2 Thessalonians chapter 2, reading verses 1-12, August 31, 201
It doies not seem possible to me that it is September of the year 2011
And we are fast approaching October and we are still here as fall is just around the corner. The signs are beginning to show that fall is near. And just as we see THE changing in the weather and all the other SIGNS THAT ACCOMPANY fall, we can also see the signs of time pointing to the coming of the LORD as we have been looking at in these two epistles that Paul writes to the saints of God who live in Thessolinica.I
If you have ben in Pentecost as long as I have been, you know that things have changed.That is a huge understatement. In these two letters, Paul was addressing a young congregation, one that he by the Holy Spirit had founded not many days or years prior to writing these letters. In fact scholars tell us that these epistles were among the first if not the first that he wrote to any church.
The Truth was new to them and a freshness of spirit and a passionate hunger for God prevailed. Truths were new to them, a freshness of spirit prevailed, the atmosphere was charged and exciting....remember back when church was so exciting that you could hardly wait to get there?...we need to return to that kind of exciting church meetings. We have been so intent on getting out of thr pew and into the street that we have neglected the church service altogether
. And all this in spite of tremendous persecution they faced every day The great apostle to the Gentiles had taught them many truths, but he still found it necessary to remind them and to make sure that they understood all about the end times and the order of the great Day of the Lord and His coming. He had explained it all to them but they had wandered in their teaching and Paul had to set the record straight. Even today someone will come with some new doctrine and upset whole congregations with their theory’s. As I noted in our last study here in the blue room, it seems that this congregation here at Thessalonica had been duped by somebody or some spirit, not the Holy Spirit, but mention is named concerning a letter (alleged to be from Paul saying that the Day of the Lord had already come. That would mean that the rapture HAD ALREADY happened and they were left behind. The great apostle to the Gentiles had taught them many truths but still found it necessary to remind them and make certain that they understood what they had been told earlier. The reason for all of this was because of some erroneous teaching that had spread throughout the body as I explained in the session we had in the blue room and we will read it from the first two verses here in chapter 2 of 2nd, Thessalonians.
“Now brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and our gathering to Him, we ask you not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the Day of Christ had already come”. He says, don’t be shaken! Imagine the fear and anxiety that sort of teaching would produce today if we were deluded into that kind of teaching. Right here is a good time to read this chapter 2. 2nd. Thess. 2 (read the entire chapter)
Paul says Dont be shaken and don’t let anyone deceive you. It is our responsibility to watch out for each other.....do not be shaken...how can we be sure that we are not shaken by false teaching...by studying the Word for ourselves, amen! And we will be well equipped if we do that to stand against all deception from man or satan. Can you say amen Paul says, let no man deceive you.....not by any means. Think on that....we are sometimes deceived easily, are we not...and sometimes it is just a simple thing. Sometimes we are deceived by flattery, someone causing us to get puffed up by flattering words and it leaves us vulnerable. Paul in his first letter ch. 5 verses 12 through 22 gives sound advice that will strengthen us when deception comes our way. The third verse of our text chapter is a prophetic word...that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, (pause) and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition. The falling away...look at the church world today and ask yourself...is there a falling away?...look back to when you were first saved and tell me if the fervor and the passion and the deep desire and intense hunger for God is still burning feverishly in your heart and soul....remember when you were first baptized in the Holy Ghost...is that fire still burning?
Paul says to these Thessalonians...”Let no one....no one deceive you...by any means” Bible study is just as important for senior citizens as it is for new Christians. Some folks can get carried away with this senior citizens bit....and some day they will get carried away. Bible study is so necessary as it will equip us to fend off false doctrine when it comes of its own will. We all need to be prepared so we will recognize the signs of the times. Remember his warning in the first epistle to the Thessalonians? Chapter 5 verses 1&2(read them) You see how they needed reminding? Do you think we today are any different from them?
“Let no man deceive you Paul says....by any means. And then this prophetic word: “that Day will not come unless that falling away comes first.” Let me go on record to say that if that occurrence has not already happened...that it is awfully close. I honestly believe that we are already in it. Take; a look around during our best attended service on a Sunday morning. But there is hope...the Psalmist says, Hope thou in God. We have hope tonight, there is hope for the church tonight. Read 2nd. Chronicles 7: 12-15. We are that people and I guarantee if we humble ourselves and pray and seek God with our whole hearts then He will fill us with the Holy Spirit. It depends on you, it depends on me.
The second part of that verse says, “ and the man of sin is revealed”the son of perdition or doom. I submit to you that has not happened yet. However, I believe that he is somewhere in the world tonight. I have no idea who he is. Paul goes on to say how he will conduct himself and how he will be revealed. We know he will be a blasphemer. We know he will claim to be God. As a matter of fact he will sit as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God. Blasphemy of the worst order! I found as I was reading this and depending on the Lord for answers like as if the Holy Spirit impressed on my mind this thought Firstly, John says in 1st. John 2: 18 read it..many antichrists have come. Another place talks about the spirit off antichrist. As I contemplated this verse that speaks about Antichrist claiming to be God, the question comes to mind, “Where is the temple of God today? Is it in Jerusalem? Nope...never been built yet. 1ST. Cor. 6::19 GIVES US THE ANSWER.”Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit which is in you, Whom you have from God and you are not your own? I ask you tonight...could not the Spirit of antichrist enter the hearts of backslidden children, once born again but now become apostate? THE GREAT FALLING AWAY AND ENTER ANTICHRIST?
