Surrendered

The GT Weekend Worship IX Week 3

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) Jesus said, “…True worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23) Does that make you wonder if there are “fake” worshippers? Looking at Scripture, I would say yes. In Monday’s Journey Study we saw that worshipping in spirit means we are tuned into and obeying the Holy Spirit living within us. Worshipping in truth means our adoration flows out of knowing His Word and His identity as the unchanging One True God.  Consider some ways you can sharpen your ears to hear from the Holy Spirit? How might you begin putting these into practice starting this weekend? Another side to truth is intention. Worship cannot be like a cloak, used to cover the stain of our sin. We must truly be cleansed to be considered true worshippers. Have there been times when you were a “fake” worshipper? What steps did you take to return to the heart of true worship? What are some ways you can move worship from just “Sunday mornings during church” to the everyday moments of your life? Revisit the Journey Theme Character to remind yourself of the character of the God we serve and worship. Journal something new you learn about God, or are especially thankful for, each day this next week!

2) Did you know that many worship songs are based on Scripture? Does anyone else besides me pause at a passage or verse and start singing the associated song? Brenda taught us that even though songs can tug at our emotions, the most powerful songs are those which sing Scripture back to God. What better way to worship Him than to echo His words? Journal the names of some songs that are based on Scripture, adding the passage or verse and why it resonates with you. A beautiful aspect of worship is how it boasts about God. Who better to boast about?! King David even realized this when he wrote in Psalm 5:11, “…may those who love Your name boast about You”. Spend time this weekend looking up some of God’s promises. How do they spur you on to boast about Him? Recall some hard situations God has seen you through. If you haven’t boasted about His goodness and faithfulness to you during those times, use this weekend to do just that.

3) In Friday’s journey, Paula took us on a stunning journey through the Old Testament, pointing out “I AM” in many chapters and stories. We’re then transported to the New Testament where I AM came to dwell among us in the person of Jesus Christ. If we worship Him for nothing else, this would be a sufficient reason. But even more so, He not only dwelt among us, but also redeemed us by taking our place as the ultimate sacrificial Lamb. Revelation 5 tells us all of Heaven will worship the Lamb. Can you think of anything better than focusing your worship on God? Revisit Worship VII, which focuses on God’s wondrous glory! Pick one day from each week of Worship VII (or more if you’re feeling ambitious!) and journal your thoughts on that day’s topic.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Colossians 1:15-17 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities— all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.

Prayer Journal
Father God, I think of the song that talks about “going back to the heart of worship”. I confess the times I’ve made worship about me and my preferences. Only true worship focuses on You because it’s about You in every aspect. I pray I can focus on Your unchanging character so I’m always mindful of how holy, great, and deserving You are of all my worship. May I remember Your faithfulness toward me even in the face of my unfaithfulness. As I live my daily life, I want others to see me worshipping You by the things I do and say, in the small choices and the big ones. Let my internal thoughts also contribute to a lifestyle of worship for You desire truth in every inmost place. (Psalm 51:6) You, God, are the One True God who has redeemed me from all my rebellious sin. I will worship You in spirit and truth because only You are worthy of that kind of whole-life praise.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

The GT Weekend! ~ Worship IX Week 1

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The GT Weekend!

At Gracefully Truthful, weekends aren’t for “checking out”.
Use this time to invite the Almighty’s fullness into you life in a deeper way!
Saturdays and Sundays are a chance to
reflect, rest, and re-center our lives onto Christ.
Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with other women in prayer,
rest your soul in reflective journaling,
and spend time worshiping the Creator who
longs for intimacy with each of us!

Worship Through Journaling

Worship Through Journaling

1) “Sisters, let us offer our Great God true worship; a heart humbled before Him and a life surrendered to Him.” Many of us, when we think of worship, mostly consider the music we sing at church. But a biblical examination of the idea of worship shows us that true worship is intended to permeate every part of our lives. We ought to have a posture of worship before God at all times, rejoicing, serving, and honoring Him even when we may not feel like it. This obedience is a sacrifice of praise to our great God. Samson chose to dishonor the call of God on his life. He broke every part of his holy vow, doing instead what he selfishly desired. If you have believed in the Lord Jesus, you have been called to holiness and righteous worship. How are you stewarding your call? In what areas (relationships, thought life, habits, attitudes) do you need to grow in holiness as you turn over sinful desires to be ruled by Christ? How is God prompting you to offer up your life as a “living sacrifice”? Write down two clear steps you can take today to move toward growth in your call to holy worship, and ask the Lord to strengthen you in your completion of those steps.

