Reformed Doctrine Daily Devotions

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12.

 

“Now as to the love of the brethren, you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another;  for indeed you do practice it toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia.  But we urge you, brethren, to excel still more, and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.”  1 Thessalonians 4:9-12.

 

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It is easy to say that we love our brethren, but it is much more difficult to act in accordance to our warm feelings and words.

 

It is easy to love a cute baby, but it is much more difficult to provide all that the baby needs through adulthood.

 

Today’s Scripture and related Scriptures provide steps “to excel more” in our love for the brethren.  Here are three steps. 

 

The first step is to take care of ourselves, so that we are not tempted to steal from others:  “lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands, just as we commanded you, so that you will behave properly toward outsiders and not be in any need.”  Verses 11 and 12. 

 

“Poor is he who works with a negligent hand,
But the hand of the diligent makes rich.
He who gathers in summer is a son who acts wisely,
But he who sleeps in harvest is a son who acts shamefully.” Proverbs 10:4-5.

 

“He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need.”  Ephesians 4:28. 

 

And, this stealing is not limited to thefts and robberies.  Stealing can be done by committing fraud or other unjust business practices on others.

 

Here is what the Heidelberg Catechism states about the eight commandment (“You shall not steal.”  Exodus 20:15):

 

 

 

 

 

 

My Dad died a few years ago.  He was a medical doctor, a surgeon.  At his funeral, I asked one of his friends who was a family practice doctor who referred cases needing surgery to my Dad as to what he thought of my Dad.  I expected him to say something nice about my Dad such as my Dad was nice or a good friend.  But, he said curtly, almost coldly:  “He was competent”.

 

I recognized the wisdom of that comment.  And, it has made a big impression on me.  One of the first and most important things that we want from other people is that they do their jobs competently.  

 

 

 

“8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed;  9 as it is written,
“He scattered abroad, he gave to the poor,
His righteousness endures forever.”
10 Now He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness;  11 you will be enriched in everything for all liberality, which through us is producing thanksgiving to God.  12 For the ministry of this service is not only fully supplying the needs of the saints, but is also overflowing through many thanksgivings to God.  13 Because of the proof given by this ministry, they will glorify God for your obedience to your confession of the gospel of Christ and for the liberality of your contribution to them and to all, 14 while they also, by prayer on your behalf, yearn for you because of the surpassing grace of God in you.  15 Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!”  2 Corinthians 9:8-15.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.

 

“Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more.

 

² For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

 

³ For this is the will of God, your sanctification;  that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;

 

⁴ that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,

 

⁵ not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;  and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.

 

⁷ For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification.

 

⁸ So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.”  1 Thessalonians 4:1-8.

 

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“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?  Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.  Such were some of you;  but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.”  1 Corinthians 6:9-11.

 

“Flee immorality.  Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.  Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?  For you have been bought with a price:  therefore glorify God in your body.”  1 Corinthians 6:18-20.

 

 

First, there is our “Helper”, the Holy Spirit.  See verse 8.  “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.”  John 14:26.  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.  Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.”  Galatians 5:22-24.

 

Second, there is the full armor of God.  “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.  For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm.”  Ephesians 6:10-13.  The pieces of the full armor of the Lord are listed in Ephesians 6:14-17 which include the belt of “truth”, “the breastplate of righteousness”, shoes of “the preparation of the gospel of peace”, “the shield of faith”, “the helmet of salvation”, and “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God”.

 

Third, God provides “the way of escape” from the temptation.  “No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man;  and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.”  1 Corinthians 10:13

 

In conclusion, we know our duty to abstain from sexual immorality.  We know that we have specific means of help.  But, let us also remember that “the will of God” and the call of God for our sanctification in verses 3 and 7 not only show our duty, but it gives us hope that God will accomplish His will for sanctification and His call for sanctification.  God assures us generally:  “I will accomplish all My good pleasure”.  See Isaiah 46:9-11   

 

God Himself is the One Who sanctifies us.  Notice the repetition and emphasis by God throughout Scripture.

 

Exodus 31:13
“… I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”

 

Leviticus 20:8
“… I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”

 

Leviticus 21:8
“… for I the LORD, who sanctifies you, am holy.”

