This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
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1 Thessalonians 3:13
13 To the end [eis] he may stablish [sterizo] your [humon] hearts [kardia] unblameable [amemptos] in [en] holiness [hagiosune] before [emprosthen] God, [theos] even [kai] our [hemon] Father, [pater] at [en] the coming [parousia] of our [hemon] Lord [kurios] Jesus [Iesous] Christ [Christos] with [meta] all [pas] his [autos] saints. [hagios] KJV-Interlinear
13 so that He may establish your hearts unblamable in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints. NASB
The objective of your spiritual life, is to establish, to complete, to open up your eyes to truth, to make you, your soul finished as it is intended to be.
When you were conceived, you were not a completed person. When you were born, you were not a competed person. As a child you were not a completed person, and even with all the experience and academic learning in the world, you will still not be a completed person.
The temporal side of your life, the physical side, is only a small part of your life. The larger side is your spiritual side, and that begins only with salvation which is obtained by faith in Christ. But even then your life is not complete. With study and learning and experience, you begin to grow up in your spiritual life, and still your life is not complete. Once you advance to spiritual maturity, then you begin to near the point of completion, but not yet.
Maturity is your first objective in this life which prepares you, which establishes you, which readies you for your evaluation before Christ, at the Judgment Seat of Christ.
An unblamable heart is one in which doctrine resides and virtually controls the thought processes of the soul. Truth is doctrine, and all that is fair and good and decent and more, are its productions.
In holiness is another way of saying a life that is not unholy. Holiness is the combination of righteousness and justice. Rightness is Gods perfect essence. Justice is Gods perfect cleansing process of all evil, filth, dirt, etc. Therefore the holy life is the person who resides in fellowship, with wisdom at the helm of their soul.
Jesus Christ is the living word. It is He, who resides inside of your soul in the form of the written scriptures which you learn. Since doctrine comes from God, since doctrine is God, then it is God who forms your spiritual life, not you. Your spiritual transformation is the artwork of His fingers, not the result of your efforts.
And one day, Jesus will come to execute the Rapture. He will be attended by all the angels in heaven.
They will descend in to the clouds only, and will not be observed by anyone on this earth. But when He shouts for those who belong to Him, all believers at that time, then all believers who have already died during our dispensation and all who remain alive at that moment in time, will be instantly caught up off of the planet into the air, and assembled before Him.
We will all be transformed instantly from our physical bodies or present condition if previously deceased, into resurrection bodies, and there before Christ every knee will bend, every head will bow, before the presence of His glory.
And then the second greatest victory parade will begin as we all head off to heaven, for the next great event in our lives, the Judgment Seat of Christ and each of our personal evaluations.
While back on the earth, confusion and chaos will begin to unfold, as the planet will head into its last seven years of satanic and human rule, and near extinction of humanity.
Meanwhile, each one of us will stand before Christ and receive our just reward. For those who have ignored their spiritual life, there will be no additional reward. For those who have had some semblance of spiritual growth, there will be some reward.
But for those who have established their lives in doctrine, have grown to spiritual maturity, have lived a productive spiritual life, then there will be vast beyond-imagination rewards.
This is the result of your persistence in an open minded and genuine pursuit of Bible doctrine, regardless of the circumstances, good or bad, that you might encounter in this life.
And while you are advancing in your spiritual life in preparation for the next appearance of Christ, and the greatest destiny beyond your imagination, the rest of the world is deeply involved in the debate over who will receive health care, and who will not. Who will make the decisions for your life and where you will fit in, to the statistics of government policy.
Mans good intentions never end up that way. Why? Because humanity does not have the wherewithal to carry out his own plans. And in the midst of failure, rationing, inclusion and exclusion, random choosing, and private preference always enter into the equation.
The usual historical targets for exclusion, the blacks, the Jews, the disabled, the odd, the homosexuals, and add to that group, the Christians, will all be treated with contempt and suffer accordingly.
So if you are a mentally disturbed Christian black Jew with a handicap and homosexual preferences, then your life is … how does that proverbial saying go ….. ?
The world will try to run your life, but you need to turn to doctrine and allow God to take charge of your life. Alone you cannot defeat the world, but through Christ, the world cannot defeat you.
We seem to be at another major crossroads in history, as Christ allows man to maneuver himself into position for what God has had planned for a very long time. And whether that maneuvering occurs in the next few months or not for several decades, makes no difference if you are in pursuit of your spiritual life.
Jesus Christ controls history, not you, and certainly not any government. Stick with your Bible studies and focus on establishing your life in preparation for Christs’ appearance, whenever that will be.
Showing posts with label 1 Thessalonians 3. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1 Thessalonians 3. Show all posts
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
1 Thessalonians 3:11-12
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
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1 Thessalonians 3:11-12
11 Now [de] God [theos] himself [autos] and [kai] our [hemon] Father, [pater] and [kai] our [hemon] Lord [kurios] Jesus [Iesous] Christ, [Christos] direct [kateuthuno] our [hemon] way [hodos] unto [pros] you. [humas]
12 And [de] the Lord [kurios] make [pleonazo] you [humas] to increase [pleonazo] and [kai] abound [perisseuo] in love [agape] one [allelon] toward [eis] another, [allelon] and [kai] toward [eis] all [pas] men, even [kai] as [kathaper] we [hemeis] do toward [eis] you: [humas] KJV-Interlinear
11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you; NASB
The means of a good life, even a great life, even a successful life, comes through God and from no other source.
Paul offers a prayer to the Father, who is the author of the divine plan and the recipient of all prayer, through Christ, who is the one who executes the plan, by means of love (which is the content of the scriptures or Bible doctrine), from which you grow through your daily studies and learning and experiential processes of life, and by that means develop an orientation to God, to people, to life and to yourself.
Throughout these three chapters, Paul has reminded us all that reliance on people yields nothing. There is only one person to whom you may look to with total and complete trust and confidence, and that is Jesus Christ.
And, you gain that trust and develop that confidence with knowledge and growth by means of your daily studies.
There is no other way for you to grow up in your spiritual life.
People have the sin nature within them. People without doctrine have only their sin natures with which to draw from in order to function in life. The sin nature lacks truth, and therefore cannot approach life with any semblance of proper orientation. Evil is the result. And whether the evil is relatively modest or extreme, is irrelevant. All evil goes but one direction and that is toward more evil.
