WHAT A COMMENDATION- WHAT A PRAYER TO INCORPORATE!
“As we pray to our God and Father about you, we think of your faithful work, your loving deeds, and the enduring hope you have because of our Lord Jesus Christ.”-{1 Thessalonians 1:3 nlt}
What a comendation. The church were just a young church and Paul and his companions recognized the work – the evidence of the LORD Jesus transforming their characters and named three specific areas- their faith– love, and hope!
The church did not say about themselves any more than Moses recognized his beaming face coming down of the mountains-“When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the covenant law in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant,…”-{Exodus 34:29-30}. Nor Stephen “Full of the Holy Spirit…”-{Acts 7:55}-said this of himself… OTHERS Recognized it was so. Others TESTIFIED to the work of God in a life of the church at Thessalonica it was manifested in their “work of faith, …labor of love” and their “enduring hope.” They never say it of themselves, it is OTHERS who do recognize and say it. Moses it is said was the meekest of all men.-{Numbers 12:3} Those filled with the Spirit are meek-{Galataians 5:22-23}… The church at Thessalonica did not say of themselves that they were a people who were identified through their “work of faith, labor of love, enduring hope…”OTHERS did!
Sometimes you might hear people say they are “full of the Spirit” and often it has a different meaning than such passages as Galatians 5:22-23. Sometimes said in ignorance, immaturity or perhaps pride. Be sure that where Pride is present HumilIty and love are absent!
But what beautiful virtues cultivated by the Spirit of God in the lives of the Thessalonian believers and TESTIFIED by OTHERS who OBSERVED their lives and in Paul’s case and companions caused them to pray with THANKSGIVING to God and also to TESTIFY to the believers the reason for their PRAYERFUL THANKSGIVING Their lives were reason for others to Thak God- as they recognized HE was the reason for such change in their lives and all believers lives!
Transforming lives gives forth evidence of God at work in each believer and a reason to Thank God in your praying.
THINK;
Whose life have you witnessed and can THANK GOD for the TRANSFORMING work of the Spirit of God that you can see Christ being formed in them? Who specifically can you see a faith that works… a love that labors.. a hope that endures in Christ despite difficulties, and obstacles, they continue confidently, though not perfectly but continue trusting Him, through difficulties, troubles, trials, and though at times they fall and falter but they keep getting up and persisting in Him- our LORD Jesus Christ!
TESTIFYING;
Copy Paul and TESTIFY- TELL Them what you have SPECIFICALLY seen in their lives of Spiritual characteristics. Paul wrote to them to communicate to them, Who and how can you communicate with someone today? Paul was not using flattery but truth to build them up in their faith and ultimately how their lives caused him and his companions to GIVE THANKS to God for what they had seen from the lives of the believers. Their lives were reason for someone else to THANK GOD! Whose lives cause you to thank God for?
When I saw this verse this morning I had just written to someone to express what I had seen of their life, and as I was writing my thoughts down as I wrote the above another man kept coming to mind and so I paused and thanked God for his many many years of doggedly and determinedly amidst at times great opposition continued to exercise a faith that worked a love that labored and an endurance of Hope in Christ amidst it all. What do you think my next move should be after thanking God if I were to mimic Paul concerning him? How about communicating to him what I have seen all of these years in and through him? Do you think that the Holy Spirit may use to encourage him or dishearten him? That’s a bit silly isn’t it … for we know God is the God who gives encouragement- {Romans 15:5} So why not take time to encourage him… right? So that’s my next step…
So, you too may think of someone whom you see these attributes o mentioned in 1 Thess 1:3 or other such, then use them as a springboard to…
- THINK of whom you have seen the characteristics of 1Thess 1:3 or such in. Take Time to Memorize and Mediate upon 1 Thess 1:3 to help you recognize these characteristics in others.
- THANK GOD specifically for when remembering them in prayer.
- TELL THEM of the Work of God you have seen in their lives and how their lives have given you reason to THANK God for!
- DO – THANK GOD NOW. DO LOOK TO TELL OTHERS OF THE REASONS THEIR LIVES CAUSE YOU TO GIVE THANKS TO GOD FOR!
THREE WORDS TO PAUSE… PAUSE AND PRACTICE TODAY;
PAUSE NOW AND…
THINK- THANK- TELL!
God bless,
Aidan,