Pastor Mike Impact Ministries

Welcometo Pastor’s Chat. Today we continue our journey through 2 Thessalonians chapter2, looking at verses 9 and 10. Yesterday we saw that the coming lawless one,whom I believe to be the Antichrist, will ultimately be destroyed by the LordJesus Christ at His coming. But before Paul tells us more about hisdestruction, he tells us something about the source of his power. Verse 9 saysthat the coming of the lawless one will be: “according to the working ofSatan.” That tells us immediately who is behind him. The Antichristwill be Satan's counterfeit Christ.

AndPaul says his coming will be accompanied by “power, signs, and lyingwonders.” That is very important. We sometimes assume that if somethingsupernatural happens, it must be from God. But the Bible warns us that Satan isa deceiver. Not every miracle proves that the person performing it representsGod. Not every supernatural manifestation comes from God. Our standard mustalways be: What does the Word of God say?

Paulcalls these things “lying wonders.” The wonder may appear real,but it is being used to promote a lie. Satan has always been a counterfeiter. Godhas truth. Satan has lies. God has Christ. Satan will present Antichrist. Godhas His children. Satan has those who follow him. God performs signs andwonders. Satan will have his counterfeit signs and lying wonders. That is whyspiritual discernment is so important.

Butthen Paul tells us why people will be deceived. And I believe this is the mostimportant statement in these verses. Verse 10 says they perish: “becausethey did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” Noticethat Paul doesn't merely say they didn't know the truth. He says theydidn't love the truth. There is a tremendous difference between knowingsomething about the Bible and loving the truth of God's Word. A person can knowBible stories. A person can attend church. A person can know the plan ofsalvation. A person can even agree intellectually that Jesus lived, died on thecross, and rose again. But salvation involves personally receiving the truth ofthe Gospel and receiving Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord.

Jesussaid in John 14:6: “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” Ultimately,receiving the truth means receiving Jesus. Years ago, I heard someonesay: “The same sun that melts the wax hardens the clay.” The differenceisn't in the sun. The difference is in what is exposed to it. And the same istrue of God's truth. When we hear God's Word and respond to it with faith, itchanges us. But when we continually hear God's truth and reject it, our heartscan become hardened. That's why whenever God speaks to our hearts, we shouldrespond.

Maybeyou've heard the Gospel hundreds of times. You know John 3:16. You know Jesusdied for your sins. You know He rose again. But the important question is: Haveyou personally received Him? Paul says these people did not receive thelove of the truth “that they might be saved.” God wants people tobe saved. Jesus went to the cross so that we could be saved. The Gospel isstill being proclaimed today so people can be saved. And that is why we shouldshare it while we have opportunity.

Myfriend, don't simply admire the truth. Don't merely study the truth. Don't justlisten to the truth. Receive the truth. Believe the truth. Love the truth. Andmost importantly, receive the One Who said: “I am…the truth.”

Let'spray. Father, thank You for giving us the truth of Your Word and the truth ofthe Gospel. Protect us from deception and give us spiritual discernment. May wenot merely know Your truth intellectually, but love it, believe it, obey it,and share it with others. And if someone listening today has never personallyreceived Jesus Christ, may today be the day they place their faith in Him andare saved. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Today we continue our study of 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, andwe're going to focus primarily on verse 8. In the previous verses, Paul hasbeen describing a coming world ruler whom he calls “the man of sin,” “the sonof perdition,” and now in verse 8, “the lawless one.”

Fora period of time, which I personally believe will be in the 7 Year Tribulationafter the rapture of the church, this man will exercise tremendous power andinfluence. The world will look at him and see someone who seems unstoppable. ButPaul doesn't leave us wondering how the story ends. Listen to the rest of verse8: “whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroywith the brightness of His coming.” I love that! After everything Paulhas said about this man of sin, we might expect some enormous battle betweentwo equally powerful forces. But that's not what Paul describes. The Antichristmay appear powerful to the world. But he is no match for Jesus Christ.

Paulsays the Lord will “consume” him with the breath of His mouth. Thinkabout that. Jesus doesn't need an army to defeat him. He doesn't need somesophisticated weapon. He simply speaks. And it's over. That reminds me of howthe Bible begins. Genesis 1 says: “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’;and there was light.” God spoke creation into existence. Psalm 33 says:“By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and all the host of themby the breath of His mouth.” The God Who spoke this universe intoexistence certainly has no difficulty defeating the forces of evil.