Only truth can cancel out evil and truth comes only from Bible doctrine, and that is learned only through pursuing a daily study.
How many folks throughout the world actually participate in a daily study of the Bible, and how many pursue a genuine and legitimate study, and not some twisted approach to the Bible? Not many.
In order to have or achieve a full and complete life, you must, repeat, must, grow up in your spiritual life. And that process is available to you courtesy of Gods grace (favor), to those who have a genuine unbiased desire to learn and grow.
The world will turn on you, even those who are closest to you, will turn on you, sooner or later. The world will try to isolate you, ostracize you, smother you in its innumerable approaches and compromises and enticements for life, for only one reason, and that is to get you away from God, from Christ, from doctrine, and definitely from your spiritual life.
Your best example of this in this world is to observe politicians or leaders or tyrants of contemporary or past history. All leaders who lack doctrine, will tell you things you want to hear. They will use convincing arguments concerning subjects that seem reasonable and honest. They do these things in order to gain your trust and place themselves in power, then they stick the knife in your back and twist it, as you have now served your purpose.
Satan is the best leader example of this. Satan wants God to fail, and Satan or his policies of evil, attempt to lead people away from God, not because Satan wants to help people, but because Satan wants to defeat God and will use anyone and anything to promote his cause. That includes the genocide of the entire human race if need be, and that attempt will actually occur when the Tribulation begins.
Naïve people will never figure it out, because they lack truth in their soul. The lack of truth means the inability to discern or see things clearly. A naïve person will never understand that he or she has been conned, until it is to late.
Love is the primary ingredient for building and maintaining relationships, and love does not mean some mushy emotion, but represents the content of thought which resides in Bible doctrine. That study is found in 1, 2, and 3 John.
Therefore, for you to have the best and fullest and most complete life possible, you must advance (increase and abound) in your spiritual life.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Blog postings occur at 6 P.M. each day following the day they have been written. The Daily Studies are available a full day earlier by signing up on the Daily Bible Study Mailing List (optional of course).
To allow the Daily Bible Study to come to you via e-mail every day, and also offer your support for the study, then please consider signing up on the:
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1 Thessalonians 3:11-12
11 Now [de] God [theos] himself [autos] and [kai] our [hemon] Father, [pater] and [kai] our [hemon] Lord [kurios] Jesus [Iesous] Christ, [Christos] direct [kateuthuno] our [hemon] way [hodos] unto [pros] you. [humas]
12 And [de] the Lord [kurios] make [pleonazo] you [humas] to increase [pleonazo] and [kai] abound [perisseuo] in love [agape] one [allelon] toward [eis] another, [allelon] and [kai] toward [eis] all [pas] men, even [kai] as [kathaper] we [hemeis] do toward [eis] you: [humas] KJV-Interlinear
11 Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12 and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all men, just as we also do for you; NASB
The means of a good life, even a great life, even a successful life, comes through God and from no other source.
Paul offers a prayer to the Father, who is the author of the divine plan and the recipient of all prayer, through Christ, who is the one who executes the plan, by means of love (which is the content of the scriptures or Bible doctrine), from which you grow through your daily studies and learning and experiential processes of life, and by that means develop an orientation to God, to people, to life and to yourself.
Throughout these three chapters, Paul has reminded us all that reliance on people yields nothing. There is only one person to whom you may look to with total and complete trust and confidence, and that is Jesus Christ.
And, you gain that trust and develop that confidence with knowledge and growth by means of your daily studies.
There is no other way for you to grow up in your spiritual life.
People have the sin nature within them. People without doctrine have only their sin natures with which to draw from in order to function in life. The sin nature lacks truth, and therefore cannot approach life with any semblance of proper orientation. Evil is the result. And whether the evil is relatively modest or extreme, is irrelevant. All evil goes but one direction and that is toward more evil.
Only truth can cancel out evil and truth comes only from Bible doctrine, and that is learned only through pursuing a daily study.
How many folks throughout the world actually participate in a daily study of the Bible, and how many pursue a genuine and legitimate study, and not some twisted approach to the Bible? Not many.
In order to have or achieve a full and complete life, you must, repeat, must, grow up in your spiritual life. And that process is available to you courtesy of Gods grace (favor), to those who have a genuine unbiased desire to learn and grow.
The world will turn on you, even those who are closest to you, will turn on you, sooner or later. The world will try to isolate you, ostracize you, smother you in its innumerable approaches and compromises and enticements for life, for only one reason, and that is to get you away from God, from Christ, from doctrine, and definitely from your spiritual life.
Your best example of this in this world is to observe politicians or leaders or tyrants of contemporary or past history. All leaders who lack doctrine, will tell you things you want to hear. They will use convincing arguments concerning subjects that seem reasonable and honest. They do these things in order to gain your trust and place themselves in power, then they stick the knife in your back and twist it, as you have now served your purpose.
Satan is the best leader example of this. Satan wants God to fail, and Satan or his policies of evil, attempt to lead people away from God, not because Satan wants to help people, but because Satan wants to defeat God and will use anyone and anything to promote his cause. That includes the genocide of the entire human race if need be, and that attempt will actually occur when the Tribulation begins.
Naïve people will never figure it out, because they lack truth in their soul. The lack of truth means the inability to discern or see things clearly. A naïve person will never understand that he or she has been conned, until it is to late.
Love is the primary ingredient for building and maintaining relationships, and love does not mean some mushy emotion, but represents the content of thought which resides in Bible doctrine. That study is found in 1, 2, and 3 John.
Therefore, for you to have the best and fullest and most complete life possible, you must advance (increase and abound) in your spiritual life.
Friday, August 14, 2009
1 Thessalonians 3:9-10
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Blog postings occur at 6 P.M. each day following the day they have been written. The Daily Studies are available a full day earlier by signing up on the Daily Bible Study Mailing List (optional of course).
