Read: 1 Thessalonians 5:12-2 Thessalonians 3:18: Acts 18:4-23
Paul admonished the people of the church to honor their leaders with respect and love because they work hard and gave them spiritual guidance. We need to remember that when we are tempted to criticize a spiritual leader. No one has all the revelation but each person has a part and that is what they offer to us. The same goes for Christians. We are all at a different level so we all have to learn to have patience with each other. Paul gives us a list of “always”: always do good, always be joyful, always pray, always be thankful, always honor the Holy Spirit, and always stay away from evil. God’s prayer is that his peace would make us holy and whole until Jesus comes back.
The church in Thessalonia went through much persecution to follow Christ and they had become a model church for the others to see. God said that he would use their persecution to show his justice and make them worthy of his Kingdom. He promised to punish those that persecuted them with eternal destruction, but he would give His followers rest.
Paul also prayed that God would give them the power to accomplish all the good things that their faith prompted them to do. Then, the name of Jesus would be honored and they would be honored with Jesus.
There was some false teaching about the second coming of Jesus. Some were teaching that the day of the Lord had already begun. Paul told them not to be deceived or fooled because there will be a great rebellion against God and the man of lawlessness will be revealed. He will exalt himself above everything and claim to be God himself. He will appear when God decides it is time and not a day earlier. This anti-Christ will come with signs and miracles. He will deceive the ones who refuse to believe the truth.
There is much talk about this being the end and we are close but this is not the end. We have just entered into the “kingdom age” where we will reign with Christ and do the greater things Jesus talked about in John 14:12. We are at the season where we are bringing heaven to earth, not leaving for heaven. So, let’s not get the mindset that we are about to be raptured out of here. We are here for the greatest time in church history where we are going to see miracles, healing, salvations, etc., like no other time in history so lift up your eyes to the Lord, he is coming down!
Lord, get us ready to go out and let you move through us in power to do all our faith prompts us to do.
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