2 Thessalonians 3:1-3

2 Thessalonians 3:1-3

As for that which remains, brothers and sisters, pray regarding us in order that the Word of the Lord should run ahead and should be glorified as it is with you all also and in order that we should also be delivered from the evil and wicked men.  For the faith is not of all.  But the Lord is faithful; He will cause you all to stand firm and He will guard you all from the Evil One.

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul asks for pray.  As always with Paul, I am struck by his request.  Look at what he requests.  He requests that the Word of the Lord will run ahead of them.  He requests that the Word would be glorified as it was in Thessalonica.  He does ask that he would be delivered from evil and wicked people.  But what doesn’t he ask about?  He doesn’t ask about health.  He doesn’t ask about prosperity.  He doesn’t ask about many things for which we often hear people ask.  Paul’s focus is on God and God’s ways.

Do you hear maturity in Paul’s request?  What maturity does it show that Paul asks for spiritual things – especially relating to the spread of God’s Word?

Second Thought:

Paul then reminds us about God.  In this instance, he reminds us that God is faithful.  Not all human beings are faithful and all human beings are not faithful all the time.  But God is always faithful all the time.  He keeps His promises.  He is trustworthy.

When has God kept His promise to you?  What is God’s greatest promise to you?  What examples can you lift up in your life to say that God is faithful?

Third Thought:

Finally, because God is faithful we know that we can stand firm.  We can stand firm against temptation.  We can stand firm against persecution.  But most importantly we can stand firm against the Evil One.  Because God is faithful, not even Satan can wrest us out of the hand of God.

Have you ever stood firm when you thought you would not be able to stand firm?  How has God kept you evil from the grasp of Satan?

Passage for Tomorrow: 2 Thessalonians 3:4-5