English Devotion - Changed Lives

1 Thessalonians 1:1-10
Changed Lives

Paul himself founded the church in Thessalonica on his second missionary journey (Acts 17:1-9). 
He was only in the city a short time because he was forced out by enemies of the Gospel. Yet the church of the Thessalonians continued alive and active. Though Paul had to suddenly leave this young church, his deep concern for them prompted this letter.

It was the first he wrote to European Christians, and in it the fundamental things of the Christian life are very clearly set forth. 

He wrote this letter because people there had found the good news about Jesus, and a way to change themselves as they were new believers.

If we have come to Christ, we must see ourselves as primarily new creation in the Lord Jesus Christ, and in God the Father.
Paul is continually thankful in prayer for these believers, for three things: their faith, their love, and their hope.
Faith makes you turn from what is wrong to what is right, from dark and hurtful things to right and true and things. And, especially, faith will turn you from the worship of idols to God.

We know that God has chosen us, and everything starts with God's love for us.
The truth is found in John 3:16: "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son,
It is in the cross that we see the love of God displayed. Paul so states in Romans: "God has commended his love toward us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us," (Romans 5:8).
 
The Spirit of God fills the human spirit, and he begins to minister to our minds and our hearts from within, opening them up to understand these events. 

The gospel came by the Holy Spirit and behind the power was the reality of God himself, his Spirit could touch the human spirit.
 
Although they were going through much pain, hounded out of their homes, arrested, and put into prison for their new-found faith. But Paul says, they had learned to see these afflictions in a new way.

The result was joy, joy inspired by the Holy Spirit.
 
Today we live with the hope just as Jesus promised, "If I go away, I will come again and receive you unto myself," (John 14:3)
Throughout these letters we learn that God has a plan to deliver his own from that "wrath to come." Christians shall have victory even over the approaching crisis of the world.

Though the kingdom of Christ will come when Jesus returns to this earth, yet he is already here with us now. He is leading us, fulfilling us, ministering to us, guarding us, and even now, ruling us.
 
Let’s Pray:
Heavenly Father, thank you for the amazing truth in this little verse of Scripture that by grace through faith we are positioned in God the Father and in our Lord Jesus Christ. Thank You that we are safe in Your hand and that nothing in heaven above or the earth beneath can separate us from you. In Jesus' name we pray, Amen.