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Daily Bible thoughts 941: Monday 10th August 2015: 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20: Spiritual conflict.

1 Thessalonians 2:17-20: Spiritual conflict.(please click here for todays passage)

I saw a pointed cartoon in a book on evangelism written by Michael Green. It showed a nurse leaving a brand-new baby just outside the door of a maternity unit. The caption read: ‘’You’re on your own now!’’ It made its point very powerfully. New believers need lots of love and care and attention.

These are surprising words. Paul and his friends were like spiritual parents to the new Christians in Thessalonica (1:7, 11). Surely the babes in Christ would feel ‘orphaned’ by the enforced separation (Acts 17:1ff) that came? But one translation of (2:17) says: ‘’when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time…’’ There was such a strong attachment between Paul and these infant believers. He/they felt like orphans. ‘’Do you have any idea how very homesick we became for you, dear friends?’’ The Message. New Christians need to be loved like that.

When you become separated from your young children, even if it is only for a short time, you are desperate to find them; to reconnect. So it was for Paul (17b, 18). But he came up against a problem. There is something of a mystery to the words: ‘’but Satan stopped us.’’ We have to understand this in the context of the Bible story as a whole, which tells us that God is sovereign. He is in supreme control. Nothing can happen without His permission. (Think, for example, of the story of Job: Jb.1:12). Nevertheless, we have a very real enemy who has the power to do things. ‘’I, Paul, tried over and over to get back, but Satan stymied us each time.’’ The Message. ‘’…but somehow Satan prevented our coming.’’ J.B. Phillips. Paul was also aware, though, that there is a way to clear spiritual roadblocks, and we will come to this in the next chapter (3:11). It is by prayer. This is how we bulldoze Satan’s barricades out of the way; this is the way to blow them up!

I heard a philosophy professor, Doctor Don Evans, preaching in Southport many years ago. He was an outstanding speaker. In one of his talks he referred to (19, 20). He said, ‘’If you take your children to London, and you stand outside Buckingham Palace, and the Queen comes out on to the balcony, your greatest joy will be that they are seeing Her Majesty; not that you are!’’ It’s a good point and it has stayed with me. But Paul looked forward to the day when he would actually present his ‘children’ to the King of kings and Lord of lords. The Thessalonians would see Jesus, and at the same time they would be Paul’s pride and joy; the fruit of his ministry.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, please give us new ‘children’ to care for, and help us to care for the new children you give.

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Daily Bible thoughts 937: Tuesday 4th August 2015:1 Thessalonians 2:14-16: Backlash!

1 Thessalonians 2:14-16: Backlash!(click here for todays passage)

‘’In this world you will have trouble. But take heart. I have overcome the world.’’ (John 16:33).

As followers of Jesus we can expect opposition and difficulty. He told us to. As someone said, ‘’Jesus sets you free from your problems so you can have His; and His are a lot worse than yours!’’ Amidst evangelistic success and people responding well to God’s Word, we can anticipate a backlash. The fledgling church at Thessalonica suffered from the beginning (see Acts 17:1-8; 1 Thess.1:6; 2 Thess.1:4). The gentile Christians in that city were persecuted by fellow- Gentiles, just as the Jewish Christians in Judea had been mistreated by their fellow-Jews.

Recently the Liberal Democrats appointed a new leader, Tim Farron, who is a believer in Jesus. I understand that early media interviews with him have homed in on his faith, and have been intent on ridiculing him for it. What is it with people? What are they so afraid of that they have to pour scorn on belief in Christ? In a way, it’s encouraging. There is blessing in persecution (Matthew 5:12). For me, this response underlines the reality of the Christian faith and the truth that there is a devil who hates it and wants to bring it down. Why does the name of Jesus, and belief in Him provoke such a violent reaction? Ask yourself that question.

‘’When you take a stand for Christ you may face opposition, disapproval and ridicule from your neighbours, friends, and even family members.’’ ‘The Life Application Study Bible, p.2162.)

Among the Jewish people there was a history of persecuting faithful preachers of God’s Word, culminating in the crucifixion of Jesus (Acts 2:23; see also Matthew 5:11, 12; Luke 11:47-51; Acts 13:45, 50; Luke 11:47-51).This was not true of all of them, obviously. There were Jewish Christians. Paul was one of them. But there were those Jews who wanted to prevent the good news about Jesus from going to the Gentiles. However, you may as well attempt to do a ‘King Canute’ and set yourself to hold back the tide. God’s purposes will prevail. The ‘’gates of Hades’’ (Matthew 16:18) will not.

