The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 1 Thessalonians 3:2-4,
"We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God's service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know."
Turn on your television on any Sunday morning to the "Christian" programming. There are a couple of great Bible teachers to be found there, but unfortunately, not many at all. On the other hand, you will find a bunch of great miracle workers asking you to send in your money to them so you too can be rich. There are others who promise peace and serenity from all of life's problems if you just join up with them.
For those of us who actually read our Bibles, we know what to think of 95% of the rotten messages heard on a Sunday morning. In our passage above, Paul clarifies what we can expect as believers in Jesus Christ. He speaks of trials, that we are destined for them. He speaks of persecution.
If this is what we are to expect as believers in Jesus Christ, how do these false teachers who make empty promises get away with their false teaching? Sadly, those who fall for it must not be reading their Bibles.
As children of God, we will face many difficulties. Most are designed by God to aid us in our spiritual maturity, others to simply be available as God carries out his agenda of redemption. Some think we become spiritual giants by entertaining the false teachings I mention above, but that is not God's normative way of bringing that about.
Listen to the writer of Hebrews (as he quotes Proverbs 3:11, 12), "In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, 'My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.' Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
Here is real Christianlity 101! You just might not find it in "Christian" programming on a Sunday morning.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God's service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know."
Turn on your television on any Sunday morning to the "Christian" programming. There are a couple of great Bible teachers to be found there, but unfortunately, not many at all. On the other hand, you will find a bunch of great miracle workers asking you to send in your money to them so you too can be rich. There are others who promise peace and serenity from all of life's problems if you just join up with them.
For those of us who actually read our Bibles, we know what to think of 95% of the rotten messages heard on a Sunday morning. In our passage above, Paul clarifies what we can expect as believers in Jesus Christ. He speaks of trials, that we are destined for them. He speaks of persecution.
If this is what we are to expect as believers in Jesus Christ, how do these false teachers who make empty promises get away with their false teaching? Sadly, those who fall for it must not be reading their Bibles.
As children of God, we will face many difficulties. Most are designed by God to aid us in our spiritual maturity, others to simply be available as God carries out his agenda of redemption. Some think we become spiritual giants by entertaining the false teachings I mention above, but that is not God's normative way of bringing that about.
Listen to the writer of Hebrews (as he quotes Proverbs 3:11, 12), "In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. And have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son? It says, 'My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.' Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it."
Here is real Christianlity 101! You just might not find it in "Christian" programming on a Sunday morning.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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