We hear a lot about ‘justice’ today, but the harder we try to achieve it, the more we fail! In a world shrouded in sin, Christians look for Jesus’ return. When He comes, His righteous judgment will render rewards and retribution to every person.

One of the joys of parenthood is pride when our kids achieve great success. Paul’s ‘kids’ – believers in Christ in Thessalonica, were a source of pride to him: They stood strong despite persecution. And as a result, they would be ‘counted worthy of the kingdom of God.’

Here We Stand series, part 4, Our ‘Blessed Hope’: Jesus is Coming

Here We Stand series, part 3, Eternal Life is a Gift

Here We Stand series, part 2

Here We Stand series, part 1, The Bible is God’s Word

Paul loved the believers in Thessalonica; he couldn’t return to visit them, so he wrote this letter. He has exhorted and encouraged them; now he ‘farewells’ them with a prayer, a few final thoughts, ending with a reminder for them to never lose sight of God’s grace.

Church leaders are feeling pressure today: Covid-19 affects all of us, and Satan will use it to divide Christians. Elders ‘shepherd the flock of God,’ but as one pastor put it, sheep bite!  How can we keep peace in an angry world? This advice is especially needed in these times.

As he concludes his letter to the church in Thessalonica, Paul gives them practical advice. It’s as good now as it was then. These gems of truth go to the very heart of our spiritual foundation and actions. The closer you look, the more you’ll see.

The Day of the Lord is prophesied in the Old Testament – a time of God’s wrath, and blessing. When does this period of time begin, and how long does it last? How should it affect our lives today?

The Rapture isn’t the Second Coming, but what is it? Is it before the Great Tribulation? What happens when Christians die? What rises at the Rapture? Where do we go after the Rapture? Why is the Rapture a comfort for Christians? Questions…and comfort!

What’s the next event in Bible prophecy? Many theologians today roll end-time prophecies into one big event – the end of the world and Jesus’ second coming. But 1 Thess. 4:13-18 reveals a separate event – not the ‘Second Coming’ – that Christians look forward to.

Bible Text: Easter Sunday | Speaker: Phil Congdon

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times:  Those words from Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities fit our day. Stress brings out the best and the worst in humanity. Paul’s practical advice to Thessalonian Christians is amazingly timely in our COVID-19 world.

Modern sexual mores are viewed as enlightened and new, but they aren’t. First-century pagan culture was rife with sexual perversion. Like those early Christians, we must realize that sexual purity is not man’s idea, but God’s… and it is a key to our spiritual growth.

Paul’s epistles are so upbeat and optimistic, we forget that he faced constant opposition and discouragement in ministry. The Christians in Thessalonica suffered persecution, too, so Paul shared secrets of joy in the midst of trials. These are valuable lessons for us today.

Paul is called the greatest evangelist in church history, and it’s hard to argue the point: 2000 years of the Gentile Church is traced to his ministry! But he knew persecution and disappointment, too. What enabled him to be so effective? He tells us in 1 Thessalonians 2.

The new church at Thessalonica, like every church, had problems. But it also had spiritual qualities for which Paul thanked God. In the first chapter of this letter, the apostle cites five things which stand out in the church – qualities to which we should all aspire!

It’s the early 50s A.D. Jesus’ resurrection occurred less than twenty years earlier, but already churches dot the ancient Roman world. In Thessalonica, a band of Christians faced persecution and questions. Paul writes to encourage and instruct them. 

Time to take one last look at Genesis, where we’ve been, and what it all means. From the dawn of creation, our journey has brought us to the banks of the Nile; Jacob’s children and their families are in a foreign land, but God is enacting His plan to rescue the world.

Scripture says that ‘it is appointed unto men once to die’ – but how we die, and how we face death, reflects the reality of our faith. The final scenes in Genesis recount the deaths of Jacob and Joseph, and demonstrate their faith in God and His promises, at the end of life.

While Genesis reveals God as being patient and faithful, He is also holy and just. In Gen. 49, Jacob gathers his sons to tell their futures, both good and bad, based on how they lived their lives. The lesson for Christians today is transparent: What you do now matters!

Aren’t you glad God is patient? We are fickle, and often fail, but He is faithful! Jacob fought with God for much of his life, but God never gave up on him, and in his last days, God won his heart. He showed he had learned to trust God – a life lesson we all need to learn.

While God’s plan cannot be thwarted by the sinful actions of men, it is magnified when combined with the wise leadership of godly men. Joseph is ‘Exhibit A’ of this truth, both with his family, and with the Egyptians. Happy is the man who finds wisdom (Proverbs 3:13)!

God keeps His word!   He told Abraham his descendants would go to a foreign land, and now they are traveling to Egypt. On the way, He reminds Jacob that He will make them a great nation, but little could Jacob have known then how! God’s providential power is on display.