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1 Thessalonians 3:9-10
9 For [gar] what [tis] thanks [eucharistia] can we [dunamai] render [antapodidomi] to God [theos] again [antapodidomi] for [peri] you, [humon] for [epi] all [pas] the joy [chara] wherewith [hos] we joy [chairo] for [dia] your sakes [humas] before [emprosthen] our [hemon] God; [theos]
10 Night [nux] and [kai] day [hemera] praying [deomai] exceedingly [ek] [perissos] [huper] that [eis] we might see [eido] your [humon] face, [prosopon] and [kai] might perfect [katartizo] that which is lacking [husterema] in your [humon] faith [pistis]? KJV-Interlinear
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? NASB
Throughout life, we all experience successes of one type or another. But life’s successes from this world are always temporary ones. Nothing in, or from, this world is permanent.
The spiritual life is not from this world, but from heaven and God. And as such, everything related to the spiritual life, is eternal.
Paul is thankful because of the very existence of the believers in Thessalonica, (and everywhere of course).
Believers are the single and only reason that blessings come to this earth. When Adam and Eve sinned, they were evicted from the Garden. Their perfection or innocence was lost and therefore the Garden became off limits.
When Noah lived, the world became evil. And so much so that there were only eight believers remaining at the end of that era of history. When the flood waters came, eight were aboard the ark and millions and perhaps tens of millions more, died in the flood.
God looks down the tunnel of time and is able to see all who will believe in Christ, and all who will grow up in their spiritual lives. And because of them, the world receives blessing after blessing, and will continue to receive blessing after blessing until there will be no more new believers. Then of course history will come to an end.
This world was not placed here in order to perpetuate evil, but to prepare those who are saved, for the next great increment of their life, namely eternity.
The more you learn, the more you grow up. And the more you grow up, the more blessings come into this world through you.
Now think of it for a moment. Of all the people in the world, of all the elite types, the celebrity types, of all the aristocrat types, none of them, not even one of them generates blessings for this planet.
As a mature believer, you who are nameless as far as the world is concerned, do more for this world, than all of that crowd combined. And so, from yesterdays study, you may be alone in your room, or even standing in a huge crowd, but without lifting a finger, you have more impact on this world than anyone else.
With spiritual growth comes contentment, regardless of your circumstances. One day, you and I and millions more, will meet in heaven, and there we will all have the opportunity to get acquainted and learn of each others story. And we will all laugh at each others stories and be in awe, at how God, through doctrine (and through us – that will be the funny part), sustained human history, despite all of the best of plans that humanity can come up with.
Today we all have a unique opportunity of observing history unfold. Knowing that we may very well be the last great country to fall in history. And even though it may not be for another century, our happiness and welfare does not lay in the plans of man, but in Gods plan for our individual life.
The more you study, the more you will learn. And the more you learn, the more you will advance in your spiritual life.
Paul wanted to teach and teach so that those who were interested, would have the opportunity to advance to a phenomenal success in their spiritual life.
My objective from this study, is to help everyone who has the desire to learn, to do just that and more. And though I usually save my thanks for the holiday (Christmas, New Years, etc.) times, it would only be appropriate to tell you all thank you for your support, for your dedication, for your perseverance in your spiritual life.
From my family to yours, all of our prayers go out for everyone.
‘To Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you without blemish, before the presence of His glory, with exceeding joy. To the only wise God, and savior, even Jesus Christ our Lord. To whom be glory and majesty, dominion and power forever. Amen.’
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Blog postings occur at 6 P.M. each day following the day they have been written. The Daily Studies are available a full day earlier by signing up on the Daily Bible Study Mailing List (optional of course).
To allow the Daily Bible Study to come to you via e-mail every day, and also offer your support for the study, then please consider signing up on the:
Bible Study Mailing List
1 Thessalonians 3:9-10
9 For [gar] what [tis] thanks [eucharistia] can we [dunamai] render [antapodidomi] to God [theos] again [antapodidomi] for [peri] you, [humon] for [epi] all [pas] the joy [chara] wherewith [hos] we joy [chairo] for [dia] your sakes [humas] before [emprosthen] our [hemon] God; [theos]
10 Night [nux] and [kai] day [hemera] praying [deomai] exceedingly [ek] [perissos] [huper] that [eis] we might see [eido] your [humon] face, [prosopon] and [kai] might perfect [katartizo] that which is lacking [husterema] in your [humon] faith [pistis]? KJV-Interlinear
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? NASB
Throughout life, we all experience successes of one type or another. But life’s successes from this world are always temporary ones. Nothing in, or from, this world is permanent.
The spiritual life is not from this world, but from heaven and God. And as such, everything related to the spiritual life, is eternal.
Paul is thankful because of the very existence of the believers in Thessalonica, (and everywhere of course).
Believers are the single and only reason that blessings come to this earth. When Adam and Eve sinned, they were evicted from the Garden. Their perfection or innocence was lost and therefore the Garden became off limits.
When Noah lived, the world became evil. And so much so that there were only eight believers remaining at the end of that era of history. When the flood waters came, eight were aboard the ark and millions and perhaps tens of millions more, died in the flood.
God looks down the tunnel of time and is able to see all who will believe in Christ, and all who will grow up in their spiritual lives. And because of them, the world receives blessing after blessing, and will continue to receive blessing after blessing until there will be no more new believers. Then of course history will come to an end.
This world was not placed here in order to perpetuate evil, but to prepare those who are saved, for the next great increment of their life, namely eternity.
The more you learn, the more you grow up. And the more you grow up, the more blessings come into this world through you.
Now think of it for a moment. Of all the people in the world, of all the elite types, the celebrity types, of all the aristocrat types, none of them, not even one of them generates blessings for this planet.
As a mature believer, you who are nameless as far as the world is concerned, do more for this world, than all of that crowd combined. And so, from yesterdays study, you may be alone in your room, or even standing in a huge crowd, but without lifting a finger, you have more impact on this world than anyone else.
With spiritual growth comes contentment, regardless of your circumstances. One day, you and I and millions more, will meet in heaven, and there we will all have the opportunity to get acquainted and learn of each others story. And we will all laugh at each others stories and be in awe, at how God, through doctrine (and through us – that will be the funny part), sustained human history, despite all of the best of plans that humanity can come up with.
Today we all have a unique opportunity of observing history unfold. Knowing that we may very well be the last great country to fall in history. And even though it may not be for another century, our happiness and welfare does not lay in the plans of man, but in Gods plan for our individual life.