 

Leviticus 21:15
“… for I am the LORD who sanctifies him.” 

 

Leviticus 21:23
“… For I am the LORD who sanctifies them.”

 

Leviticus 22:9
“… I am the LORD who sanctifies them.” 

 

Leviticus 22:16
“… for I am the LORD who sanctifies them.” 

 

Leviticus 22:32
“… I am the LORD who sanctifies you,”

 

Ezekiel 20:12
“… I am the LORD who sanctifies them.”

 

Ezekiel 37:28
“And the nations will know that I am the LORD who sanctifies Israel, when My sanctuary is in their midst forever.”

 

Hebrews 2:11
“For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father;  for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren,”

 

Ephesians 5:26
“so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,”

 

Hebrews 13:12
“Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people through His own blood, suffered outside the gate.”

 

1 Peter 1:2
“according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood:  May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.”  

 

 

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely;  and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 5:23

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13.

 

“Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you;  and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;  so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.”  1 Thessalonians 3:11-13.

 

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In our last devotion, we read Scripture about the joy in the saints and love for the saints that we should have.  How do we get that joy and love for the saints?

 

We focus on God, hope for it, and pray to God for it.  

 

And, this focus, hope, and prayer also applies to other qualities that we should have.

                                        

“The Lord will accomplish what concerns me;  Thy lovingkindness, O LORD, is everlasting;  Do not forsake the works of Thy hands.”  Psalm 138:8

Psalm 57:2 similarly states:  “I will cry to God Most High, To God who accomplishes all things for me.”

Romans 8:28 states:  “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

Romans 8:32 states:  “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things”?

I know that I struggle to live by faith. I struggle to believe what I write.  Sometimes, all I can see is the “bleak reality”.  But, the “bleak reality” is really only a logical future without God.  But there is a God who has awesome and infinite power.  And, this Almighty God is also our Faithful Father! 

                          

God fulfills His promises and showers us with His lovingkindness. God can and does turn our “bleak reality” into our “abundant life”.

God does not just sit in heaven and watch what we do or what happens to us.  God accomplishes His will through us.  He gives us everything we need.  God continually encourages us.  He give us His Son and His Spirit to dwell within us.  He adopts us as His children.  God creates the good works for us to do.  Ephesians 2:10.  God perfects the good work within us.  Philippians 1:6.  God predestines us.  God calls us.  God justifies us.  God glorifies us.  Romans 8:29-30.

Let us stop worrying about what we should do, and let us start praising God for what He has done!

“For You, O Lord, have made me glad by what You have done,
I will sing for joy at the works of Your hands.” Psalm 92:4.

The world pulls our eyes down from God to ourselves.

We need to lift our eyes to God.  

The world tells us how we can improve ourselves.  “Just do it” states a famous commercial.

The world tries to get us to focus on what we do rather than what God did.

The world says:  “What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?”  See John 6:28.

Jesus answers:  “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.” See John 6:29.

What impression do we give people?:

“How great I am!”

“He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory;  but He who is seeking the glory of the one who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him”.  John 7:18.

What impression do we give people?  “Look at what I did!”, or “Look at what God did!”?

Of course, we can and should work, but God should be seen as the worker.  Our works should be seen as wrought in God.  Our works should bring attention and glory to God, not to us.

“But he who practices the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God.”  John 3:21.

“Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” Matthew 5:16.

“I have not hidden Thy righteousness within my heart;  I have spoken of Thy faithfulness and Thy salvation;  I have not concealed Thy lovingkindness and Thy truth from the great congregation.” Psalm 40:10.

There was a seminar years ago called:  “Seven Attributes of the Godly Man”.  It may very well have been a good seminar, yet the title made me think:  I wish there was a seminar on “Seven Attributes of God”.

Much more important than improving our righteousness is learning about the righteousness of God.  Much more important than trying to be more faithful is learning about the faithfulness of God.  Do we want to learn more about ourselves or God?  Do we want to learn more about what we should do or more about what God has done for us?

Too often, we look down into our own hearts and try to improve ourselves, rather than look up to God and observe and meditate upon what He has done.

“Many, O LORD my God, are the wonders which Thou hast done,
And Thy thoughts toward us;
There is none to compare with Thee;
If I would declare and speak of them,
They would be too numerous to count.”  Psalm 40:5.

