Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
There are two groups of people to whom we need to show mercy: those that are in need and those who have sinned against us. We may be inclined to think that those in need are more deserving of our mercy while those who have sinned against us are less deserving of any kindness from us. But that is to misunderstand the very nature of mercy.
True mercy cannot be earned. To be merciful is to have compassion for someone who is helpless and to act on that compassion by extending help.
The helplessness of those in need is often more obvious: the lack of material possessions of those who are poor; the deep sadness of those who have lost a loved one; the loneliness of the outsider; the pain of the injured. Few of us would be able to ignore these needs without experiencing a tug on our conscience. Most of us would respond to these needs with acts of mercy.
In contrast, the helplessness of those who have sinned against us is usually less obvious: the disguised insecurity of the bully; the hidden fears of those who think only of themselves; the deep emotional wounds of those who lash out in anger; the spiritual emptiness of the wicked. On the surface the angry, the selfish, the bully and the wicked seem less in need of mercy, but they are as helpless as the needy and every much as deserving. Forgiving those who have sinned against us is an act of mercy.
Jesus said, “But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you” (Luke 6:27-28 NIV). Loving your enemies, doing good to those who hate you, blessing those who wish you harm, and praying for those who mistreat you are all acts of mercy.
The Beatitude we are concerned with today states that those who offer mercy will themselves receive mercy. It is a sobering thought that the degree to which we offer mercy to others will be the degree to which we receive mercy.
Today, let’s pray that:
· We will be sensitive to the plight of the needy as well as the circumstances of those who have sinned against us.
· We will have the grace to love our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, to bless those who wish us harm and to pray for those who mistreat us.
Saturday, June 5, 2010
Saturday, May 22, 2010
The Beatitudes 4
Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
Hunger and thirst represent strong desire. The implication here is that only a genuine desire for righteousness is ever truly satisfied, or indeed can be fully satisfied. People pursue all kinds of other desires: money, power, popularity, education, status, etc. But these desires are never completely fulfilled because of our competitive nature. We will always find someone who is richer, more powerful, more popular, better educated, more prominent, etc.
But the hunger and thirst for righteousness is different. True righteousness can’t be divided into degrees; it can’t be quantified. We either are, or we’re not. Being righteous has nothing to do with being good. The Bible is clear that our good works are worthless when it comes to making us righteous. We are guilty of sin, and no amount of effort on our part can erase the debt we owe.
So how can we ever be righteous before God? How can our hunger and thirst for righteousness ever be filled? Thanks be to God who sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the price we couldn’t pay. He took our unrighteousness upon Himself to enable us to receive His righteousness. So all who confess Jesus as Lord and believe that He arose from the dead will be saved, not due to their own righteousness, but because of Christ’s righteousness imparted to them.
The righteousness of Christ is complete, so it is impossible for one person to receive more of His righteousness than someone else. All Christians are equally righteous in God’s eyes. There can be no competition. The ground is level at the cross.
We see a wonderful illustration of this in Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well recorded in John 4…
7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.£ )
10Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?”
13Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
What is the gift that God longs to give to every human being? Righteousness.
Who was asking the woman for a drink? Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
Why will those who hunger and thirst for righteousness be filled? Because the righteousness Jesus gives will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
Let’s pray that…
· We will forsake hungering and thirsting after things that, good as they may be, cannot satisfy.
· We will be successful in directing others to the Source of this living water.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
Hunger and thirst represent strong desire. The implication here is that only a genuine desire for righteousness is ever truly satisfied, or indeed can be fully satisfied. People pursue all kinds of other desires: money, power, popularity, education, status, etc. But these desires are never completely fulfilled because of our competitive nature. We will always find someone who is richer, more powerful, more popular, better educated, more prominent, etc.
But the hunger and thirst for righteousness is different. True righteousness can’t be divided into degrees; it can’t be quantified. We either are, or we’re not. Being righteous has nothing to do with being good. The Bible is clear that our good works are worthless when it comes to making us righteous. We are guilty of sin, and no amount of effort on our part can erase the debt we owe.