The more you study, the more you will learn. And the more you learn, the more you will advance in your spiritual life.
Paul wanted to teach and teach so that those who were interested, would have the opportunity to advance to a phenomenal success in their spiritual life.
My objective from this study, is to help everyone who has the desire to learn, to do just that and more. And though I usually save my thanks for the holiday (Christmas, New Years, etc.) times, it would only be appropriate to tell you all thank you for your support, for your dedication, for your perseverance in your spiritual life.
From my family to yours, all of our prayers go out for everyone.
‘To Him who is able to keep you from falling, and to present you without blemish, before the presence of His glory, with exceeding joy. To the only wise God, and savior, even Jesus Christ our Lord. To whom be glory and majesty, dominion and power forever. Amen.’
Thursday, August 13, 2009
1 Thessalonians 3:6-8
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Blog postings occur at 6 P.M. each day following the day they have been written. The Daily Studies are available a full day earlier by signing up on the Daily Bible Study Mailing List (optional of course).
To allow the Daily Bible Study to come to you via e-mail every day, and also offer your support for the study, then please consider signing up on the:
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1 Thessalonians 3:6-8
6 But [de] now [arti] when Timotheus [Timotheos] came [erchomai] from [apo] you [humon] unto [pros] us, [hemas] and [kai] brought [euaggelizo] us [hemin] good tidings [euaggelizo] of your [humon] faith [pistis] and [kai] charity, [agape] and [kai] that [hoti] ye have [echo] good [agathos] remembrance [mneia] of us [hemon] always, [pantote] desiring greatly [epipotheo] to see [eido] us, [hemas] as [kathaper] we [hemeis] also [kai] to see you: [humas]
7 Therefore [dia], [touto] brethren, [adelphos] we were comforted [parakaleo] over [epi] you [humin] in [epi] all [pas] our [hemon] affliction [thlipsis] and [kai] distress [anagke] by [dia] your [humon] faith: [pistis]
8 For [hoti] now [nun] we live, [zao] if [ean] ye [humeis] stand fast [steko] in [en] the Lord. [kurios] KJV-Interlinear
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. NASB
Not being able to go to Thessalonica, Paul sent others and heard their news when they returned. Hearing that the Thessalonians were doing well was an encouragement to Paul, especially since he was under tremendous pressure from the persecutions referred to earlier.
And so it is with all of us. When we are somewhat isolated from others in the world, it is always encouraging to us, when we hear good news and especially news of encouragement.
I receive emails from time to time and am very thankful for them. Often times some emails are rude or obnoxious, and for those, my delete key works really well. But odd as it may seem, the rude emails do have some value to me, as I can see how some folks think. That gives me some perspective that I might otherwise never think of.
But the most encouraging emails are from folks who are genuinely dedicated to their Bible studies. And, as the Bible study has reached to many folks around the world, I get an unusually unique opportunity to look at the study or the lives of folks from different cultures and backgrounds.
Even when folks are totally surrounded by humanity, they can be totally alone. And that is true of this world. Most of the world is anti-God, or indifferent toward the Christian view. That makes us all alone in some sense.
Our unique tie together is this study and the life it creates within us, which is unique to each one of us, but similar in all of us, bringing us all closer together, even though separated by miles or thousands of miles.
Bible doctrine generates a unique inner peace of mind that is not otherwise attainable by any other means.
Whether you are standing in the midst of thousands, or alone in your room, we have something between us, that no one else will ever have in all of the world. And that something is God, Christ, doctrine, and our most valuable spiritual life, which is ours and ours alone, and no one can ever take it from us.
In this world, people will hustle and struggle to gain relationships or ownership of something or everything, and end up with nothing. You may have nothing in this world, but through doctrine, that possession (your spiritual life) is yours forever and more valuable than all of the collective wealth that has ever existed throughout history in this world.
When you eventually get into eternity, your spiritual life will translate into infinite blessings. The wealth that folks have accumulated from this world will simply not exist.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Blog postings occur at 6 P.M. each day following the day they have been written. The Daily Studies are available a full day earlier by signing up on the Daily Bible Study Mailing List (optional of course).
To allow the Daily Bible Study to come to you via e-mail every day, and also offer your support for the study, then please consider signing up on the:
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1 Thessalonians 3:6-8
6 But [de] now [arti] when Timotheus [Timotheos] came [erchomai] from [apo] you [humon] unto [pros] us, [hemas] and [kai] brought [euaggelizo] us [hemin] good tidings [euaggelizo] of your [humon] faith [pistis] and [kai] charity, [agape] and [kai] that [hoti] ye have [echo] good [agathos] remembrance [mneia] of us [hemon] always, [pantote] desiring greatly [epipotheo] to see [eido] us, [hemas] as [kathaper] we [hemeis] also [kai] to see you: [humas]
7 Therefore [dia], [touto] brethren, [adelphos] we were comforted [parakaleo] over [epi] you [humin] in [epi] all [pas] our [hemon] affliction [thlipsis] and [kai] distress [anagke] by [dia] your [humon] faith: [pistis]
8 For [hoti] now [nun] we live, [zao] if [ean] ye [humeis] stand fast [steko] in [en] the Lord. [kurios] KJV-Interlinear
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. NASB
Not being able to go to Thessalonica, Paul sent others and heard their news when they returned. Hearing that the Thessalonians were doing well was an encouragement to Paul, especially since he was under tremendous pressure from the persecutions referred to earlier.
And so it is with all of us. When we are somewhat isolated from others in the world, it is always encouraging to us, when we hear good news and especially news of encouragement.
I receive emails from time to time and am very thankful for them. Often times some emails are rude or obnoxious, and for those, my delete key works really well. But odd as it may seem, the rude emails do have some value to me, as I can see how some folks think. That gives me some perspective that I might otherwise never think of.
But the most encouraging emails are from folks who are genuinely dedicated to their Bible studies. And, as the Bible study has reached to many folks around the world, I get an unusually unique opportunity to look at the study or the lives of folks from different cultures and backgrounds.
Even when folks are totally surrounded by humanity, they can be totally alone. And that is true of this world. Most of the world is anti-God, or indifferent toward the Christian view. That makes us all alone in some sense.
