QT 11 Oct 19, 2 Thess 3:2, Every church (not the body) has unbelievers as members

2 Thessalonians 3:2 (RSV) — and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men; for not all have faith.

NOTE: There are unbelievers and then there are unbelievers. What I mean is that some oppose the gospel because they stand against the entire message of Jesus Christ; and there are others who oppose the spread of the gospel and yet call themselves believers in Jesus Christ. We see them in the church quite often. They are more concerned about facilities and performances and good programs than reaching out to the masses, especially when the masses are lower class or dirty or different. I'm not sure these people are really believers since they not interested in others knowing the Lord Jesus. They are just religious, and "just religious" really means an unbeliever in biblical terms. They do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ; they have not been changed or indwelt by the Holy Spirit; and they have no desire to believe everything that the word of God teaches. They are the birds which sit in the large tree stealing the seed lest it germinate in the heart of a new believer.

PRAYER: Father, I want you to give me a heart for others. I desire to see you use my life for the spread of the gospel. I want to be obedient to your word in all that I do. Forgive me for my petty sins.

QT 10 Oct 19, 2 Thess 2:16-17, Works can save us from a fruitless Christian life

2 Thessalonians 2:16–17 (RSV) — 16 Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace, 17 comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

NOTE: I think verses 16 and 17 are tied together even more closely than proximity. I think eternal comfort and good hope are directly related to "establish them in every good work and word." As we involve ourselves in ministry, and in reading and sharing the word with others we truly begin to experience comfort and hope. It is a peace that surpasses understanding. It is found in a deep and abiding relationship with Jesus, and then the application of his word to our lives through works. Works don't save us, but they do save us from ourselves. If we are not working out our faith, if we are not applying the word to our life, we will become nervous, agitated, doubtful, and stressed. Good works done as a result of God's word and the Spirit's direction save us from the trap of the carnal Christian.

PRAYER: Father, I need to remain committed to your word and to applying your word each and every day. My witness, my health (physically and emotionally and psychologically) is all tied to your word and service. Give me an open ear to hear you speak to me.

QT 9 Oct 19, 2 Thess 2:15, We need to apply God's word, not just read it

2 Thessalonians 2:15 (RSV) — So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by letter.

NOTE: I tend to rebel against traditions and the thought here might be a little different in terms of meaning. People of that time committed things to memory. You didn't go look it up in a notebook. Constable suggests that you did not really know it until it was memorized. So  the traditions here may not be activities in a church but rather teachings that Paul had given in the past. These were probably the basics of the faith. The teaching and doctrine was memorized and probably also internalized. The traditions or teaching were a part of their lives. This is part of the reason application is so important. When we apply the word of God to our life, we take it to another level of internalization. It becomes a part of us. We need to be regularly applying the word to specific areas of our life in a way that is measurable and accountable. I'm afraid that very few Christians ever do any such thing.

PRAYER: Father, I pray we would be does of the word and not hearers only. I pray we would follow through on specific and measurable application of the word of God to life. I pray we would be accountable to another brother or sister as well.

QT 8 Oct 19, 2 Thess 5:9-12, Refusal to believe has a limit

2 Thessalonians 2:9–12 (RSV) — 9 The coming of the lawless one by the activity of Satan will be with all power and with pretended signs and wonders, 10 and with all wicked deception for those who are to perish, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 Therefore God sends upon them a strong delusion, to make them believe what is false, 12 so that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

NOTE: God sends a strong delusion upon the unbelieving world, because they are condemned. Why are they condemned? Because they refused to believe the truth. God is merciful, but he chooses to withdraw his mercy but to a select few in the last days. Even today, we can see those who refuse to believe and have instead chosen to believe the worldview of things regarding gender, marriage, and sexual relationships. God's word is clear, but people are convinced, by supposed scientists, that they can and should disregard the bible. Scientists can say little about the metaphysical, and the bible does not say much about science -- they do not contradict each other, although each has a purpose and can give more appreciation for the other when understood correctly.

PRAYER: Thank you for your word. Help us to understand it more clearly. Open the eyes of the dying that they may yet live.

QT 7 Oct 19,2 Thess 2:3-4, Even the saved will twist God's word

2 Thessalonians 2:3–4 (RSV) — 3 Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of perdition, 4 who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.