2) The prophet Daniel was upright and devout. He was so righteous that the only accusation his enemies could bring against him was that he worshiped his God above the earthy rulers. Daniel worshiped God when his very life was at stake. He did not know God would close the mouths of the lions around him, he simply honored God as he always had, and God honored him. I don’t know about you, but I have never been threatened with death for worshiping the Lord, yet I have been persuaded to become lax in my worship in exchange for far lesser loves. How are you worshiping the Lord today? How might you continue in steadfast worship to Him? What in your life has been holding you back from worship, and what steps do you need to take to eliminate those hindrances? Do you feel your worship is characterized by habit or whole-heart adoration? Perhaps you could consider paring down your commitments and social engagements, or waking up a bit earlier in the morning to give attention to true worship. It may look like setting up screen time restrictions on your phone or committing to worship God during parts of your day when you would otherwise seek entertainment. Ask God to show you how you can be faithful to worship Him with your whole life.

3) For the Christ-follower, worship is intended as an all-encompassing attitude and way of life. Our words, actions, and every breath should be offered in submission to the God of the universe. The prophet Ezekiel may be best know for the many visions he was given by God, but God also required him to do things before the people that would have been incredibly humiliating. Instead of arguing with God, Ezekiel submitted and did what was required of him. Consider what whole-hearted surrender and obedience to God might look like in your life. Is there an instruction in Scripture you know you ought to obey, but have been hesitant to follow because of how it might look like to people around you? Is there something the Lord has been laying on your heart to do, but you haven’t because of the discomfort or tension it might bring into your life? Are there “rights” you are holding onto that He is asking you to lay down in order to serve Him whole-heartedly? How can you display trust in God through worshiping Him? Seek His face and commit your way to holy obedience. Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you.

Praying Scripture back to the One who wrote it in the first place is a great way to jump start our prayer-life! Pray this passage from Psalm 95:3-6 back to the Lord and
let His Spirit speak to you through it!

For the Lord is a great God,
a great King above all gods.
The depths of the earth are in His hand,
and the mountain peaks are His.
The sea is His; He made it.
His hands formed the dry land.
Come, let’s worship and bow down;
let’s kneel before the Lord our Maker.
For He is our God,
and we are the people of His pasture,
the sheep under His care.

Prayer Journal
Heavenly Father, You are worthy to receive all glory, honor, and power. You are worthy of every praise I could ever offer. You are Creator, Sustainer, and King of all the world, and You allow me to enter into Your presence. My words feel insufficient. My life feels unremarkable. Yet You desire my worship, feeble though it may be. Forgive me for my forgetful heart, for when I want to go my own way instead of surrendering to You. Help me to look to the saints of old who stood steadfast in the midst of trials. Help me to be like Daniel, upright in character and faithful in prayer. Help me to be humble like Ezekiel, willing to sacrifice comfort and reputation to worship You. Help me to live in accordance with Your call to holiness on my life. I surrender my plans to You. Empower me, oh Lord, to live my life as a sacrifice of praise, for I am unable to do so in my own strength.

Worship Through Community

Can we pray for you? Reach Out! We’d love to pray for and with you!
Send us an email at prayer@gracefullytruthful.com

Build community, be transparent, and encourage others:
Share how God spoke to you today!
Comment Here or in our Facebook Community Group!

Worship Through Prayer

Worship Through Music

Worship IX Day 1 The Great Experience

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Read His Words Before Ours!

Romans 12:1-2
Isaiah 6:1-8
Amos 5:18-27
Hebrews 13:15-16
Psalm 51

Worship IX, Day 1

“Let us praise the Lord when we feel like it.”

“True worshipers will worship the Father with great emotion.”

Neither of these statements are Biblically accurate. As I review them, they sound ridiculous. Yet, they reflect how we often approach worship. To gain a better understanding of worship pleasing to God, let’s consider what Scripture says.

“Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of lips that confess His name.” (Hebrews 13:15)
Continually means we don’t stop when times are dark or our hearts are broken. In fact, 1 Thessalonians 5:16 says, “Rejoice always.”

“But an hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and in truth. Yes, the Father wants such people to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in Spirit and in truth.” (John 4:23-24)
The only requirement for worship I see here is “in spirit and in truth.” How many of us know sometimes truth is hard, so worship born out of truth may not feel like “the great experience?”

According to the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the chief end of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Two simple things, right? But Scripture tells us praise is sacrificial. Echoing Hebrews 13:15, Romans 12:1 instructs, “Therefore, brothers and sisters, in view of the mercies of God, I urge you to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God; this is your true worship.” In other words, we should use our bodies to serve and honor God in an act of complete surrender. We should be set apart for Him, dedicated to Him. After all, “Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised.” (Psalm 145:3, ESV)

In the Bible, we learn of Samson, a man dedicated to the Lord as a Nazarite from birth. Samson was one of God’s appointed judges for the Israelites. He could have demonstrated true worship. But Samson was self-absorbed, more into pleasing himself than committed to pleasing God.

He married a Philistine woman against his father’s better judgment because it “seemed right to Samson.” (Judges 14:1-7)
He didn’t tell his parents the honey he gave them came from the carcass of a lion he killed with his bare hands because, again, it seemed right to him to hide his broken vow. (Judges 14:5-9)
He killed thirty Philistines to fulfill a bet with the Philistine men, which was dishonest. (Judges 14:10-20)
He burned up the Philistine crops, vineyards, and olive groves because he thought revenge was the way to go. (Judges 15:1-5)

When Samson fell in love with Delilah, another Philistine woman, he revealed the secret to his great strength (his long uncut hair) because in the moment, stopping her nagging was more important than honoring his vow to God. (Judges 16:1-17)

She then shared that knowledge with her people and they shaved his hair, removing the last remnant of his Nazarite vow. And the Spirit of the Lord left him without him even realizing it. (Judges 16:18-20) Samson was so caught up in what felt right to him that he failed to remain set apart for the Lord. He failed to worship by using his body to serve and honor God, because his focus was not on God.

In the same way, if we get caught up in whether we like a song or not, whether the prayer or sermon “moves” us or not, we’re missing the point and aren’t offering true worship. Instead, we’re chasing our delights versus delighting ourselves in the Lord. Samson was called to devote his life to God. Would that he was more like the prophet Isaiah, who saw a vision of the Lord on His throne with the Seraphim singing, “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Armies; his glory fills the whole earth,” recognized his sinfulness, confessed before the Lord, and then spent the rest of his life in holy service to God.

Samson’s focus on his experience and desires over honoring his Nazarite vow to God reminds me of a passage in Amos chapter 5. Speaking through Amos, God rightfully accuses the Israelites of going through the motions. Yes, they assemble and offer the mandated sacrifices, but what of their hearts’ true intent and desire?
It was toward themselves, not God.

But God is faithful. God gave Samson another chance. While in captivity, “his hair began to grow back.” In chains, Philistines mocking him during their pagan worship service, he prayed for God to give him the strength to avenge his eyes, which they had gouged out. While Samson remained focused on self to the end, God still showed His faithfulness by giving Samson the strength to topple the building. (Judges 16:25-30)

Similarly, we are called to be sacrificial in our worship of the Lord. While Samson struggled to worship God above self for most of his life, in that one moment, he was willing to lay down his life. We might not be asked to die for the Lord, but we are asked to daily die to ourselves, our comfort.

“The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.
You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.” (Psalm 51:17)

Sisters, let us offer our Great God true worship,
a heart humbled before Him
and a life surrendered to Him.

Share your thoughts from today’s Journey Study!
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Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Worship IX Week One! Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme?
Here’s a link to all past studies in Worship IX!

Pause V Day 4 Holiness

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Pause V, Day 4

“Zeal for your house will consume Me.”

We read these words in John 2:17. They were originally spoken by God in Numbers 25:13. The disciples remembered them as Jesus was cleansing the Temple of the crooked money changers and sellers. God’s house, the temple, would not be filled with unholiness on Jesus’ watch. He was determined to purify that which was unclean because of selfish sinfulness.