Many of us would paraphrase Psalm 40:1-2 to be:  “I just did it;  And God was proud of me.  I climbed out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay;  And I made myself secure.”

However, Psalm 40:1-2 states:  “I waited patiently for the LORD;  And He inclined to me, and heard my cry.  He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay;  And He set my feet upon the rock making my footsteps firm.” 

The following Scripture summarizes this focus, hope, and prayer so well.  This Scripture also tells it from God’s perspective.   

“13 The Lord looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men;
14 From His dwelling place He looks out
On all the inhabitants of the earth,
15 He who fashions the hearts of them all,
He who understands all their works.
16 The king is not saved by a mighty army;
A warrior is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a false hope for victory;
Nor does it deliver anyone by its great strength.
18 Behold, the eye of the Lord is on those who fear Him,
On those who hope for His lovingkindness,
19 To deliver their soul from death
And to keep them alive in famine.
20 Our soul waits for the Lord;
He is our help and our shield.
21 For our heart rejoices in Him,
Because we trust in His holy name.
22 Let Your lovingkindness, O Lord, be upon us,
According as we have hoped in You.”  Psalm 33:13-22.

In conclusion, the focus is on God.  The hope is in God.  The prayer is to God. 

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 3:6-10.

 

“⁶ But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always think kindly of us, longing to see us just as we also long to see you, ⁷ for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;  ⁸ for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord.  ⁹ For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account, ¹⁰ as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?”

 

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“I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”  3 John 1:4.

 

“I was very glad to find some of your children walking in truth, just as we have received commandment to do from the Father.”  2 John 1:4.

 

Psalm 16:3
“As for the saints who are in the earth, They are the majestic ones in whom is all my delight.”

 

“We give thanks to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you, since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and the love which you have for all the saints;”  Colossians 1:3-4.

 

“I thank my God always, making mention of you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and of the faith which you have toward the Lord Jesus and toward all the saints;  and I pray that the fellowship of your faith may become effective through the knowledge of every good thing which is in you for Christ’s sake.  For I have come to have much joy and comfort in your love, because the hearts of the saints have been refreshed through you, brother.”  Philemon 1:4-7.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5.

 

“Therefore when we could endure it no longer, we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone,

 

² and we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,

 

³ so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions;  for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.

 

⁴ For indeed when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction;  and so it came to pass, as you know.

 

⁵ For this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor would be in vain.”  1 Thessalonians 3:1-5.  

 

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We can preach and teach others. 

 

We can invite them to church, Sunday School, or Bible study. 

 

We can visit others as we see in today’s Scripture where Paul sent Timothy.

 

We can call them on the phone.

 

We can write to them.

 

We can tell them their specific good qualities.  To this day, I still remember that my best friend’s father called me “tenacious” while in high school and that comment still encourages me to continue to be so.  

 

We can introduce them to other Godly people whom we know will likely strengthen and encourage them.

 

We can provide donuts and coffee at fellowship hour after the worship service, working behind the scenes, to promote the type of fellowship that we know will likely strengthen and encourage them. 

 

We can write articles and books and blogs.

 

We can give them books and forward inspiring emails to them. 

 

We can send them flowers or a beautiful encouraging “Hallmark” card.

 

We can give them a hug.

 

We can formally lay our hands on them for installment to ministry as a new minister, elder, deacon, or Sunday School teacher.

 

We can simply share a favorite verse or more Scripture. 

 

We can give specific detailed praise reports.

 

We can more generally consider our own life testimony of what God has done for us and share it with others.   

 

We can credit God for our good works and our patient endurance through sufferings. 

 

We can praise God and give thanks, shouting and singing for joy in the Lord. 

 

We can patiently tolerate their infirmities and provide a helping hand to bear their burden.  

 

We can pray for others.

 

In addition, there are others ways to strengthen and encourage them as to their faith, and hopefully, this devotion will spark your own “custom-tailored” ideas by the specific needs of your own circle of family and friends and your own specific gifts and inclinations.

 

 

Deuteronomy 3:28
“But charge Joshua and encourage him and strengthen him, for he shall go across at the head of this people, and he will give them as an inheritance the land which you will see.’”