There is only One who can make that claim tonight...that He is God; only One Who is to be worshipped. Moses declared HIM IN Psalm 90:verses 1&2 “Lord, You have been our dwelling place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth, and the world, From everlasting to everlasting, You are God.” John 11:1-4&14, John 6:15-21, Matt. 16:15,16 declares Him to be Son of Man, Son of God. Paul declares Him to be God in his description of Him in Col. 1:15-18 He is the image of the invisible God, and we read something the same from Hebrews 1 verses 1-3. Let me read it from the Amplified version...”In many separate revelations, (each of which set forth a portion of the Truth, {But) and in different ways God spoke of old to (our) forefathers in and by the prophets {But} in the last of these days He has spoken to us in the person of His son. Whom He appointed Heir and lawful owner of all things, also by and through Whom He created the worlds and the reaches of space and the ages of time. [He made, produced, built, operated and arranged them in order. The third verse says, He is the sole expression of the glory of God, the light burning, the outlaying or radiance of the divine], and He is the perfect and very image of[God’s nature], upholding and maintaining and propelling the universe by His mighty Word or Power.” There is more but we’ll stop right there. He is more than just an image or replica or a copy as the word image might imply. He is the exact expression of God Himself, the perfect, sole, expression, He is God, Jesus is God. When God came down from heaven to dwell among us that was Jesus! To say that He is not God, or that His not Divine would be a lie. To say He is a man but only a man would constitute a falsehood. When I was preparing this lesson for tonight and meditating, pondering on it, suddenly I felt a great burden come over me as I thought of those around us who are not following the Lord at this time and I cried out to Him...oh Lord! How can I try to explain and convince an individual of this being the truth; that YOU CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN AND LIVED AMONG US , born of a virgin You walked upon the earth that You had created and You keep it in it’s orbit in perfect timing...that You died for our sins, and rose up from the grave on the third day so that You could raise us up on the resurrection morning. It is too much for me to understand it all by myself.. The Spirit of the Lord impressed upon my heart, don’t even try to explain it ,just proclaim it. It is too much for my reasoning power, too much for my understanding...but, I believe it! You must believe it! If you are going to live with Jesus for eternity. David said in Psalm 131:1, “ Lord, my heart is not haughty nor my eyes lofty neither will I exercise myself in great matters or in things TOO HIGH FOR ME.”In other words don’t try to prove that the Bible is true. Let God prove His Word b y answering prayer.
If there is one thing I say that I would like to be remembered for it is that God came down from heaven, took upon Himself flesh and became a man. He is alive and shall be forevermore. The God Man Jesus Christ. I believe as Peter and Martha both confessed that Jesus Christ is the Son of the Living God. He is Emmanuel, God with us! THE Antichrist will claim to be God, but he will be destroyed at the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ with His saints. At the brightness of His coming the Bible says. This antichrist, this false god will oppose everything and everyone connected with God or Godly people and he will proclaim to be God Himself. He will deceive many. The Amplified from verse 4 says, “Who opposes and exalts himself so proudly and insolently against and over all that is called God or that is worshipped, even to his actually taking his seat in , proclaiming that he himself is God. Here are some references: Ezek.28:2, Daniel 11:36&37. Paul asks a question here in 2 Thess. 2:5, He said, “Don’t you remember when I was with you I told you these things?” They had to be reminded...we have to be reminded...when the Holy Spirit is gone after the rapture (that’s when the Holy Spirit is gone when the church us lifted, the antichrist will be revealed. That is his appointed time He has an appointment he has to keep. Read verse 7 The mystery of lawlessness is restrained right now but it will blow wide open when the Spirit is lifted.
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Saturday, October 1, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Lesson 2 from 2nd. Thessalonians chapter 1
Lesson2 from 2nd. Thessalonians ch.1 Read the chapter again
As we looked into the first four verses we see the apostle Paul
encouraging and exhorting the church that he had founded for their faith…”Your faith growth exceedingly.” Faith that grows…fruit grows doesn’t it? And when you go to the super market to buy fruit you will find it in various stages of growth, some of it is ripe, some not so ripe and some of it is over ripe. And Paul tells the Galatians that faith is also a fruit of the Spirit, besides being a gift of the Spirit, perhaps we will do a study on the fruit of the Spirit after this one (if God permits .)
Verse #5 here in ch.1 says “which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God …..what is this manifest evidence that he refers to? It is their patience and faith as they endure
both persecution and tribulation. Patience is also a fruit of the Spirit. The King James Version calls it long suffering. God does not send persecution or tribulation to His children, we see in 1 Thessalonians ch. 5 verse 9,” for God did not appoint
us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Sometimes He may allow some test or a trial just to give us opportunity to have our faith proven, but remember what the writer to these people said when he was so concerned about their faith coming under attack and the fact that he could not make it….he said in 1st. Thessalonians 2:17, 18…”But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you --- even I, Paul, time and again---but Satan hindered us.”Satan hindered us, Paul says. And then in that same verse that I just read, the next verse…”For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord at His coming?” His hope, his crown of rejoicing, his glorying in the Lord was because of the souls he had led to the Lord, even those he had influenced , had helped to come to Christ because his testimony among them was believed. Remember what he said back in the first epistle, chapter 2, verse 13…”For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also works effectively in those who believe… this is the key to success in our witness that what we say is convincing to men and women as it should be, the Word of God! Our words unless they line up with God’s Word, are just empty babblings. How important it is to bring a soul to the Lord.Back in verse 4 of our study chapter 1 of Thessalonians 2the apostle refers to their patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations that they were enduring, and further in verse 5, he says that all of this is evidence of the righteous judgment of God that you may be accounted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, WHOA! Did you hear what I just read? It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you. This walk with God is not to be taken lightly either by us or by those who oppose us. Not only are we to walk worthy of our calling but God has taken responsibility over us also. I do not take lightly the harassing of my children and how much more must God feel about His children and their good keeping, divine protection is theirs as long as we walk worthily…
Worthy before God …of our calling. In the 7th. Verse here in chapter 1, God is going to set the record straight….thousands of Christians are suffering much persecution somewhere in other lands tonight. The record probably reads much like the 11th. Chapter of Hebrews, “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection, still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.” Hebrews 11, verses 35 to the end of the chapter Turn there and we’ll read it.
Read also verses 37-40. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted,[a] were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
Back in our study chapter He is going to take vengeance on those who do not know God!....on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (read verses 7-9)
It behooves us to watch for our own souls and those of our families. I think we need to focus ijn prayer on our families, whether they are serving the Lord or not, We need to see revival and get ready for a move of God. When you look at the next few verses it should cause us to stop thinking about ourselves and our inability to speak to others about their spiritual condition…look at verses 10-12.
