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