Our unique tie together is this study and the life it creates within us, which is unique to each one of us, but similar in all of us, bringing us all closer together, even though separated by miles or thousands of miles.
Bible doctrine generates a unique inner peace of mind that is not otherwise attainable by any other means.
Whether you are standing in the midst of thousands, or alone in your room, we have something between us, that no one else will ever have in all of the world. And that something is God, Christ, doctrine, and our most valuable spiritual life, which is ours and ours alone, and no one can ever take it from us.
In this world, people will hustle and struggle to gain relationships or ownership of something or everything, and end up with nothing. You may have nothing in this world, but through doctrine, that possession (your spiritual life) is yours forever and more valuable than all of the collective wealth that has ever existed throughout history in this world.
When you eventually get into eternity, your spiritual life will translate into infinite blessings. The wealth that folks have accumulated from this world will simply not exist.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
1 Thessalonians 3:5
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Blog postings occur at 6 P.M. each day following the day they have been written. The Daily Studies are available a full day earlier by signing up on the Daily Bible Study Mailing List (optional of course).
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1 Thessalonians 3:5
5 For this [touto] cause, [dia] when I [kago] could [stego] no longer [meketi] forbear, [stego] I sent [pempo] to [eis] know [ginosko] your [humon] faith, [pistis] lest by some means [mepos] [-pos] the tempter [peirazo] have tempted [peirazo] you, [humas] and [kai] our [hemon] labour [kopos] be [ginomai] in [eis] vain. [kenos] KJV-Interlinear
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 should be in vain. NASB
For this reason, means because of the constant threats of persecution, distractions, enticements, annoyances, and unfair things that occur in this world, Paul was concerned that the folks he had come to know, might be falling away from doctrine.
In this world you will have pressures from four general areas (self, other people, bureaucracies, and environment)
First, from your own volition. You are thinking constantly, whether you realize it or not, your mind is always working and it is influenced by your environment, your experiences, your knowledge, and so forth. You constantly make decisions while you do whatever it is that you do, while you observe or listen to others, while you endure whatever it is that you endure, good or bad, day in and day out.
So your thinking is influenced largely by your day to day life. Doctrine influences your thinking in the right direction, while lack of doctrine moves you in the wrong direction. And it is that wrong direction that causes you trouble.
Second, trouble will come into your life because of other people. Need I say more? People in this world have many opinions and attitudes. People are competitive in the work place and in the social circles. People gossip and back stab, lie and cheat, deceive and misrepresent, and on and on. If you have lived any length of time in this world, you have had people experiences that were not good ones.
Third, the bureaucracies of the world. That is the place where people can give you a hard time and hide behind government bureaucracy, behind company policy, behind something that they think exempts them from responsibility. The big fish eats the little ones and you are the little one. And less than that, you are nothing more than a statistic, a steer in a long cattle chute, expendable because there are many more where you came from.
And fourth, the general environment of life. This includes your disabilities, whether genetic of by accident, the workings of nature in storms or natural disasters, and so forth.
Your volition you can control if you have some semblance of self control. Other people likewise can exercise their self control, but most do not. Bureaucracies are hiding places for those who abuse their power or authority, or exercise their indifference over the masses, whether customers, patients, or citizens.
The last is an involuntary one, where no one has much control over nature or the circumstances or accidents of life.
So whether directly or indirectly, the world has many resources to make your life miserable. It is up to you as to how you will deal with it all.
And when persecution or trouble or suffering enter into your life, then the big question is, ‘How will you react?’
Remember, there are no accidents in life. God controls history and every aspect of your life.
God has a plan. It is called the Divine Decrees. That plan includes every thought, every event, every circumstance, everything you can think of and everything you cannot think of, in life. God has seen the snapshot of your life from the moment of your birth, to the last breath you will take in this world.
In doctrine, if you are wise enough to pursue it, you place your life entirely into His hands. That does not mean that He will fill out your life as you want it, but that He will do whatever is best for you, in order to help you grow up spiritually and advance you to the maximum level of faith and spiritual production possible.
This means that when you look forward in life, you are looking into the unknown. And when life falls on your head, you have to function in your spiritual life, think, and continue to think, and figure your way out of your situation. Doing nothing is not an option. But God has always before you, options. You just have to discover them.
And whether you get by easily in life, or whether God crushes you with extremes, you have to be a Job, and persevere regardless of your hardship, trust in Him, and wait (mentally), while you are proactive with whatever it is that you will do in life.
Paul could not be with the Thessalonians, but then they did not need him in order to stay with their studies.
You likewise, do not need to have your hand held by someone else. The spiritual life, requires your full and daily attention, but one of the objectives of the spiritual life is to make you independent from this world. And that means with regard to your thinking process.
The world may cause you harm or injury or be prejudiced toward you, but the world cannot control your thinking, unless you allow it.
Bible doctrine is your primary resource and power and defense in preventing the world from getting under your skin and defeating you.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Blog postings occur at 6 P.M. each day following the day they have been written. The Daily Studies are available a full day earlier by signing up on the Daily Bible Study Mailing List (optional of course).
To allow the Daily Bible Study to come to you via e-mail every day, and also offer your support for the study, then please consider signing up on the:
Bible Study Mailing List
1 Thessalonians 3:5
5 For this [touto] cause, [dia] when I [kago] could [stego] no longer [meketi] forbear, [stego] I sent [pempo] to [eis] know [ginosko] your [humon] faith, [pistis] lest by some means [mepos] [-pos] the tempter [peirazo] have tempted [peirazo] you, [humas] and [kai] our [hemon] labour [kopos] be [ginomai] in [eis] vain. [kenos] KJV-Interlinear
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 should be in vain. NASB
For this reason, means because of the constant threats of persecution, distractions, enticements, annoyances, and unfair things that occur in this world, Paul was concerned that the folks he had come to know, might be falling away from doctrine.
In this world you will have pressures from four general areas (self, other people, bureaucracies, and environment)
First, from your own volition. You are thinking constantly, whether you realize it or not, your mind is always working and it is influenced by your environment, your experiences, your knowledge, and so forth. You constantly make decisions while you do whatever it is that you do, while you observe or listen to others, while you endure whatever it is that you endure, good or bad, day in and day out.