Again verse 10 says, “When He comes (praise God, He is coming )when He comes in that Day, to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. When He comes back to this earth my friends, He will not come as an infant….He is coming in power as the old songwriter penned it, “we’ll hail that blessed hour”, He is coming with great glory, It is going to be a glorious appearing. This will be the Second Coming of our Lord back to earth …the rapture has already taken place; and He is coming with His saints, those who have been raptured before the tribulation takes place and when He comes in this appearing , He will set up His 1000 year reign known as the Millennial reign of Christ
And during that reign, there will be peace…real peace for 1000 years. In the meantime we will suffer persecution, in this life…2nd. Tim.3:12 says, “Yea, and all who live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” but that is not tribulation ….1st. . Thess.5:9 which says, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our lord.
This chapter, to summarize it if you will tells me that Jesus is coming back to this earth to rule and to reign and that you must believe in the Gospel in order to be a part of that company of saints who are going to be with Him when He comes. It tells me that you have to believe the old-time Gospel You cannot make it in unless you believe. It tells me that there is everlasting fire , everlasting destruction for those who have not believed. Verses 11 & 12”
tells it all: “Therefore we pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of His calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work with powerthat the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified
Aren’t you glad for the gospel tonight? Vs. 12, says, “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He’s got plenty of grace tonight..That is my desire tonight to have His name glorified in me. Can you say amen? Some people blaspheme that holy name…let us be known as a people who glorify His name. Do you have a testimony tonight that will glorify His name?Read 2 Peter 3:1-18. But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is how we can be sure we will make it in.
As we looked into the first four verses we see the apostle Paul
encouraging and exhorting the church that he had founded for their faith…”Your faith growth exceedingly.” Faith that grows…fruit grows doesn’t it? And when you go to the super market to buy fruit you will find it in various stages of growth, some of it is ripe, some not so ripe and some of it is over ripe. And Paul tells the Galatians that faith is also a fruit of the Spirit, besides being a gift of the Spirit, perhaps we will do a study on the fruit of the Spirit after this one (if God permits .)
Verse #5 here in ch.1 says “which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God …..what is this manifest evidence that he refers to? It is their patience and faith as they endure
both persecution and tribulation. Patience is also a fruit of the Spirit. The King James Version calls it long suffering. God does not send persecution or tribulation to His children, we see in 1 Thessalonians ch. 5 verse 9,” for God did not appoint
us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Sometimes He may allow some test or a trial just to give us opportunity to have our faith proven, but remember what the writer to these people said when he was so concerned about their faith coming under attack and the fact that he could not make it….he said in 1st. Thessalonians 2:17, 18…”But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you --- even I, Paul, time and again---but Satan hindered us.”Satan hindered us, Paul says. And then in that same verse that I just read, the next verse…”For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord at His coming?” His hope, his crown of rejoicing, his glorying in the Lord was because of the souls he had led to the Lord, even those he had influenced , had helped to come to Christ because his testimony among them was believed. Remember what he said back in the first epistle, chapter 2, verse 13…”For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also works effectively in those who believe… this is the key to success in our witness that what we say is convincing to men and women as it should be, the Word of God! Our words unless they line up with God’s Word, are just empty babblings. How important it is to bring a soul to the Lord.Back in verse 4 of our study chapter 1 of Thessalonians 2the apostle refers to their patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations that they were enduring, and further in verse 5, he says that all of this is evidence of the righteous judgment of God that you may be accounted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, WHOA! Did you hear what I just read? It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you. This walk with God is not to be taken lightly either by us or by those who oppose us. Not only are we to walk worthy of our calling but God has taken responsibility over us also. I do not take lightly the harassing of my children and how much more must God feel about His children and their good keeping, divine protection is theirs as long as we walk worthily…
Worthy before God …of our calling. In the 7th. Verse here in chapter 1, God is going to set the record straight….thousands of Christians are suffering much persecution somewhere in other lands tonight. The record probably reads much like the 11th. Chapter of Hebrews, “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection, still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.” Hebrews 11, verses 35 to the end of the chapter Turn there and we’ll read it.
Read also verses 37-40. They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted,[a] were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in 39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth. having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
Back in our study chapter He is going to take vengeance on those who do not know God!....on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (read verses 7-9)
It behooves us to watch for our own souls and those of our families. I think we need to focus ijn prayer on our families, whether they are serving the Lord or not, We need to see revival and get ready for a move of God. When you look at the next few verses it should cause us to stop thinking about ourselves and our inability to speak to others about their spiritual condition…look at verses 10-12.
Again verse 10 says, “When He comes (praise God, He is coming )when He comes in that Day, to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. When He comes back to this earth my friends, He will not come as an infant….He is coming in power as the old songwriter penned it, “we’ll hail that blessed hour”, He is coming with great glory, It is going to be a glorious appearing. This will be the Second Coming of our Lord back to earth …the rapture has already taken place; and He is coming with His saints, those who have been raptured before the tribulation takes place and when He comes in this appearing , He will set up His 1000 year reign known as the Millennial reign of Christ
And during that reign, there will be peace…real peace for 1000 years. In the meantime we will suffer persecution, in this life…2nd. Tim.3:12 says, “Yea, and all who live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution” but that is not tribulation ….1st. . Thess.5:9 which says, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our lord.
This chapter, to summarize it if you will tells me that Jesus is coming back to this earth to rule and to reign and that you must believe in the Gospel in order to be a part of that company of saints who are going to be with Him when He comes. It tells me that you have to believe the old-time Gospel You cannot make it in unless you believe. It tells me that there is everlasting fire , everlasting destruction for those who have not believed. Verses 11 & 12”
tells it all: “Therefore we pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of His calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work with powerthat the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified
Aren’t you glad for the gospel tonight? Vs. 12, says, “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. He’s got plenty of grace tonight..That is my desire tonight to have His name glorified in me. Can you say amen? Some people blaspheme that holy name…let us be known as a people who glorify His name. Do you have a testimony tonight that will glorify His name?Read 2 Peter 3:1-18. But grow in grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. That is how we can be sure we will make it in.
Monday, August 8, 2011
Those near miss accidents or is it the hand of GOD?
