Paul an Example 1 Thessalonians 2 Devotion

 1 Thessalonians Chapter 2

 For you yourselves know, brothers, that our coming to you was not in vain. ² But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict. ³ For our appeal does not spring from error or impurity or any attempt to deceive, ⁴ but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts. ⁵ For we never came with words of flattery, as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—God is witness. ⁶ Nor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, though we could have made demands as apostles of Christ. ⁷ But we were gentle among you, like a nursing mother taking care of her own children. ⁸ So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.

⁹ For you remember, brothers, our labor and toil: we worked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. ¹⁰ You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our conduct toward you believers. ¹¹ For you know how, like a father with his children, ¹² we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.

¹³ And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. ¹⁴ For you, brothers, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. For you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, ¹⁵ who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all mankind ¹⁶ by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they might be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But wrath has come upon them at last!

¹⁷ But since we were torn away from you, brothers, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face, ¹⁸ because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. ¹⁹ For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? ²⁰ For you are our glory and joy.

1 Thessalonians 2 copied from Bible Gateway.

As I was reading through this chapter several things stood out to me that every Christian should take note of.  

The Bible says that God has given us a ministry of reconciling the world to Christ.  1Corinthians 5:11-21 (18-21)

Paul is an example to us of how a Christian should conduct him or her self.  We are an example of Jesus to the world, so we should be acting like Him.  We need to lay aside fightings, and quarrelings.  People don't always agree and we need to get used to that.  Our job as Christians––Christ Followers–––is to 1) live in peace with all people as much as possible Romans 12:18, and 2) "Holding forth the Word of Life..." to those who have not heard about Jesus, or don't understand about being Born Again.  We need to encourage and up-lift others.

Let's look at Paul in 1 Thessalonians Chapter2.  We will just look at selective verses:

Verse 2)  He said:  ....we had boldness in our God to declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much conflict...."

He was BOLD and did not quit when hard times or conflict came along.  There are angry people in the world and unfortunately amongst Christians as well.  But we need to be bold in what the Lord has told us to do and say.

Verse 4)  ...So we speak not to please man, but to please God, Who tests our hearts."

Paul only sought to please the Lord in his actions and speech.  He wasn't trying to impress any one:  not his friends, not the rich, no one but God was he wanting to please and bring glory to.

The word "tests" in this verse means to:  "approve, examine, and interpret".  God examines and interprets our motives.  He knows if we are wanting to please Him or impress someone else.

Verse 6-8)   He did not make demands on the people for money or support.  He said he could have but he didn't.  He was gentle "like a nursing mother taking care of her children".  He was ready to share the gospel and his very soul with them because the people had become very dear to him.

It is important to see people the way God sees them.  He sent His one and only Son, Jesus, and Jesus was willing to come and to pay that incredible price for all our sin.  God does not want anyone lost to the devil.  He goes to great lengths to rescue people out of the hand of the enemy.  And we must be apart of that rescue.

Verse 10)  Paul was holy, righteous, and blameless.

We MUST NOT give in to worldly pleasures that are not really, truly pleasures, but will cost us dearly.  Just because other people may not know what you are doing, saying in private, or thinking doesn't mean God, Himself doesn't know.  You need to know that He DOES know all those things.  He knows us more than we know ourselves.  We need to repent where we need to and live wholly for the Lord.  It DOES matter, because people will see through all the facade.  They don't need fake.  They have had enough fake.  They need the Truth and the Word of God is Truth.  We need to present the Truth to them by living it, thinking it and speaking it.

Verse 11) Paul acted like a father to the people he was ministering to.  He said he "exhorted each of you, and encouraged you, and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, Who calls you unto His own kingdom and glory."

Always exhort, encourage and call people to walk with the Lord.  Nothing else matters.

I want to encourage all of you to be as Paul.  Walk worthy of the vocation God has called you to.  Repent where you need to and go and share the gospel.  People need yours and my help.  Jesus is coming soon.  Be working for Him!