So how can we ever be righteous before God? How can our hunger and thirst for righteousness ever be filled? Thanks be to God who sent His Son, Jesus, to pay the price we couldn’t pay. He took our unrighteousness upon Himself to enable us to receive His righteousness. So all who confess Jesus as Lord and believe that He arose from the dead will be saved, not due to their own righteousness, but because of Christ’s righteousness imparted to them.
The righteousness of Christ is complete, so it is impossible for one person to receive more of His righteousness than someone else. All Christians are equally righteous in God’s eyes. There can be no competition. The ground is level at the cross.
We see a wonderful illustration of this in Jesus’ encounter with the Samaritan woman at the well recorded in John 4…
7When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, “Will you give me a drink?” 8(His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)
9The Samaritan woman said to him, “You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?” (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.£ )
10Jesus answered her, “If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water.”
11“Sir,” the woman said, “you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? 12Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?”
13Jesus answered, “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, 14but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
15The woman said to him, “Sir, give me this water so that I won’t get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water.”
What is the gift that God longs to give to every human being? Righteousness.
Who was asking the woman for a drink? Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.
Why will those who hunger and thirst for righteousness be filled? Because the righteousness Jesus gives will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.
Let’s pray that…
· We will forsake hungering and thirsting after things that, good as they may be, cannot satisfy.
· We will be successful in directing others to the Source of this living water.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
The Beatitudes 3
Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
Meekness has been given a bad rap. These days meekness has quite a negative connotation. To be meek has become the equivalent of being weak. But in reality meekness is far from weakness. Jesus was described as meek, but He was anything but weak!
Barnes states, “Meekness is patience in the reception of injuries. It is neither a surrender of our rights nor cowardice; but it is the opposite of sudden anger, of malice, of long-harbored vengeance.” Gill describes the meek as those “who are not easily provoked to anger; who patiently bear, and put up with injuries and affronts; carry themselves courteously, and affably to all; have the [least] thoughts of themselves, and the best of others; do not envy the gifts and graces of other men; are willing to be instructed and admonished, by the [least] of the saints; quietly submit to the will of God, in adverse dispensations of providence; and ascribe all they have, and are, to the grace of God.” Jesus fits both of these descriptions perfectly, and He expresses His desire for us to be the same.
Jesus says of the meek that they will inherit the earth. This is the opposite of what the world says. According to the world system it is those who aggressively assert their own cause and objectives; who are independent, “self-made men”; who are prepared to win at all costs that are to be admired and emulated. Those in the world don’t understand that the opposite of their approach is meekness. They are under the false impression that the only other alternative is becoming a weak doormat who allows others to walk all over them. This misconception makes them even more resolute in pursuing their aggressive approach.
In stark contrast stands Jesus’ approach. His was neither an aggressive approach nor a weak one. Rather, Jesus employed a much more effective approach; one that accomplished His entire mission on earth; one that attracted many dedicated followers; and one that continues to shine as an example today.
What was so unique and attractive about Jesus’ approach? Using the analogy of a building, it had a foundation of love; supporting walls of grace, truth, peace and faith; and a sheltering roof of gentleness, kindness, patience and humility. This approach enabled Jesus to teach with authority, lead with integrity, love with sincerity, and face opposition with tenacity.
Let’s pray that we would be meek enough to do the same!
Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
Meekness has been given a bad rap. These days meekness has quite a negative connotation. To be meek has become the equivalent of being weak. But in reality meekness is far from weakness. Jesus was described as meek, but He was anything but weak!
Barnes states, “Meekness is patience in the reception of injuries. It is neither a surrender of our rights nor cowardice; but it is the opposite of sudden anger, of malice, of long-harbored vengeance.” Gill describes the meek as those “who are not easily provoked to anger; who patiently bear, and put up with injuries and affronts; carry themselves courteously, and affably to all; have the [least] thoughts of themselves, and the best of others; do not envy the gifts and graces of other men; are willing to be instructed and admonished, by the [least] of the saints; quietly submit to the will of God, in adverse dispensations of providence; and ascribe all they have, and are, to the grace of God.” Jesus fits both of these descriptions perfectly, and He expresses His desire for us to be the same.