NOTE: Previously, Paul had directly spoken to the idea of the rapture. The concern here is that they missed the rapture and now are in the midst of the day of the Lord (the seventieth week) that ends in the return of the Savior but is also a time of intense wrath and persecution. Believers will face persecution in their lives, but they will not have to undergo what tribulation saints will face, the wrath of God against man. The world must still exhibit the rebellion, also called the apostasy, before the day of the Lord can come. That is where even the saved will turn against the revealed word of God. We are already seeing it start, a rejection of the created genders, unnatural relationships, rejection of God's definition of marriage, rejection against God's established rulers, and a rejection against what is good and holy. And a man will be revealed, a godless man, an Atheist, who will stand against all religion, true or not true. Most probably, religion will be blamed for the world's woes, and in some cases that is true. But the worship of the one true God as revealed by Jesus Christ can actually save the world, but the world is blinded to the truth.

PRAYER: Father, I pray my life would show Jesus Christ to an unbelieving world. Help me to stand up for my faith. Help me to save as many as possible by my life and words.

QT 6 Oct 19, Isa 53:7, People need to know our faith more than our petty accomplishments

Isaiah 53:7 (RSV) —

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he opened not his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb,

so he opened not his mouth.

NOTE: Jesus committed no crime. His motives were entirely pure. He was not selfish. He did not think of himself higher than others. He loved people. Of all people to be oppress or afflicted, he was not guilty of anything except working to free mankind from the slavery of sin. He died an innocent man and also a guilty man, because he carried the sin of every person who ever lived. In contrast, my hackles are raised by those who speak against me. What's worse is that sometimes they are right. I am a sinner. My motives are not pure. I do think of myself more than I ought. I do not love all people. If Jesus could take the abuse, I should as well.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to keep my mouth shut. If people misinterpret my actions, so be it. I do not need for people to know my accomplishments or my background. What people need to know is that I have a faith in Jesus. That is what should define me to others.

QT 5 Oct 19, 1 Kings 17:4-7, Times of want and times of plenty are times to learn

1 Kings 17:4-7 (RSV) — 4 You shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” 5 So he went and did according to the word of the Lord; he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith that is east of the Jordan. 6 And the ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. 7 And after a while the brook dried up, because there was no rain in the land.

NOTE: In Streams of the Desert, the Cowman writes,

"THE education of our faith is incomplete if we have not learned that there is a providence of loss, a ministry of failing and of fading things, a gift of emptiness. The material insecurities of life make for its spiritual establishment. The dwindling stream by which Elijah sat and mused is a true picture of the life of each of us. “It came to pass … that the brook dried up”—that is the history of our yesterday, and a prophecy of our morrows." (1925)

I do not like it when people spiritualize scripture. Cowman's insight is a bit of a stretch from this passage, but he is right for two reasons. One, it is true that God tells him to go to a place that later runs dry. God did want him to experience loss and a certain helplessness so that Elijah might trust in God. Additionally, the principle is taught in many other passages of scripture. The best example is Paul's statement in Philippians where he says "I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound; in any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and want." There is a secret, but it is not just about "want," it is also about "abundance." There is a great danger in both states, but the dangers are much different. Both can eat at your souls.

PRAYER: Father, you have taken me through extreme times of want and times of plenty. I don't want to miss the lessons you have for me. Give me wisdom to apply your truths to whatever situation I find myself.

QT 4 Oct 19, 2 Thess 1:11, Following through on good desires

2 Thessalonians 1:11 (RSV) — To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his call, and may fulfil every good resolve and work of faith by his power,

NOTE: Paul prays that they "may fulfil every good resolve … by his power, …" A good resolve seems to be a desire on our heart that is a good thing and that God himself may have placed there. We have those things, but we don't always act on them. They are a desire that doesn't have any negative or questionable aspects, but for some reason, we just don't get around to it. We know it would be a good thing, especially in our relationship with God or for the sake of the kingdom, but we just keep putting it off. And so Paul prays that they would follow through on those good things.

PRAYER: Father, I can think of one or two of those things that are on my heart but I just keep finding myself too busy. Give me the ability to set aside the time to make them happen. I was able to do one of those things this trip, but I need to follow through much more quickly than I have in the past.

QT 3 Oct 19, 2 Thess 1:6-8, A terrible vengeance is coming

2 Thessalonians 1:6–8 (ESV) — 6 since indeed God considers it just to repay with affliction those who afflict you, 7 and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus.