AndRevelation 19 gives us another picture of this same glorious victory. John seesJesus returning from heaven as the King of kings and Lord of lords. The armiesof the world gather against Him. The beast and the false prophet stand inopposition to Him. But there is never any question about the outcome. Jesuswins. And my friend, that's something Christians need to remember today. Sometimeswe look at our world and become discouraged. We see evil seemingly increasing. Wesee people rejecting God. We see biblical truth mocked. We see injustice. Wesee wars and violence. And sometimes we wonder: “Where is all of thisheaded?”

TheBible tells us. It's headed toward the return and ultimate triumph of JesusChrist. Evil will not have the last word. Satan will not have the lastword. The Antichrist will not have the last word. Jesus will have the lastword. Paul says the Lord will destroy the lawless one with “thebrightness of His coming.” I love that expression. Think about thecontrast. The Bible describes this present world as being under the influenceof spiritual darkness. But when Jesus appears, darkness cannot remain. Youdon't have to fight darkness. You simply turn on the light. And when the Lightof the world, Jesus Christ, appears in His glory, the kingdom of darkness willfall before Him.

Thereis another truth here that I think is important. The word translated “coming”is the Greek word parousia. It speaks of an arrival or presence. Thesame word was used back in verse 1 when Paul spoke about “the coming ofour Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus really is coming again. His first comingwas in humility. His second coming will be in glory. The first time He came, Hewas wrapped in swaddling clothes. When He comes in glory, Revelation picturesHim clothed with majesty and authority. The first time He came, He was placedin a manger. When He comes again, He comes as King of kings and Lord oflords. The first time He came, men placed a crown of thorns upon His head. WhenHe comes again, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that JesusChrist is Lord.

Andthere's an important encouragement here for us today. We don't have to waituntil that future day to recognize His authority. We can bow before Him now.We can acknowledge Him as Lord today. We can surrender our lives to Himtoday. And we can live every day with the confidence that our King is coming.

Inverse 5 he asks: “Do you not remember that when I was still with you Itold you these things?” I find that verse interesting. Remember, Paulhad not spent years with these believers. His time in Thessalonica had beenrelatively brief. Yet while he was there, he taught them about the return ofChrist and the prophetic events surrounding it. That tells me that Bibleprophecy isn't something we should ignore. Some people say, “Prophecy is toocomplicated. Let's just talk about practical Christian living.” But Paulapparently didn't separate the two. He taught new believers about the return ofJesus. And when properly understood, prophecy is very practical. If I believeJesus could come again, it should affect the way I live today. It should affectmy priorities. It should affect how I use my time. It should affect how I treatpeople. It should affect my desire to share the Gospel. And it should cause meto live with my eyes toward heaven.

ThenPaul says in verse 6: “And now you know what is restraining, that he maybe revealed in his own time.” That word “restraining” isvery important. Something—or Someone—is presently holding back the fullmanifestation of evil and preventing this “man of sin” from being revealedbefore God's appointed time. Notice those final words: “In his own time.”The Antichrist cannot simply appear whenever Satan chooses. Satan isnot controlling the prophetic calendar. God is.

ThenPaul says in verse 7: “For the mystery of lawlessness is already atwork.” Paul wrote those words nearly two thousand years ago. Lawlessnesswas already working in Paul's day. And it is still working today. The spirit ofrebellion against God has been present throughout human history. John expressedsomething similar when he wrote in 1 John 2:18 that many antichrists hadalready come. The final Antichrist had not yet appeared, but the spirit ofopposition to Christ was already operating in the world. We certainly don'thave to look very far to see that spirit today.

ButPaul says something is restraining it. And then he makes this remarkablestatement: “Only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out ofthe way.” Now we come to a question Bible students have discussed forcenturies: Who is the Restrainer? Paul doesn't specifically identify Himhere. There have been several interpretations. But I personally believe Paul isspeaking of the restraining ministry of the Holy Spirit working through theChurch. Think about what Jesus said to His followers. He said: “Youare the salt of the earth.” Salt in the ancient world was used as apreservative. It slowed corruption. Jesus also said: “You are the lightof the world.” Light pushes back darkness. Everywhere genuine believerslive for Jesus Christ, preach the Gospel, pray, stand for truth, anddemonstrate the love and righteousness of Christ, there is a restraininginfluence against evil. Not because we possess that power ourselves. It isbecause the Holy Spirit lives within us.

AndI believe there is coming a day when the Church will be caught up to meet theLord in the air. When that happens, the Holy Spirit's present restrainingministry through the Church will be removed, allowing the man of sin tobe revealed in God's appointed time. Now, that does not mean that theHoly Spirit will cease to exist or cease working on the earth. God the HolySpirit is omnipresent. He was working in the world before the Church began atPentecost, and He will continue working according to God's purposes. Whatchanges is His particular restraining ministry through the Church.

