The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers

 Meditations on 1 Thessalonians

June 8, 2021

The Faith of the Thessalonian Believers

For when we brought you the Good News, it was not only with words but also with power, for the Holy Spirit gave you full assurance that what we said was true.

1 Thessalonians 1:5a

Read: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5

Thessalonica was located approximately two hundred miles north of Athens, and the church was founded by Paul during his missionary trip that is described in Acts 16 & 17. It seems Paul spent a short amount of time in Thessalonica, but apparently made deep and lasting friendships with the new disciples, as the warmth of his letters, 1 & 2 Thessalonians, attest. Some scholars believe 1 Thessalonians may have been written within a few weeks after Paul left there, and it was certainly written within a year and probably while Paul was in Corinth.

As I read verse 5a, quoted above, I immediately thought of Paul’s assertions in Romans 8. In the opening verses of 1 Thessalonians, Paul affirms the disciples there belong to God the Father and our Lord Jesus. In verse 5a, Paul affirms the work of the Holy Spirit in forming Christ within us:

 “. . . you received God’s Spirit when he adopted you as his own children. Now we call him, “Abba, Father.” For his Spirit joins with our spirit to affirm that we are God’s children.” (Romans 8:15-16)

These passages also affirm one of my favorite verses, one we looked at on May 25, 2021:

“God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13, emphasis mine).

My Takeaway: Because of God working in the disciples in Thessalonians, Paul affirmed their faithful work, their loving deeds, and the enduring hope they had because of our Lord Jesus Christ. (v.3) I pray that those of us seeking the life in Christ as our way of life, will also be so affirmed.

Sē’lah

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(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

My God Will Fully Satisfy Every Need Of Yours

 Meditations on Philippians

June 7, 2021

My God Will Fully Satisfy Every Need Of Yours

And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

Read: Philippians 4: 14-23

I love verse 19. After Paul has cataloged all the many ways God has met his every need, he then assures his friends (and us), “And my God will fully satisfy every need of yours according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 NRSV). God will meet your needs out of His riches in glory in Jesus! Is any need in your life too big for God to meet?

Paul follows this awesome promise with a simple benediction, “Now all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen” (Philippians 4:20). It seems the letter has concluded. But wait! There’s more!

Chapter 4 has a very interesting flow. It began slowly, and then with each passage it continues to gain momentum until it reaches the dramatic and surprising climax in verse 22. Paul encourages us to rejoice, pray, seek peace, focus our life on the things of God, follow his example, experience peace, and be content. The chapter seems to reach its highest point at “I can do everything through Christ,” and then Paul pronounces a benediction, “all glory to God our Father forever and ever! Amen” (Philippians 4: 13, 20).

Paul saved the very best for last. “And all the rest of God’s people send you greetings, too, especially those in Caesar’s household” (Philippians 4:22). Caesar’s household sends greetings to the church in Philippi!

My Takeaway: Paul’s new community of believers has reached the most unlikely of places: Caesar’s household. Paul had asked his friends to pray for him, that he would boldly proclaim Christ even from his jail cell. This simple verse is a testimony that God honored Paul’s prayer request, and it is a towering reminder that God can use all of us exactly where we are. The fields are ripe and ready for harvest, now, if only we would see with the eyes of Jesus, if only we would love with the heart of Jesus.

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

 

Live In The Grace Of Each Day

 Meditations on Philippians

June 4, 2021

Live In The Grace Of Each Day

For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

Philippians 4:13

Read: Philippians 4: 10-13

My friend had been selected to give a talk on a women’s retreat where I was serving as the spiritual director. It was the tradition of this retreat that I would escort the speakers to the podium for their talk. As I stood with my friend for the opening prayer, I could feel her trembling. She was terrified. Although she was an elementary school teacher, she was not comfortable speaking to adults, especially when she had been asked to speak about her faith and her walk with the Lord. As the prayer closed, she stepped behind the podium and began her talk, and what a powerful and eloquent talk she delivered! The Holy Spirit touched many lives through her talk, including mine. My friend experienced the fulfillment of Paul’s assertion in her own life: “For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13).

Paul also said that he had learned how to live on almost nothing or with everything, with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. Paul had “learned the secret of living in every situation” (Philippians 2:12). That secret was the presence of Jesus Christ in his life. Paul experienced the fulfillment of this most precious promise of Jesus: “And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). Becoming a fully devoted follower of Jesus is not a prescription for avoiding pain, discomfort, want, lack, illness or distress in our lives. It is God’s provision that no matter what issues we face in life, we can rest in the unalterable truth that we are the beloved children of God, and that we are never, ever alone. Jesus is with us even to end of the age! With this good news we can, to borrow a phrase from Paul Young (author of The Shack), live in the grace of each day.

My Takeaway: I have found it helpful in my life to always remember today’s verse (Philippians 4:13) in the context in which Paul shared it with his friends in Philippi.

“For I can do everything Christ calls me to do

because Christ gives me the strength to do it.”

This is just another way of internalizing the truth Paul shared in the earlier verse 13: “For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him” (Philippians 2:13).

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Because You Belong To The Lord

 Meditations on Philippians

June 3, 2021

Because You Belong To The Lord

And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.

Philippians 4:8

Read: Philippians 4: 2-9

Philippians 4 is densely packed with one gem after another.  We would do well to memorize much of Paul’s wisdom. Today’s brief passage of seven verses has three huge helps for us as we seek the life in Christ as our way of life.

First, verse 2 reveals the essence of our life in Christ. I believe this one simple phrase says all that needs to be said: “Please, because you belong to the Lord” (Philippians 4:2). Therein is our motivation to strive for unity in the body of Christ. Therein is our motivation to strive to be fully transformed, to seek the life in Christ as our way of life. Therein we are reminded that our life does not belong to us. Our life belongs to God. By creation and redemption, our life belongs to God. Learning to live with this phrase ringing in our ears, “I belong to the Lord,” should lead our life until our faith becomes sight and we rest in the loving arms of Jesus.

Because we belong to the Lord, verses 6 and 7 can map out our daily life: “Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” Paul didn’t promise all of our problems will go away. He promises us that resting in the assurance of what God has done to reconcile us to Himself through faith in Christ Jesus will overcome our anxious thoughts. This opens the door to the third help: focus on God’s goodness.

Every day we have choices with what we will fill our minds. We can read Steven King novels or watch horror movies, or we can fix our thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. We can think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise. (Philippians 4:8)

My Takeaway: Paul’s teaching is needed more today than perhaps any time in my life. Today our culture is dominated by partisan fighting, identity politics, and the celebration of violence and ungodliness. However, when our daily life includes large portions of Scripture, and devotional readings such as, Jesus Calling (Sarah Young), Guideposts, This Day with the Master (Dennis Kinlaw) or any of the countless devotional resources available to us, fixing our mind on what is true becomes our way of life. 

Sē’lah

<><  <><  <><  <><

(Selah is a word that appears in the Book of Psalms that I often use as the Complimentary Closing in my correspondence. Its meaning, as I use the word, is to pause and think about these things.)

 

These meditations are written by Alex M. Knight as he seeks the life in Christ as his way of life.  The meditations are published on the BLOG, http://seekingthelifeinchrist.blogspot.com/ and they are also distributed on the Constant Contact email server. You may subscribe to this email service by sending an email to: amkrom812@gmail.com.

 

Copyright © 2021 by Alex M. Knight

 

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.