I tend to lose sight of how God has been at work in my life. It is then that I need others to help broaden my perspective of what God has been doing. One thing that helps do this, is a reminder of the circumstances in which the Gospel was received. As people help me in this manner, God teaches me that the circumstances in which we receive the Gospel propel us into a future of hope. With this mind I would like to point out four things that Paul the Apostle finds in the Thessalonian church that causes him to be thankful.
In chapter one of 1 Thessalonians, Paul is giving reason for his prayers of thanksgiving. By looking at the reason for his thanksgiving we discover how God works in order to propel us into our future.
1. He propels us through faith, hope and love (v.2-3).
"2 We give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly mentioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before our God and Father your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."
2. He propels us by displaying proofs of our calling. (v. 4-5).
"4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake."
3. He propels us by making us examples of the faithful and Christ Himself.
(v.6-7).
"6 And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia." (Refer Acts 17:1-10 for the context of this statement.)
4. He propels us into our future by using us to spread Gospel without preaching. (8-10).
"8 For not only has the word of the Lord sounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of reception we had among you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come."
Based upon what Paul the Apostle is thankful for, and what it teaches us, we would be blessed to keep seeking when it appears God is unwilling to answer. Look at what Jesus says immediately follow His instruction on how to pray in Luke 11:5-10.
"5 And he said to them, 'Which of you who has a friend will go to him at midnight and say to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves, 6 for a friend of mine has arrived on a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; 7 and he will answer from within, 'Do not bother me; the door is now shut, and my children are with me in bed. I cannot get up and give you anything'? 8 I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his impudence he will rise and give him whatever he needs. 9 And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened."
A second and final thought is that we must help each other embrace the confusion that leads to revelation. Oswald Chambers says, "There are times in spiritual life when there is confusion, and it is no way out to say that there ought not to be confusion. It is not a question of right or wrong, but a question of God taking you by a way which in the meantime you do not understand, and it is only my going through the confusion that you will get at what God wants.”
God bless you as He propels you into your future,
Pastor Paul
(The video for this message may be seen in the next post)
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