1 Thessalonians 3:12-13

                                             increase in love

                Paul’s hope and prayer is that the Lord will work so as to cause the Thessalonians to increase and abound in love to one another.  Why?       ______________________________________________________________ 

So that our hearts will become established in His goodness and holiness—so that we will not be ashamed when we are face to face with Jesus.  Does Paul’s prayer cover it in such a way that the Thessalonians don’t really have to do anything except sit back and watch God cause their love to increase?  The Scriptures put way too much responsibility on us to think it is an entirely passive experience.  How does this increase come about?  ______________________________________________________________

                It is often in the context of relationships that we see God’s goodness reflected.  It is also in the context of relationships that we recognize our own weaknesses, and the weaknesses of others.  In the context of relationships we discover not only the sins and faults of others, but our own as well.  Relationships can reflect what is deep in the heart, and hard relationships sometimes reveal the most!

                Choosing to grow in love means at least three things:

1.        Confronting sin in my own heart

2.       Sacrificing my selfish interests and desires for the sake of others

3.       Putting off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to deceitful lusts, and being renewed in the spirit of your mind, and putting on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Eph. 4:22-24)

How, specifically can we do these things and increase in love?  Asking ourselves a few questions is a great way to get started:

1.        Are there things in my life that are preventing me from loving God and others well?  --Do I want to grow enough that I will address those things?

2.       What is the loving thing to do (in a particular situation)?

3.       How can I best love God in this situation?

4.       How can I best love others in this situation?

We grow in love in the context of relationship, with the elements of need and time:  work, play, trials, suffering, rejoicing, … We will not be truly established as blameless and holy in Christ without an increase and abounding experience of his love in and through us.  Are we willing to cooperate with the Holy Spirit so that our love will increase and abound?

Read and Pray:   Psalm 119:9, Philippians 1:9-11, 1 Peter 1:22 & 3:8-9, Colossian 3:12-14

               

1 Thessalonians 3:11

                                            being directed

In verse 11 Paul says, “Now may our God and Father Himself, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you.”  Paul is not demanding God to take him where he wants to go, nor is he planning to force his own will in regard to his own whereabouts.  He uses the word,  “may”,  implying a prayer and hope, but it is not a demand nor does it carry with it an absolute guarantee.  This is a good reminder to hold our plans lightly, trusting that if things don’t turn out as we currently desire, God is still at work in our lives and in our situations.

I believe there is another subtle message in this verse that has to do with God’s relationship to our situation.  Read the verse again and then answer the question, “Is God more like the ‘Grand Watchmaker who plans and designs the world then sits back and lets it roll’ (as the Deists claim), or is He more like the ‘loving Father intimately involved in our lives’?”  Paul apparently has a clear opinion on this—our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus Christ—directs our way!  He cares about where we are and what we do!

But how does God direct us?  Through circumstances?  Other people?  Our own desires?  He may sometimes use any of these, but we must remember these can all be used to influence us for good or for evil.  Scripture, if we are willing to take it in its entirety, will consistently influence us for our own good as well as the good of others.  It may not tell us specifically where to go, or when, but it will tell us  1) what is of true value, and 2) how to move forward with a right attitude and a pure heart.

Most Christians will say that they want God to direct their ways.  And most Christians probably also have a preference about where they end up.  The real question, I believe, is will we submit our desires to the scrutiny of the  Bible, and will we trust God with the outcome even if it is not what we necessarily hoped for at the outset.   I personally, could use continued growth in learning to follow His direction.  How about you?

 I think the first step is humility in understanding that I don’t necessarily see the whole picture.  The second is learning to watch for and listen to God as He guides and directs in a variety of ways –all of which should line up with scripture.  And finally, to trust that He has our very best interests in mind.

Read and Pray:   Proverbs 16:9, Isaiah 58:9-14, Jeremiah 29:11-13

1 Thessalonians 3:6-10

                           comfort and joy

            Where do you usually seek and find comfort?  ___________________________________________________________________________________________

                Where do you usually go for inspiration?

___________________________________________________________________________________________

                Have you ever pondered how dependent human beings are upon one another?  I suppose this might best be seen in the city where various people do various jobs, everyone reliant on some others for food, water, electricity, clothing, shelter.  Why is it that we accept a physical dependence and inter-connectedness, but sometimes act as if this is not the case emotionally and spiritually?

                Jesus was clear on the point of relationship:  love others as yourself, be in fellowship with, in and through Jesus, and the result is an awesome unity.   Unfortunately, a spirit of independence is strong in our culture, and seems to have crept into the church.  This attitude is contrary to our maturing in Christ.

                I love the way this passage displays the importance of relationships.  Paul, a “strong Christian”, is in need of encouragement.  He has a real and transparent relationship—even with those he mentors—and he recognizes the mutual encouragement and benefit that results from the relationship.  His focus is not on the choking, pressing cares of life, nor upon the potentially crushing troubles that face him.  His focus is on the goodness of God, and on how that goodness can be seen in other believers.

                Can you see the goodness of God at work in the lives of your friends and family?  How so?  ______________________________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

If you cannot see this goodnesst, is it because God is not at work in them, or because you are focusing on the negative aspects, or because you just really cannot see anything reflective of His hand in their life? ______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

If it is the latter, what happens to your perspective if you take into consideration the fact that God does use trials and affliction, as well as His goodness, to draw people to Himself? ____________________________________________________

                Now is a great time to recognize God’s wonderful work in you, and in others.  Be encouraged and comforted as you note those who are seeking God, crying out to Him, loving Him, serving Him.  Be encouraged that you and me, even with all our failings and imperfections, are being used to help teach, train, encourage and bring to maturity other believers.  God is that big, and that able.  The Lord can and does use all things to work together for good to those who love Him and are brought to life by His calling to them.

Read and Pray:   Romans 8:15-21, 2 Corinthians 1:2-7, 2 Corinthians 13:11