 

1 Samuel 23:16
“And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.”

 

2 Chronicles 35:2
“He set the priests in their offices and encouraged them in the service of the house of the LORD.”

 

Isaiah 35:3
“Encourage the exhausted, and strengthen the feeble.”

 

Isaiah 41:7
“So the craftsman encourages the smelter, And he who smooths metal with the hammer encourages him who beats the anvil, Saying of the soldering, “It is good”;  And he fastens it with nails, So that it will not totter.”

 

Daniel 11:1
“In the first year of Darius the Mede, I arose to be an encouragement and a protection for him.”

 

Acts 4:36
“Now Joseph, a Levite of Cyprian birth, who was also called Barnabas by the apostles (which translated means Son of Encouragement),”

 

Acts 11:23
“Then when he arrived and witnessed the grace of God, he rejoiced and began to encourage them all with resolute heart to remain true to the Lord;”

 

Acts 15:31
“When they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement.”

 

Acts 15:32
“Judas and Silas, also being prophets themselves, encouraged and strengthened the brethren with a lengthy message.”

 

Acts 16:40
“They went out of the prison and entered the house of Lydia, and when they saw the brethren, they encouraged them and departed.”

 

Acts 27:34
“Therefore I encourage you to take some food, for this is for your preservation, for not a hair from the head of any of you will perish.”

 

Romans 1:12
“that is, that I may be encouraged together with you while among you, each of us by the other’s faith, both yours and mine.”

 

Romans 15:4
“For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope.”

 

Romans 15:5
“Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus,”

 

1 Corinthians 16:12
“But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.”

 

Philippians 2:1
“Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion,”

 

Colossians 2:2
“that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God’s mystery, that is, Christ Himself,”

 

Colossians 4:8
“For I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know about our circumstances and that he may encourage your hearts;”

 

1 Thessalonians 5:11
“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.”

 

1 Thessalonians 5:14
“We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.”

 

Titus 2:4
“so that they may encourage the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,”

 

Hebrews 3:13
“But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is still called “Today,” so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.”

 

Luke 22:32
“but I have prayed for you, that your faith may not fail;  and you, when once you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

 

Acts 14:22
“strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and saying, “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God.”

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20.

 

“But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short while— in person, not in spirit—were all the more eager with great desire to see your face.   For we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, more than once—and yet Satan hindered us.  For who is our hope or joy or crown of exultation?  Is it not even you, in the presence of our Lord Jesus at His coming?   ^“For you are our glory and joy.”  1 Thessalonians 2:17-20.

 

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Today’s verses were not only written for the benefit of the Thessalonians.  Our preachers and teachers rejoice over us too.  But, most importantly, God rejoices over us too.  We are the glory and joy of our preachers and teachers.  We are the glory and joy of God.

 

3 John 1:4
“I have no greater joy than this, to hear of my children walking in the truth.”

 

Zephaniah 3:17
“The LORD your God is in your midst, A victorious warrior.  He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy.”

 

Isaiah 62:5
“For as a young man marries a virgin, So your sons will marry you;  And as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, So your God will rejoice over you.”

 

Isaiah 44:23
“Shout for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done it!  Shout joyfully, you lower parts of the earth;  Break forth into a shout of joy, you mountains, O forest, and every tree in it;  For the LORD has redeemed Jacob And in Israel He shows forth His glory.”

 

Jeremiah 33:9
“It will be to Me a name of joy, praise and glory before all the nations of the earth which will hear of all the good that I do for them, and they will fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace that I make for it.’”

 

 

“… and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Romans 5:5.

 

1 Peter 1:8
“and though you have not seen Him, you love Him, and though you do not see Him now, but believe in Him, you greatly rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,”

 

Psalm 149:5
“Let the godly ones exult in glory;  Let them sing for joy on their beds.”

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:14-16.

 

“For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, for you also endured the same sufferings at the hands of your own countrymen, even as they did from the Jews, who both killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out.  They are not pleasing to God, but hostile to all men, hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved;  with the result that they always fill up the measure of their sins.  But wrath has come upon them to the utmost.”  1 Thessalonians 2:14-16.

 

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“Thus says the Lord, “ Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches;  but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;  for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”  Jeremiah 9:23-24. 

