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This post is for the members of Bowling Green Christian Church who are journeying  me this week through Haggai and 1 Thessalonians.  I am including my thoughts here not as a proof or model but a primer – something to get you going in study.  If you are looking for the introduction to this journey and need the Bible study instructions please click here.

Prayer – Lord as I come to this text I pray that I would be empty of myself.  Forgive my sins, heal my thoughts and fill my with your Holy Spirit as I read you word.

Reading – 1 Thessalonians 3

Meditate/Memorize – After a time of contiued prayer and careful reading the verse that stayed with me was 1 Thessalonians 3:13,

“And may he so strengthen your hearts in holiness that you may be blameless before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.”

When I think of the heart I think of love and desire – not righteousness.  Righteousness to me is a code of conduct, actions, something controlled by right decisions – my brain not my heart.  Paul here prays for the Thessalonians that their hearts would be strengthened in righteousness.  What he is praying for is that they would love righteousness and desire righteousness in their deepest being.  Paul knows that when we desire righteousness in our deepest being right actions will follow.

Live It Out –

Lord you alone know that my desires are not always after you and that my heart desires things that offend you.  I can’t transform my desires, but I ask that you would transform me, strengthen my heart by your righteousness.  Today would I see sin the way that you see sin, would I see people the way that you see people and in seeing things as you do would you transform my heart to make it more like yours.

This post is for the members of Bowling Green Christian Church who are journeying  me this week through Haggai and 1 Thessalonians.  I am including my thoughts here not as a proof or model but a primer – something to get you going in study.  If you are looking for the introduction to this journey and need the Bible study instructions please click here.

Prayer – Lord as I come to this text I pray that I would be empty of myself.  Forgive my sins, heal my thoughts and fill my with your Holy Spirit as I read you word.

Reading – 1 Thessalonians 2

Meditate/Memorize – After a time of contiued prayer and careful reading the verse the stuck with me was 1 Thessalonians 1:8:

“So deeply do we care for you that we are determined to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves.” – 1 Thessalonians 2:8a

I’m moved by this verse and the example of Paul.  He wasn’t content to just teach but share his life with the church in Thessalonica. Just today someone came to the office, a stranger in need and I held him at arm’s length.  God please help me to lower my guard and allow your grace to flow out.

Live It Out – I pray that I would allow God to use me, not just his word in scripture but his word spoken in and through me.  I pray that my life would be surrendered to his will and the needs of those around me.

This post is for the members of Bowling Green Christian Church who are journeying  me this week through Haggai and 1 Thessalonians.  I am including my thoughts here not as a proof or model but a primer – something to get you going in study.  If you are looking for the introduction to this journey and need the Bible study instructions please click here.

Prayer – Lord as I come to this text I pray that I would be empty of myself.  Forgive my sins, heal my thoughts and fill my with your Holy Spirit as I read you word.

Reading – 1 Thessalonians 1

Meditate/Memorize – After a time of contiued prayer and careful reading the verse that continued to remain with me was 1 Thessalonians 1:5-6:

“Because our message of the gospel came to you not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction; just as you know what kind of persons we proved to be among you for your sake. ⁶ And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for in spite of persecution you received the word with joy inspired by the Holy Spirit,“

How easy it is to be a Christian in America today, free from the persecution of the Paul’s day!  I almost feel like an anemic believer when I read these passages.  I almost feel defeated, after all if Paul’s faith was so bold in such a difficult time why is mine so weak in a time of peace?  This is a real struggle.  I pray that my life would be an example to others – especially my children.  Unfortunately, too many times I ask for forgiveness for my actions than point to them as an example.  Yet, I’m left with some hope, verse 10b which says, “Wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead – Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath that is coming.”  I’m so thankful to have Jesus, he rescues me from the Father’s wrath and my own.

Live It Out – Help me to live like your Son, may I watch my own life the way that my children do so that I might be an example to all.

This post is for the members of Bowling Green Christian Church who are journeying  me this week through Haggai and 1 Thessalonians.  I am including my thoughts here not as a proof or model but a primer – something to get you going in study.  If you are looking for the introduction to this journey and need the Bible study instructions please click here.

Prayer – Lord as I come to this text I pray that I would be empty of myself.  Forgive my sins, heal my thoughts and fill my with your Holy Spirit as I read you word.

Reading - Haggai 2

Meditate/Memorize – After a time of contiued prayer and careful reading the verse that continued to remain with me was the contrast between Haggai 2:3 and Haggai 2:9 which read:

Who is left among you that saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Is it not in your sight as nothing? – Haggai 2:3, NRSV

The latter splendor of this house shall be greater than the former, says the Lord of hosts; and in this place I will give prosperity, says the Lord of hosts. – Haggai 2:9, NRSV

This passage gives me great hope, because even when what I build is not enough or even broken and shoddy, the Lord takes it and prospers it.  My good doesn’t have to be good enough, it just has to be God’s and he’ll make it great.  Lord, help me with my own expectations may I expect more of you than I do from myself, may I see that you are the great God and I am only your servant.

Live It Out –

Instead of trying harder on being good enough for God, I need to surrender and live a life of surrender to him.

Lord, help me to take pause in planning and doing to remain surrendered to you for your glory.  Help me to not get in the way of you working great things in my life.