Sometimeswe look around at our world and become discouraged. We see evil. We seeviolence. We see immorality. We see people rejecting biblical truth. And wemight wonder: “What difference can one Christian possibly make?” Morethan you think. Jesus didn't ask us to remove all the darkness. He told us to shinein it. He didn't ask us to stop all the corruption. He told us to be salt.

When it comes to Bible prophecy, therehas always been the danger of deception and speculation. Through the yearspeople have predicted dates for the return of Christ. Others have confidentlyidentified particular individuals as the Antichrist.

ButPaul says: “Let no one deceive you.” Our confidence must alwaysrest in what God has revealed in His Word. Paul goes on to say that the Daywill not come unless there first comes what the New King James Version calls “thefalling away,” and: “the man of sin is revealed, the son ofperdition.” The expression “falling away” comes from the Greekword apostasia. It carries the idea of a departure or rebellion. ManyBible students understand Paul to be describing a great end-time spiritualrebellion against God. Then Paul introduces one of the major personalities ofBible prophecy: “The man of sin…the son of perdition.”

Ibelieve Paul is speaking here of the individual we commonly call theAntichrist. The Bible gives this coming world ruler several names anddescriptions. Daniel speaks of a coming ruler who will make a covenant andlater break it. John describes the Beast in Revelation 13. First John tells usabout the coming Antichrist. And here Paul calls him: “The man of sin” and“the son of perdition.” The word perdition carries the idea ofdestruction or ruin. Interestingly, there is only one other person in the NewTestament whom Jesus specifically calls “the son of perdition.” That wasJudas Iscariot in John 17:12. Judas appeared to be one of the disciples.For three years he traveled with Jesus. The other disciples apparently didn'trealize what was really in his heart. But eventually his true character wasrevealed.

Ina similar way, I believe this future Antichrist will initially appear to theworld as someone with answers.

AndPaul tells us exactly what is in his heart. Verse 4 says that he: “opposesand exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped.” Thereis the heart of sin. Self-exaltation. From the beginning, Satan haswanted the place that belongs only to God. Isaiah 14 records those terriblewords: “I will ascend…”

“Iwill exalt…” “I will be like the Most High.” And throughout human history, sin hasessentially repeated the same thing: I want to rule my own life rather thanallow God to rule it.

ThenPaul says something even more astonishing. He will sit “as God in thetemple of God, showing himself that he is God.” That immediatelyreminds us of Daniel's prophecy concerning what Jesus later called “theabomination of desolation.” There will come a point when this rulerwill no longer merely oppose God. He will demand the worship that belongs toGod. And that reveals something important about Satan's program. Satan hasnever simply wanted people to stop worshiping God. Ultimately, he wants to takeGod's place.

Buthere is something we must remember as we study these frightening events. TheAntichrist does not win. Paul is going to tell us later in this verychapter what happens to him. Verse 8 says that the Lord Jesus will destroy himwith the breath of His mouth and with the brightness of His coming. Think aboutthat. The world will look at this man and see enormous power. People willbelieve he is unstoppable. He will exalt himself. He will demand worship. Butwhen Jesus Christ appears, his kingdom will collapse.

Butbefore we finish today, there is a personal application in these verses that weshouldn't miss. We may never bow before the Antichrist. But every one of usmust deal with the spirit of self-exaltation. Every morning we face a basicdecision: Who is going to sit on the throne of my life today? Will Isay: “Lord, what do You want?” Or will I say: “I will do what Iwant”? The spirit of Antichrist says: “I will exalt myself.” The spiritof Christ says: “Not my will, but Thine, be done.”

Today we begin the second chapter of 2 Thessalonians, and weare entering one of the most interesting and, at times, difficult propheticpassages in the New Testament. So as we go through this chapter, we're going totake our time. There are some things in these verses that Bible-believingChristians have interpreted differently through the years. We don't need to beafraid of that. Where the Scripture is clear, we want to be clear. Where goodBible teachers have understood some of the details differently, we want to becareful not to say more than the Bible itself says.

Butwe don't want to miss Paul's main purpose. Paul wasn't writing this chaptermerely to give the Thessalonians a prophetic timetable. He was writing tocomfort troubled believers. Listen to the opening words of 2 Thessalonians2:1–2. Paul writes concerning “the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ andour gathering together to Him.” Then he tells them not to be “soonshaken in mind or troubled.” Those two thoughts belong together. Christis coming—and therefore God's people don't need to live shaken and troubledlives.

