praying for absent friends

Posted on November 18, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

 

praying for absent friends

1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 (JDV)

1 Thessalonians 3:11 Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you.
1 Thessalonians 3:12 And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with care for one another and for everyone, just as we do for you.
1 Thessalonians 3:13 May he make your hearts blameless in devotion before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his devotees. Amen.

praying for absent friends

Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians is a good example of a prayer for absent Christian friends. Here is my paraphrase:

Lord, I miss my friends. It has been too long since I have seen them and enjoyed their company. I ask you in your providence to bring us back to each other. Reunite us, so that we can be mutually encouraged and worship you together again.

In the mean time, I ask that you provide friends and fellow believers for them to share their lives with, caring for each other as deeply as I care for them.

May they grow more like you, and more deeply committed to you, as we all wait for our ultimate reunion when our Lord Jesus returns.

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whew!

Posted on November 17, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

whew!

1 Thessalonians 3:6-10 (JDV)

1 Thessalonians 3:6 But now Timothy has come to us from you and brought us good news about your faith and care. He reported that you always have good memories of us and that you long to see us, as we also long to see you.
1 Thessalonians 3:7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and suffering, we were encouraged about you through your faith
1 Thessalonians 3:8 because we are alive now, if you stand firm in the Lord.
1 Thessalonians 3:9 How can we thank God for you in return for all the joy we experience before our God because of you,
1 Thessalonians 3:10 as we pray very intensely night and day to see you face to face and to complete what is lacking in your faith?

whew!

I was tempted to translate the words “because we are alive now” in verse 8 as simply “whew!” because that is what Paul is implying. His concern for the Thessalonians had practically stopped his heart. Now that he has good news about how the congregations are doing there, he and the others on his team can be alive again.

When you invest yourself in the spiritual lives of a people, there is no feeling like the relief of knowing that they are growing strong in the Lord, even in your absence. There is no gladness like that of seeing evidence of godly lives and successful ministries in those you have discipled.

Lord, we pray today for those believers that we have left behind, and ask you to ensure their continued growth and health.

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what Paul could not stand

Posted on November 16, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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what Paul could not stand

1 Thessalonians 3:4-5 (JDV)

1 Thessalonians 3:4 In fact, when we were with you, we told you in advance that we were going to experience suffering, and as you know, it happened.
1 Thessalonians 3:5 For this reason, when I could no longer stand it, I also sent him to find out about your faith, fearing that the tempter had tempted you and that our labor might be for nothing.

what Paul could not stand

Paul and his team were facing a period of suffering and persecution. They could hold up under that alright, because they knew that they had been appointed to it, and it would be to God’s glory. But what Paul could not stand was being separated from the believers in Thessalonika, and not knowing how they were doing.

For Paul, the worst thing was not suffering for his faith. The worst thing would be losing people to the enemy because he could not be with them to support them.

Look around you, Christian. There are people God had brought into your life who need you. They are your mission — a people to whom you are significant. Love them, pray for them, support them. Let them know how much they mean to you.

Lord, help us to take our eyes off our troubles, and put them on our mission — the people you gave us to love.

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appointed to this

Posted on November 15, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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appointed to this

1 Thessalonians 3:1-3

1 Thessalonians 3:1 When we could no longer stand it, we thought it was better to be left alone in Athens for this reason.

1 Thessalonians 3:2 And we sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you about your faith,

1 Thessalonians 3:3 so that no one will be shaken by these things we suffer, because you yourselves know that we are appointed to this.

appointed to this

The Thessalonian Christians were in danger of being shaken because of the suffering being experienced by Paul and his mission team. Paul sent Timothy to them, not to assure them that everything was alright, but to remind them that suffering is part of the plan.

Christian, if you are suffering today, be assured that God is not sitting on his throne in heaven, wringing his hands, wondering what to do. Nor is he angry at you because you haven’t learned the right words to pray, or haven’t mustered up enough faith for him to respond.

You are appointed to that suffering. Like Job , God is proud of you, and wants to show off your faith and loyalty. Be thankful for his confidence, and keep trusting him through this. You can get through it. It is not designed to destroy you. It is designed to glorify your God.

All suffering is evil, and no suffering will last forever. But the way we respond to suffering as believers tells the world what we are made of, and who we belong to.

Lord, until you release us from our suffering, may we wear it proudly, and so honor you.

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jewels for our crowns

Posted on November 14, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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jewels for our crowns

1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 (JDV)

1 Thessalonians 2:17 But as for us, brothers, after we were forced to leave you for a seasonal hour (in person, not in heart), we greatly desired and made every effort to return and see you face to face.
1 Thessalonians 2:18 So we wanted to come to you – even I, Paul, once and twice – but Satan impeded us.
1 Thessalonians 2:19 You see, who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you?
1 Thessalonians 2:20 In fact, you are our glory and joy!

jewels for our crowns

Paul was all about investing in the people in the congregations. When he talks about coming into the presence of the Lord, he plans to be wearing a crown of boasting when he is there. The jewels in that crown will be the disciples he and his team have won to Christ, and equipped for gospel ministry.