‘’They’ve made a career of opposing God, and have gotten mighty good at it. But God is fed up, ready to put an end to it.’’ The Message.

We’ve read the final chapter, and we know how it all turns out. It’s a good ending. We’re on the winning team, even though it doesn’t always feel like it.

Prayer: Thank you Lord that in the end Jesus wins! Thank you for how this news affects us now.

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Daily Bible thoughts 936: Monday 3rd August 2015: 1 Thessalonians 2:13: Good reception.

1 Thessalonians 2:13: Good reception.(please click here for todays passage)

Many of us will have visited places where it was hard to get a good mobile phone signal (or T.V. or radio signal for that matter, or Wi Fi connection.) We experienced poor reception. Jesus, in His parable of the sower (or the grounds) spoke about receptivity – about how we respond to the ‘seed’ of the Word sown into us; how we hear; what our hearts are like. In Thessalonica Paul found good reception. It wasn’t difficult to get a signal!

‘Impression management’ they call it. It’s when you’re trying to project an image of who you are but that isn’t who you are! You are trying to manage what people think about you. As we have seen, there was nothing of this in Paul’s ministry. ‘’When we witness for Christ, our focus should not be on the impressions we make. As true ministers of Christ, we should point to him, not to ourselves.’ ‘The Life Application Study Bible’, p.2161.

The verse opens with an expression of continual thanks, and it reminds us of (1:2). ‘’And now we look back on all this and thank God, an artesian well of thanks.’’ The Mesaage. We have no greater joy as leaders than to see people respond well to the Bible (and, above all, to Jesus Himself.) We are gardeners, planting seeds, and we delight to watch our garden grow with beautiful plants. At the heart of any effective ministry there lies the effective broadcasting and reception of God’s truth, Big numbers and building projects may come (or they may not.) They are not the issue. Primarily we are workers with the Word; cultivators of spiritual gardens, watching God give the growth.

Notice three important things:

  • God’s Word must be broadcast: ‘’which you heard from us’’ (see also 1:5, 8);
  • God’s Word must be received: ‘’when you received the word of God…you accepted it…’’;
  • God’s Word is active: ‘’…the word of God, which is at work in you who believe.’’ ( see Hebrews 4:12). Just like the seed is alive and active below the surface of the soil, so it is with God’s Word. The B. Phillips translation says they received it ‘’not as a mere human message, but as it really is, God’s Word, a power in the lives of you who believe.’’ The power is in the Word of God. Preacher, can you believe it? Your ministry, which may seem ordinary and unspectacular in your eyes (and in the opinion of others), is one of immense power. If there isn’t a lot to show for it at the moment, don’t doubt that there is much activity in your ‘garden’. One of these days it will show up. Just be patient. (And don’t miss what is already happening!)

Finally, don’t lose sight of the further New Testament revelation that Jesus Himself is the living ‘Word’ (John 1:1). Ultimately our ministry is all about Him. We want to see people receive Him, and watch Him work to change their lives.

Prayer: Lord, renew our confidence in the power of your Word to change lives and achieve your purposes in the world.

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Daily Bible thoughts 935: Friday 31st July 2015: 1 Thessalonians 2:6b-12: Wanted: Spiritual Parents!

1 Thessalonians 2:6b-12: Wanted: Spiritual Parents!(please click here for todays passage)

On the Sunday I returned to work after two weeks of paternity leave, I made the comment that, ‘It’s nice to be back to normal, or at least as normal as life is going to be for the next 21 years.’ An elderly gentleman leaving church that morning shook my hand warmly and said with a knowing smile, ‘It lasts a lot longer than 21 years!’ The truth is I don’t think anything can prepare you for the bombshell of parenthood; not really. You may have got the nursery ready, bought the pram, been to the classes and read the books, but the truth is most of us feel hopelessly out of our depth as we come to terms with the immense changes that the joyful entrance of a new life brings. In an article I read, somebody described parenthood as ‘welcoming a stranger’ into your home and heart. Furthermore, it’s a lifelong commitment.