II’m not sure whether this is the proper terminology or not: near-miss accidents. However aq couple of weeks ago, my attention turned to a news clip regarding an industrial accident in our neighboring province of Nova Scotia. It seems there were two men working off a scaffold when it gave way beneath them and they fell to the ground or at least the next level. Total falling distance was 1.5 meters, not that far really
Sadly though one man died in hospital that same day. It made me go back in time and recall a similar situation that involved my Dad and myself and three other men working off a wooden scaffold in a pulp and paper mill in what was then the city of Lancaster in New Brunswick Canada. That was in a time when job safety was not much of a priority, the scaffold was not too well built as well we overloaded it, five of us on it at the same time. There was no warning, a sudden snap and down it went two floors down, there being a large hole in the floor where we had been working. Three men went with it as well as the staging. One of these men suffered severe head injuries but he survived. Miraculously, my Dad was standing on a piece of plywood that was a part of the staging/scaffolding, and it caused him to gently slide on it to the surface of the first floor, the one with the hole. He thus landed safely and on his feet. As for myself, upon the hearing of the snap, immediately my hands shot upward over my head to some ¾” conduit piping that we had just previously installed. It was an immediate response and felt as if my hands were lifted by someone other than myself or all those standing around me. I believe now and reflecting back, I know it was the hand of the lord, I could tell of many more near-misses like the time a 600 volt double-ended substation blew up in my fac, a slip of the screwdriver, my fault. But again I survived with minor injuries, suffice it to say that oncagain God intervened and spared my life, not because of any goodness in me but only through His grace and His mercy am I alive today.Several years later., I was reading in the Bible and I was reading from the book of 1st. Chronicles chapter 4 which is heavy into genealogy, not the most exciting book in the Bible, but suddenly, as suddenly as that snap I heard when the scaffold collapsed, I saw these two verses And it was as if they were written just for me. Verses 9&10 : “And Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, which literally means, “he will cause pain”. Now Jabez could have allowed that name to get him down and blame his troubles on his mother or his brothers. Instead he chose to call on the God of Israel and he prayed this prayer, “Oh that you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me and that you would keep me from evil that it may not grieve me.” The Bible says that God granted him what he requested. It made me to realize that God has had His hand on my life and also that it’s alright to ask God for His blessing. This is not one of those prosperity doctrines that are so prevalent today, it is simply receiving from God’s hand the provision He has made for us. The bible says, “in every thing give thanks.” That is my intention, to thank Him in everything. Another scripture passage that I memorized as a child going to a Baptist Sunday School is found in Proverbs 4:5,6 states it thusly, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." I am living proof of this advice
II’m not sure whether this is the proper terminology or not: near-miss accidents. However aq couple of weeks ago, my attention turned to a news clip regarding an industrial accident in our neighboring province of Nova Scotia. It seems there were two men working off a scaffold when it gave way beneath them and they fell to the ground or at least the next level. Total falling distance was 1.5 meters, not that far really
Sadly though one man died in hospital that same day. It made me go back in time and recall a similar situation that involved my Dad and myself and three other men working off a wooden scaffold in a pulp and paper mill in what was then the city of Lancaster in New Brunswick Canada. That was in a time when job safety was not much of a priority, the scaffold was not too well built as well we overloaded it, five of us on it at the same time. There was no warning, a sudden snap and down it went two floors down, there being a large hole in the floor where we had been working. Three men went with it as well as the staging. One of these men suffered severe head injuries but he survived. Miraculously, my Dad was standing on a piece of plywood that was a part of the staging/scaffolding, and it caused him to gently slide on it to the surface of the first floor, the one with the hole. He thus landed safely and on his feet. As for myself, upon the hearing of the snap, immediately my hands shot upward over my head to some ¾” conduit piping that we had just previously installed. It was an immediate response and felt as if my hands were lifted by someone other than myself or all those standing around me. I believe now and reflecting back, I know it was the hand of the lord, I could tell of many more near-misses like the time a 600 volt double-ended substation blew up in my fac, a slip of the screwdriver, my fault. But again I survived with minor injuries, suffice it to say that oncagain God intervened and spared my life, not because of any goodness in me but only through His grace and His mercy am I alive today.Several years later., I was reading in the Bible and I was reading from the book of 1st. Chronicles chapter 4 which is heavy into genealogy, not the most exciting book in the Bible, but suddenly, as suddenly as that snap I heard when the scaffold collapsed, I saw these two verses And it was as if they were written just for me. Verses 9&10 : “And Jabez was more honorable than his brothers, and his mother called his name Jabez, which literally means, “he will cause pain”. Now Jabez could have allowed that name to get him down and blame his troubles on his mother or his brothers. Instead he chose to call on the God of Israel and he prayed this prayer, “Oh that you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory, that your hand would be with me and that you would keep me from evil that it may not grieve me.” The Bible says that God granted him what he requested. It made me to realize that God has had His hand on my life and also that it’s alright to ask God for His blessing. This is not one of those prosperity doctrines that are so prevalent today, it is simply receiving from God’s hand the provision He has made for us. The bible says, “in every thing give thanks.” That is my intention, to thank Him in everything. Another scripture passage that I memorized as a child going to a Baptist Sunday School is found in Proverbs 4:5,6 states it thusly, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your path." I am living proof of this advice
Monday, July 18, 2011
lesson 2 from 2 Thess 1
You should go back a couple of blog entries and read it first to keep the context together from 2nd. Thessalonians ch.1 Read the chapter again
As we looked into the first four verses we see the apostle Paul
encouraging and exhorting the church that he had founded for their faith…”Your faith growth exceedingly.” Faith that grows…fruit grows doesn’t it? And when you go to the super market to buy fruit you will find it in various stages of growth, some of it is ripe, some not so ripe and some of it is over ripe. And Paul tells the Galatians that faith is also a fruit of the Spirit, besides being a gift of the Spirit, perhaps we will do a study on the fruit of the Spirit after this one (if God permits .)