When Nicodemus came to see Him in the middle of the night, sensing God was certainly at work, Jesus described the only process available for sinful man to be purified and made righteous before God. As with the temple, this holiness is only made possible through Jesus.

“For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Holiness, that rebirth from sin and death into eternal life and the righteousness of God, can only be obtained by trusting in Jesus. (John 14:6) God is so consumed with love for us that He made a way for us unholy people to be made new, whole, and cleansed so that one day we can stand in His Holy Presence as perfectly righteous because of Christ Jesus! (2 Corinthians 5:21)

We are never holy in and of ourselves, but we can have the righteousness of God, through Christ. Have you accepted this gift? If not, I urge you to Read His Words and consider responding to the invitation of John 3:16. For those who have, where is He specifically calling us to deeper surrender in our everyday lives that His righteousness might shine more fully through us?

Today's Challenge

1) Be a scribe and copy the precious words of Scripture down word for word. Make space in your journal to write down John 3-14-21 after you read the full passage of today’s reading in John 2:13-25 and John 3. As you copy, lookup a cross reference or two as you come to them (they are the small letters next to certain words in your study Bible or online at www.biblia.com). As you write, think of the incredible gift it is to be invited into God’s presence through His word!

2) Choose one of these options to walk into more with Jesus as you make the intentional choice to grow with perseverance and determination!
a) Pitch in to do something extra at church. Whether it’s helping with cleanup, opening doors, trimming weeds, or offering to help in a child’s classroom, step up to loving deeper by serving in a new way.
b) October is Pastor Appreciation Month and a note of genuine kindness goes a long way in showing love and giving encouragement. Consider sending your pastor an email or card!
c) Check out some local ministries in your area and make plans to serve with them for an afternoon. Maybe it’s organizing school donations, serving soup, or stuffing backpacks for kids. Even better, get some friends to join you!
d) Prayer walking is a simple way to begin shifting the eyes of your heart to truly see others. Walk around your neighborhood, some city streets, the aisles of your grocery store, or intentionally sit at a local coffee shop and pray, pray, pray. Pray for the people around you, pray for hearts to turn towards Jesus, pray for your own heart to be ready to share the full gospel if given the chance. Don’t worry about seeing results, that’s God’s job!
e) Strike up a conversation with a random stranger. It may move to spiritual topics, it may not, but showing love to those outside our immediate circles always begins with a simple conversation. “What have you been doing today?” “Do you live nearby?” “Where do you go to church?” “What are your favorite local restaurants?” “I love your top! Where did you get it?” These open-ended questions work well!

3) Share the exciting, bold ways you are growing deep today with the rest of the GT Community! Our Facebook community page is always open! Or snap a photo and tag us on Instagram @gracefully_truthful

4) Memorize John 3:20-21

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John 2:13-25

13 The Jewish Passover was near, and so Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple He found people selling oxen, sheep, and doves, and He also found the money changers sitting there. 15 After making a whip out of cords, He drove everyone out of the temple with their sheep and oxen. He also poured out the money changers’ coins and overturned the tables. 16 He told those who were selling doves, “Get these things out of here! Stop turning my Father’s house into a marketplace!”

17 And his disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal for your house will consume Me.
18 So the Jews replied to Him, “What sign will you show us for doing these things?”
19 Jesus answered, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it up in three days.”
20 Therefore the Jews said, “This temple took forty-six years to build, and will you raise it up in three days?”

21 But He was speaking about the temple of His body. 22 So when He was raised from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the statement Jesus had made.

23 While He was in Jerusalem during the Passover Festival, many believed in His name when they saw the signs He was doing. 24 Jesus, however, would not entrust Himself to them, since He knew them all 25 and because He did not need anyone to testify about man; for He himself knew what was in man.

John 3

There was a man from the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 This man came to Him at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God, for no one could perform these signs you do unless God were with Him.”
3 Jesus replied, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born again,
|he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
4 “How can anyone be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked Him.
“Can he enter his mother’s womb a second time and be born?”

5 Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you, unless someone is born of water and the Spirit,
he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 Whatever is born of the flesh is flesh, and whatever is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not be amazed that I told you that you must be born again. 8 The wind blows where it pleases, and you hear its sound, but you don’t know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

9 “How can these things be?” asked Nicodemus.