NOTE: God says "Vengeance is mine, I will repay" in another part of the New Testament. Here he tells us when he will repay. Generally, it is the day of wrath (the seven year tribulations) culminating in the second coming of the Lord. So, the vengeance is a "general" sort of vengeance against all of humanity for the sins against believers in Christ. Certainly, each person who dies without Jesus with face eternal punishment in Hell. No matter how angry we might feel about their crime against us, one could not improve on that. In fact, in those terms, my heart aches for those who have harmed us and for those who are so stubbornly opposed to God. But God is just, and the only payment for sin is Jesus's death or the person's death. In that sense, God is perfectly just.

PRAYER: Father, open our eyes to the truth of you word. There is so much wrong in the world. Help us to see our frailty and stupidity. I pray we would repent and believe before the day of judgment comes. Give me boldness to share my faith with others.

QT 2 Oct 19, 2 Thess 1:4, Healthy faith is also emotional

2 Thessalonians 1:4 (ESV) — Therefore we ourselves boast about you in the churches of God for your steadfastness and faith in all your persecutions and in the afflictions that you are enduring.

NOTE: There are some things that you can boast about and one is brothers and sisters in the faith that are enduring persecution and affliction with steadfastness and a growing faith. Steadfastness is not stoicism, but rather a deep-down belief that God truly is working things for my good. It is being able to say that "I am in pain and I do hurt and I don't understand and it seems too much for me, but I believe that God loves me greatly and he will bring good out of the hurt in my life." I like that a whole lot better than the stoicism of some so-called faithful Christians. I'm good at being a stoic, which is why I know it is a fake, a retreat from reality. We need to face life and our emotions because that is healthy.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for emotions and beauty and joy. Thank you even for pain although I don't desire the feeling. More than anything, thank you that you are ultimately sovereign and you have promised to bring good out of all things. Thank you.

QT 1 Oct 19, 1 Thess 5:27, The entire bible is a complete and accurate book we need for life

1 Thessalonians 5:27 (ESV) — I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

NOTE: I never noticed this verse before. The letter to the Thessalonians is one of the first letters Paul wrote. Galatians might precede it. In any case, Paul knew that the church needed to read his letters. I wonder if he also understood his ministry, to write the majority of the New Testament, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Not only were his letters read, there were copiously copied, like other first century letters that God guided. In fact, every book of the New Testament is a first century book with hundreds and thousands of copies by the fourth century. Consequently, it was not the council of Trent that decided what books were cannon, the Holy Spirit had already made that clear in the church by the tremendous number of copies. Books that were not included were not copied in any degree or were not written in the first century -- so much for the lost books of the bible -- there aren't any.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the carefully preserved and accurate word of God. It is a miracle orchestrated by you through people. There is no doubt these books are the exact group of books/ letters we need for daily living. We all need to live under the charge above on a daily basis -- to read the letters.

QT 30 Sep 19, 1 Thess 5:14-15, Work is good because we were created / designed for work

1 Thessalonians 5:14–15 (ESV) — 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

NOTE: Paul gives instructions regarding the idle, the fainthearted, the weak, and then a general instruction that is applicable to all. The idle are the lazy, and I suppose the selfish. I say selfish because they do not want to give of their time to help others, or for that matter themselves. But you reply, that if they do not want to help themselves, how does that hurt others? Because we then have to take care of them and so that also is selfish. We are to admonish them. The Greek word means to warn, and is the same word used in another letter associated with discipline. The problem with idleness is not just the selfishness of the action, but the danger of the inaction. Work is a good thing, and we are created in the image of God to work. When we do not work, we destroy something of the fabric of our souls. We can't ignore the creation. It is essential to our well-being. Which is why evolution through random processes is such a danger, because it hides these essential facts of our soul.

PRAYER: Father, protect me from laziness. I want to work hard because I know it is good for my soul. I want to do the best I can so that I am a good witness for you. Now, as I take time for an extended two-week rest, help to truly rest and let go. I want to be recharged and ready to go when I return to work. Thank you for a job. Thank you for the people. Give me grace to be a good witness.

