Opposition

DEVOTION
1 THESSALONIANS
OPPOSITION
1 Thess 2:1-2
2:1 You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2 We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition.
It is difficult at best to express the truth in the face of those who oppose the bible as the word of God. How can the truth be the truth if those who oppose the bible as the inherent word of God refuse it as the truth? Yet I still must stand up in the face of that type of opposition and declare it as the truth, the only truth. I think I have also faced opposition even from within the body of Christ. This I simply do not understand how that can be, yet it still exists. There are so many I believe have been deceived into believing certain behaviors or attitudes which mirror the ways of the world rather than God are not only acceptable but declared to be right by the Word of God. I must not falter in my position no matter what those who oppose the truth of God. I think what troubles me sometimes is being accused of thinking I am the only one who is right. That is just another form of opposition. I know there are others who think as I do. I know there are others who accept the Word of God straight forward and without biases. I know there are others who take the bible literally, that accept it as not only a true record of the history of mankind but also as a declaration of the only path to a true and right relationship with the one and only God. I know there has to be others who see the completeness of this truth, who do not accept advice from non-believers, nor function in the world as they do. I know there must be others who trust God completely for everything that do not trust in their own abilities to secure their life both present and in the future. I know there has to be others who do not look to any addition writings in the form of rules and regulations, manuals or books as a source for their lifestyle. Yet I believe I still face opposition in all these areas. Could I be the only one who sees this? I cannot believe that. There must be others who believe as I do because it is what the word of God says. I only believe the Word. I know people say they are several interpretations of what it says. I do not believe that, God do not say it to be understand in several ways. He intended it to be understood as he said it, and he sent his Spirit to insure those who desired to understand it would be lead into all the truth. Why is that so difficult for people to grasp? He said let them who have ears listen. No, I stand firm upon the Word of God. I stand tall in the face of any and all opposition to the truth of God.

Loud and Clear

DEVOTION
1 THESSALONIANS
LOUD AND CLEAR
1 Thess 1:8-10
8 The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia — your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell 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 rescues us from the coming wrath.
NIV
Does my faith ring out loud and clear and is known everywhere? Am I loud enough? Not loud in the sense of the strength of my voice but the strength of my faith. Do I live my faith out loud? Do I tell of God’s mighty work in my life, saving me from a life of sin and doomed to destruction to a life of righteousness in Christ and eternal life? Do I tell everyone I meet of this powerful act of love and grace toward me? Do I tell of how much I trust God to provide all my needs according to his riches? Do I live that kind of faith out loud in front of people? Do they see and know of my faith and trust in God? Could they say to me I need to trust God more? Could they say I need to have more faith? I do trust God for everything, including my own life. All I have and all I am are all because of him. He has done so much for me, in me and through me how could I not always tell of his love toward me. I believe I speak up; I am not silent about his activity in my life. I believe people do know about my faith. Maybe not everywhere, but everywhere I am. Maybe someday more people will know about my faith after reading all the words I have written. Maybe someday, should the lord tarry, my faith will be know in more places. I know I do not have as many years as I already have had to tell of the story, to demonstrate faith and hope in Jesus Christ. Yet I know for as many years I have left I will wait for Jesus coming from heaven to gather me home. I will not grow weary of waiting. I will not grow tired of telling the story of how he rescued me, how he changed my life, and how he is working in my life every day. I will continue to praise my God loud and clear.