10 “Are you a teacher of Israel and don’t know these things?” Jesus replied.
11 “Truly I tell you, we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. 12 If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven —the Son of Man.

14 “Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, 15 so that everyone who believes in Him may have eternal life. 16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave His one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. 18 Anyone who believes in Him is not condemned, but anyone who does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the Name of the one and only Son of God.

19 This is the judgment: The light has come into the world, and people loved darkness rather than the light because their deeds were evil. 20 For everyone who does evil hates the light and avoids it, so that his deeds may not be exposed. 21 But anyone who lives by the truth comes to the light, so that His works may be shown to be accomplished by God.”

22 After this, Jesus and His disciples went to the Judean countryside, where He spent time with them and baptized. 23 John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there. People were coming and being baptized, 24 since John had not yet been thrown into prison. 25 Then a dispute arose between John’s disciples and a Jew about purification. 26 So they came to John and told him, “Rabbi, the one you testified about, and who was with you across the Jordan, is baptizing—and everyone is going to Him.”

27 John responded, “No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah, but I’ve been sent ahead of him.’ 29 He who has the bride is the groom. But the groom’s friend, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly at the groom’s voice. So this joy of mine is complete. 30 He must increase, but I must decrease.” 

31 The one who comes from above is above all. The one who is from the earth is earthly and speaks in earthly terms. The one who comes from heaven is above all. 32 He testifies to what he has seen and heard, and yet no one accepts his testimony. 33 The one who has accepted his testimony has affirmed that God is true. 34 For the one whom God sent speaks God’s words, since He gives the Spirit without measure. 35 The Father loves the Son and has given all things into His hands. 36 The one who believes in the Son has eternal life, but the one who rejects the Son will not see life; instead, the wrath of God remains on him.

How Does “Pause” Work?
1. Each day, Monday through Friday, for 3 weeks, we will provide you with a simple challenge. Each challenge is designed for you to engage with the Almighty in a deeper way and perhaps in a new way than you have been recently.

2. Having a journal is a must! You’ll want to take notes as you walk this special Journey of Pause.

3. Each week focuses on one or two passage of Scripture and we walk with you as you study and flesh these out for yourself. As you write your thoughts, read His Word, and pray, questions might come up. That’s Perfect! Ask a trusted fellow believer, a pastor, or send us an email as you work through them!

4. Jumping in at the middle? No problem! Here is the entire Journey Theme.

5. Connect with others on Facebook by visiting our GT Community Group!

Embracing God’s fullness in our lives is rooted in scripture and memorizing His word is vital to our continued growth and depth with Jesus. Tap and hold from your mobile device to download this week’s verse and make it your phone’s lockscreen!

Thanks for joining us today as we journeyed into Pause V Week One!
Don’t miss out on the discussion below – we’d love to hear your thoughts!

Looking for other journeys from this theme? Here’s a link to all past studies
in Pause V!

Ready Day 4 Are You In?: Digging Deeper

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Digging Deeper Days

Finding the original intent of Scripture and making good application to our everyday lives as we become equipped to correctly handle the Word of Truth!

Yesterday’s Journey Study connects with today’s!
Check out Are You In?!

The Questions

1) Why are Paul, Silas, and Timothy thankful for the Thessalonians? (verses 2-3)

2) How did Paul, Silas, and Timothy know God had chosen the Thessalonians? (verses 4-5)

3) How should we respond to persecution? (verses 6-8)

1 Thessalonians 1

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy:
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Grace to you and peace.

2 We always thank God for all of you, making mention of you constantly in our prayers. 3 We recall, in the presence of our God and Father, your work produced by faith, your labor motivated by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with full assurance. You know how we lived among you for your benefit, 6 and you yourselves became imitators of us and of the Lord when, in spite of severe persecution, you welcomed the message with joy from the Holy Spirit. 7 As a result, you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 For the word of the Lord rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out. Therefore, we don’t need to say anything, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception we had from you: how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Original Intent