Rememberwhat had happened in Thessalonica. These were relatively new Christians. Theywere already experiencing persecution and suffering. Paul had taught them aboutthe return of Jesus when he was with them, and he had written extensively aboutit in his first letter. In 1 Thessalonians 4, Paul had given them thatwonderful promise that the Lord Himself would descend from heaven, the dead inChrist would rise, living believers would be caught up together with them, and:“Thus we shall always be with the Lord.” And then Paul said: “Thereforecomfort one another with these words.” The return of Jesus was supposed tobring comfort.

Butsomething had happened. Instead of being comforted, these believers had become confused.Instead of looking for Christ with hope, they were becoming frightened. Someoneapparently had convinced them that the Day of the Lord had already arrived—or,as the NKJV expresses it, that it “had come.” Perhaps they looked at thepersecution around them and thought: “Are we already experiencing God'send-time judgment?” “Have we missed something?” “Were we wrong about what Paultaught us?” And Paul says, in effect: Don't panic. Don't be shaken. Don't betroubled.

Noticethe beautiful expression he uses in verse 1:“Our gathering together toHim.” Ultimately, that is the Christian's hope. Our hope isn't merelyan event on a prophetic calendar. Our hope is a Person. Jesus is coming.And we are going to be gathered to Him. That's what makes the return ofChrist so precious. I enjoy studying Bible prophecy. I believe we shouldunderstand what Scripture teaches about the things to come. But sometimes wecan become so interested in when things will happen and howeverything fits together that we lose sight of Who is coming. Jesus saidin John 14: “I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am,there you may be also.” That's the heart of our hope. Jesus wants uswith Him.

Paulthen tells the Thessalonians not to be “soon shaken in mind or troubled.” Thepicture behind that word “shaken” is something being moved from its place. Thesebelievers had been grounded in the truth Paul had taught them. But then someonecame along with another message, and suddenly their confidence was shaken. Andisn't that still possible today? We hear predictions. We see frighteningheadlines. Someone posts something on social media. Someone claims they'vediscovered exactly when the Lord is returning. Someone takes a propheticpassage and confidently announces that a particular current event absolutelyfulfills it. And before long, Christians can become anxious and afraid.

ButBible prophecy was never given to God's people to make us live in panic. Jesustold us to watch. Paul told us to comfort one another. And herePaul tells us: “Don't be shaken.”

Aftertalking about the glorious return of Jesus Christ, Paul brings everything backto the way we should live today. That's an important principle. Bibleprophecy isn't given merely to satisfy our curiosity about the future. What webelieve about tomorrow should affect the way we live today. Paul says: “Whereforealso we pray always for you.” Once again we see how important prayerwas in Paul's ministry. Paul couldn't be physically present with theThessalonians. He couldn't remove their persecution. He couldn't solve everyproblem they faced. But he could pray for them.

Neverunderestimate what God can do through your prayers for another person. Thennotice what Paul prayed: “That our God would count you worthy of thiscalling.” Paul isn't saying we somehow earn salvation by becomingworthy. Salvation is entirely by grace. Rather, because God has called andsaved us, Paul prays that our lives will become consistent with that calling. Inother words: Live like who you are. If we belong to Jesus Christ, ourlives should increasingly reflect Him.

Paulwrote something similar in Ephesians 4:1: “Walk worthy of the vocationwherewith you are called.” That raises a good question for each of us today. Doesthe way I live reflect the Christ I say I believe in? Does my attitude reflectChrist? Do my words reflect Christ? Does the way I treat my family reflectChrist? Does the way I respond when someone mistreats me reflect Christ?

Paulthen prays that God would: “Fulfil all the good pleasure of His goodness,and the work of faith with power.” I especially like that phrase: “Thework of faith with power.” Remember what Paul wrote back in 1Thessalonians 1:3? He spoke about their “work of faith.” True faith producesaction. We aren't saved by good works. But when we are genuinely saved, ourfaith should produce good works. Ephesians 2:8–9 tells us clearly that we aresaved by grace through faith, “not of works.” But the very next verse says: “Forwe are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.”

Goddidn't save us simply so we could go to heaven someday. He saved us so He couldwork in us and through us today. And notice where the power comes from. Paulprays for the work of faith “with power.” We cannot live theChristian life successfully in our own strength. We need God's power. We needthe Holy Spirit working in us. And then Paul gives us the ultimate purpose ofit all in verse 12: “That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may beglorified in you.” There it is.