Jesus says of the meek that they will inherit the earth. This is the opposite of what the world says. According to the world system it is those who aggressively assert their own cause and objectives; who are independent, “self-made men”; who are prepared to win at all costs that are to be admired and emulated. Those in the world don’t understand that the opposite of their approach is meekness. They are under the false impression that the only other alternative is becoming a weak doormat who allows others to walk all over them. This misconception makes them even more resolute in pursuing their aggressive approach.
In stark contrast stands Jesus’ approach. His was neither an aggressive approach nor a weak one. Rather, Jesus employed a much more effective approach; one that accomplished His entire mission on earth; one that attracted many dedicated followers; and one that continues to shine as an example today.
What was so unique and attractive about Jesus’ approach? Using the analogy of a building, it had a foundation of love; supporting walls of grace, truth, peace and faith; and a sheltering roof of gentleness, kindness, patience and humility. This approach enabled Jesus to teach with authority, lead with integrity, love with sincerity, and face opposition with tenacity.
Let’s pray that we would be meek enough to do the same!
Saturday, May 8, 2010
The Beatitudes 2
Matthew 5:4
Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
Commentators agree that Jesus was not referring here to those who are mourning the death of a loved one. Rather, He was speaking of those who feel intense grief over sin. They mourn because of their own sinfulness and are grieved by the sins of others. They also mourn over the fallen state of the world and all the human suffering that fallen state has produced. These shall be comforted.
But where does this comfort come from? It comes from the Gospel—the wonderfully consoling message that Jesus has taken upon Himself the crushing weight of the sins of the world, paying the price that should have been ours to pay, and making the gift of eternal life available to all who put their faith in Him. Comfort also comes through the Holy Spirit who reassures our hearts of God’s pardon from sin, who reveals to us His provision of all that we will need, and who reminds us of His promise to never leave us or forsake us.
It is instructive to note that Jesus did not promise comfort to those who fear or to those who despair.
Fear usually affects us in one of two ways. It can either paralyze us or stimulate us to sudden action. Our enemy uses both of these reactions to influence us to move out of God’s will for our lives. When God says wait, fear often motivates us to rush ahead. And when God is urging us forward, the fear of failure or the fear of other's opinions often holds us back. That’s why Jesus often said, "Fear not..." This was a reassurance to His disciples, but it was also a command. Fear prevents us from receiving God’s comfort.
Those who despair have lost all hope that anything or anyone will be able to change their situation for the better. As I’ve written before, hope that is real will endure. Otherwise, it is merely wishful thinking. What causes hope to endure is its object. We pin our hope on all kinds of things: other people, our abilities, luck, the weather. But the only hope that does not disappoint is hope in God. It is vital for us to maintain our hope. If faith is the assurance of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1), then when we lose hope, our faith is crippled.
James 1:6-8 says, “he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” Fear and despair cause us to doubt, making it very difficult to for us to receive God’s comfort.
As we pray today, let’s…
· thank God for His comfort.
· ask God to help us deal with any fear or despair we may be feeling.
Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
Commentators agree that Jesus was not referring here to those who are mourning the death of a loved one. Rather, He was speaking of those who feel intense grief over sin. They mourn because of their own sinfulness and are grieved by the sins of others. They also mourn over the fallen state of the world and all the human suffering that fallen state has produced. These shall be comforted.
But where does this comfort come from? It comes from the Gospel—the wonderfully consoling message that Jesus has taken upon Himself the crushing weight of the sins of the world, paying the price that should have been ours to pay, and making the gift of eternal life available to all who put their faith in Him. Comfort also comes through the Holy Spirit who reassures our hearts of God’s pardon from sin, who reveals to us His provision of all that we will need, and who reminds us of His promise to never leave us or forsake us.
It is instructive to note that Jesus did not promise comfort to those who fear or to those who despair.
Fear usually affects us in one of two ways. It can either paralyze us or stimulate us to sudden action. Our enemy uses both of these reactions to influence us to move out of God’s will for our lives. When God says wait, fear often motivates us to rush ahead. And when God is urging us forward, the fear of failure or the fear of other's opinions often holds us back. That’s why Jesus often said, "Fear not..." This was a reassurance to His disciples, but it was also a command. Fear prevents us from receiving God’s comfort.