Verse #5 here in ch.1 says “which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God …..what is this manifest evidence that he refers to? It is their patience and faith as they endure
both persecution and tribulation. God does not send persecution or tribulation to His children, we see in 1 Thessalonians ch. 5 verse 9, for God did not appoint
us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes He may allow some test or a trial just to give us opportunity to have our faith proven, but remember what the writer to these people said when he was so concerned about their faith coming under attack and the fact that he could not make it….he said in 1st. Thessalonians 2:17, 18…”But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you --- even I, Paul, time and again---but Satan hindered us.”Satan hindered us, Paul says. And then in that same verse that I just read, the next verse…For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord at His coming? His hope, his crown of rejoicing, his glorying in the Lord was because of the souls he had led to the Lord, even those he had influenced , had helped to come to Christ because his testimony among them was believed. Remember what he said back in the first epistle, chapter 2, verse 13…”For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also works effectively in those who believe… this is the key to success in our witness that what we say is convincing to men and women as it should be, the Word of God! Our words unless they line up with God’s Word, are just empty babblings. How important it is to bring a soul to the Lord.
Back in verse 4 of our study chapter 2 of Thessalonians 2, the apostle refers to their patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations that they were enduring, and further in verse 5, he says that all of this is evidence of the righteous judgment of God that you may be accounted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, WHOA! Did you hear what I just read? It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you. This walk with God is not to be taken lightly either by us or by those who oppose us. Not only are we to walk worthy of our calling but God has taken responsibility over us also. I do not take lightly the harassing of my children and how much more must God feel about His children and their good keeping, divine protection is theirs as long as we walk worthily…
Worthy before God …of our calling. In the 7th. Verse here in chapter 1, God is going to set the record straight….thousands of Christians are suffering much persecution somewhere in other lands tonight. The record probably reads much like the 11th. Chapter of Hebrews, “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection, still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.” Heb. 11:34,35. Read also verses 37-40.
Back in our study chapter He is going to take vengeance on those who do not know God!....on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (read verses 7-9)
It behooves us to watch for our own souls and those of our families. I think we need to focus ijn prayer on our families, whether they are serving the Lord or not, We need to see revival and get ready for a move of God. When you look at the next few verss it should cause us to stop thinking about ourselves and our inability to speak to others about their spiritual condition…look at verses 10-12.
Again verse 10 says, “When He comes (praise God, He is coming )when He comes in that Day, to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. When He comes back to this earth my friends, He will not come as an infant….He is coming in power as the old songwriter penned it, “we’ll hail that blessed hour”, He is coming with great glory, It is going to be a glorious appearing. This will be the Second Coming of our Lord back to earth …the rapture has already taken place; and He is coming with His saints, those who have been raptured before the tribulation takes place and when He comes in this appearing , He will set up His 1000 year reign known as the Millennial reign of Christ
And during that reign, there will be peace…real peace for 1000 years. We will suffer persecution…2nd. Tim.3:12 says, “Yea, and all who live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution but that is not tribulation ….1st. . Thess.5:9 which says, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our lord.
This chapter, to summarize it if you will tells me that Jesus is coming back to this earth to rule and to reign and that you must believe in the Gospel in order to be a part of that company of saints who are going to be with Him when He comes. It tells me that you have to believe the old-time Gospel You cannot make it in unless you believe. It tells me that there is everlasting fire , everlasting destruction for those who have not believed. Verses 11 & 12”
tells it all: “Therefore we pray always for you that our God would count you weary of His calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work with powerthat the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified
Aren’t you glad for the gospel tonight? Vs. 12, says, “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. That is my desire tonight to have His name glorified in me. Can you say amen? Some people blaspheme that holy name…let us be known as a people who glorify His name. Do you have a testimony tonight that will glorify His name?
As we looked into the first four verses we see the apostle Paul
encouraging and exhorting the church that he had founded for their faith…”Your faith growth exceedingly.” Faith that grows…fruit grows doesn’t it? And when you go to the super market to buy fruit you will find it in various stages of growth, some of it is ripe, some not so ripe and some of it is over ripe. And Paul tells the Galatians that faith is also a fruit of the Spirit, besides being a gift of the Spirit, perhaps we will do a study on the fruit of the Spirit after this one (if God permits .)
Verse #5 here in ch.1 says “which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God …..what is this manifest evidence that he refers to? It is their patience and faith as they endure
both persecution and tribulation. God does not send persecution or tribulation to His children, we see in 1 Thessalonians ch. 5 verse 9, for God did not appoint
us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. Sometimes He may allow some test or a trial just to give us opportunity to have our faith proven, but remember what the writer to these people said when he was so concerned about their faith coming under attack and the fact that he could not make it….he said in 1st. Thessalonians 2:17, 18…”But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you --- even I, Paul, time and again---but Satan hindered us.”Satan hindered us, Paul says. And then in that same verse that I just read, the next verse…For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord at His coming? His hope, his crown of rejoicing, his glorying in the Lord was because of the souls he had led to the Lord, even those he had influenced , had helped to come to Christ because his testimony among them was believed. Remember what he said back in the first epistle, chapter 2, verse 13…”For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the Word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the Word of God, which also works effectively in those who believe… this is the key to success in our witness that what we say is convincing to men and women as it should be, the Word of God! Our words unless they line up with God’s Word, are just empty babblings. How important it is to bring a soul to the Lord.
Back in verse 4 of our study chapter 2 of Thessalonians 2, the apostle refers to their patience and faith in all their persecutions and tribulations that they were enduring, and further in verse 5, he says that all of this is evidence of the righteous judgment of God that you may be accounted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, WHOA! Did you hear what I just read? It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you. This walk with God is not to be taken lightly either by us or by those who oppose us. Not only are we to walk worthy of our calling but God has taken responsibility over us also. I do not take lightly the harassing of my children and how much more must God feel about His children and their good keeping, divine protection is theirs as long as we walk worthily…
Worthy before God …of our calling. In the 7th. Verse here in chapter 1, God is going to set the record straight….thousands of Christians are suffering much persecution somewhere in other lands tonight. The record probably reads much like the 11th. Chapter of Hebrews, “Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection, still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment.” Heb. 11:34,35. Read also verses 37-40.
Back in our study chapter He is going to take vengeance on those who do not know God!....on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. (read verses 7-9)
It behooves us to watch for our own souls and those of our families. I think we need to focus ijn prayer on our families, whether they are serving the Lord or not, We need to see revival and get ready for a move of God. When you look at the next few verss it should cause us to stop thinking about ourselves and our inability to speak to others about their spiritual condition…look at verses 10-12.