1) Why are Paul, Silas, and Timothy thankful for the Thessalonians? (verses 2-3)
First Thessalonians begins with Paul’s expression of gratitude for the Thessalonians. Author Chuck Swindoll explains that Paul’s stay in Thessalonica was brief, so he sent Timothy back to discover how they were doing. Although Timothy’s report raised some concerns, Paul was grateful to find them thriving. He declares in 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, we “…always thank God for all of you, making mention of you constantly in our prayers. We recall (…) your work produced by faith, your labor motivated by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” Paul is thankful that their faith in, and love for, God motivated them to work hard and do great things to build His kingdom. They labored to spread the Gospel because they believed Paul’s message. Paul is also grateful for their endurance inspired by hope in Christ. God’s love and His promise of heaven empowered the Thessalonians to endure hardships in order to share the Good News of Christ with others. Author David Guzik observes, “there was an undeniable work of the Holy Spirit and a marvelous change in their lives. The three great Christian virtues were evident among them: faith, love, and hope. . . Therefore, their faith produced work – as is the nature of true faith. Their love produced labor. . . Their hope produced patience, which is the long-suffering endurance needed to not only survive hard times, but to triumph through them.” The Thessalonians loved others because God loved them; it was His great love which spurred them on. Their hope in Jesus enabled them to endure persecution. They knew He died, paying the penalty for their sins, in order to give them eternal life with God. This secure hope of a forever home in the glorious presence of God urged them onward to persevere in their faith. Paul thanked God for how the Thessalonians were growing in their faith and expanding God’s kingdom.

2) How did Paul, Silas, and Timothy know God had chosen the Thessalonians? (verses 4-5)
Paul, Silas and Timothy established the church in Thessalonica. Paul’s first letter to them after their departure celebrates their spiritual growth during their short existence. In 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, Paul tells the church he knows God chose them “because our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with full assurance.” Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament explains how this verse describes an “election of you by God. It is an old word from εκλεγομαι — eklegomai used by Jesus of His choice of the twelve disciples (John 15:16) and by Paul of God‘s eternal selection.” (Ephesians 1:4) Paul encourages the saints that they were chosen by God, which he confidently knows because the Holy Spirit visited them with great power. The Spirit’s presence, and His work through them, evidenced God choosing them. They did not just hear the Word, but they actively responded to God’s call. As a result, the Holy Spirit did mighty work in their lives. John Gill notes that the power of the Holy Spirit was “working and implanting His graces in them, as faith, hope, and love, and every other; and He Himself was received along with it, as the Spirit of illumination and conviction, of regeneration, conversion, and sanctification, and of faith and adoption; all which gave full evidence of their election.” The indication that God had chosen the Thessalonians was the way they allowed God to work in them and through them. When they heard the Good News of the Gospel preached to them by Paul, Silas, and Timothy, they did not receive it as just a nice message. They submitted to the Truth of God’s Word which penetrated their hearts and minds, changing them forever. The power of God was evident in their lives in the way they shared His love with others, even amidst opposition and persecution. Only God could do such things!

3) How should we respond to persecution? (verses 6-8)
In 1 Thessalonians 1:6-8, Paul applauds the Thessalonians because, while they were being persecuted, they imitated Timothy, Silas, and the Lord by welcoming the Good News with joy from the Holy Spirit. Author D. Edmond Hiebert notes, “They actively began to express in their own lives the characteristics of this new life as they observed it in the lives of the missionaries.” Rather than abandoning their new faith, or hiding it to avoid persecution, they surrendered to the Holy Spirit who filled them with joy as they welcomed the life-changing message brought by Paul and his team. By following the example set before them in Paul, the Thessalonians “became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. For the word of the Lord rang out from you, not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out.” (1 Thessalonians 1: 7-8) Despite persecution, the Thessalonians lived out their faith by declaring the Word of the Lord to others. Paul was also no stranger to persecution. He endured beatings, stoning, imprisonment, and more for the Gospel. (2 Corinthians 11:23-28) Paul encouraged their positive reaction to persecution, which was to persevere because of the joy set before them. Author Ray Stedman points out, “These young believers were ostracized at their work, hounded out of their homes, arrested, and put into prison because of their newfound faith. But, says Paul, they had learned to see these afflictions in a new way. They saw them as privileges, given to them for Jesus’ sake. The result was joy!” May we also endure because of the joy set before us and count it a privilege to serve Jesus even in hardships.

