1 Thessalonians 2 - 3.5.24
SCRIPTURE: 1 Thessalonians 2:7 “Although we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles, instead we were gentle among you, as a nursing mother nurtures her own children.”
OBSERVATION: Paul was such an excellent role model to the church because he was so good at imitating Jesus. Shortly after he and Silas had planted this church, they were forced to flee to avoid being persecuted. Later on, Paul sent Timothy back to check on them, and Paul received a glowing report from him about how well they were growing in their faith. Paul’s teaching, and the way he had modeled Christ’s attributes, had paid off big time! The good news inspired Paul to write these letters of encouragement to the church.
APPLICATION: The church in Thessalonica began in persecution, and the struggle continued. Paul stated that after he, Silas, and Timothy had previously suffered and had been treated outrageously in Philippi that God had emboldened them to speak the gospel of God to them in spite of great opposition. Even after they had suffered, it was important that they didn’t become a burden to the apostles, but instead they were “gentle among them, as a nursing mother nurtures her own children”. They modeled endurance of hope as they spent an extended period of time with them, and after sharing the gospel, they shared their lives as a labor of love, and work of faith.
PRAYER: I pray like Paul that I will be an imitator of Christ, and a light in this dark world. I pray my life will be a model of faith, hope, and love in my home, and in the church, and even when I go through life’s challenges, difficulties, trials, and sufferings that I will be found standing firm in the Lord as I continue building my trust and hope in Him.
- Robin Orefice
1 Thessalonians 1 - 3.4.24
Scripture
1 Thessalonians 1:8-9 NLT
”And now the word of the Lord is ringing out from you to people everywhere, even beyond Macedonia and Achaia, for wherever we go we find people telling us about your faith in God. We don’t need to tell them about it, for they keep talking about the wonderful welcome you gave us and how you turned away from idols to serve the living and true God.“
Observation
In this letter from Paul, Silas, and Timothy, they are writing the church in Thessalonica to applaud them for the faith that they have been demonstrating since receiving the Good News of Jesus Christ. Because of them, people everywhere are getting the opportunity to hear the message of Jesus. Not only are people getting the opportunity to hear about the power of God from the Thessalonians, but the people can clearly see the power of God by the way the Thessalonians have turned from their sinful living, to godly living.
Application
Do people around me know my faith in God by my words and actions?🤔
Paul, Silas, and Timothy were commending the Thessalonians for living out their faith and sharing it with others wherever they went. People were hearing and seeing the power of God from not only their words, but also their actions.
The same should go for me. I want people around me, wherever I go, to know my faith in God from my words and my actions. Whether it’s through sharing the Good News of Jesus with them, or praying for someone in need; I want to strive to be a man that isn’t ashamed of my faith in God. I want others to know God and be blessed by God because of the way I lived out my life while I was around them.
”In the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.“ -Matthew 5:16
Prayer
Father God, I pray for the courage today to live out my life of faith in You. May I not be ashamed to show and demonstrate my faith wherever I go. Anoint me with your Holy Spirit. May I be a guiding light that points others around me towards You. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen. 🙏🏽
-Moses Gaddi
Psalm 88 - 3.1.2024
Scripture - Pick one verse that stood out to you.
Psalm 88:1
Lord, you are the God who saves me;
Observation - What about this verse stands out to you?
I was drawn to this verse, Lord, because I am ashamed to admit I felt I did need saving…from my own company. The familiar song and dance of my annual performance reviews have come and gone. The dejection and cries of injustice had set in. And then You met me in Psalm 88.
Psalm 88 is one of the most somber songs I have encountered in the bible. While I could sympathize with a portion of the mood, I could not match the poet Heman’s depth of life circumstances, longing for God, and humble perspective.
Lord, I feel like you showed me what an actual deep pit might look like.
Lord, I feel like you showed me the way a man of God responds.
The Keil and Delitzsch Bible Commentary explains psalm 88:
The poet finds himself in the midst of circumstances gloomy in the extreme, but he does not despair; he still turns towards Jahve with his complaints, and calls Him the God of his salvation.
Application - How will you apply this to your life?
I will not despair. Nor will I blame God for my circumstance! In my prayer today I will turn to God with my complaints. Yes I will still do that. But God will still be my salvation! And I will stretch out my hands towards God!
Prayer - Write out a prayer.
Father-God, Lord Almighty, God of Mercy, God of Peace, God of Justice, God of Salvation, God of Love, I call out to you this morning in my prayer! I stretch my hands out to you! Thank you for this Psalm this morning. Thank you for your poet and singer Heman the musician. Thank you for my family. Thank you for my friends. Thank you for my…job. Thank you for the increase I did receive. Thank you for Your Word! The next time I find myself in a pit, please remind me of psalm 88!
In the name of Jesus do I pray, amen.
-kenneth lee
Psalm 88
A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.
1 Lord, you are the God who saves me;
day and night I cry out to you.
2 May my prayer come before you;
turn your ear to my cry.
3 I am overwhelmed with troubles
and my life draws near to death.
4 I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
I am like one without strength.
5 I am set apart with the dead,
like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
who are cut off from your care.
6 You have put me in the lowest pit,
in the darkest depths.
7 Your wrath lies heavily on me;
you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
8 You have taken from me my closest friends
and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
9 my eyes are dim with grief.
I call to you, Lord, every day;
I spread out my hands to you.
10 Do you show your wonders to the dead?
Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
11 Is your love declared in the grave,
your faithfulness in Destruction?
12 Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?
13 But I cry to you for help, Lord;
in the morning my prayer comes before you.
14 Why, Lord, do you reject me
and hide your face from me?
15 From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
16 Your wrath has swept over me;
your terrors have destroyed me.
17 All day long they surround me like a flood;
they have completely engulfed me.
18 You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
darkness is my closest friend.