“You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers” (1 Thessalonians 2:10)

You are witnesses.  You are the ones who have heard the Gospel and followed the Lord.  Do you live your life as a witness?  When you have seen something amazing, do you not share it?  You are a witness of the most amazing thing of all.  Do you not share it?  This is spoken to us again and again that we might not hide what we have been given but share this life of Christ which is ours and to be shared with all whom we meet.

In this world, we are told to mind our own business.  This is usually said by someone who is not minding their own business but attempting to mind ours.  The Lord has called us into His eternal presence.  The Lord has given us His goodness and mercy. The Lord asks that we respond by living uprightly and blamelessly in a world gone mad.  Live as one who follows the Lord and your behavior will gain attention.

Lord, You know what I need.  You know what stands in the way.  You know where I need to go.  Lead me, O Lord, so that I would follow You wherever You go.  Help me to live by Your example and as You are teaching me to live.  Guide me to behave consistently, whether in public or private, so that how my life is lived may provide an example and be an encouragement for others.  Amen.

“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” (1 Thessalonians 2:9).

If it is at all possible, do not be a burden to anyone.  Think how this is so different in our day where there is an expectation that others will do for us rather than us seeking to do what we can for others.  We are blessed with abilities; so take advantage of what the Lord has given you and do all you can, and in so doing, share the Gospel through the action of your life.  The Lord has invited You to be a partner in the sharing of the Gospel.

Lord, I do often reflect the culture rather than You.  Lead me to see that You have given me my part in the Gospel and that I too can share the Gospel without being a burden on others.  Lead me into how I can do this.  Show me where I do not need to do this.  Through Your grace, help me to live more consistently in the calling You have given me through grace.  May Your Gospel dwell fully in me.

Lord Jesus, You have given us Your all.  You died so that we might be set free from the recompense of sin.  Help me live with the same commitment, giving my all, for even if I would be tempted to hold back, remind me to ask, “For what purpose?”  Through all that comes my way, guide me into a life that is wholly Yours.  Help me see the truth You have revealed and live it in the presence of others.  Amen.

“But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children.  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 2:7-8).

The ultimate goal, as far as we are able to see, is the relationships that are built as a result of the Gospel taking root.  It is not accomplishing some big venture, but building up the family of God in Christ and by His grace.  Come then and live into the life to which You have been called.  Know that in Him is true life and that He will knit You into His family, His bride, the church.

Lord, help me to see the greater things and live into the hope which is mine in You.  Guide me into the depths of understanding You offer by Your Spirit so that I may be guided by You and not by the world.  Help me to hold dear those amidst You place me in order that I may live in the relationships You are establishing.  Through all these things, accomplish in me what You intend so that I may always be Yours and You, mine.

Thank You, Jesus, for the gift of family.  You are knitting together Your family, Your bride, the church.  Let me never buy into the nonsense that fellowship does not matter.  It is the thing You are doing.  Guide me to learn how to be faithful and live into this life You are giving me.  Help me now and always to see through the ways of the world and to live according to the way You are teaching me.  Amen. 

“For we never came with flattering speech, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed – God is witness – 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” (1 Thessalonians 2:5-6).

Pay attention to what people want.  They will tell what they are thinking by what they are doing and revealing what they are after.  The Gospel is something to be given away.  One who receives it does so without any expectation.  One must do nothing to receive the Good News.  We might well assert authority, but that is not necessary.  Learn and be wise.  See that the Lord gives you the greatest gift freely.

Lord, grant that I would learn wisdom.  You show me these things and I often go on ignoring them and then wishing I had learned the lesson.  Teach me that others will reveal who they really are by what they do and what they are after.  Let me be one who seeks You and Your righteousness and nothing else.  That is enough for this world.  Help me to learn the lessons I need to learn in order to be one who follows You.

Lord Jesus, You came into the world not expecting the world to give You anything.  You gave away Yourself the whole time You were here, ending with the greatest gift of all by paying the price we could not pay for our salvation.  Lead me by Your example to live by Your example and not in the way of the world, which always wants something.  Lead me Lord so that I may follow You.  Amen.

“For our exhortation does not come from error or impurity or by way of deceit; 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” (1 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

We need not use words that are clever, or in any way deceitful, but always speak the truth in love.  Those who have ears to hear, will hear.  The sheep know the voice of the shepherd.  You have heard the voice of Jesus and it does not matter who delivered what you have heard.  Listen to the voice of the Master and walk in the faith that you have been given by Him.  In the One who made life is there the hope of true life.

Lord, open my ears to hear when You speak.  Let me not look at the one who is speaking, but to You who gifts those whom You choose to exhort on Your behalf.   Guide me in all truth and grant discerning ears so that I would not fall prey to those who speak deceit.  Let my heart stir whenever truth is spoken.  Use my mouth to speak Your word as a witness in the world.

Lord Jesus, Word of God made flesh, lead me in holiness, that by Your example, I would live a life befitting one who was been called in Your grace. Guide me, O Lord, and help me to willingly follow.  Lead me now and always in the way of truth.  Lord Jesus, You are Truth and only in following You can I know the way.  Guide me this day in all truth so that I may forever be found in You.  Amen.