Everyday Application

1) Why are Paul, Silas, and Timothy thankful for the Thessalonians? (verses 2-3)
My husband taught Spanish years ago in a small country school. He also coached the boys, including Joe, in football and basketball. Joe was a strong athlete, but a mediocre Spanish student. Years later, my husband ran into Joe and was delighted to learn he had become a Spanish teacher himself! It encouraged my husband to see Joe had mastered the skills he struggled with and was now teaching others. Paul, Timothy and Silas also experienced this same joy and pride when they learned how the new church in Thessalonica was growing and maturing despite the struggles they faced. It would have been easy to give up in the face of hardship, but Paul tells us the Thessalonians worked, labored and endured because of their faith, hope, and love inspired by God. (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3) We are shown how “The work of the Thessalonians was the result of their faith, and just as important was also the evidence that their faith was genuine and not simply an intellectual assent to an emotional, persuasive message to believe. (Preceptaustin.org) The church in Thessalonica continued to love God and do His will, even when obeying Him came at a high personal cost and their inspiring preachers had left town. They were willing to persevere despite struggle because they had experienced God’s love for themselves. They knew His message was true and obeying Him was worth everything. The coming promise of living forever with God in Heaven made it easier to endure hardship on earth. My prayer is that our faith in God will spur us to do good works, just as it did the Thessalonians. God’s love should pour out of us and onto others, motivating us to share the eternal hope we have in Jesus!

2) How did Paul, Silas, and Timothy know God had chosen the Thessalonians? (verses 4-5)
I remember the first time I put pen to paper. I was 6 years old and in possession of a new Hollie Hobby diary. I wrote a few words and then enlisted the help of a scribe (my dad) since my spelling skills were limited. It wasn’t long until I was writing stories, poems, essays and journal entries all on my own as I evidence my love for putting thoughts on paper and creating new worlds of fiction. When you love something so much, there is always evidence to prove it. The church in Thessalonica had much proof of their love for God and His choice of them. Paul points to this evidence in saying, “our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, in the Holy Spirit, and with full assurance”. (1 Thessalonians 1:5) The fact that the Holy Spirit was moving in their lives, empowering them to share the Gospel in many places under severe persecution, was proof that God had chosen the Thessalonian church as His own. Author Charles Simeon notes, “If we find the fruits of the Spirit within us, we know infallibly who the agent is that has produced them; and from such an undeniable evidence of God’s love we may safely conclude that we are elected of Him.” The Thessalonians were obviously chosen by God because they were bearing the fruit of the Spirit in their lives. I want to have even more evidence of God’s work in my life than I have boxes and files that evidence my love of writing. The more we let the Holy Spirit empower our daily interactions with others, the more evidence we will have of His love working through us. 

3) How should we respond to persecution? (verses 6-8)
We all love the storyline where a hero risks his or her life to save another. It is inspiring to see love working as self-sacrifice, putting the needs of others above one’s own. Think of an example you’ve either read about, personally witnessed, or watched on film where the hero sacrifices for someone else. These depictions help us understand how the church in Thessalonica was doing much the same thing. Paul’s letter was meant to encourage the fledgling church to persevere in the face of “severe persecution” for the faith. (1 Thessalonians 1:7) As they were giving themselves up in surrender to Jesus, they held out the hope of eternal life to all those around them. Even though they were being oppressed, their love for God motivated the Thessalonians to keep sharing God’s love and the hope of His salvation, preaching the Word of the Lord “not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but in every place that your faith in God has gone out.” (1 Thessalonians 1:8) The Thessalonians were living like their teachers, Paul, Timothy, and Silas, loving Jesus and His Gospel above all else, and letting it permeate all areas of their lives. They were not just preaching the Gospel, they were living it! And the fact that they were doing so even under great duress made others want this same life-giving source. Preceptaustion.org notes how “The spread of the gospel from Thessalonica was the result of vital Christian living rather than aggressive missionary propaganda. (…) The amazing joy of the Thessalonian believers under affliction has amplified the message of the gospel, causing the reports to spread in all directions.” Our lives should speak of Jesus’ incredible love in all situations, through good times and hard times, drawing those around us to Him, like the Thessalonians exemplified.

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