QT 27 Sep 19, 1 Thess 5:12-13, We abuse our Pastors

1 Thessalonians 5:12–13 (ESV) — 12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves.

NOTE: I do think we esteem our leaders very highly, but I am not sure we do it for the right reasons or with the right motives. Throughout history, people have wanted to be associated with a Pastor, and to be considered a close friend of the Pastor, as if by some proximity, we too might be seen as spiritual. And then, we don't seem to realize the Pastor walks with God like any ordinary person. He struggles with sin, he struggles with anger, anxiety, and a whole host of issues -- just like us (to a degree -- everyone's struggles are different). It is possibly true that the Pastor may have a deeper walk with God, but that is the product of a "forced" intake of the word of God. If we showed the same discipline in quiet time, bible study, and prayer, we could have a similar close walk with God. Our jobs do not keep us from those disciplines. Our jobs give us greater opportunity to reach those who will never set foot in a church. And technically, the Pastor's job according to Eph 3 is NOT to do the ministry for us, but to train us up to do the ministry.

We are to esteem our Pastors because their work is very hard. People with spiritual problems are the most difficult and painful job to tackle in the world. We are so selfish. We believe the Pastor is there for us, for when we have struggles, and that he is at our beck and call. That is not true. Jesus is there for us. He is the one we are to call upon.

PRAYER: Father, forgive us for how we abuse the Pastor and misuse the Pastor. Forgive us for not listening to the Pastor, and for expecting that he must listen to us. We are a sorry lot. We are dirty smelly sheep and we don't even realize it. Open our eyes. Help us to esteem and love our leaders because of their hard work, not because we want to use them.

QT 26 Sep 19, 1 Thess 5:8, Faith, love, and hope are the expressions of the armor of a believer

1 Thessalonians 5:8 (ESV) — But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation.

NOTE: In Ephesians 6 is the passage detailing the armor of God. I believe this letter predates that one and so this is an early embryonic version of the same idea. Roman soldiers must have been a normal course of life and so their clothing, their armor probably offered a lot of food for thought. In this passage, Paul only mentions two of the items, the breastplate and helmet, leaving off the shoes, sword, and shield. These items mentioned are the most focused on protecting the body. The shield might be similar except that a shield, when used properly, was a very effective offensive weapon. But the two Paul mentions here are very defensive and protective. They protect our heart and our mind, the two areas Satan is most interested in attacking. Paul also brings in the concepts of faith, love, and hope. If I was to stretch the analogy, faith and love (the breastplate) protect our heart, and hope (the helmet) protects our mind. So when I feel the attack of Satan in one of these areas, I need to exercise the particular protective action. If I find myself doubting, I must remember my hope. Jesus has promised to return. And he will return -- in the air, before the great judgment. I have that hope of eternal life. The enemy has nothing that can take away my future in the kingdom.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the great hope I have in my salvation. There is nothing I can really lose. I need to exercise my armor though, not waiting for the attacks of Satan, but living a life of faith, love, and hope so that I am ready for the attack when it comes.

QT 25 Sep 19, 1 Thess 5:9, We will be physically saved from the wrath to come

1 Thessalonians 5:9 (ESV) — For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

NOTE: These verses continue the discussion on life and death for those who are in Christ, and the coming rapture that will resurrect both the living and the dead that are in Christ. But Paul makes it very clear that we are not destined to wrath. Why would he say that? Because Jesus' return is associated with the tribulation period, a time of wrath upon the whole world, and especially on the unbelieving Jewish nation. His point is that is not a part of a Christian's destiny. As a believer we will be raptured. Jesus will come and take us up with him. This is not the second coming which comes after the tribulation and the explosion of God's wrath upon the world. We are protected from that. The "salvation" mentioned here while related to our spiritual salvation is actually the physical salvation from experiencing the wrath of the tribulation.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you that I am saved, spiritually and in the future physically from the great tribulation. Your anger must be very great against the world. In every way possible we have sought to discredit your word and your creation. We are an incredibly stupid people. Forgive us. Have mercy. Open our eyes to your absolute truth about life and the world.

QT 24 Sep 19, 1 Thess 4:16-17, God is in control of the events unfolding on this planet

1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 (ESV) — 16 For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord.

NOTE: This event is what is commonly referred to as the rapture. It also agrees with the earlier verse where Jesus's coming with his holy ones (angels) is mentioned. We see at least one angel here, the archangel, and use of the trumpet of God suggests a multitude of angels ready to accomplish their mission upon the signal. This event is not the second coming. Jesus does not return to earth. The passage makes it very clear that he meets the 'dead and alive in Christ' in the  clouds in the air. And then we transverse to heaven to await traveling to the earth again in the second coming and the marriage supper of the lamb which will occur approximately seven years later. Nowhere does it suggest that this event triggers the tribulation, although it may be very coincidental with the signing of the peace treaty between the Antichrist and Israel -- the treaty being the real trigger which starts the seven year tribulation period. The point is that we have a hope. We are not appointed to wrath, although we will suffer and be persecuted to our faith. We will not face God's judgment, but we will face human judgment for our faith. But we have a hope and a glorious future.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the truth of this passage and the reassurance it gives. Things will get worse in the world, but you are in control and at some point you will come and rapture us from the wrath to come. We wait in hope upon you.

