Read 1
Thessalonians 2:14-4
In your journal, write down the things that stick out to you from today’s Bible reading. Respond to what God shows you as you feel led (confession, thanksgiving, etc.)
In your journal, write down the things that stick out to you from today’s Bible reading. Respond to what God shows you as you feel led (confession, thanksgiving, etc.)
In these chapters we
see Paul’s genuine care and affection for the Thessalonians. When studying the
Bible we cannot stop at observation, we must move to obedience. When we see
Paul rejoicing in the Thessalonians’ faith, we should be prompted to rejoice in
the faith of those around us. When we see Paul encouraging the Thessalonians to
“excel still more” (a phrase used twice in chapter 4), we should think of ways
we can encourage people to excel at living rightly. When we see Paul gently
offering true doctrine in order to comfort those hurt by ignorance, we should
pray about how we can gently offer help to people who are hurting. Whenever we
study Scripture we must look first to what it says about Jesus and second to
how He desires to apply the Word to our lives.
Prayer
and Meditation
1.
God
rejoices in our successes! The way Paul celebrated the Thessalonians is a
picture of how God celebrates us when we’re faithful. Ask God to show you an
area where you’ve been faithful. It may be a character trait you’ve grown in,
triumph in overcoming bondages, obedience to His promptings, etc.
2.
Meditate
on 4:7-8. Rejecting God’s ways is rejecting God Himself. Ask God to deepen your
understanding of what sin is and why repentance is important.
3.
Paul
had a burden for the Thessalonians, so he sent Timothy to them. Ask God to
reveal His heart for the lost and the broken. Out of this heart, pray that God
would send many workers into the harvest (Matthew 9:38).
