasn'ttrying to manipulate them with his words, and he wasn't trying to get somethingfrom them for himself. Let's think first about “flattering words.” Thereis a…
“For our exhortation was not of deceit, norof uncleanness, nor in guile: But as we were allowed of God to be put in trustwith the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who test ourhearts.” Paul was concerned not only about what he preached, but also whyhe preached it. Inverse 3, Paul tells us three things that were not true about his ministry. First,it was “not of deceit.” Paul…
“For yourselves,brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain: But evenafter that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as you know,at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God withmuch contention.” Paulbegins by saying, “For yourselves, brethren, know.” In other words, Paulcould point to their own personal experience. They knew what…
Paul says they were waiting “forHis Son from heaven.” The word “wait” does not mean that they were sittingaround doing nothing. Biblical waiting is an attitude of expectation. It meansliving every day with the realization that Jesus Christ could return. Remember,these Thessalonian believers were young Christians. Paul had only been withthem for a short time. Yet one of the truths he had already…
“For they themselvesshowed of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how you turned toGod from idols to serve the living and true God.” In verse 9, Paul tellsus what people were saying about them. They were talking about the tremendouschange that had taken place in the lives of these Thessalonian believers. Paul describes theirconversion with three simple words: “turned to God.” I…
Think about what happened inThessalonica. Paul had not been there very long. According to Acts 17, tremendousopposition arose against him and his companions. Paul eventually had to leavethe city. You might have thought that once Paul left, the Gospel witness wouldbecome silent. But it didn’t! Paul left Thessalonica, but the Word of Godstayed there. And those new believers began sounding it out…
“So that you were examples to all that believe in Macedoniaand Achaia.” Yesterday we saw in verse 6 that the Thessalonian believershad become followers of Paul and of the Lord. They had received the Word in themidst of much affliction, but they received it “with joy of the Holy Spirit.” Now Paul tells us what happened next. They went from being followers tobecoming examples. I love that…
Rememberwhat Paul had just said at the end of verse 5: “You know what manner of menwe were among you for your sake.” Their message and their manner of lifeagreed. That is important because Christianity is not simply learning a set ofdoctrines. Certainly, doctrine is essential. We must know what we believe. ButChristianity is ultimately about following a Person—the Lord Jesus Christ.…
Now,the Gospel certainly must come to us in words. Romans 10:17 tells us, “Sothen faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Someone musttell us the wonderful story that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came into thisworld, lived a perfect and sinless life, died on the cross for our sins, wasburied, and rose again on the third day. The Gospel has a message, and thatmessage must be…
Thinkabout that today. If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior, you are loved byGod! The Bible does not teach us that God loves us because we are good enough,religious enough, or deserving enough. God loves us because of Who He is. John3:16 reminds us, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begottenSon.” Romans 5:8 says, “But God commended His love toward us, in that,while we were yet…
