Weekly Devotional

“Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another… But we urge you brothers to do this more and more.“1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 Paul here tells the believers in the Thessalonian church to “love one another“, and then he adds this challenge: “do this more and more.“ The problem is, we don’t love this way often in ...

“For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not men but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.“ 1 Thessalonians 4: 7 – 8This key section on “abstaining from sexual immorality“ contains a language selection by the Holy Spirit that says this is a “solemn warning“. It appears that for the Christian, sexual immorality is a particular sin that...

“And may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you.“1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 Pastor Paul again finds himself praying for the church in Thessalonica even as he’s writing to them. And notice what he prays for: the factor of “abounding love“ for the believers in that church for one another and for all is the heart of the prayer this ...

“For this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction, we have been comforted about you through your faith. For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.“1 Thessalonians 3:7-8 We continue to find insights into the lives of pastors in our devotional journey through 2 Thessalonians. This week’s insight relates to finding deep joy in hard times. Paul and his team seemed to frequentl...

“For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know.”   1 Thessalonians 3:1-5 This passage alludes to an important principle: “it is a deception of the Devil that Christians should not expect to suffer.”  In actuality, suffering for the faith is a reliable result of living for the faith; the second usually...

“But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, because we wanted to come to you… but Satan hindered us.”  1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 As I mentioned when I began this weekly devo in 1 Thessalonians, you will find many insights into a pastors’s life with his people in this particula...

"…by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved….so as always to fillup the measure of their sins." 1 Thessalonians 2:13 – 16 This is a sobering text. Paul unquestionably loved the Jewish people passionately andsacrificially (just read Romans 9 – 11). But he says here that no matter what the ethnicity ofpeople who commit sin, God will deal with them in discipline. Of speci...

"For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom and glory." 1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 After pastoring churches and studying them personally for decades, I can tell you that one of the biggest dangers to a congregation is having a pastor who, when all is said and done, ...

"…but just we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the Gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts." 1 Thessalonians 2:1-4 Well, we are already into the second chapter of First Thessalonians in our weekly devotional study, and let me point out that this entire second chapter deals with the subject of a pastor’s ministry to his people. Paul begins by dis...

“For they themselves report … how you turned to God from idols to serve the Living and TrueGod, and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.”        1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 Ever wonder how long you have to be a Christian before you begin to get some of the biggerthings right in regard to the Christian life? Turns out, not that long...