Christian devotional

Living to Please God (1 Thessalonians 4)

Finally, then, brothers, we ask and urge you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God, just as you are doing, that you do so more and more.

How ought we live? We ought to live in such a way as to please God.

It is easy to live seeking to please yourself, or others, or your family, or your boss, or your flesh. But Jesus commands, first and foremost, I want you to live so that you please the Lord.

Living pleasing to the Lord is not a once off.

“But I made a decision to follow Jesus years ago!” some will say. “But I AM already born again” others will say.

Pleasing God is not an ongoing state of being. It is something we do (or don’t do) by how we live day by day. As long as we live, we must aim to live pleasing to Him. So how do we do that?

Some ways we can live pleasing to God:

Live by faith – Hebrews 11:6 says without faith it is impossible to please God. When we choose the way of faith, we please Him.
Resist temptation – Every time we say no to temptation, we choose the way of the Spirit and that is pleasing to God.
Walking in Love – When we act out of love we are demonstrating God’s heart to others. We are choosing His way over ours and it pleases Him.
Our Attitude – When we set our desire upon please Him, that in itself brings joy to His heart and is pleasing as we value Him first.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you for showing me how to live. I ask that you would strengthen me so that I would live in such a way as to please you, day in and day out. Thank you Father, in Jesus name, Amen.

Increasing in Love to the End (1 Thessalonians 3)

1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 says:

…may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, ¹³so 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.

These verses talk of God pouring out His love in our hearts that we may love others in increasing measure. I don’t know about you, but that is convicting to me!

Paul goes on to give us a reason for this exhortation. He says, it is so that “your hearts blameless in holiness before our God”. A heart abounding in love is going to be made holy before God! Wow.

But there is a greater context to this again. This holiness that comes from the outpouring of God’s love is being perfected in preparation for the second coming of Jesus!

I’ll put it this way. Why does God want our hearts full of love and so, blameless in holiness before Him? Because He is preparing us – His people – for the return of His Son, Jesus.

Jesus is coming for a pure and spotless bride. He is wanting to find a people with loving and holy hearts before their God. That is what is required of the the bride.

PRAYER: Father, pour out your love in my heart. Fill my heart Lord with your love. Let me know your love and hunger after your love more and more. Create in me a pure heart Lord, in Jesus name, Amen.

Boldness in Tough Times (1 Thessalonians 2)

1 Thessalonians 2 verse 2 says:

But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict.

Even in times of conflict and when under attack, Paul, Silas and Timothy still acted with boldness in their God and in the gospel message.

When conflict comes and when difficulties arise, our first reaction is to shrink back. Our emotions tell us to pull back and take the safe option. But that is not what God in looking for.

The man or woman of God who remains bold in tough times is the person who is aware that God is at work.

Instead of sensing danger, they sense opportunity
Instead of being intimidated, they are invigorated by the battle
Instead of seeing the enemy at work, they see God at work

Boldness comes from knowing our God. The more we know Him, the more we know He is good and able to overcome every difficulty and opposition.

The person who knows their God knows that suffering and hardship will be turned around for our good. And so they can step out in boldness.

PRAYER: Father, I thank you for working in my situation. I thank you you have overcome the world. I ask and receive boldness today to keep on the assignment you have for me. In Jesus name, Amen.

Opposition to Progress (Acts 17)

Acts 17:5 says:

But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd.

Whenever there is forward progress or whenever ground is claimed in the heavenly battle (see verse 2-4), there is invariably a demonic backlash.

Jesus won the victory over sin and death and the devil, but we are charged with enforcing it. This kicks the enemy out of where he is – in someone’s life, in someone’s house, in someone’s business – and the response is reprisals.

Now not every kind of opposition in demonic. Sometimes it is simply the consequences to your own actions. Don’t blame the devil for what is your own responsibility! It is important to discern the difference. But if you are making forward progress for God, then at some point opposition will come.

It is important to not see the enemy as people. We are called to love people as Jesus does. Opposition might come in the form of other people, but “we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness.” (Ephesians 6:12). It is the spirit at work in people that we need to carefully discern and see.

When you face opposition don’t be disturbed. Jesus faced opposition, the disciples faced opposition and we face opposition today. Don’t fear, because Jesus has overcome the world and everything in it. You are being opposed because you are being used by God, you are anointed for His kingdom work, and you are His beloved. You are winning the battle, don’t give up.

PRAYER: Father, thank you for the Victory. Thank you that you are with me and with you I will overcome. Thank you for your protection and your grace to persevere and overcome. In Jesus name, Amen

God in Prayer (Philippians 4)

worry, anxiety, fear Philippians 4, verse 5 – 7 says:

The Lord is at hand; ⁶do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. ⁷And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

I love the truth that the Word of God presents to us. Such amazing insights into our Lord and how He works.

Consider these notes from the above passage.

“The Lord is at hand…” – the presence of God is here! God’s presence is with you, now. Therefore…
“…do not be anxious about anything…” – you don’t have any reason to worry or fear. Remember, God is with you! So instead…
“…by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving…” – pray and give thanks! When you recognise fear, worry, or anxiety creeping in, stop, arrest those thoughts and use it as an opportunity to thank and pray to God.
“… let your requests be made known to God…” – Pray for your needs, not because God doesn’t know them, but because He wants you to lay the burden of them down at His feet. Get those needs before Him! And then…
“…the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” – Wow, what a promise! Peace, the likes of which you can’t comprehend, will protect you from the effects of worry, anxiety and fear. The link to this is prayer; God active in our prayer.

WHAT NOW?

Meditate on this passage, allowing it’s truth to soak into your heart and mind.
In prayer, give each worry and fear to the Father whose presence is with you.
Receive the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding in Christ Jesus.

Living the Life (Philippians 1)

Playing the game Philippians 1:27-28 says:

²⁷Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel, ²⁸and not frightened in anything by your opponents. This is a clear sign to them of their destruction, but of your salvation, and that from God.

Paul issues a command to all believers: your manner of life needs to reflect your belief in Jesus, and His call for us to follow Him.

What does this “manner of life” look like?

“One Spirit” – All believers have the Holy Spirit in common and it is the work of the Spirit which unites us. A Spirit-led life – not one driven by our own abilities, feelings or desire – is a life worthy of the gospel.
“One Mind” – The one mind we all have in the “mind of Christ”. It is easy for other pursuits, thoughts, novelties and arguments to divide. Instead, together, we have the mind of Christ when we draw near to Him in humility.
“Striving side by side” – the result of one-ness of Spirit and mind is the body of Christ pulling together, under the yoke of Jesus, for the purpose of His Kingdom.

This is the manner of life Jesus has called us to. This is the manner of life that is worthy of the gospel. And what is the result of this manner of life? It tells the world the message of the cross by the substance of our life: with Jesus we are saved, without Him we are lost (v28).

PRAYER: Father, manifest the life of your Spirit within me. Let your light shine through me and my brothers and sisters that all the world around us might know you are real and your heart is to save us from ourselves. In Jesus name, Amen.

Christian devotional

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