Day 70 - 1 & 2 Thessalonians

I've gotta stop missing days like this! I've had a head-cold for the last few days and yesterday was the worst. In my misery, I guess I just plum forgot to do my reading and blogging, so...two posts today!

1Thessalonians is another "happy" epistle. The Thessalonian church was in many ways a model church. Look closely again at the first chapter and you will see that Paul had nothing but good things to say to and about this church! Though this church did have many things "going for them," Paul didn't want this church to become complacent. After recounting to them his initial ministry among them and the good report that came from Timothy (ch2-3), Paul opens chapter 4 with an exhortation to keep on pressing on. None of us has arrived in our Christian walk, therefore, none of us should ever be content with where we are spiritually. We should be seeking to "do so more and more" (4:1) as Paul encouraged the Thessalonians.

Here are some other brief comments on various passages in 1Thessalonians: 2:13 - we must receive the revelation of God by means of men as it really is--the Word of God; 3:9-13 - a wonderful prayer that deserves your careful consideration and imitation; 4:3-8 - want to know God's will for your life? Here it is--your sanctification, or in other words, your holiness!; 4:13-18 - encouraging words for those who have lost loved ones who knew Jesus as Lord and Savior; 5:16-22 - these "machine gun" type commands are extremely important for us to understand and obey as we seek to excel still more in our Christian walk; 5:23-24 - Paul's benediction to close this letter is a wonderful prayer to pray for ourselves and others.

2Thessalonians is quite different from the first letter of Paul to the Thessolonicans. It is a forward-looking epistle. The themes of the day of the Lord and the coming "man of sin" dominate the book. With these very serious themes in view, Paul is constantly drawn to prayer in this book. He prays in 1:11-12 and 2:16-17 and then asks for prayer for himself and his co-laborers in 3:1. As we look forward to the end of this age it should drive us to prayer as well.