Good Morning Friends,
Today we continue to read about the woes of the places and people of worship and the need for them to be cleaned from the inside and the thing is that it is not just in scripture, but in the world in which we live. It would seem the Holy Spirit is going to have to work overtime unless Jesus comes back. But that Day of the Lord, though coming closer, is not today. The rumors are flying about the detail of the end of it all but there is more to learn and more people who need to hear and experience less deception, more purposefulness, more transparency and more love. And so, I wonder, Fires, Storms, Pandemics and Postal Politics…What Could Happen Next?
Scripture: As to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we beg you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as though from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord is already here. Let no one deceive you in any way; for that day will not come unless the rebellion comes first and the lawless one is revealed, the one destined for destruction. For this purpose he called you through our proclamation of the good news, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by word of mouth or by our letter. Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and through grace gave us eternal comfort and good hope, comfort your hearts and strengthen them in every good work and word.
2 Thessalonians 2:1-3a, 14-17 (NRSV)
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint, dill, and cummin, and have neglected the weightier matters of the law: justice and mercy and faith. It is these you ought to have practiced without neglecting the others. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel! “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the plate, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside also may become clean.
Matthew 23:23-26 (NRSV)
Message: Some people in Thessalonica thought that the Day of the Lord had already come but in wonderful trinitarian fashion Paul sets them straight. The great gathering was coming but not quite just yet. The rebellion and apostasy have yet to be revealed and that means for some it must get worse before it gets better… and that is true too for those in the world today who believe that it can get no worse. The thing is that people of sin are doomed to destruction because they oppose God and set themselves up above God. We all have read about the dictators of the world and how they mistreat people. And was it not for the church and the preaching of the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit, such unrestrained consequences would surely rain down upon this world not as they have from time to time before but with devastation. However, when things rot from within, when the seas die, and the forests burn interventions are needed. So, I dread to think what the world would be like if God should withdraw those means of preservation, namely the church, the Gospel and the power of the Holy Spirit moving people to action. Still, the reformation and reconciliation…the repentance and re-creation must continue. And that is what will probably ultimately happen. But even as that is happening, if scripture is any guide, the wicked and the lawless will parody Christ’s epiphany with their own unveiling for a time. But friends take heart, in the middle of this gloomy picture, we must remember that God is still in sovereign control. Considering all this, Paul exhorts the brethren to sail on to the goal with feet firmly planted on the deck of a ship headed for a storm. Laity must be empowered…the dying embers fueled with worthless lumber. Such is the way of the universe.
And So, friends, God’s work…kingdom work is hard work and sometimes dangerous. That is why it must be something a person desires to do and is gifted by God to do. Something of the heart, mind and soul. All in. The strategy for mission is to be Christ like, choice by choice by choice. And God gives us free will. So, God allows us to make our own choices, but with every choice we make there is a consequence, some good and some bad. While God will not make our choices for us, I do believe He wants and desires for us to make the right choices in life in the giving of ourselves. If you are a Christian who has made a conscious choice to have a personal relationship with God, Jesus helps guide our choices through the Holy Spirit. With that thought in mind today we look at scripture about the work of Paul only to recognize that because of his choices he lost his head. Interestingly he did not lose his temper or focus or purpose. Some might think that Paul was a failure, but that is far from the truth. In fact, he succeeded beyond what might have been expected in the tasks they had been given. Perhaps the best test of success is how one answers today’s question.
Pray we are drawn together in Christ’s love, encouragement and hope which we have received by God’s grace. Pray we would be inwardly empowered to outwardly establish good words and work to the witness of the Holy Spirit still present here on earth. Pray we realize that God has chosen each of us for salvation through the sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth. Pray we take to heart the reality that we have been called to share the Good News in the middle of all the bad news, so that others might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Pray in life’s storms we cling to God’s safety rails. Pray that despite our security in Christ we never become complacent, for a storm is certainly coming. Pray we help feed the fire of the Holy Spirit with the lumber in people’s eyes. Pray we speak the truth in love. Pray we survive the storm. Pray we pay attention to the good examples set before us. Pray are careful what promises we make. Pray not lose our heads but if we do, pray it be for a good cause. Pray we realize that God can and does turn failure into favor. Pray we do what is right, even when it is hard. Pray God empowers us as leaders and as followers to build up, to influence and to persuade others. Pray we realize that like Paul we have been entrusted by God to speak, and invest our lives in the lives of others, not to please people but to please God. Pray we learn to share the Gospel boldly with truth and love.
Blessings,
John Lawson
P.S. Please visit https://meditationsdevotionals.wordpress.com/ for a compilation of these devotionals and commentary of readers. Share.
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