Again verse 10 says, “When He comes (praise God, He is coming )when He comes in that Day, to be glorified in His saints, and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. When He comes back to this earth my friends, He will not come as an infant….He is coming in power as the old songwriter penned it, “we’ll hail that blessed hour”, He is coming with great glory, It is going to be a glorious appearing. This will be the Second Coming of our Lord back to earth …the rapture has already taken place; and He is coming with His saints, those who have been raptured before the tribulation takes place and when He comes in this appearing , He will set up His 1000 year reign known as the Millennial reign of Christ
And during that reign, there will be peace…real peace for 1000 years. We will suffer persecution…2nd. Tim.3:12 says, “Yea, and all who live Godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution but that is not tribulation ….1st. . Thess.5:9 which says, “For God hath not appointed us to wrath but to obtain salvation through Jesus Christ our lord.
This chapter, to summarize it if you will tells me that Jesus is coming back to this earth to rule and to reign and that you must believe in the Gospel in order to be a part of that company of saints who are going to be with Him when He comes. It tells me that you have to believe the old-time Gospel You cannot make it in unless you believe. It tells me that there is everlasting fire , everlasting destruction for those who have not believed. Verses 11 & 12”
tells it all: “Therefore we pray always for you that our God would count you weary of His calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work with powerthat the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified
Aren’t you glad for the gospel tonight? Vs. 12, says, “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. That is my desire tonight to have His name glorified in me. Can you say amen? Some people blaspheme that holy name…let us be known as a people who glorify His name. Do you have a testimony tonight that will glorify His name?
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Victory ahead
Victory ahead!
When the host of Israel, led by God
Round the walls of Jericho they did trod
Trusting in the Lord they did not fear or dread
By faith they saw the victory ahead!
The words to that old God inspired and breathed hymn came to mind this morning as I was praying. It was just a few minutes ago WHILE I WAS WALKING AROUND MY DOWNSTAIRS ROOM. I was petitioning God for the city as others are doing this morning also in a concentrated prayer session. I recalled in my mind the days that are now gone and how things have changed and how the Bible says that in the last days just before Jesus returns there will be a great falling away. Well guess what…it has already come, we are in that time. Churches closing their doors permanently, because there are not enough people to support their existence. It doesn’t look great. So why are we, a people who know that there is this great slipping back into a lethargic state praying for revival, renewal, restoration? The answer is found in the words of that old hymn…”by faith they saw the victory ahead.” Remember the chorus? “Victory ahead, victory ahead, through the blood of Jesus, victory ahead Trusting in the Lord, they knew what God had said
By faith they saw the victory ahead!”
Solomon, after the dedication of the temple had a visit from God Himself one night; God actually appeared to him and you can read it in 2ND. Chronicles 7:12-14 it says, “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice
When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, (and here is the clincher)…if My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.” God hasn’t changed, we do not have to accept the status quo. Let us humble ourselves and pray. Let us seek the face of Almighty God.
When the host of Israel, led by God
Round the walls of Jericho they did trod
Trusting in the Lord they did not fear or dread
By faith they saw the victory ahead!
The words to that old God inspired and breathed hymn came to mind this morning as I was praying. It was just a few minutes ago WHILE I WAS WALKING AROUND MY DOWNSTAIRS ROOM. I was petitioning God for the city as others are doing this morning also in a concentrated prayer session. I recalled in my mind the days that are now gone and how things have changed and how the Bible says that in the last days just before Jesus returns there will be a great falling away. Well guess what…it has already come, we are in that time. Churches closing their doors permanently, because there are not enough people to support their existence. It doesn’t look great. So why are we, a people who know that there is this great slipping back into a lethargic state praying for revival, renewal, restoration? The answer is found in the words of that old hymn…”by faith they saw the victory ahead.” Remember the chorus? “Victory ahead, victory ahead, through the blood of Jesus, victory ahead Trusting in the Lord, they knew what God had said
By faith they saw the victory ahead!”
Solomon, after the dedication of the temple had a visit from God Himself one night; God actually appeared to him and you can read it in 2ND. Chronicles 7:12-14 it says, “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice
When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, (and here is the clincher)…if My people, who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.” God hasn’t changed, we do not have to accept the status quo. Let us humble ourselves and pray. Let us seek the face of Almighty God.
Friday, July 1, 2011
prayer and interceeding before God
Pastor has called for seven days of prayer; prayer for the city and the surrounding communities, the bedroom communities.
He has a strategy. My group is praying specifically for the north end of the city.
A quote from a book written by an author of many years ago reads
like this, “For all ages, the law is laid down at the birth of the Church, THAT THE POWER OF THE Spirit must be prayed down from heaven. The amount of believing , continued prayer will determine the amount of the working of the Spirit in the Church. Direct, definite, determined, prayer is what we need.
In the 4th. Chapter of Acts you can see the confirmation of this kind of prayer that brings these kind of results. Peter and John were arrested and then brought before the council…the Jewish
High priest and his henchman. It’s a story that is a real suspense thriller ….read the 4th. Chapter and you will see for yourself. It’s too long to recount here but it is a fascinating story of real adventure and intrigue. The result was that after they were
threatened , they returned to their brothers , the disciples, and reported what had been done to them, “they lifted up their voices to God with one accord” and when they had prayed, the place was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spoke the Word of God with boldness”…..”and great grace was upon them..” I urge you to read this story. I experienced this outpouring of the infilling many years ago myself. While praying in an upper room in an old hall that substituted for a church house on a Saturday night in February of 1957, I too received this infilling. As we pray this week, let it be direct, definite and determined prayer that we pray as if we were in an upper room praying down the Holy Ghost from heaven and may we be bold in our God.
He has a strategy. My group is praying specifically for the north end of the city.
A quote from a book written by an author of many years ago reads
like this, “For all ages, the law is laid down at the birth of the Church, THAT THE POWER OF THE Spirit must be prayed down from heaven. The amount of believing , continued prayer will determine the amount of the working of the Spirit in the Church. Direct, definite, determined, prayer is what we need.