Those who despair have lost all hope that anything or anyone will be able to change their situation for the better. As I’ve written before, hope that is real will endure. Otherwise, it is merely wishful thinking. What causes hope to endure is its object. We pin our hope on all kinds of things: other people, our abilities, luck, the weather. But the only hope that does not disappoint is hope in God. It is vital for us to maintain our hope. If faith is the assurance of things hoped for (Hebrews 11:1), then when we lose hope, our faith is crippled.
James 1:6-8 says, “he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 7That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; 8he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.” Fear and despair cause us to doubt, making it very difficult to for us to receive God’s comfort.
As we pray today, let’s…
· thank God for His comfort.
· ask God to help us deal with any fear or despair we may be feeling.
Sunday, May 2, 2010
The Beatitudes 1
This week I will begin a series based on my study of the Beatitudes. I hope you will find it helpful...
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus singles out the poor in spirit as possessing the kingdom of heaven. But what did He mean, and to whom was He referring?
During His ministry Jesus spoke much about the poor. But commentators agree that here Jesus was not speaking about those who have little wealth and few worldly possessions. However, we can gain some insight into this passage by comparing the poor in wealth with the poor in spirit.
Those who are poor in wealth have no ability to help themselves. They are utterly dependent on others for their physical survival and well being. Likewise, those who are poor in spirit have realised that they have no ability to improve their spiritual condition. They have resigned themselves to the fact that they are utterly dependent upon God for their spiritual life and well being.
Barnes wrote, “To be poor in spirit is to have a humble opinion of ourselves; to be sensible that we are sinners, and have no righteousness of our own; to be willing to be saved only by the rich grace and mercy of God; to be willing to be where God places us, to bear what he lays on us, to go where he bids us, and to die when he commands; to be willing to be in his hands, and to feel that we deserve no favor from him.”
Jesus said of the poor in spirit that, “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The poor in spirit, by definition, have the ability to hear and respond to the gospel of the Kingdom. Gill stated that as the gospel is preached to those that are poor in spirit, “it not only reaches their ears, but their hearts; it enters into them, is applied unto them, they receive and embrace it with the utmost joy and gladness.”
Once they have heard and responded to the gospel, the poor in spirit also receive an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. Gill described this inheritance saying, “eternal glory, this is prepared for them, and given to them; they are born heirs of it, have a right unto it, are [being made fit] for it, and shall enjoy it.”
So indeed blessed are the poor in spirit!
As we pray today, let’s remember that we can’t earn the answers to our prayers. Whatever answers we receive are not because we deserve them, but are received because of God’s grace.
Matthew 5:3
Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus singles out the poor in spirit as possessing the kingdom of heaven. But what did He mean, and to whom was He referring?
During His ministry Jesus spoke much about the poor. But commentators agree that here Jesus was not speaking about those who have little wealth and few worldly possessions. However, we can gain some insight into this passage by comparing the poor in wealth with the poor in spirit.
Those who are poor in wealth have no ability to help themselves. They are utterly dependent on others for their physical survival and well being. Likewise, those who are poor in spirit have realised that they have no ability to improve their spiritual condition. They have resigned themselves to the fact that they are utterly dependent upon God for their spiritual life and well being.
Barnes wrote, “To be poor in spirit is to have a humble opinion of ourselves; to be sensible that we are sinners, and have no righteousness of our own; to be willing to be saved only by the rich grace and mercy of God; to be willing to be where God places us, to bear what he lays on us, to go where he bids us, and to die when he commands; to be willing to be in his hands, and to feel that we deserve no favor from him.”
Jesus said of the poor in spirit that, “theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” The poor in spirit, by definition, have the ability to hear and respond to the gospel of the Kingdom. Gill stated that as the gospel is preached to those that are poor in spirit, “it not only reaches their ears, but their hearts; it enters into them, is applied unto them, they receive and embrace it with the utmost joy and gladness.”
Once they have heard and responded to the gospel, the poor in spirit also receive an inheritance in the kingdom of heaven. Gill described this inheritance saying, “eternal glory, this is prepared for them, and given to them; they are born heirs of it, have a right unto it, are [being made fit] for it, and shall enjoy it.”
So indeed blessed are the poor in spirit!
As we pray today, let’s remember that we can’t earn the answers to our prayers. Whatever answers we receive are not because we deserve them, but are received because of God’s grace.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
Prayers of Paul 12
This will be the final reflection on the prayers of Paul. I hope you’ve enjoyed them and that they have been helpful.