So your thinking is influenced largely by your day to day life. Doctrine influences your thinking in the right direction, while lack of doctrine moves you in the wrong direction. And it is that wrong direction that causes you trouble.
Second, trouble will come into your life because of other people. Need I say more? People in this world have many opinions and attitudes. People are competitive in the work place and in the social circles. People gossip and back stab, lie and cheat, deceive and misrepresent, and on and on. If you have lived any length of time in this world, you have had people experiences that were not good ones.
Third, the bureaucracies of the world. That is the place where people can give you a hard time and hide behind government bureaucracy, behind company policy, behind something that they think exempts them from responsibility. The big fish eats the little ones and you are the little one. And less than that, you are nothing more than a statistic, a steer in a long cattle chute, expendable because there are many more where you came from.
And fourth, the general environment of life. This includes your disabilities, whether genetic of by accident, the workings of nature in storms or natural disasters, and so forth.
Your volition you can control if you have some semblance of self control. Other people likewise can exercise their self control, but most do not. Bureaucracies are hiding places for those who abuse their power or authority, or exercise their indifference over the masses, whether customers, patients, or citizens.
The last is an involuntary one, where no one has much control over nature or the circumstances or accidents of life.
So whether directly or indirectly, the world has many resources to make your life miserable. It is up to you as to how you will deal with it all.
And when persecution or trouble or suffering enter into your life, then the big question is, ‘How will you react?’
Remember, there are no accidents in life. God controls history and every aspect of your life.
God has a plan. It is called the Divine Decrees. That plan includes every thought, every event, every circumstance, everything you can think of and everything you cannot think of, in life. God has seen the snapshot of your life from the moment of your birth, to the last breath you will take in this world.
In doctrine, if you are wise enough to pursue it, you place your life entirely into His hands. That does not mean that He will fill out your life as you want it, but that He will do whatever is best for you, in order to help you grow up spiritually and advance you to the maximum level of faith and spiritual production possible.
This means that when you look forward in life, you are looking into the unknown. And when life falls on your head, you have to function in your spiritual life, think, and continue to think, and figure your way out of your situation. Doing nothing is not an option. But God has always before you, options. You just have to discover them.
And whether you get by easily in life, or whether God crushes you with extremes, you have to be a Job, and persevere regardless of your hardship, trust in Him, and wait (mentally), while you are proactive with whatever it is that you will do in life.
Paul could not be with the Thessalonians, but then they did not need him in order to stay with their studies.
You likewise, do not need to have your hand held by someone else. The spiritual life, requires your full and daily attention, but one of the objectives of the spiritual life is to make you independent from this world. And that means with regard to your thinking process.
The world may cause you harm or injury or be prejudiced toward you, but the world cannot control your thinking, unless you allow it.
Bible doctrine is your primary resource and power and defense in preventing the world from getting under your skin and defeating you.
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
1 Thessalonians 3:4
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Blog postings occur at 6 P.M. each day following the day they have been written. The Daily Studies are available a full day earlier by signing up on the Daily Bible Study Mailing List (optional of course).
To allow the Daily Bible Study to come to you via e-mail every day, and also offer your support for the study, then please consider signing up on the:
Bible Study Mailing List
1 Thessalonians 3:4
4 For [gar] verily, [kai] when [hote] we were [en] with [pros] you, [humas] we told [prolego] you [humin] before [prolego] that [hoti] we should [mello] suffer tribulation; [thlibo] even [kai] as [kathos] it came to pass, [ginomai] and [kai] ye know. [eido] KJV-Interlinear
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.
NASB
When Paul was with the Thessalonians, he no doubt touched on many subjects during his teaching. Persecution was one of them, as he states here.
It should be no surprise that there will be trials and persecutions in everyones life, on this earth. To expect otherwise, would be unreasonable.
This is the devils world, and as such, things will never go perfectly well all of the time.
And though we all hope and pray that the tough times will somehow pass us by, maybe if we close our eyes then suffering will not notice us, but such luck doesn’t happen that way.
And when you think about it, if everything was rosy all of the time, then we might just ignore God and His grace, and certainly we would have no experiences that help us learn of Gods love, of His grace, of his strength and care for us.
Often times, it is the suffering and aggravations of life that help us learn. Suffering is probably one of the best instructors for life. And certainly, suffering to the maximums, is the best way, and perhaps the only way, for growing our faith in Gods care.
When you ignore God, as an unbeliever, the tough times are there in order to get your attention directed toward God and salvation. When you ignore God as a believer, then the tough times are there in order to get your attention directed toward doctrine and your spiritual life.
Unbelief means the Lake of Fire and salvation is your ticket to a life that is infinitely better than the Lake of Fire.
Spiritual immaturity means lack of blessings, and spiritual growth to maturity is your ticket to blessings that are infinitely better than no blessings.
Once you are saved, your life is just beginning. You have a long way to go in your spiritual life, and learning in a classroom environment is much easier than learning doctrine when your life is falling apart.
Have you ever known of someone who rejected their education when they were young, and getting the education was right there for the taking? And then when they got older, had kids, and bills and such, then getting that education was more difficult if not impossible. So they are struck with a lesser paying life, when they might have been prepared for a better paying life. Then throw a tough economic environment in to their life and things just get harder.
So it is with your spiritual life. Learn when it is easy to learn, because the though times will come sooner or later.
God tests the soul and often times that test comes through life’s experiences. Daniel and his friends were thrown into the lion’s den or into the fire. That was an execution attempt on their life. Tests can’t get much tougher than that. Or can they.
How about losing your family, or your job, or your business, or your home? And you still have to continue in life, with no precise opponent to hide from, but surrounded by the economy, or society in general, and the unknown for your future.
God does not lean down as he did with the prophets and tell you what to do. You have only Bible doctrine which you have learned, your patience, and your reasoning thoughts. So you think and think and think, and you make decisions, and some are good ones and some are not. But one decision or thought follows another and sooner or later, God leads you to where you need to be, or God leads circumstances to your needs.
Everyone is different. No two of us are alike. But God has solutions for your life, no matter what your situation.
You just have to keep your wits, keep your doctrine, and wait. That is really the toughest part of the spiritual life.
That does not mean doing nothing. Common sense and responsibility are a big part of your spiritual life.
