All,

As I prepared this week, there were a number of things that interrupted the normal and customary rhythm of study. Consequently, Friday night is the first chance to sending these notes out. That of course leaves less time for you to do your due diligence and pre-study. :) But know this. As hard as it was to prepare it, I am sure that God is going to use it in our lives! 

 

As we consider the letter of encouragement that Paul sent to his believing friends in Thessalonica, we must remember that they are not very much different than us! The things that Paul challenged them to do in their life and ministry may be directly applied to us. They lived in a different cultural context, but they were attempting to live their Christian lives out in the middle of persecution. (Jesus said there would be persecution as the age continued on.) In the midst of that persecution, there was a temptation for the disciples to adjust the message and their methods to be more acceptable. Paul warned against such things. He held himself (and Silas and Timothy) as missionary examples of a proclaimer of the gospel. And then he said, follow me as I follow Jesus. This is our calling too! To walk worthy of the calling of God on our lives.