1 Thessalonians 1
2We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.
Paul begins his first letter to the Thessalonian church by telling them how grateful he is to God for them. He goes on to list the reasons for his gratitude. Their “work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father” has made an indelible impression on him.
Faith, hope and love—sound familiar? 1 Corinthians 13:13 says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Faith, hope and love are enduring, and anything obtained or accomplished through faith, hope and love will last for eternity. Conversely, anything obtained or accomplished through independence, greed and selfishness may satisfy momentarily, but will not last.
Therefore, the reason Paul is so grateful for the Thessalonian church is the fact that they are actively investing their time and energy into that which will yield an eternal reward. I am using the word ‘actively’ for good reason. Faith, hope and love do not exist in a vacuum. Each must be put into action in order to be effective. That is why Paul emphasizes the action of their “work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope.” Let’s look at each one individually.
James tells us that faith without works is dead. But the faith of the Thessalonian believers must have been very much alive for Paul to make special mention of their “work of faith.” How active is our faith? Would Paul see enough evidence in our lives to commend us as he did the Thessalonian church?
We’ve all heard someone say, “That was a real labour of love!” It usually indicates that they have done something for someone that was unpleasant or that required great sacrifice. The point being that their love for that someone outweighed any personal cost associated with what was done. Jesus performed the ultimate labour of love for us. Hebrews tells us that Jesus, “for the joy set before him endured the cross.” Every day we are presented with many opportunities to perform labours of love. The degree of love in our hearts determines whether or not we will take those opportunities.
Hope that is real will endure. Otherwise, it is merely wishful thinking. What causes hope to endure is its object. Paul identifies “our Lord Jesus Christ” as the object the Thessalonian believers’ unshakable hope. We pin our hope on all kinds of things: other people, our abilities, luck, the weather. But the only hope that does not disappoint is hope in God. We also hope for many things: to win the lottery, for our team to win the championship, to pass a test. But only our hope for God to fulfil His promises is certain.
Today let’s pray:
That our faith will be characterised by action.
That God would fill our hearts with self-sacrificing love.
That our hope would be in God alone.
1 Thessalonians 1
2We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father, 4knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.
Paul begins his first letter to the Thessalonian church by telling them how grateful he is to God for them. He goes on to list the reasons for his gratitude. Their “work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father” has made an indelible impression on him.
Faith, hope and love—sound familiar? 1 Corinthians 13:13 says, “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Faith, hope and love are enduring, and anything obtained or accomplished through faith, hope and love will last for eternity. Conversely, anything obtained or accomplished through independence, greed and selfishness may satisfy momentarily, but will not last.
Therefore, the reason Paul is so grateful for the Thessalonian church is the fact that they are actively investing their time and energy into that which will yield an eternal reward. I am using the word ‘actively’ for good reason. Faith, hope and love do not exist in a vacuum. Each must be put into action in order to be effective. That is why Paul emphasizes the action of their “work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope.” Let’s look at each one individually.
James tells us that faith without works is dead. But the faith of the Thessalonian believers must have been very much alive for Paul to make special mention of their “work of faith.” How active is our faith? Would Paul see enough evidence in our lives to commend us as he did the Thessalonian church?
We’ve all heard someone say, “That was a real labour of love!” It usually indicates that they have done something for someone that was unpleasant or that required great sacrifice. The point being that their love for that someone outweighed any personal cost associated with what was done. Jesus performed the ultimate labour of love for us. Hebrews tells us that Jesus, “for the joy set before him endured the cross.” Every day we are presented with many opportunities to perform labours of love. The degree of love in our hearts determines whether or not we will take those opportunities.
Hope that is real will endure. Otherwise, it is merely wishful thinking. What causes hope to endure is its object. Paul identifies “our Lord Jesus Christ” as the object the Thessalonian believers’ unshakable hope. We pin our hope on all kinds of things: other people, our abilities, luck, the weather. But the only hope that does not disappoint is hope in God. We also hope for many things: to win the lottery, for our team to win the championship, to pass a test. But only our hope for God to fulfil His promises is certain.