If you are hurt, you go to the doctor. If you are in need of some type of help, you seek out an expert. If you need work, you go looking for a job.
Sitting back and doing nothing, and praying for God to do something for you is usually the wrong thing (the doing nothing part). God has most likely already done what you need, you just have to get off your backside and go find it.
But remember, this life is not going to be a perfect life. Don’t expect perfection. Things are going to go wrong and you are going to get your nose bent out of shape from time to time.
And when persecution comes your way, then thank God for it, knowing that He will never abandon you nor forsake you, and your life will be all the better for it. Just don’t you abandon God and therefore fail in your greatest opportunity (testing). The blessings of passing spiritual tests are well worth the small sacrifices that tests bring.
The sum total of your life is not wrapped up in this world anyway. You started the race when you were saved, don’t quit it. Because when your life finally ends (and it will one day), you will be extremely glad that you stuck it out, realizing that the tests of this life really amount to little more than nothing, when compared to eternity.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Blog postings occur at 6 P.M. each day following the day they have been written. The Daily Studies are available a full day earlier by signing up on the Daily Bible Study Mailing List (optional of course).
To allow the Daily Bible Study to come to you via e-mail every day, and also offer your support for the study, then please consider signing up on the:
Bible Study Mailing List
1 Thessalonians 3:4
4 For [gar] verily, [kai] when [hote] we were [en] with [pros] you, [humas] we told [prolego] you [humin] before [prolego] that [hoti] we should [mello] suffer tribulation; [thlibo] even [kai] as [kathos] it came to pass, [ginomai] and [kai] ye know. [eido] KJV-Interlinear
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.
NASB
When Paul was with the Thessalonians, he no doubt touched on many subjects during his teaching. Persecution was one of them, as he states here.
It should be no surprise that there will be trials and persecutions in everyones life, on this earth. To expect otherwise, would be unreasonable.
This is the devils world, and as such, things will never go perfectly well all of the time.
And though we all hope and pray that the tough times will somehow pass us by, maybe if we close our eyes then suffering will not notice us, but such luck doesn’t happen that way.
And when you think about it, if everything was rosy all of the time, then we might just ignore God and His grace, and certainly we would have no experiences that help us learn of Gods love, of His grace, of his strength and care for us.
Often times, it is the suffering and aggravations of life that help us learn. Suffering is probably one of the best instructors for life. And certainly, suffering to the maximums, is the best way, and perhaps the only way, for growing our faith in Gods care.
When you ignore God, as an unbeliever, the tough times are there in order to get your attention directed toward God and salvation. When you ignore God as a believer, then the tough times are there in order to get your attention directed toward doctrine and your spiritual life.
Unbelief means the Lake of Fire and salvation is your ticket to a life that is infinitely better than the Lake of Fire.
Spiritual immaturity means lack of blessings, and spiritual growth to maturity is your ticket to blessings that are infinitely better than no blessings.
Once you are saved, your life is just beginning. You have a long way to go in your spiritual life, and learning in a classroom environment is much easier than learning doctrine when your life is falling apart.
Have you ever known of someone who rejected their education when they were young, and getting the education was right there for the taking? And then when they got older, had kids, and bills and such, then getting that education was more difficult if not impossible. So they are struck with a lesser paying life, when they might have been prepared for a better paying life. Then throw a tough economic environment in to their life and things just get harder.
So it is with your spiritual life. Learn when it is easy to learn, because the though times will come sooner or later.
God tests the soul and often times that test comes through life’s experiences. Daniel and his friends were thrown into the lion’s den or into the fire. That was an execution attempt on their life. Tests can’t get much tougher than that. Or can they.
How about losing your family, or your job, or your business, or your home? And you still have to continue in life, with no precise opponent to hide from, but surrounded by the economy, or society in general, and the unknown for your future.
God does not lean down as he did with the prophets and tell you what to do. You have only Bible doctrine which you have learned, your patience, and your reasoning thoughts. So you think and think and think, and you make decisions, and some are good ones and some are not. But one decision or thought follows another and sooner or later, God leads you to where you need to be, or God leads circumstances to your needs.
Everyone is different. No two of us are alike. But God has solutions for your life, no matter what your situation.
You just have to keep your wits, keep your doctrine, and wait. That is really the toughest part of the spiritual life.
That does not mean doing nothing. Common sense and responsibility are a big part of your spiritual life.
If you are hurt, you go to the doctor. If you are in need of some type of help, you seek out an expert. If you need work, you go looking for a job.
Sitting back and doing nothing, and praying for God to do something for you is usually the wrong thing (the doing nothing part). God has most likely already done what you need, you just have to get off your backside and go find it.
But remember, this life is not going to be a perfect life. Don’t expect perfection. Things are going to go wrong and you are going to get your nose bent out of shape from time to time.
And when persecution comes your way, then thank God for it, knowing that He will never abandon you nor forsake you, and your life will be all the better for it. Just don’t you abandon God and therefore fail in your greatest opportunity (testing). The blessings of passing spiritual tests are well worth the small sacrifices that tests bring.
The sum total of your life is not wrapped up in this world anyway. You started the race when you were saved, don’t quit it. Because when your life finally ends (and it will one day), you will be extremely glad that you stuck it out, realizing that the tests of this life really amount to little more than nothing, when compared to eternity.
Monday, August 10, 2009
1 Thessalonians 3:1-3
This study is from an on going online Daily Bible Study at:
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Blog postings occur at 6 P.M. each day following the day they have been written. The Daily Studies are available a full day earlier by signing up on the Daily Bible Study Mailing List (optional of course).
To allow the Daily Bible Study to come to you via e-mail every day, and also offer your support for the study, then please consider signing up on the:
Bible Study Mailing List
1 Thessalonians 3:1-3
1 Wherefore [dio] when we could [stego] no longer [meketi] forbear, [stego] we thought it good [eudokeo] to be left [kataleipo] at [en] Athens [Athenai] alone; [monos]
2 And [kai] sent [pempo] Timotheus, [Timotheos] our [hemon] brother, [adelphos] and [kai] minister [diakonos] of God, [theos] and [kai] our [hemon] fellowlabourer [sunergos] in [en] the gospel [euaggelion] of Christ, [Christos] to [eis] establish [sterizo] you, [humas] and [kai] to comfort [parakaleo] you [humas] concerning [peri] your [humon] faith: [pistis]
3 That no man [medeis] should be moved [saino] by [en] these [tautais] afflictions: [thlipsis] for [gar] yourselves [autos] know [eido] that [hoti] we are appointed [keimai] thereunto [eis]. [touto] KJV-Interlinear
1 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 man may be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. NASB
The history of Pauls travels and experiences in Thessalonica, Athens and Corinth are found in Acts 17-18.