Modeling Christ

DEVOTION
1 THESSALONIANS
MODELING CHRIST
1 Thess 1:5-7
You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia
NIV
Do I live among my fellow believers for their sake, and do they live among me for my sake? That is an interesting question. What reason do I live among other people? Maybe it is not just the body of Christ I mingle with on Sundays and with a few of them on other days, but maybe it is also among my neighbors who are not believers. Maybe I should consider if I am living among them for their sake. The only sake would be so they could be exposed to the Gospel I would imagine. Have any of the people I lived among ever welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit? There have been some and so I guess my living among some people has been fruitful. A few of them have even became models to all believers. I praise God for them too! But what about all my fellow believers who already have been exposed to the Gospel? For what sake do I live among them? Am I serving the purpose God intents for me to among the local body I am associated or in fellowship with? Do I live in such a manner as to imitate God? Am I the salt, the light, and the mirror reflecting Christ those I live among? I believe I try as I am able to. I sure fail as well. How can I be both? How can I desire to be the man God has plans for me to be and still fall short? I cannot excuse myself because I am human, but I know that is the fact. Were those people spoken of here that perfect? Or maybe just closer to perfection than me, because I am not sure I am a model to other believers. I know that is what God desires of me. I need to reflect Christ to everyone I come in contact with. I need to be that model. I need to model Christ.

Listen and Obey

DEVOTION
1 THESSALONIANS
LISTEN AND OBEY
1 Thess 1:4-5
4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction.
NIV
It does confound me how I am his. Has he really chosen me or did I choose him from my own free will? Both I dare say. He has indeed chosen me as he has all of his creation. He has exposed me to his Gospel, the good news about Jesus Christ dying for my sins, that I might be restored into fellowship with God and enjoy eternal life. I have to believe he has or will expose all of his creation, ever person, to his Good News, so they too may make that choice. In regards to me, He did it all with an immense amount of power. There is no question I needed a physical display of his power and might to know he even existed. This he did! I heard the word, the Good News but was only enlightened, but not moved until he displayed such power I could not deny he was God. His Spirit came upon me with such force I was stuck down powerless. I had only one choice, to submit to his authority in my life. Why others will not I do not know. Why some people decide to stay in the darkness of their own self is beyond my understanding. I have been freed from all my past darkness and been bought into the glories light of Christ. Why me and not them? I decided to accept his offer, they decided not to. It saddens me, especially those I was and am close to. I am so grateful to God for coming to me in such power and for his Spirit working so mightily in my life to convince me of my need of repentance. I know with all I have experienced in the presence of God, how he has provided for everything I need I shall never be moved from my faith. I believe my conviction deepens each day as I continue my journey with him. I never cease to be amazed as to how he continues to outdo his past miracles in my life. Sometimes I do wonder why he does so much for me, in me and through me. Then I remember it is because he loves me. But he loves the whole world, he loves all people the same as me. He does not show favoritism, his grace and mercy are available to all. His Gospel is for all people. His Spirit has been sent to convict all men of their need to repent. The only difference between them and me is because I choose to listen and obey.

Do They

DEVOTION
1 THESSALONIANS
DO THEY?
1 Thess 1:2-3
2 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
NIV
As I thought about others I now must think about myself. Do others thank God when they remember me? Do they speak to God about the deeds I do for the Kingdom which is due to my faith in Jesus Christ? Am I engaged in deeds for the Kingdom? I think so, I believe my service to my fellow believers in preaching, teaching and writing are for the Kingdom, but do others? Is that enough? Should I be doing more? I pray the Spirit will guide me in my efforts for the Kingdom of God. Do I do these things out of love for my fellow believers? I hope it is not because of selfish ambitions. I know it is not. If I were selfish I know I would do nothing. I would hide away, secluded from people just doing my own thing. But, I cannot because I not only love my fellow believers; I love God and must serve him with my whole heart. II must do his bidding, his will for my life. Do others know that about me? Do they thank God for my labor? I wonder if they also remember before God how I stand firm in my faith, how I have endurance in my journey with God. I do not waver in my faith one bit. I stand strong in the face of criticism, and ridicule by non-believers. I am without question inspired by my hope in my Lord Jesus Christ. I know he died for me, and rose and know sits at the right hand of the Father interceding for me. I know God sees me through the blood of Jesus, and my righteousness is in him. No one will ever convince me otherwise. I wonder if my fellow believers thank God for my endurance, my hope, my faith.
I wonder if I am living out my work, my labor, my endurance loud enough for them to notice so they can thank God for me. Should I be louder? Should I be doing more of the same, in a bigger way? I think that would be prideful. I think I should continue to do as I am. I cannot be too quiet especially when I preach or teach. But I must not be prideful about it either. I must serve in humility, knowing this gift is not of me but from God. I am only able to serve because of him. Without him I am nothing. I pray others thank God because of my life for God.