 

Psalm 3:7
“Arise, O LORD;  save me, O my God!  For You have smitten all my enemies on the cheek;  You have shattered the teeth of the wicked.”

 

“68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people,
69 And has raised up a horn of salvation for us
In the house of David His servant—
70 As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old—
71 Salvation from our enemies,
And from the hand of all who hate us;
72 To show mercy toward our fathers,
And to remember His holy covenant,
73 The oath which He swore to Abraham our father,
74 To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies,
Might serve Him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days.”  Luke 1:68-75.

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:13.

 

“For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.”  1 Thessalonians 2:13. 

 

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Romans 1:16
“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

 

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:9-12.

 

“⁹ For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.

 

¹⁰ You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers;

 

¹¹ just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children,

 

¹² so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.”  1 Thessalonians 2:9-12.

 

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Paul set a good example for us of having a hard hat and lunch pail ministry.  Paul went to work each day and worked hard (“our labor and hardship, …working night and day”) and did so in a manner that he was suppose to do it (“devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly”).  Paul did not complain or hesitate or shrink back from his work.  Every day, he put on his hard hat and took his lunch pail with him and went to work.

 

In teaching us to follow his example, Paul elaborated:  “In everything I showed you that by working hard in this manner you must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He Himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”  Acts 20:35  “The elders who rule well are to be considered worthy of double honor, especially those who work hard at preaching and teaching.”  1 Timothy 5:17  “But you, be sober in all things, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry.”  2 Timothy 4:5

 

 

 

We have a Faithful Father! 

 

“Why do you boast in evil, O mighty man?  The lovingkindness of God endures all day long.”  Psalm 52:1.  

 

“I, the Lord, am its keeper;
I water it every moment.
So that no one will damage it,
I guard it night and day.”  Isaiah 27:3. 

 

“The Lord’s lovingkindnesses indeed never cease,
For His compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
Great is Your faithfulness.”  Lamentations 3:22-23.

 

Today’s devotion comes from 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8.

 

“For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain,

 

² but after we had already suffered and been mistreated in Philippi, as you know, we had the boldness in our God to speak to you the gospel of God amid much opposition.

 

³ For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit;

 

⁴ but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who examines our hearts.

 

⁵ For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness—

 

⁶ nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, even though as apostles of Christ we might have asserted our authority.

 

⁷ But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.

 

⁸ Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us.”  1 Thessalonians 2:1-8.

 

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Paul set a good example for us of having a gentle ministry.  He compares his ministry to “a nursing mother (who) tenderly cares for her own children”.  He was so fond of the Thessalonians that he was willing to “impart” or sacrifice his own life for them.

 

In teaching us to follow his example, Paul elaborated:  “The Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged, with gentleness correcting those who are in opposition, if perhaps God may grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, having been held captive by him to do his will.”  2 Timothy 2:24-26.

 

For a gentle ministry, we can also follow the example of our Lord.

 

Isaiah 40:11
“Like a shepherd He will tend His flock, In His arm He will gather the lambs And carry them in His bosom;  He will gently lead the nursing ewes.”

 

Isaiah 49:15
“Can a woman forget her nursing child And have no compassion on the son of her womb?  Even these may forget, but I will not forget you.”

 

Matthew 11:29
“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS.”

 

 

However, despite his love, care, and gentleness, Paul felt the need to defend his ministry to the Thessalonians in today’s Scripture and also to the Corinthians:  “I will most gladly spend and be expended for your souls.  If I love you more, am I to be loved less?”  2 Corinthians 12:15.

 

The lesson for us is that in our ministry we too may not be appreciated for our love, care, and gentleness, but we still must be patient, kind, and gentle.

 

 

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control;  against such things there is no law.”  Galatians 5:22-23.

 

Moreover, through God’s grace, we can persevere and be patient, kind, and gentle even when we are opposed and persecuted! 

 

“Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand;  and we exult in hope of the glory of God.  And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;  and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;  and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”  Romans 5:1-5.

 

In conclusion, we can even be joyful when it seems that despite the length of our ministry and our best efforts in our ministry, we don’t receive the appreciation and affection that we may deserve.  “But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.”  Philippians 2:17