Yesterday we discovered that when Paul and his team visited Thessalonica they were ‘successful’. But this success was not measured by numbers or anything like that. It had to do with character. As we saw: a.) they refused to be intimidated, and b.) they worked with integrity. Here’s a third thing in today’s passage: c.) they loved with intensity. Like Jesus, they laid aside their rights (6b, 9): ‘’Day and night we worked so that our preaching of the Gospel to you might not cost you a penny.’’ J.B. Phillips. Like Jesus, they served. They thought of others before themselves (see Philippians 2:1-11). Like Jesus, they gave their lives; they laid them down (see Mark 10:45). ‘’Our attitude among you was one of tenderness, rather like that of a devoted nurse among her babies.’’ J.B. Phillips. A nursing mother imparts her own life to the child. That baby is in her arms and next to her heart. She keeps him close. Also, like Jesus, they endured hardship (9a). I was talking with an older brother in the wonderful family of God recently. As we drank coffee and chatted about many varied things, he expressed to me a conviction (and he did not exempt himself from these comments) that the majority in the church are far too comfortable.

It’s interesting to note that both feminine (7) and masculine (11) characteristics were combined in their spiritual parenting. This, I believe, is the sort of nurturing that is most likely to bring up spiritual children with the family likeness, but it costs in terms of time and effort, whilst being deeply rewarding. Are we prepared for it? Are we willing for the personal inconvenience and disruption of our plans? Are we prepared to be put out; to welcome the stranger? More than courses and programmes (which admittedly have their place), we need Christian people who are willing to share their lives (and homes) with new converts. And bringing up baby may last a lot longer than 21 years!

Rob Parsons spoke about the significant role played in his life by an older man who was not a preacher as such, but he took Rob under his wing when he was younger. He said something like this: ‘’Every week i went round to his house, and we played table tennis, ate chips out of paper, and he taught me the Bible as best he could.’’ One day in later years Rob was able to say to him, ‘’Today I am speaking to large crowds in great venues, and it’s because of you.’’

Prayer: Lord I thank you for those who have poured time and effort into me. Help me to also invest in others.

Thought: ‘’What is it you are doing with the singular gift of your life?’’

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Daily Bible thoughts 934: Thursday 30th July 2015: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6: Back on the bike!

 1 Thessalonians 2:1-6: Back on the bike!(please click here for todays passage)

In the ‘Sacred Year’, Michael Yankoski writes movingly about the ‘carnival’ of the celebrity Christian circuit, and how it can lead to a disconnect between a life lived on the stage, in the spotlight, and the other existence lived out in private. He gradually became disillusioned with his own involvement in it: ‘’…I couldn’t help but wonder if I was just another pawn in the brightly lit song-and-dance called ‘’American Christianity.’’ Leading a life offstage that didn’t actually warrant what I was saying on stage. Was my life deeply grounded in God…or were the edges of my life cracked and fraying?’’ (p.7).

Paul’s visit to Thessalonica was a success. But this success was not measured in terms of numbers, or a building programme, or in many other ways the Christian ‘carnival’ assesses how well we’re doing. Essentially, this was about character. We will look at a couple of key measurements today, and refer to some more tomorrow:

  • They refused to be intimidated (1, 2). In spite of their injuries, they quickly got back on the bike! Many of us might have asked for some time off to heal and recover, but they just got on with the job. They showed immense courage, but it wasn’t worked up; it was worked in, by God Himself. The story of what happened in Philippi is told in Acts 16: 11-40. Paul and Silas were badly beaten and unjustly imprisoned. There was a lot of mental, emotional and physical pain involved in these incidents. They carried wounds. They were scarred. But they also saw a church planted in and around what they went through. So there was encouragement too. After the events at Philippi they picked themselves up, brushed themselves off and started all over again ‘’with the help of…God’’ (2). The message of Jesus is so hated and so unwanted by so many in our culture (and we are increasingly aware of this) that only with ‘outside help’ will we ‘’dare’’ to carry on. The words ‘’strong opposition’’ are, in the original language, an athletic term meaning ‘’a contest, a struggle’’. We are acutely aware that we are in a war zone. As a book from a few decades ago correctly expressed it, being a Christian is ‘’Risky Living’’. ‘’We were sure of ourselves in God, and went right ahead and said our piece, presenting God’s Message to you, defiant of the opposition.’’ The Message.
  • They worked with integrity. Reading between the lines you can see that Pau and his team were being maligned. When mud is thrown some of it inevitably sticks. Even though untrue, some lies can carry weight. On two occasions Paul writes ‘’You know’’ (1, 5). He could appeal to their knowledge of them, and God’s knowledge. He had ‘’a conscience void of offence, toward God, and toward men.’’ (Acts 24:16). Paul and his colleagues did not use their ‘pulpit’ to manipulate people and make a fast buck. They spoke the truth, even though it would not always be popular. Paul, knowing that God sees the inside of the cup and not just the outside, could declare that their motives were pure. They wanted to please God, not people. ‘’Be assured that when we speak to you we’re not after crowd approval – only God approval.’’ The Message. One of the ways Satan tries to destroy the message is by defaming the messengers. Somebody estimated that nine times Paul defends his integrity against lies in this letter. But Paul was not defending himself for the sake of his own reputation; it was so that the cause of the gospel would not suffer.

