Praise the LORD, all nations;
Laud Him, all peoples!
For His lovingkindness is great toward us,
And the truth of the LORD is everlasting.
Praise the LORD!
Psalm 117
He who tills his land will have plenty of bread,
But he who pursues worthless things lacks sense.
Proverbs 12:11
1Therefore
--I'll have to go back to see what it is "there for"...oh yes, the Thessalonian church is Paul's glory and joy at the coming of Christ! Ok...
when we could endure it no longer,
--Paul longed to be with his spiritual children, this church of new believers.
--Paul longed to be with his spiritual children, this church of new believers.
we thought it best to be left behind at Athens alone,
--Paul and Silas were being persecuted heavily and did not want the pursuers to follow them.
--Paul and Silas were being persecuted heavily and did not want the pursuers to follow them.
2and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's fellow worker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you as to your faith,
--Paul sends Timothy to represent himself again and again. What was his job? Strengthen and encourage. We read in Paul's letters to Timothy that this is done through the teaching, preaching, exhorting, rebuking, praying etc. of the word.
3so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this.
--It is scary to see loved ones suffer for the faith. We don't see much of it because we are such hypocrites who are not taking the good news to the lost. Lord, give me strength and encouragement to tell of Your wonderful love!
4For 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.
5For 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 would be in vain.
--That would be very discouraging to suffer for the gospel only to find out the people were not following Christ! Raising teens is much like that. You suffer and serve, but they choose their own way. Lord, thank You for Your loving presence through it, and Your forgiveness as I failed my kids miserably!!! You remained faithful to Your word to save unto a thousand generations! What a delight it is to serve You, O Awesome Lord!
5For 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 would be in vain.
--That would be very discouraging to suffer for the gospel only to find out the people were not following Christ! Raising teens is much like that. You suffer and serve, but they choose their own way. Lord, thank You for Your loving presence through it, and Your forgiveness as I failed my kids miserably!!! You remained faithful to Your word to save unto a thousand generations! What a delight it is to serve You, O Awesome Lord!
6But 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,
7for this reason, brethren, in all our distress and affliction we were comforted about you through your faith;
8for now we really live, if you stand firm in the Lord.
--Again, that is how I feel as a parent and as a spiritual parent. The salvation and Godly walk of my students still occupies much of my prayers too. Lord, I pray...
9For 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,
10as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?
--Paul works night and day and he prays night and day. Lord, make us that productive for Your kingdom!! He knows the new believers have much to learn to withstand the trials and persecution that Satan will send their way!
11Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;
--Yes, Lord, that is my prayer for us all, for Your glory, amen!
10as we night and day keep praying most earnestly that we may see your face, and may complete what is lacking in your faith?
--Paul works night and day and he prays night and day. Lord, make us that productive for Your kingdom!! He knows the new believers have much to learn to withstand the trials and persecution that Satan will send their way!
11Now may our God and Father Himself and Jesus our Lord direct our way to you; 12and may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love for one another, and for all people, just as we also do for you;
--Yes, Lord, that is my prayer for us all, for Your glory, amen!
13so that He may establish your hearts without blame in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.
--Again, Paul has his hope on the coming of Christ. Throughout the New Testament, the saints are all those who trust in Jesus for their salvation. Saints so not trust in their works, but understand they are saved by faith. How ironic it would be if a cult only "gave" sainthood to certain ones who were exceptional in good works! Oh yeah. That's right. The Catholic cult does just that! Serving man instead of the word of God brings His wrath, folks!
Revelation 18:4-5
I heard another voice from heaven, saying,
"Come out of her, my people,
so that you will not participate in her sins and receive of her plagues;
for her sins have piled up as high as heaven,
for her sins have piled up as high as heaven,
and God has remembered her iniquities.
"A Woman Rides the Beast" is an hour-long video explaining the view that the Catholic church is the harlot who rides the red beast in the book of Revelation.
Another ironic thing is catholic with a little "c" is illustrated in this chapter as the different churches of truth pray and serve one another. However, Catholic with a capital "C" stands for cult. How grieving it is that Christianity is judged by the horrors committed by the Catholic church down through the ages! The crusades were not about Christ! The Catholic church has murdered millions of true Christians!!! "Come out of her" if you are "my people" to escape her judgment that is coming!
Of course, false religion has been around long before the Catholic church, and that is the warning throughout the ages...do not be deceived. Lord, all we want is You!
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