The First Letter of Paul to the
THESSALONIANS
Chapter Three
1 Therefore when we could bear it no longer, we were willing to be left behind at Athens alone,
2 and we sent Timothy, our brother and God's coworker in the gospel of Christ, to establish and exhort you in your faith,
3 that no one be moved by these afflictions. For you yourselves know that we are destined for this.
4 For when we were with you, we kept telling you beforehand that we were to suffer affliction, just as it has come to pass, and just as you know.
5 For this reason, when I could bear it no longer, I sent to learn about your faith, for fear that somehow the tempter had tempted you and our labor would be in vain.
Timothy's Encouraging Report
6 But now that Timothy has come to us from you, and has brought us the good news of your faith and love and reported that you always remember us kindly and long to see us, as we long to see you—
7 for this reason, brothers, in all our distress and affliction we have been comforted about you through your faith.
8 For now we live, if you are standing fast in the Lord.
9 For what thanksgiving can we return to God for you, for all the joy that we feel for your sake before our God,
10 as we pray most earnestly night and day that we may see you face to face and supply what is lacking in your faith?
11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you, 12 and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,
13 so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.
2 comments:
At the beginning of this chapter, Paul is anxious at the affiliations which christians in Thessalonica were receiving . {We must realise that Paul is writing this letter to young christians and that they were not used to these sort of things.)
Paul had also already uffer for his belief and he was telling them that they must persevere and look to Jesus. Paul here seems to be very concerned that they may loose focus and succumb under the weight of afflictions and loose faith .
Many of our brothers and sisters are suffering for their faith in the world and we must pray for them to keep strong in the Lord and remember that we could be in the same predicament … We must be well rooted in the Word of God which is our anchor, our “ Navigation system” to get to the place that God has prepared for us …… 1 Thessalonians 5:6 ”So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.",
Just thought I will Add the following taken from Psalm 34 verse 19 “ Many are the afflictions of the righteous , but the Lord delivers him out of them all”
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