‘’Paul’s method was as pure as his motive: he presented the Word of God in the power of the Spirit, and trusted God to work.’’ Warren W. Wiersbe: The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (NT),p.709

 

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Daily Bible thoughts 929: Thursday 23rd July 2015: 1 Thessalonians 1:9, 10: Turning point.

 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10: Turning point.(click here for todays passage)

As the story of the church in Thessalonica was told, word got around about the beginning of their Christian lives. Verses 9 and 10 connect with verse 3:

The ‘turning’ is linked to ‘’faith’’: Repentance (or turning) is partnered with faith in the New Testament as part of the required response to the gospel. These are two sides of the same coin. There must be a turning from sin and a turning to God, as we trust Jesus, who died in our place, to take our guilt away.

The ‘serving’ is linked to ‘’love’’: Love is the ‘engine’ of the Christian life. We serve out of love, and not just because of duty. Love wants to give and sacrifice again and again, out of devotion to the Beloved.

The ‘waiting’ is linked to ‘’hope’’: The word translated ‘’wait’’ in (10) means to await someone expectantly with patience and confidence. It does not mean idleness but involves activity and endurance. ‘’A local church that truly lives in expectation of seeing Jesus Christ at any time will be a vibrant and victorious group of people.’’ Warren W. Wiersbe: ‘The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (NT)’, p.707. I heard someone say that the doctrine of the second coming of Christ is meant to be ‘’a sanctifying edge’’ in our experience.

When I lived in Leeds in the 1980’s, I became friends with a lovely family who owned a baker’s shop in Beeston. The bakery, where they made their own produce, was behind the shop. One day I was visiting them, and one of them said, ‘’You always have to keep the shop clean because you never know when the Public Health Inspector is going to call!’’ I could immediately see an application to our belief in Christ’s return. It is not that Christians should dread the event, but knowing its reality should spur us on to live soberly and with all due reverence. In the Bible, this doctrine is taught perpetually without date to keep us on our toes.

I was speaking at a ‘Young Life’ event one week-end. I was told that one of the girls applied her make up before bed, saying frivolously, ‘’I want to look good if Jesus comes back tonight.’’ The truth is, so do I. I want to look good in His eyes with a beauty inside that both reflects and pleases Him.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me to really believe in your return. Cause this truth to be in my heart and not just my head, so that my life is changed.

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Daily Bible thoughts 928: Wednesday 22nd July 2015: 1 Thessalonians 1:7-10: Good news from Greece!

 1 Thessalonians 1:7-10: Good news from Greece!(click here for todays passage)

At the moment the news from Greece is disturbing. This nation is regularly hitting the headlines. I just saw a picture in the latest edition of ‘Time’ magazine, showing a lengthy queue at a bank in Thessaloniki. In Paul’s day, however, there was a church in that very city that was good news. It had a great reputation and became extremely well known.

On the last Sunday in November, 1990, we had our first service as a new church in Boston Spa. I preached from this very passage on that occasion, and expressed my vision that we would be like the Thessalonian church; that the message about Jesus would ring out everywhere from us.

Yesterday we looked at some of the reasons why this church became a ‘’model’’ Christian community: they imitated Christ, welcomed the Word, and were prepared to joyfully suffer. Any church bearing these ‘hallmarks’ will make an impact.

‘’They were both ‘’receivers’’ (the Word came to them, 1 Thess.1:5) and ‘’transmitters’’ (the Word went out from them, 1 Thess.1:8). Each believer and each local church must receive and transmit God’s Word. The verb ‘’sounded out’’ actually means ‘’to sound as a trumpet.’’…It is the responsibility and privilege of each local church to share the message of salvation with the lost world…A recent survey of church growth indicated that 70 to 80 percent of a church’s growth is the result of friends witnessing to friends and relatives to relatives…the personal contact brings the harvest.’’ Warren W. Wiersbe: ‘The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (NT)’, p.706.