In the 4th. Chapter of Acts you can see the confirmation of this kind of prayer that brings these kind of results. Peter and John were arrested and then brought before the council…the Jewish
High priest and his henchman. It’s a story that is a real suspense thriller ….read the 4th. Chapter and you will see for yourself. It’s too long to recount here but it is a fascinating story of real adventure and intrigue. The result was that after they were
threatened , they returned to their brothers , the disciples, and reported what had been done to them, “they lifted up their voices to God with one accord” and when they had prayed, the place was shaken and they were all filled with the Holy Ghost and they spoke the Word of God with boldness”…..”and great grace was upon them..” I urge you to read this story. I experienced this outpouring of the infilling many years ago myself. While praying in an upper room in an old hall that substituted for a church house on a Saturday night in February of 1957, I too received this infilling. As we pray this week, let it be direct, definite and determined prayer that we pray as if we were in an upper room praying down the Holy Ghost from heaven and may we be bold in our God.
Monday, June 20, 2011
2 Thessalonians chapter 1, lessun 1
Everything we know about God, we find in the Bible. If you think you have a divine revelation of God but you can’t find it in the Bible… don’t buy into it. The greatest event in human history is about to unfold and many are not ready for it. It is what my Dad and his generation lived for…it is the Second Coming of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
2 Thess chapter 1 Read this chapter
We are about to embark or rather re-embark on a
journey into the future starting at the church house in early September, a continuation into the letters of the Apostle Paul that he wrote to the church he had planted in Thessalonica. This is a preview. Please remember this is a layman’s view point.
As you read the first chapter of 2nd. Thessalonians, you are made aware of the fact that the Apostle Paul is directing the attention of the Thessalonians to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the theme, this is the subject of this second letter or epistle to this particular church as well as for our attention in the day in which we live. This theme of Christ’s second coming is more relevant today than ever before….that is obvious. Approximately 2000 years have passed since he wrote these epistles and as the old song says, “I’m nearer home than I was yesterday.”
Sometimes in Bible study you have to read between the lines a little bit. While the truth of God’s Word is inerrant and was inspired and directed by the Holy Spirit, it was penned by human beings, men and women just like you and me. And they each have a unique style of their own. And often something may be implied and we do not see it but someone else does see it. That is what study rather than just reading does, it brings things out into the open as you dig into this Word.
I said all of that to say this, there is apparently or so it seems, certain expressions or wording by Paul in his first letter of which the folks at Thessalonica misinterpreted. I am referring to this portion of Paul’s letter found in chapter 2 of the second letter and verse 2 that states “ not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled , either by spirit (small “s”) or by word or letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.” They had assumed from Paul’s first letter that the rapture had already taken place and it caused them to be shaken in mind and troubled and wouldn’t we be troubled if we were convinced that Jesus had already come and taken His church and we were not included? Paul had told them in his first letter that of the times AND SEASONS there was no need to write them. He explained how the order of the resurrection worked. Somehow in all of this , they assumed that the Day of the Lord had already come Here in ch. 2 he warns against that kind of unrest caused by this kind of teaching. In our day it is date setting even though Jesus told us that no man knows the day or the hour.
So we are at that point we must needs look at ch. 1, Paul’s greetings and his salutation to the saints there in Thessalonica. It is a familiar Pauline greeting, in fact it is a familiar apostolic greeting that was also used by others and I refer to Peter, it is one he uses often as well and it indeed is a blessing invoked upon all who read these epistles, “grace and peace.” “Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” what better greeting and consequent blessing could you receive than His grace and peace imparted unto you?
In the next verses 3&4, we see the apostle giving thanks for these dear people. That blessing is in God our Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is for the church. It is not this unsettledness that is caused by setting dates.
“ We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters”(RSV)…WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE THANKFUL FOR GOD’S CHILDREN, our brothers and sisters, amen? There is a bond that transcends color and race when we meet a new believer and a blessing comes with it. When I say a “new “ believer I mean someone we have never met before, new to us. Someone of different origin perhaps, different nationality, different culture, perhaps a different color skin. God is a God of variety and we can be thankful for that. And Paul was telling the Thessalonians, he was thankful for their faith. Read verse 3 again. Their faith was growing, their love abounding and that
was the reason for thanksgiving in the apostle’s heart.
He commends them, telling how he is all the time boasting about them among the churches of God and here is where faith works The Bible says “Faith works through love and we see it in action in these opening verses of chapter1. Read verse 4. Their faith showed itself strong in persecutions and afflictions that they were enduring, and that is where we really need faith…we need to have that steadfastness that Paul refers to here. It was so evident in the lives of these Christians in Thessalonica.
The word steadfastness is translated in the Amplified Bible as
“ unflinching endurance and patience.” That is steadfast…unflinching endurance, think about it, if you had been in Thessalonica in Paul’s day and enduring persecution for His name sake, trials… on every hand and you face it unflinchingly. Put yourself in their place.
And you face it and you endure it with patience. Remember these words from the Apostle James ch. 1 verse 2, I believe it is… brethren, count it all joy when you face divers temptations, verse 3, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience”
The trying of your faith works…..it works patience and James talks about asking without wavering…reminds you of the words of Jesus when He was praying in the garden and the disciples fell asleep, “could you not stay with Me one hour? He was facing the cross …and He did so unflinchingly….unflinching endurance and patience…can we say that when we are facing our struggles?
If we could grasp what the Word says about faith, it would revolutionize our thinking and our entire outlook on everything we do or say about God. It would change our lives, we would go from a hum drum mediocre existence to a life in the Spirit of God that is full of joy unspeakable and full of glory and I don’t think that any one of us has arrived there yet. Look at what it says in the Amplified bible reading in Hebrews 11:1-3…Now faith is(note present tense verb “is”…NOW FAITH IS (it is now or it is never,) not some time in the distant future…faith is now! “Now faith is…the assurance( the confirmation, the title deed) of the things (we) hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. VERSE 2. For by faith----trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report. Verse 3. By faith we understand that the worlds[ during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the Word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things that are visible.” Isn’t that powerful? If we could see Faith like that what a difference we would make in our world.