The tension that has been building since Joseph’s brothers first came to Egypt is released as he reveals who he is! They are frightened, but need not be: Joseph sees God’s sovereign hand at work, preserving a nation, and restoring a family. This is what God can do!

Twenty years after being sold by his brothers, Joseph is ruling Egypt. Not knowing it is him, they stand before him in need of food. Have their hearts changed? The tension reaches a fever pitch as Joseph instigates a test to determine if their spiritual transformation is real.

What God Wants to Give You for Christmas… A Gift That Keeps on Giving… Forever

What God Wants to Give You for Christmas: A Star to Follow

What God wants to give you for Christmas – Peace on Earth

This is a time to reflect thanksgiving and praise to God and each other. 

The famine forces Joseph’s brothers back to Egypt for a second time. God awakened their guilt the first trip; now, spiritual transformation is exhibited in selfless behavior. The wintry chill of guilt melts into the spring of concern for others, confession, and peace.

The Awakening of Conscience – Hunger is a great motivator, and in Genesis 42, God uses it to draw Joseph’s brothers to Egypt. There, God uses Joseph to expose their spiritual guilt. Admitting their sin was the first step in transforming this dysfunctional family into a godly nation.

Living as a Christian in the world can feel like a fish out of water! We are aliens and strangers, but greater is He who is in you than he who is in the world! God is preparing us for service in a hostile environment, we just don’t know how or when. So be ready!

There are many ‘prisons’ in life, often hidden from view. Spiritual prisons are worse than physical ones. We cry out for God to deliver us, but sometimes it seems He has forgotten us. God doesn’t do that. He’ll never forsake you. As you dream, never stop trusting in God!

Love one another. As I have loved you.  One another is used in the bible numerous times. Let’s dig in to some of them.

As Genesis 39 opens, Joseph is in slavery in Egypt. That’s bad, but he’s about to go from the frying pan into the fire!

James 4.17 says, “To one who knows the right thing to do and does not do it, to him it is sin.” God’s perspective on sin, and His ability to sovereignly bring good out of a corrupt situation, is on display in our passage today – the scandalous story of Judah and Tamar.

That’s our story today: Joseph heads straight into a predictable disaster! He escapes death, but is sold into slavery. This leads to lies, and his father’s grief. But God has a hand in it all.

The final section of Genesis, the toledot of Jacob, begins abruptly in Genesis 37 with the revelation of a dysfunctional family. Emotions run hot, and divisions run deep. There are hints of what is to come, and behind the scenes, the hand of God is guiding it all.

The Epistle of Philippians is a favorite for many Christians because it oozes with optimism!  Against all odds, Paul sees a ‘silver lining’ to the ‘dark clouds’ of spiritual opposition surrounding him. What ‘lessons for life’ can we apply in our lives this coming year?

For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. This doxology at the end of the Disciple’s Prayer declares that God is God, and we are not! He is omnipotent, eternal, glorious King of the universe! These words express our submission to Him.

The last request in the Disciple’s Prayer has troubled Christians for centuries: Does God ‘lead us into temptation’? What is Jesus telling us to ask for? The answer to those questions reveals that God knows the dangers of testing, and wants us to have victory over sin.

Jesus instructed His disciples to pray, ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.’  This is the only mention in this prayer our action – how we have forgiven others.  How much have you forgiven others? How much do you need forgiveness?

Jesus tells us to ask for forgiveness: Why? Because our spiritual position doesn’t guarantee our spiritual condition. A disciple of Jesus has eternal life by faith; that’s his position. But fellowship with God requires ongoing forgiveness of sin; that’s our condition.

“Give us this day our daily bread…” Those familiar words from the Disciple’s Prayer have been often misconstrued in our materialistic world. A closer look reveals that disciples recognize their dependence on God for each day’s needs, and trust in Him completely.

“Your Kingdom come.” This brief request in the Disciple’s Prayer is significant for our lives today and points with hope to the future. Yet many Christians rarely think of this kingdom. What are we missing? The culmination of God’s plan – and motivation for life right now!

Prayer was important to Jesus. He spent time in prayer, exhorted His disciples to pray, and taught about prayer. Prayer is important to us too. This summer we’ll focus on Jesus’ prayer in the Sermon on the Mount – The Lord’s Prayer, but really a disciple’s prayer. But first let’s hear Jesus’ do’s and don’ts for when you pray.

It may seem crazy, but the best investment a Christian can make by far is to give of time, talent, and treasure to the Lord. To be a giver reflects the heart of Christ. Where your treasure is, there your heart is. Have you made a conscious decision to give to the Lord?

Genesis 36 is a tiresome and seemingly useless list of Esau’s family tree…but it tells a story. Esau conquered the land of Edom; his sons and grandsons are prosperous and powerful. In contrast, Jacob is in Canaan, going nowhere. Why? What lessons are there for us here?