Prayer: Lord God, I pray that who we are and what we say will dynamically join forces to make an impact for you.

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Daily Bible thoughts 927: Tuesday 21st July 2015: 1 Thessalonians 1: 4-7: Way to go!

 1 Thessalonians 1: 4-7: Way to go! (click here for todays passage)

The Thessalonian church was a ‘’model’’ Christian community in its day (7). Here are three reasons why:

  • They imitated Christ (6a): ‘’You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master.’’ The Message. ‘’You remember how you set yourselves to copy us, and through us, Christ himself.’’ J.B. Phillips. The interesting thing is that Paul and his team lived such exemplary lives in front of the new converts (and we will see more of this in chapter 2) that in seeking to mirror their leaders the new believers actually reflected Christ. There is an inescapable challenge in that. Growth in Christlikeness is a vital ingredient of an effective ministry. The other point to notice is that we have to let people get close enough to us to benefit from the power of example. We can’t live secluded, closed-off, selfish lives if we want to be influencers for Jesus. New Christians need more than a course; they require fathers (and mothers). They need a family to love and support them.
  • They welcomed the Word (6b): A Christian congregation should be fully open to what God’s Word says, and to all that it says. It may not always be palatable. The Thessalonians discovered from the beginning that it was going to be costly to welcome the message, but that did not put them off. They were prepared to pay the price. Their suffering was ‘’severe’’ but they would not capitulate. The fingered the price label, saw that it was expensive, but still ‘bought the goods’.

They suffered with joy (6b): ‘’Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit! – taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.’’ The Message. Once again I am reminded of the abnormality of the U.K. situation where Christians enjoy a freedom that would be unimaginable in many parts of the world. Yes, there is persecution here, and it may be that it is growing. But it comes in relatively mild forms at the moment. We do, by and large, not face the threat of imprisonment, death or confiscation of property. So we honour with our prayers today many brothers and sisters around the world who continue to ‘welcome’ all that the Bible teaches with Holy Spirit joy, even though it brings great pain.

Prayer: Lord Jesus, for our sakes you became ‘’a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering.’’ I pray that you will lovingly undertake for all those who share in the fellowship of your sufferings. Please give them your grace to endure.

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Daily Bible thoughts 926: Monday 20th July 2015: 1 Thessalonians 1:3-5: The overflow.

 1 Thessalonians 1:3-5: The overflow.(click here for todays passage)

‘’The entire plan of salvation was born in the heart of God long before man was created or the universe formed…As far as God the Father is concerned, I was saved when He chose me in Christ before the world began. As far as God the Son is concerned, I was saved when He died for me on the cross. As far as God the Holy Spirit is concerned, I was saved one Saturday night in May 1945, when I heard the Word and trusted Jesus Christ. At that moment, the entire plan fell together and I became a child of God. If you had asked me that night if I was one of the elect, I would have been speechless. At that time I knew nothing about election. But the Holy Spirit witnessed in my heart that I was a child of God.’’ Warren W. Wiersbe: ‘The Wiersbe Bible Commentary (NT)’, p.705.

There may be much we do not understand about the doctrine of election, but when it is being worked out in practice you know it because God’s Word comes with power and it is received by those whom God is calling. Was the ‘’deep conviction’’ in the preachers or the hearers? Possibly it was in both. Whatever, it was certainly there.

According to David Watson, the word translated ‘’deep’’ can also be rendered ‘’full’’. He said it describes a cup so full to the brim that it just overflows. He said we can be so full of the Holy Spirit that when people bump into us in daily life we simply overflow. Christian preaching and witness in general, is the overflow of a life filled with God.

Another well-known preacher used the illustration of a bath and an overflow. When a bath is full up to the top, the water starts to go out through a hole called an overflow. He said, ‘God has fitted each one of us with a little hole beneath our noses. It’s called the mouth! If you look at the book of Acts, every time someone got filled with the Holy Spirit they overflowed through the mouth in some way, such as preaching or praise or prayer.

Effective preaching comes with anointing. It has the power of God accompanying it. But it also has to do with the way we live. Powerful sermons are not only spoken in words but embodied in lives. Tell people how to live, but also show them. People who are filled with the Spirit overflow in words and deeds.

Prayer: Lord God, let me be so full of you that I overflow with you. May you be seen and heard in me.

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