Various Articles
Paul would later remark to this church which had brought him such joy: “for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord” 1 Thessalonians 3:8. Those whom we are related to in the faith should similarly bring such joy to us, and especially those whom we have personally assisted in growth. Our greatest joy should be found in those we mentor/disciple.
Have you ever felt like you don’t know what to do in life? You feel like you need a book of instructions to take with you everywhere you go? Well, there may not be any instruction manuals available, but the Bible as our guide is. In 1 Timothy chapter 2, Paul lists these sets of rules that we should live by, either through worship, or living through daily life.
My 3-year-old son made the joyful revelation when talking and making faces at his baby cousin this summer - “If I’m happy at her, she’s happy at me!” Life isn’t quite always like this, but typically, if you speak kindly to someone, you are much more likely to get a positive response from them whether it is a kind word back or help in an area you are looking for.
Judy Hopps, from the movie Zootopia, is a good example of how your mentality can help you stand firm or be swayed. Judy is a small bunny whose childhood dream was to become a cop. She worked her hardest to pass from the police academy. She continued to work towards her strong desire to do good even when everyone around her didn’t think she could do it.
Psalm 94 uses some harsh language at the start of the Psalm. To start, the psalmist calls God: “God of Vengeance” and is asking God to let His vengeance come down on the wicked. The psalmist also calls upon God to have judgment upon those who are proud. This Psalm calls upon God’s justice against the wicked. It even ends with saying that God will destroy the wicked because of their sin. This paints a rather harsh and commanding picture of God’s character. This is similar to Psalm 7 where it displays that God will sharpen His sword against those who do not repent. 2 Chronicles, it shows that God sent Egypt to rise up against King Rehoboam due to his sinful ways.
Someone dying of cancer commented that they thought they still had more to accomplish in life, but limited time prohibited those ambitions. Perhaps one of the devil’s great tricks is to lull us into lethargy as time swiftly passes, regardless of whether our years be few or many. We cannot reclaim time and opportunities past.
Our identity is found within the Bible. We can find peace and hope in our identity. You are a child of light. You are light through Christ. This means you are filled with the love and goodness of God, and your life has been sanctified through Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. What you have read about in the last few devotionals are all centered around living out this light. Living in a manner that brings glory to God by shining your light to all those around you.
There is increased pain in the world these days. Tensions are rising between nations, and there are areas of significant conflict, war, suffering, and death. These may portend earth’s final conflict, prior to the return of Jesus. But, beyond the world scene, there is private pain. Death’s tentacle reach brings profound grief to friends and families. Fractured relationships result in painful, agonizing isolation. The death of hopes and dreams leave deep emotional scars.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12, Paul discusses one of the ways to live a sanctified life. Paul reminds the readers to love one another which God has taught them previously. In the case of the Thessalonians they were doing well with showing this brotherly love to those around them. Because they are doing well, Paul encourages them to love even more. What a high praise to have received from Paul and great encouragement to continue not only in doing well but to do it even more! If Paul wrote you a letter inspired by God, would he praise you for the love you show others or would he need to teach you what it means to love those around you?
Do you recognize the work of God in your own life? It’s easy to fall into a mundane routine of our lives, living each day the same and simply going with the flow of life. In these moments of routine, we are likely to miss God’s mighty hand working within our lives. When life is peaceful and easy, we tend to forget to lift our eyes to God in praise and thanksgiving.
Individuals walking almost unaware in public while focused on their smartphones serve as illustrations as to how we may be walking by the Spirit. We may have a desire to walk by the Spirit, but worldly cares and attractions easily draw us similarly to focusing on a smartphone. As such, we may wander from the way of the Spirit and not even be aware of the danger.
Jesus said in Matthew 20:28, “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.” He is explaining to his disciples that his role was to serve the people and to give his entire life to them. Jesus many times flipped the worldview of being the best and greatest to showing that humility and service was above all most important. Paul recognized this about Christ and imitated this selfless and humble lifestyle.
We need to be enlightened as to the greatness of God’s power. The prime exhibit of this power is the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. If God’s power working in us is the same power that brought the helplessly dead Jesus back from the grave to immortality, imagine what that power within can do! Not only did the power of God raise Jesus from the dead, it has exalted Him to the right hand in the heavenlies, and has elevated Him far beyond all other powers and authority.
We can scarcely imagine a President, prime minister, or king calling a major press conference to declare the sovereignty of Almighty God, but a Mede ruler named Darius did exactly that. He declared that “he is the living God, enduring forever.” When confronted with the miraculous deliverance of Daniel from the lion’s den, it was abundantly clear to Darius that the true God is living and active in human events. He wisely and humbly acknowledged that the living God’s kingdom and dominion vastly superseded his - an amazing acknowledgment in itself for a governmental ruler to admit.