Today let’s pray:
That our faith will be characterised by action.
That God would fill our hearts with self-sacrificing love.
That our hope would be in God alone.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Prayers of Paul 11
2 Thessalonians 1 - continued
11Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Remember from last week that Paul is writing to encourage the Thessalonian believers in the persecution and hardship they are facing. And his prayer gives us some insight into Paul’s understanding of what they must have been thinking and feeling as they endured great suffering at the hands of unbelievers. First, Paul redirects the Thessalonian believers’ focus from their present suffering to an eternal perspective on their position as citizens of God’s Kingdom.
Next, Paul focuses on God’s character and power. In the midst of their suffering Paul knew that the Thessalonian believers would be tempted to doubt two things. First, they may begin to doubt God’s goodness, and second, they may doubt the effectiveness of their faith. Therefore, Paul emphasizes in his prayer that God is accomplishing something good through them, and that God will use their faith in combination with His power to accomplish it.
We can learn much from this section of Paul’s prayer. Often, Christians who are suffering ask two questions. Probably the most common question is, “How can a God who is good allow this suffering?” Someone once taught me a principle that I’ve never forgotten and that I have applied often. He said, “When you are confused about what God is allowing to happen, and you are tempted to doubt His goodness, go back to what you know to be true about His character.” The Bible tells us that, among other things, God is good, just, faithful, trustworthy, loving and kind. And He will “fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness” in you no matter what your circumstances.
Probably the second most common question asked by suffering Christians is, “What is wrong with my faith that God is not answering my prayers to end this suffering?” Another important principle applies here. Our faith in God does not guarantee that we will not suffer, but it does guarantee that we have available all that we need in order to endure until the suffering comes to an end. I believe that this is the “work of faith with power” to which Paul was referring.
Paul concludes his prayer by disclosing the ultimate purpose behind everything that the Thessalonian Christians are going through, and the ultimate purpose behind the suffering for the Gospel experienced by any Christian— “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him.” Because God is the One who will “fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power,” He is the One who will receive the glory. And those who suffer will receive glory from Him, “according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Today, let’s pray for those who are suffering:
That they will trust in God’s goodness.
That they will not waver in their faith.
That God will be glorified in them.
11Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, 12that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Remember from last week that Paul is writing to encourage the Thessalonian believers in the persecution and hardship they are facing. And his prayer gives us some insight into Paul’s understanding of what they must have been thinking and feeling as they endured great suffering at the hands of unbelievers. First, Paul redirects the Thessalonian believers’ focus from their present suffering to an eternal perspective on their position as citizens of God’s Kingdom.
Next, Paul focuses on God’s character and power. In the midst of their suffering Paul knew that the Thessalonian believers would be tempted to doubt two things. First, they may begin to doubt God’s goodness, and second, they may doubt the effectiveness of their faith. Therefore, Paul emphasizes in his prayer that God is accomplishing something good through them, and that God will use their faith in combination with His power to accomplish it.
We can learn much from this section of Paul’s prayer. Often, Christians who are suffering ask two questions. Probably the most common question is, “How can a God who is good allow this suffering?” Someone once taught me a principle that I’ve never forgotten and that I have applied often. He said, “When you are confused about what God is allowing to happen, and you are tempted to doubt His goodness, go back to what you know to be true about His character.” The Bible tells us that, among other things, God is good, just, faithful, trustworthy, loving and kind. And He will “fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness” in you no matter what your circumstances.
Probably the second most common question asked by suffering Christians is, “What is wrong with my faith that God is not answering my prayers to end this suffering?” Another important principle applies here. Our faith in God does not guarantee that we will not suffer, but it does guarantee that we have available all that we need in order to endure until the suffering comes to an end. I believe that this is the “work of faith with power” to which Paul was referring.
Paul concludes his prayer by disclosing the ultimate purpose behind everything that the Thessalonian Christians are going through, and the ultimate purpose behind the suffering for the Gospel experienced by any Christian— “that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him.” Because God is the One who will “fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power,” He is the One who will receive the glory. And those who suffer will receive glory from Him, “according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Today, let’s pray for those who are suffering:
That they will trust in God’s goodness.
That they will not waver in their faith.
That God will be glorified in them.
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