QT 23 Sep 19, 1 Thess 4 :11-12, Work hard -- it builds my witness

1 Thessalonians 4:11–12 (ESV) — 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.

NOTE: In other words, verse 12 suggests that being dependent on others financially is the opposite of a strong Christian witness. Paul is not saying welfare is bad, but that they we should avoid it if at all possible. Now there will come times when life puts a person in a situation that makes it almost unavoidable, but it should not be a pattern of our life. We should work and we should spend only what we earn. A good witness is characterized by being a good citizen and a helpful member of the community.

PRAYER: Father, help me to be seen by all as a positive contributor to my community, church, social circle, and work. Give me grace to stand up where I need to and to speak gently and respectfully. Give me grace to let things pass that aren't really that important as pertains to real life.

QT 20 Sep 19, 1 Thess 4:3-6, A sexual relationship is designed only for marriage

1 Thessalonians 4:3–6 (ESV) — 3 For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you.

NOTE: I used to think that verse 6 was separate from verse 3, and adds a second definition for the will of God which is our sanctification (i.e., becoming more like Christ). But now I believe that 3-6 are saying the same thing--the whole group of verses are focused on sexual immorality. When we commit sexual immorality it has an effect on our brother (and grammatically our sister in Christ too). Our lust can wrong others. Not only does it do something spiritual to the relationship, it can create divisions and hurts. Relationships are not built on sexuality. Only one relationship, that of our spouse, is designed for sexuality. All other relationships are wronged. Verse 8 makes it clear that if you disregard this teaching, you are not disobeying man but God himself.

PRAYER: Father, I live in a world that vehemently opposes this idea and denies it truth. But the world does not believe it was designed and created but came about randomly and through chaos, therefore there are no "rules." Forgive us. Open our eyes to our sin. Convict us so that we repent.

QT 19 Sep 19, 1 Thess 3:13, We need to be prepared for Jesus coming with his mighty ones

1 Thessalonians 3:13 (ESV) — … so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.

NOTE: I won't pretend to have a definitive answer for this verse, but in light of other verses the following view makes the most sense. The word for saints is hagios, meaning holy ones. It is used of mighty angels and it can be used for the saints. In this case, since the event refers to the rapture, it is better argued as angels, since the saints (living and dead) have not been resurrected. Additionally, OT saints, tribulation saints, and the unbelievers are all resurrected at different times in the period between the tribulation and the millennial kingdom. Jesus' coming at the rapture is a partial coming since he does not return to the earth, but rather meets us in the air. Believers alive in the Lord Jesus and those dead, both receive their new resurrected bodies and return with Jesus to the place prepared for them to wait the seven years, the bride preparation week (so to speak). When Jesus returns to earth, at the end of tribulation, we (the resurrected saints) will accompany him back, culminating in the final battle of Armageddon  (although Jesus will do all the work). So there are two points. One, we want our hearts blameless for the rapture. Two, the angels will accompany Jesus during the rapture.

PRAYER: Father, I realized I don't understand your word and I make mistakes. But the more I do understand it, the more it perfectly fits together. Thank you for the incredible accuracy and life-giving truth of the word of God.

QT 18 Sep 19, 1 Thess 3:8, The joy of seeing spiritual children grow

1 Thessalonians 3:8 (ESV) — For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.

NOTE: Paul cared deeply for the people he had led to the Lord and those he had discipled in the Lord. He loved them greatly. For him, real living was knowing that his spiritual children and adopted spiritual children were standing firm in their faith. That is my desire as well for those that I minister to. There is a sense of pride (in a good sense) when they involve themselves in ministry or when they share something that God is doing or changing in their life.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the IDGs and the opportunity to be a part of the lives of three more men. I pray for them that you would challenge them, you would change them, you would reveal yourself to them. I pray these next 8-9 months can establish a new habit and course of life for them. Thank you for your goodness.