Wow, wow and wow, how easy it is in life to stray
from the Joy and true essential of life by our failure to embrace the supremacy
of God in all we do and see! Charles Spurgeon is quoted to have said, “It’s not how much we have, but how much we
enjoy, that makes happiness.”
I take this moment to appreciate
God for his faithfulness always and specifically for the past few days. He has
warmed my heart to passionately engage his Word with all of me for it is all we
have in this world of our pilgrimage. Furthermore I would like to thank him
again for the encouragement we have always found, together with my best friend, in reflecting and writing our scripture-inspired thoughts which
have ministered to us and hopefully many who will read them too, what a joy and
delight this has been and is!
Today, I purposed to reflect through
the book of 1 Thessalonians chapter 1. Tell you what, it was just amazing to
note that the reason behind Paul’s letter to the Thessalonians was to encourage and reassure them after Timothy wrote to him of their love and faith which he once preached and lived amongst them, they were his
children in the faith. Paul encourages them by reminding them of his exemplary
kind of life he led while he was with them and even encourages them to be
alert and self-controlled as they wait in hope for Christ’s return.
Paul commences his letter to these
faithful brethren by pointing out distinct qualities of mature followers of
Christ, which the Thessalonians were showing. Verses 2-3 exposes them
so well, their work produced by faith, their labor prompted by love and
their endurance inspired by hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. Wow, wow and wow, Paul writes to the brethren in Thessalonica to appreciate
them in prayer before God the Father, he celebrates such practical Christian
living in these Christ followers. Despite Paul’s absence from them, what he had shared and lived amongst them had bore fruit into not just a
teaching they heard and temporarily obey, but actually grew to embrace as daily
practice!
Sad to say, present day followers of
Christ are ever studying and hearing the word, exposed daily to biblical
truths but still end up living contrary to the way we profess, (2 Timothy 3v1-7)
warns of such behavior in the last times by saying that, …..“But know this,
that in the last days perilous times will come: 2 For men will
be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers,
disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving,
unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, 4 traitors,
headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its
power. And from such people
turn away! 6 For of this sort are those who creep into
households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away
by various lusts, 7 always
learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
The sad reality found in people, spoken about in Timothy in contrast with the Thessalonians brethren, is
that they know and have heard of the word and of the faith but they are failing
to live it, to put it into practice, to bear fruit, which is what Paul is celebrating, their practicing faith, in Thessalonica.
Verses 4-10 of 1 Thessalonians
chapter 1 beautifully testify the result of such a lifestyle and how hearing,
believing and living out the word not only serve the one practicing it but also
them that are around them both far and wide! Practicing the word is infectious,
it is an aroma, it is charisma which everyone is drawn to and edified with. Wow, now that is deep!
Really deep because bringing it home are we an aroma, are we
like Paul says in (2 Corinthians3:3), “You show that you are a letter from Christ, the result of
our ministry, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not
on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts”
Mmmmmh!!! now this is true
Christian living. Know what, let us just pause a minute and take time to just pray
here!
“Father God I am exposed to my shortcoming in my hearing and living out
the word daily as your child, I pray Lord for your conviction and strength that
because of who you are despite all my failures I stand redeemed and sanctified
because I am made so by your work on the cross and your holy word as (John
17:17) says, “Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” in Jesus name I pray and thank you for this truth Amen.
Verse 7 says they became a model to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia, and verse 8b says
that their faith in God became known everywhere! Wow, only practical living of
one's faith goes before them as testimony, not only their study or word of mouth!
Key emphasis here in Paul’s encouragement to the Thessalonians is they in obey the word over just hearing the word! Obedience implies
practice and doing and action!
Anyone can study, anyone can say something but the obedient and noble
reconcile their word with their deed. Till we mature into such followers of
Christ sadly we cease to be effective witnesses ready of the kingdom service.
Let us pray
God thanks for
your perfect word, enough and able so save us from every hindering weapon
fashioned against us, we stand ready and open to your rebuke, leading and
guiding which enables us to be renewed and transformed into better workman for your kingdom in your awesome service. Refresh and shift us to another level in our
union and relationship with you that we may effectively witness for you for
your glory in Jesus name Amen
By Archieford Muchaka
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