Now, how are the Thessalonian disciples going to be jewels on Paul’s crown if they are still alive down here and Paul is in the presence of the Lord up in heaven? That would not work. But, if both Paul and the Thessalonians had their reunion at the presence of the Lord together, then what Paul said would make sense.

When we all meet Jesus again at that great reunion called the wedding supper of the Lamb, those who have won people to Christ will then be able to present them to their Lord, as jewels in crowns of boasting.

Lord, may our crowns that we present to you be heavy with jewels on that day.

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acceptance and opposition

Posted on November 13, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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acceptance and opposition

1 Thessalonians 2:13-16 (JDV)

1 Thessalonians 2:13 This is why we constantly thank God, because when you accepted the word of God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the word of God, which also achieves things effectively in you who believe.
1 Thessalonians 2:14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s congregations in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, since you have also suffered the same things from people of your own country, just as they did from the Jews
1 Thessalonians 2:15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us. They displease God and are hostile to every human,
1 Thessalonians 2:16 by keeping us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. As a result, they are constantly filling up their sins to the limit, and wrath has overtaken them at last.

acceptance and opposition

Paul and his team had been hinderted and persecuted by the Jews verywhere they went. But Paul kept trying to reach people for Christ in spite of that opposition. Just now, he was realizing that things were turning sour for the Jews as a whole, and he sees that as a sign of God’s wrath.

There are forces in our world today that are seeking to hinder missions work, and block people from the gospel. We need not worry about those systems. God will take care of those who oppose him and his message.

Instead, we should be grateful that God is giving us those who accept his message.

Lord, we thank you for opening doors for many to hear your gospel, and dealing with those who oppose it.

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leading gently

Posted on November 12, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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leading gently

1 Thessalonians 2:10-12 (JDV)

1 Thessalonians 2:10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how devoutly, righteously, and blamelessly we conducted ourselves with you believers.
1 Thessalonians 2:11 As you know, like a father with his own children,
1 Thessalonians 2:12 we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to live worthy of God, who invites you into his own kingdom and glory.

leading gently

One of the joys of being a grandfather, is that I get to see how my sons-in-law gently lead their children. Your children grow up, and you forget how hard it was to raise them. Then they have children, and all the struggles of parenting are revisited in your memory.

I thank the Lord for sending my daughters husbands who care about their children, and gently lead them.

Paul and his missionary team brought a new group of congregations into being in Thessalonica, and they learned to lead those believers like a father with his own children.

Lord, show us how to gently lead new believers in Christ.

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not only the gospel

Posted on November 11, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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not only the gospel

1 Thessalonians 2:8-9 (JDV)

1 Thessalonians 2:8 We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us
1 Thessalonians 2:9 because you remember our labor and hardship, brothers and sisters. Working night and day so that we would not burden any of you, we preached God’s gospel to you.

not only the gospel

The thing about our mission as believers in Christ is that we have the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ to share, but we do it best when we add something to it. The gospel is a message, but it requires messengers who are willing to share their own lives with those to whom they are speaking.

That is what Paul and his team did in Thessalonica. They took jobs alongside the others in the towns and villages. They joined the communities and shared the struggles and joys of the people in those communities. That willingness to incarnate was the key to success in sharing the gospel.

Lord, send us to those who need your word, and help us to share our lives as well — to connect with those who need the good news.

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gentle nurturers

Posted on November 10, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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gentle nurturers

1 Thessalonians 2:6-7 (JDV)

1 Thessalonians 2:6 and we didn’t seek glory from humans, either from you or from others.
1 Thessalonians 2:7 Although we could have been a burden as Christ’s missionaries, instead we were gentle among you, as a nurse nurtures her own children.

gentle nurturers

First, Paul says that God had tested and approved of his ministry team, then he said that the Thessalonians themselves found them to be qualified as well. His team did not take advantage of those they ministered among. They didn’t lord it over them. They were gentle.

Lord, make us gentle nurturers of those you send us to.
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tested and affirmed by God

Posted on November 9, 2021 by Jefferson Vann

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tested and affirmed by God

1 Thessalonians 2:3-5 (JDV)

1 Thessalonians 2:3 For our exhortation didn’t come from error or impurity or an intent to deceive.
1 Thessalonians 2:4 Instead, just as we have been evaluated by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please humans, but rather God, who examines our hearts.
1 Thessalonians 2:5 For we never used flattering speech, as you know, or had greedy motives – God is our witness –

tested and affirmed by God

I happened to be translating 1 Timothy 3 just before reading this text to comment on it for my devotions. I noticed several identical or similar words and concepts. Paul is commending himself and his ministry with the same kinds of qualifications that he expects of church leaders in his mission churches.

But Paul does not say that he qualifies because he has pleased a group of human evaluators. His evaluation was done by God himself, and God is the one who bears witness to his qualifications.

Lord, may we be tested and affirmed by you.

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