PEACE AND GRACE
Today’s Reading: 2 Thessalonians 1-3
Click scripture link to read online or HERE to listen online (then click the symbol of the audio speaker above the scripture portion).
Thessalonica Greece is on the Aegeon Sea. On the left you can see the White Tower. This structure was at one time a prison, built in the middle of the 15th century. Now it is a six-floor museum.
GOOGLE MAPS – To see where the photo was taken, click HERE.
Key Verses: 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17
Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
Our key verse follows several severe warnings to false teachers and those who follow them: “Flaming fire taking vengeance”…”Punished with everlasting destruction.” Then there is the condemnation of the anti-Christ who will come. He is called “the man of sin,” “the son of perdition,” and “the lawless one.” After hearing all this read in the congregation, the believers needed words of consolation, hope and comfort. We need this also! Today there are those who will try to deceive us. Representatives of cults and of the occult are at work everywhere. The entire New Testament was in the process of being written in Paul’s day. Paul spent approximately three years in Corinth and it was from there that he wrote back to the Thessalonians. We have a great advantage in being able to read the completed Bible. Let’s continue to cherish our daily readings. Tomorrow we return to the Hebrew Scriptures in what many scholars consider to be the oldest book in the Bible, Job.
In Paul’s day, false teachers messed with the fact of the return of Christ and deceived some new believers with their errors. Let us pay close attention to Paul’s teaching so that we will not be led astray. False teaching has deceived some believers several times in recent decades.
PRAYER FOR TODAY:
Lord God, I pray that You will keep me true to Your Word as taught to the Thessalonian church. May I receive grace so that I will not walk in a “disorderly” way. May I “not grow weary in doing good.” In Jesus’ Name I pray, Amen!!!
100 PERSONAL WORDS:
Besides my motivation for personal spiritual growth, I’ve read the Bible daily for many years so that I will not be deceived. I’ve heard it said that to detect counterfeit money one does not study counterfeit money, but should concentrate on the genuine. Therefore when the counterfeit shows up, immediately one knows something is wrong. My unrelenting pursuit of consistent daily Bible study has protected me from false teaching at my front door, in books, etc. When I was just 18, a book was given to me which almost turned me aside from winning souls to Jesus. One night after I had spent time with a friend, I realized that I had talked about the content of this book and had not mentioned “THE BOOK.” I repented that night for allowing myself to be diverted by what I began to realize was false teaching. I do read teaching books now, but I make sure to check the credentials and the life of the author first, as well as the Biblical integrity of the teaching. It’s much easier now to search out the truth about a person or a religious cult because of the internet. Of course, there are also lies from the father of lies, Satan, on the web, but checking up does give a sense of who a person or organization is. I also check up by asking my Pastor for his counsel.
Yours for “peace and grace”
David
We thank You Lord Jesus for being a follower of the true love of Our Father and ask God helpus not to be decieved through The Holy Spirit Amen
Thank you Pastor, for your words today. I have been praying for several people, who have been laid astray by those who do not proclaim the True Word of God. Your words as so uplifting Bless you and your dear family, also all bloggers.
What a lot of good advice from Paul today. So important to earn the food we eat. So many young people (and not so young) in Ferguson are up all night rioting. Maybe if they had jobs they could go to bed at a decent time and not have to be on welfare handouts. I pray for all rioters and their parent(s). I wonder if this is what Paul was talking about.
Praying Stephen Harper has a successful campaign and that God is with him in all that he does and says. It truly does help in my daily life as I study The Bible and learn who is honest and who might be dishonest. Thank you Rev. M. for such a great study. I try to get others to read your study:) Thank you, thank you, thank you.
I would much prefer to pray for the young peole everywhere, unless you have walked in their shoes you really don’t know what they are going through! You have no idea of what their family has been through, they are all broken people and Christians should be praying and giving and not make assumptions! I was a very rebellious youth, and I have not changed that much! I throw up when I see “self-rightous” people.
Amen Pastor David. I just had one of those cults at my door last week. I do cherish these readings and blog and appreciate your integrity. In fact, in the beginning I wrote down every word of your blogs in a thick journal, filling four of them but now I only write the date, bible reference, key verse and your closing(Yours…). That way I can remember the scripture better. I love the Word and I am still praying to teach Adult Sunday School, starting with the Book of Revelation. The Apostle Paul said to read 1 & 2 Thessalonians to the congregation; good idea. Going to a funeral today.
There was a good news story on CTV last night about children in Nunavut getting bicycles for the first time ever. They were donated to them and the wonderful act was committed by a young couple from Calgary. Wasn’t said if all this was done in the name of Jesus, but was just thinking if u wanted to teach children about God, this would be the perfect place. It would have to be done online probably. I’m not much of a computer geek but might be able to help u set up a webpage or there are many website geeks who would be able to help u also. I believe Go Daddy is one such website.
http://ctv.news/IaFjqHK
How these children (and maybe adults) need to hear stories of Jesus. Bless u Ger and may God use u in his wondrous works.
In my travels, we were very close to Thessalonica; wish we had visited there.
Amen David and thank you! We are SO blessed by your guidance and understanding!! I never thought about that before as to how tricky and tumultuous those times were because the NT wasn’t even written yet! I read somewhere that Jesus TOLD Judas he MUST betray Him as it was a pivotal and necessary part of God’s Plan. Do you think this rings true? Or maybe this isn’t the place for such a discussion. Anyway blessings fellow bloggers! You are welcome in this place Holy Spirit!!!
I don’t think it rings true. I do not know the source behind what you read but it isn’t Scripture based. There are some so called gospels out there known as the gnostic gospels, which some non believing experts think have equal value as the real Gospels– and I do know one of them was said to be written by Judas which gives a different interpretation of what happened– so perhaps what you read might have been based on this false doctrine.
It is as David said– study the real thing and then you will be able to discern counterfeits and Jesus telling Judas to betray doesn’t fit with what was said about it in Scripture, so I would be suspicious of any claim that said Jesus told him to do it.
Also just from knowing our Lord, he would never ask anyone to commit a sin, especially a sin that would eventually lead to Judas’ suicide. It is not in God’s character to do such a thing– so based on these two facts- it’s not in Scripture and its not in keeping with God’s character would say what you read isn’t true at all.
Thank you for responding Donna M! It is as David said.
Once again, what a blessing to be able to hear and read God’s word, and to be warned of the danger when not doing so!!!
Hebrews 4:12 “For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”
Hebrews 12:2 “Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:3b “lest you be wearied and faint in your minds.”
Blessings on all this beautiful day.
A sense of peace is what I get as I look at the scenic picture…perhaps the prisoners that were housed in that tower may have felt some peace with the view of the water. Thanks Rev. Reynold Mainse!!!
I thought the same thing about the water. It just SAYS peace and grace!
I have a bladder infection. Please pray that God would heal the bladder completely, thank you
also please pray for a young man Jeremy, he lost his mother last year, he dosen’t believe in God but I told him that was ok but God loved him no matter what he did, pray that Jeremy would have an encounter with the Holy Spirit! thank you,