When driven out of Thessalonica, he made his way to Athens and then to Corinth. But while in Athens, Paul deeply desired to return to the Thessalonians, but was prevented because of apparent threats on his life. Which threats are not detailed, but the persecutions had to have been of a major magnitude that would prevent Paul from returning.
And, even though we do not know the details of his persecutions, they were not apparently intended for Timothy or Silas or others as they seemed to travel back and forth reasonably freely and without threat.
In Acts 18 we know that Paul received a communication from God, reassuring him about his life, and to keep on speaking the gospel and doctrine, as he was.
So from these events, we can reasonably assume that the threats were very real, and very dangerous, and that they concerned Paul greatly. And, that everyone back then, was aware of them and other folks in general had great concerns for Pauls welfare. Paul herein reassures folks to not worry about him, but that his life was destined for these things.
These things obviously being the teaching of the gospel, of doctrine, of writing doctrine, which we are enjoying today, and that the threats against him were also a part of his destiny, and included in Gods plan in detail, for his life.
And with that I would like to make an observation for you.
Your life is not by accident, but was preplanned by God. There is nothing in life that will occur, regarding you, that is by accident or unexpected, but by design.
And even though you will make your own decisions (good ones and bad ones) from day to day, and others in this world will make decisions, which will affect you directly or indirectly, they are all a part of Gods detailed plan for you and all of us.
There are three very important people in your life.
Jesus Christ who died to save your soul, the soldier who died to save your freedom, and the believer who died to this world to preserve Gods blessing for your life.
Believers who are advancing in their spiritual life will encounter many persecutions. They will encounter pressures from their own wants and needs, pressures from other people, pressures from the bureaucracies of the world, and pressures from the many environmental or physical or nature related events and circumstances.
They will be unknown, unheralded, and easily forgotten.
But their purpose in this world is to glorify God, through their pursuit of, and obedience to, Bible doctrine, and through their endurance of the many unfair circumstances that exist in the world.
No matter who you are, or what you know, or what you have accomplished in your life, none of it would have been possible were it not for these three individuals (Christ, soldiers, and positive believers), who have gone before you and paved the way through Gods grace, for your life.
DailyBibleStudy.Org | Daily Bible Study Index Page | Daily Bible Study Online E-Book Library
Blog postings occur at 6 P.M. each day following the day they have been written. The Daily Studies are available a full day earlier by signing up on the Daily Bible Study Mailing List (optional of course).
To allow the Daily Bible Study to come to you via e-mail every day, and also offer your support for the study, then please consider signing up on the:
Bible Study Mailing List
1 Thessalonians 3:1-3
1 Wherefore [dio] when we could [stego] no longer [meketi] forbear, [stego] we thought it good [eudokeo] to be left [kataleipo] at [en] Athens [Athenai] alone; [monos]
2 And [kai] sent [pempo] Timotheus, [Timotheos] our [hemon] brother, [adelphos] and [kai] minister [diakonos] of God, [theos] and [kai] our [hemon] fellowlabourer [sunergos] in [en] the gospel [euaggelion] of Christ, [Christos] to [eis] establish [sterizo] you, [humas] and [kai] to comfort [parakaleo] you [humas] concerning [peri] your [humon] faith: [pistis]
3 That no man [medeis] should be moved [saino] by [en] these [tautais] afflictions: [thlipsis] for [gar] yourselves [autos] know [eido] that [hoti] we are appointed [keimai] thereunto [eis]. [touto] KJV-Interlinear
1 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 man may be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. NASB
The history of Pauls travels and experiences in Thessalonica, Athens and Corinth are found in Acts 17-18.
When driven out of Thessalonica, he made his way to Athens and then to Corinth. But while in Athens, Paul deeply desired to return to the Thessalonians, but was prevented because of apparent threats on his life. Which threats are not detailed, but the persecutions had to have been of a major magnitude that would prevent Paul from returning.
And, even though we do not know the details of his persecutions, they were not apparently intended for Timothy or Silas or others as they seemed to travel back and forth reasonably freely and without threat.
In Acts 18 we know that Paul received a communication from God, reassuring him about his life, and to keep on speaking the gospel and doctrine, as he was.
So from these events, we can reasonably assume that the threats were very real, and very dangerous, and that they concerned Paul greatly. And, that everyone back then, was aware of them and other folks in general had great concerns for Pauls welfare. Paul herein reassures folks to not worry about him, but that his life was destined for these things.
These things obviously being the teaching of the gospel, of doctrine, of writing doctrine, which we are enjoying today, and that the threats against him were also a part of his destiny, and included in Gods plan in detail, for his life.
And with that I would like to make an observation for you.
Your life is not by accident, but was preplanned by God. There is nothing in life that will occur, regarding you, that is by accident or unexpected, but by design.
And even though you will make your own decisions (good ones and bad ones) from day to day, and others in this world will make decisions, which will affect you directly or indirectly, they are all a part of Gods detailed plan for you and all of us.
There are three very important people in your life.
Jesus Christ who died to save your soul, the soldier who died to save your freedom, and the believer who died to this world to preserve Gods blessing for your life.
Believers who are advancing in their spiritual life will encounter many persecutions. They will encounter pressures from their own wants and needs, pressures from other people, pressures from the bureaucracies of the world, and pressures from the many environmental or physical or nature related events and circumstances.
They will be unknown, unheralded, and easily forgotten.
But their purpose in this world is to glorify God, through their pursuit of, and obedience to, Bible doctrine, and through their endurance of the many unfair circumstances that exist in the world.
No matter who you are, or what you know, or what you have accomplished in your life, none of it would have been possible were it not for these three individuals (Christ, soldiers, and positive believers), who have gone before you and paved the way through Gods grace, for your life.
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