And Paul says . “your faith groweth exceedingly” thank God for growing faith. How can we survive during persecutions and tribulations? Peter says it is a trial of faith. Look at what he says
1st. Peter 1:7… that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, NKJV
The trial or testing of our faith is much more precious than gold
Because gold, precious metal that it is will perish but real faith when it is tried will stand the test. Is there a mountain in your way? Remember God’s word to Zerubbabel? For it is not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord…this mountain shall come down
Enough for this blog. To be cont’d.
2 Thess chapter 1 Read this chapter
We are about to embark or rather re-embark on a
journey into the future starting at the church house in early September, a continuation into the letters of the Apostle Paul that he wrote to the church he had planted in Thessalonica. This is a preview. Please remember this is a layman’s view point.
As you read the first chapter of 2nd. Thessalonians, you are made aware of the fact that the Apostle Paul is directing the attention of the Thessalonians to the Second Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the theme, this is the subject of this second letter or epistle to this particular church as well as for our attention in the day in which we live. This theme of Christ’s second coming is more relevant today than ever before….that is obvious. Approximately 2000 years have passed since he wrote these epistles and as the old song says, “I’m nearer home than I was yesterday.”
Sometimes in Bible study you have to read between the lines a little bit. While the truth of God’s Word is inerrant and was inspired and directed by the Holy Spirit, it was penned by human beings, men and women just like you and me. And they each have a unique style of their own. And often something may be implied and we do not see it but someone else does see it. That is what study rather than just reading does, it brings things out into the open as you dig into this Word.
I said all of that to say this, there is apparently or so it seems, certain expressions or wording by Paul in his first letter of which the folks at Thessalonica misinterpreted. I am referring to this portion of Paul’s letter found in chapter 2 of the second letter and verse 2 that states “ not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled , either by spirit (small “s”) or by word or letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.” They had assumed from Paul’s first letter that the rapture had already taken place and it caused them to be shaken in mind and troubled and wouldn’t we be troubled if we were convinced that Jesus had already come and taken His church and we were not included? Paul had told them in his first letter that of the times AND SEASONS there was no need to write them. He explained how the order of the resurrection worked. Somehow in all of this , they assumed that the Day of the Lord had already come Here in ch. 2 he warns against that kind of unrest caused by this kind of teaching. In our day it is date setting even though Jesus told us that no man knows the day or the hour.
So we are at that point we must needs look at ch. 1, Paul’s greetings and his salutation to the saints there in Thessalonica. It is a familiar Pauline greeting, in fact it is a familiar apostolic greeting that was also used by others and I refer to Peter, it is one he uses often as well and it indeed is a blessing invoked upon all who read these epistles, “grace and peace.” “Grace and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” what better greeting and consequent blessing could you receive than His grace and peace imparted unto you?
In the next verses 3&4, we see the apostle giving thanks for these dear people. That blessing is in God our Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ. It is for the church. It is not this unsettledness that is caused by setting dates.
“ We must always give thanks to God for you, brothers and sisters”(RSV)…WE SHOULD ALWAYS BE THANKFUL FOR GOD’S CHILDREN, our brothers and sisters, amen? There is a bond that transcends color and race when we meet a new believer and a blessing comes with it. When I say a “new “ believer I mean someone we have never met before, new to us. Someone of different origin perhaps, different nationality, different culture, perhaps a different color skin. God is a God of variety and we can be thankful for that. And Paul was telling the Thessalonians, he was thankful for their faith. Read verse 3 again. Their faith was growing, their love abounding and that
was the reason for thanksgiving in the apostle’s heart.
He commends them, telling how he is all the time boasting about them among the churches of God and here is where faith works The Bible says “Faith works through love and we see it in action in these opening verses of chapter1. Read verse 4. Their faith showed itself strong in persecutions and afflictions that they were enduring, and that is where we really need faith…we need to have that steadfastness that Paul refers to here. It was so evident in the lives of these Christians in Thessalonica.
The word steadfastness is translated in the Amplified Bible as
“ unflinching endurance and patience.” That is steadfast…unflinching endurance, think about it, if you had been in Thessalonica in Paul’s day and enduring persecution for His name sake, trials… on every hand and you face it unflinchingly. Put yourself in their place.
And you face it and you endure it with patience. Remember these words from the Apostle James ch. 1 verse 2, I believe it is… brethren, count it all joy when you face divers temptations, verse 3, “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience”
The trying of your faith works…..it works patience and James talks about asking without wavering…reminds you of the words of Jesus when He was praying in the garden and the disciples fell asleep, “could you not stay with Me one hour? He was facing the cross …and He did so unflinchingly….unflinching endurance and patience…can we say that when we are facing our struggles?
If we could grasp what the Word says about faith, it would revolutionize our thinking and our entire outlook on everything we do or say about God. It would change our lives, we would go from a hum drum mediocre existence to a life in the Spirit of God that is full of joy unspeakable and full of glory and I don’t think that any one of us has arrived there yet. Look at what it says in the Amplified bible reading in Hebrews 11:1-3…Now faith is(note present tense verb “is”…NOW FAITH IS (it is now or it is never,) not some time in the distant future…faith is now! “Now faith is…the assurance( the confirmation, the title deed) of the things (we) hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality [faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses]. VERSE 2. For by faith----trust and holy fervor born of faith] the men of old had divine testimony borne to them and obtained a good report. Verse 3. By faith we understand that the worlds[ during the successive ages] were framed (fashioned, put in order, and equipped for their intended purpose) by the Word of God, so that what we see was not made out of things that are visible.” Isn’t that powerful? If we could see Faith like that what a difference we would make in our world.
And Paul says . “your faith groweth exceedingly” thank God for growing faith. How can we survive during persecutions and tribulations? Peter says it is a trial of faith. Look at what he says
1st. Peter 1:7… that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ, NKJV
The trial or testing of our faith is much more precious than gold
Because gold, precious metal that it is will perish but real faith when it is tried will stand the test. Is there a mountain in your way? Remember God’s word to Zerubbabel? For it is not by might nor by power but by My Spirit says the Lord…this mountain shall come down
Enough for this blog. To be cont’d.
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