Thanks

DEVOTION
1 THESSALONIANS
THANKS
1 Thess 1:1-3
1:1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.
2 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.
NIV
I think I fail at the part about thanking God for all my fellow believers. There are some of them I do thank God for whenever I think about them. Those who I hold a dear feeling toward do cause me to thank my God for their being a part of my life. I know nothing is by accident and my crossing paths and in fact joining upon a portion of the same path with certain individuals has been a part of Gods plan for me. Thanking God for them is a part of my communications with him whenever the Spirit brings them to my thoughts. It is those other fellow believers I think I forget to thank God for. Those who I do not know very well, nor do they know me well. Those who may even avoid me or I them because of some reason I cannot justify. I should be thanking God for them as well, even though they are not a direct part of my life not am I of theirs. Our parts but cross briefly on occasion but only with a head nod, or maybe even a hand shake and an obligatory “good morning” or “how ya doing”. Yet I wonder if it is only those I have a more intimate relationship with who are spoken of here. Those I know well I would know about their faith which produces works, and I would understand their love and how it prompts their labor for God, and I would be able to watch them endure because of being inspired by their hope in Jesus Christ. I would not be able to know all that about every fellow believer, but only those I travel with closely. So maybe I am not failing in this after all, because I do thank my God for these ones. I am grateful to my Lord for bringing them into my life and me into theirs. I know it has been orchestrated by the Spirit for such a purpose of bringing glory to God. So how could I not thank him and mention their names before him, giving him praise for bringing us together.
Thank you Father for those dear friends you have given to me and me to them.

No Wandering

DEVOTION
JAMES
NO WANDERING
James 5:19-20
19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins.
NIV
How would I ever wander from the truth? How could I ever think there would be another way to salvation other than through Jesus Christ? Would this wandering also include doctrines which add to Jesus? Maybe it includes slipping back into the old habits or old ways of thinking. Maybe this wandering includes getting catch up in the ways of the world, thinking of the greatest of humanity. Could this include believing we could save the planet, clean up the environment, go green and all those other humanistic endeavors. God is the only one. He is the creator of all things. He created the earth to exist and provide for all of his creation until he decides to destroy it and that it the truth. I could never stray from that belief. I will not wander off from that truth. Could this wandering also include returning to the same kind of trust in money as the world does? I could not serve both money and God. I either have to believe he will provide, or I will provide, it cannot be both. I am sure I would not wander off in that direction. But want about personal behaviors? What about slipping back into those bad habits? I know I cannot be perfect, never will, I know what sin is and I know it does not please God. I do not think this is speaking of that so much for he knows perfection is impossible for me, and that is why he sent Jesus. I have to believe this refers to getting involved in false doctrines, and beliefs straying from the pure truth if God. I have to believe this is all about men setting up rules and regulations that add to God plan for salvation. Sure they do this under the guise of standards for good Christian living, as God does say much about how I should live as his servant. But I think I should rather get my standard from his word rather than from addition manual or book. No I am going to stick to what I know is the truth of God, listening to his Spirit speak rather than any voice of the world or for that matter many of the voices which claim to speak for God. I do have to ask myself if I think like that why I would ever expect someone to listen to what I have to say. I do know, but I do know I have an obligation to speak his truth and maybe, just maybe I can turn some away from thinking as the world does. I hope and pray the Spirit of God gives me the right words, the right power to be of service to those fellow believers who may have wandered off from the truth. For sure I know one thing, I must also stay close to the truth, no wandering.