“For you yourselves know, brethren, that our coming to you was not in vain, 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” (1 Thessalonians 2:1-2).

The world is hostile to the Gospel.  It does take boldness, even in our day, to speak the Gospel.  Live the life of faith to which you have been called and do so boldly.  Those who actually live by faith are evident.  Remember that the faith is caught and then comes the teaching.  The Lord does send His messengers, and then those who will follow after Him.  Be bold and live by faith.

Lord, teach me to do whatever is needed so that I might truly live by faith.  Do not let me be timid, nor apologetic in my faith, but bold in all things.  Guide me in the way I need to go and help me to never consider the cost, for who could compare to the price You paid on the cross?  Let my living not be in vain, but use my witness as You will, knowing that You are working all things together for good for those who love You.

Lord Jesus, in the example You gave through Your life, death, and resurrection, Help me to be consistent in the living of my faith.  Guide me this day in order that I would hold fast to the truth You have revealed once for all.  Help me to live according to what You have taught me.  Help me to be bold in the Spirit so that I would be a witness of the faith You have given me now and forever.  Amen.   

“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 2:18-20).

Where is your hope and in what do you rejoice.  Yes, you have been given the promised redemption in grace, but do you not rejoice at the work of the Lord in your midst?  Are you a part of what He is doing, or, like the world, do you focus upon yourself?  Be freed of the world’s way of seeing things and come join in the salvation that is present amongst the saints of the Lord.

Lord, grant that I may have a larger view of things.  Open my eyes to see what You are doing and then give me the inclination to join You.  Lead me, O Lord, so that I may now and always look to You and look away from the world for my inspiration.  Through You and in You is all hope.  Let me glory in the work You are doing through those I see around me who are doing what is pleasing to You.

Come, Holy Spirit, and minister to me so that I may be open to the reality of Your work here and around the world.  Help me to join with the angels in rejoicing every time one sinner repents and joins in our midst.  Guide me to have an outward-looking heart, loving all people, and learning to love as You love.  Guide me this day in order that I may see and rejoice in all that is happening around me in and through Christ my Savior.  Amen.

“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” (1 Thessalonians 2:17).

The communion of saints is a real thing that exists between all who believe and from every tribe, tongue, folk, and nation.  The Lord is knitting together His bride, the church.  Yes, every time we meet at the Lord’s table, we join with all who are a part of the body, but what Paul is saying is that although a photograph is nice, being there in person is much, much better.

Lord, Sometimes I over-spiritualize these things and do not see them for what they are.  Guide me, O Lord, that I may see in all of Your Word the truth that You are amidst a new creation through all of those who are united with You by the way of the cross.  Lead me to follow more clearly the way You have set before me.  Grow in me that which You intend and help me to learn to rejoice with all of Your saints.

Lord Jesus, You have paved the way for all who come in faith through grace to be a part of the communion of saints.  Help me see that I am connected across time and space to those who are a part of Your body.  Lead me so that I would remain connected and rejoice with the union of all of Your saints wherever and whenever that may happen.  In You is all hope and the promise of eternity.  Amen.

“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 2:15-16).

Who are the Jews?  They are not a group who follow a certain ancient religion.  In this case, they go by many names, but they are the ones who want you to fit into their ideal.  They do not leave anything alone, but are constantly meddling.  Do not be a bigot, but neither tolerate the ones who are driving towards the gates of hell.  Look to the Lord and be saved.  Know the Lord and know goodness.

Lord, keep me close to You so that I would not be swayed by those who would lead me astray.  Let me not be caught up by those who demand conformity to their ideals.  Help me to remain free in You in order that I may walk with You now and forever.  The wrath of death because of sin has already been poured out.  Keep me from that wrath knowing that You have paid the price so that I may be set free from sin.

Lord Jesus, in You alone is all hope.  You came to set free as many as would believe that You have come to redeem us from sin’s recompense.  Lead me along with all who faithfully look to You that together we may be guided in Your Spirit in all goodness.  Help me to live into this life You have given me, being conformed to Your image as You make of me a child of the Heavenly Father.  Amen.

“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” (1 Thessalonians 2:14)

Being an imitator is, in many ways, how things are done.  We imitate others and call it being fashionable.  We imitate others and call it being contemporary.  In this case, they imitated the church and received the same persecution.  Do we not begin our years of growing by imitating what we see in adults?  Come then and join in imitating Christ that you may be conformed to Him.

Lord, this is not a foreign concept.  I do it all the time.  Help me to see that I indeed need do this.  Guide me so that I may learn to put You on and become more like You each day.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way I need to be led.  Guide me, Lord, so that I may learn to follow.  In all things, help me to conform to what is right and good.  Keep me from being conformed to those things which are neither profitable, nor good.

Lord Jesus, You must lead the way.  Guide me, Lord, in order that I may follow wherever You lead.  Help me through the obstacles that will come in my way.  In and through all things, may I be found wholly in You, living into the life to which You have called me through grace and given by faith.  Regardless of what will come, continue always being my help and stay throughout each day. Amen.