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1 Thessalonians 2 Devotional – Day 5

By January 14, 2022Daily Devotional

ADORATION – Reflect on God’s Greatness

GOD IS OMNISCIENT Elihu says that God is the one “who is perfect in knowledge” (Job 37:16), and John says that God “knows everything” (1 John 3:20). The quality of knowing everything is called omniscience, and because God knows everything, he is said to be omniscient (that is, “all-knowing”).

Here are a few examples of God’s limitless knowledge as portrayed in Scripture:

    • He knows when we sit, when we rise, and what we think (Psalm 139:1–2)
    • He knows words we will say before we speak them (Psalm 139:4)
    • He knows the days of our lives before we are born (Psalm 139:16)
    • He knows every possible future (1 Samuel 23:11–13)

Praise God Because He is Omniscient
Praise God that He sees everyday and every moment of your life. Praise God that He knows every place you have ever been. Praise God that He knows all without striving to know. He knows because He IS omniscient not because He works to gain knowledge as we do.

CONFESSION: Confess your sins to God and receive his continued mercy.

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9

THANKSGIVING: Giving thanks to God for his specific blessings in our lives.

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Know that the Lord is God. It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, the sheep of his pasture. Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.” Psalm 100

SUPPLICATION: Bringing our requests to God.

  • Bring your personal prayer requests to God.
  • Pray for unchurched friends. Ask God to give you opportunities to have gospel conversations with those who do not know Him.

SCRIPTURE READING:

1 Thessalonians 2 – Christian Standard Bible
Paul’s Conduct
For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visit with you was not without result. 2 On the contrary, after we had previously suffered and were treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, we were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition. 3 For our exhortation didn’t come from error or impurity or an intent to deceive. 4 Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather God, who examines our hearts. 5 For we never used flattering speech, as you know, or had greedy motives—God is our witness— 6 and we didn’t seek glory from people, either from you or from others. 7 Although we could have been a burden as Christ’s apostles, instead we were gentle among you, as a nurse nurtures her own children. 8 We cared so much for you that we were pleased to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us. 9 For you remember our labor and hardship, brothers and sisters. Working night and day so that we would not burden any of you, we preached God’s gospel to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how devoutly, righteously, and blamelessly we conducted ourselves with you believers. 11 As you know, like a father with his own children, 12 we encouraged, comforted, and implored each one of you to walk worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

Reception and Opposition to the Message
13 This is why we constantly thank God, because when you received the word of God that you heard from us, you welcomed it not as a human message, but as it truly is, the word of God, which also works effectively in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea, since you have also suffered the same things from people of your own country, just as they did from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and persecuted us. They displease God and are hostile to everyone, 16 by keeping us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. As a result, they are constantly filling up their sins to the limit, and wrath has overtaken them at last.

Paul’s Desire to See Them
17 But as for us, brothers and sisters, after we were forced to leave you for a short time (in person, not in heart), we greatly desired and made every effort to return and see you face to face. 18 So we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For who is our hope or joy or crown of boasting in the presence of our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 Indeed you are our glory and joy!

The Christian Standard Bible. Copyright © 2017 by Holman Bible Publishers. Used by permission. Christian Standard Bible®, and CSB® are federally registered trademarks of Holman Bible Publishers, all rights reserved.

SCRIPTURE REFLECTION:
Do you have a vision for investing your life in others? Does this vision make it onto your calendar? There are several barriers to investing our lives in others. One is to make it overly complicated. We can feel like we need to do elaborate preparation or planning. We can believe that we need to be far advanced in our faith and people skills. We can feel like others expect us to be nearly perfect or that others will “see” through us. It can be difficult to invest in others but it need not be complex. Spend time with Jesus. Spend time with people. Do both of them consistently. Do both of them intentionally. Over time you will become a skilled and passionate investor in people. When you get a heart for Jesus you will also get a heart for people. When you have a heart for people you will spend time with people. What is in your heart shows up in your words AND on your calendar.

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