Thatis the goal of the Christian life. That Jesus might be glorified in us. Notthat people would notice us. Not that people would praise us. Not that we wouldbuild a reputation for ourselves. But that when people look at our lives,somehow they would see something of Jesus. John the Baptist expressed itbeautifully when he said: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” Maybethat would be a good prayer for us today:

“Lord,let Jesus be seen in me.” Let Him be seen in my words. Let Him be seen in myattitude. Let Him be seen in the way I treat people. Let Him be seen in how Ihandle difficulties. Let Him be seen in my home. Let Him be seen in everythingI do. And Paul closes by reminding us that even this is possible only: “Accordingto the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” We begin withgrace. We continue by grace. And one day we will stand in His presence becauseof grace. So until Jesus comes, may we live lives worthy of His calling andseek one great purpose: That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ might beglorified in us.

Let'spray. Father, thank You for calling us to Yourself through the Gospel. Help usto live lives that are consistent with that calling. Work in us and through usby Your power. May our faith produce works that honor You, and above everythingelse, may the name of our Lord Jesus Christ be glorified in our lives today. Weask it in His precious name, Amen.

Today we come to one of the more sobering passages in 2Thessalonians. Paul has been encouraging believers who were sufferingpersecution. He reminded them that Jesus Christ will one day be revealed fromheaven. Now in verses 8–10, Paul tells us what that day will mean. Speaking ofthe return of Christ, he says: “In flaming fire taking vengeance on themthat know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Whoshall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord,and from the glory of His power; When He shall come to be glorified in Hissaints, and to be admired in all them that believe.”

Theseare serious words. We love to talk about the love of God—and we should. TheBible tells us that “God is love.” We love to talk about God's mercy, grace,forgiveness, and compassion. But the same Bible that teaches us about God'slove also teaches us about God's holiness and judgment. And we need bothtruths.

Ifthere were no judgment, there would ultimately be no justice. Paul tells usthat when Jesus returns, He will deal finally and completely with sin andunbelief.

Noticethat he describes those who face judgment in two ways. They “know not God,”and they “obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The Gospelisn't simply information to be admired. It is good news that calls for aresponse. The Gospel tells us that we are sinners. It tells us that JesusChrist, God's Son, came into this world. He lived a sinless life. He died onthe cross for our sins. He was buried. And on the third day He rose again. AndGod offers salvation to everyone who will repent and place their faith in JesusChrist. John 3:16 says: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His onlybegotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but haveeverlasting life.” But if we reject God's provision for salvation, there isno other provision.

Thatis why Paul's words here are so serious. He describes eternal separation “fromthe presence of the Lord, and from the glory of His power.” My friend, hellis real. Judgment is real. Eternity is real. And that is exactly why the Gospelis so important. But then notice the dramatic contrast in verse 10. The sameJesus Who comes in judgment upon unbelief will: “Be glorified in His saints,and to be admired in all them that believe.” What a day that will be! Todaythe world often misunderstands Jesus. Some reject Him. Some mock His name. Somesimply ignore Him. But there is coming a day when Jesus Christ will be revealedin all His glory.

Philippians2 tells us that: “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow.” And everytongue will “confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God theFather.”

Forthose of us who know Christ, His coming is not something to fear. It issomething to anticipate. We will see the One Who loved us. We will see the OneWho died for us. We will see the One we have prayed to and trusted even thoughwe could not see Him. Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:8: “Whom having not seen, youlove.” But one day we will see Him. And Paul says we will “admire”Him. I imagine that when we finally see Jesus in all His glory, we'll realizethat He is infinitely more wonderful than anything we ever imagined.

Butuntil that day, we have a responsibility. We have family members, neighbors,friends, and people all around us who need to hear the Gospel. The reality ofeternity should never make us proud or harsh. It should make us compassionateand urgent. There is still time today. The invitation of the Gospel isstill open. Jesus still says, “Come unto Me.” And everyone who comes toHim in faith can receive forgiveness and everlasting life.

Godbless, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!

Today we come to 2 Thessalonians 1:5–7. Paul has justcommended these believers for their patience and faith during persecution. Nowhe reminds them of something they desperately needed to remember: God seeswhat is happening, and one day God will make everything right. Paul speaksof their endurance as: “A manifest token of the righteous judgment of God,that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you alsosuffer.” Then he continues: “Seeing it is a righteous thing with God torecompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And to you who are troubledrest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with His mightyangels.” These believers were suffering because they followed Jesus Christ.From their perspective, it probably looked as though the people persecutingthem were getting away with it.

Haveyou ever wondered why God allows injustice? Why do people sometimes seem tosuffer for doing what is right while others prosper while doing what is wrong? TheBible never pretends that injustice doesn't exist. But Scripture repeatedlyreminds us that God has the final word. Paul calls God's judgment righteousjudgment. God never makes a mistake. Human judges can misunderstandevidence. People can misjudge motives. We can even misunderstand one another. ButGod knows everything. He knows every action. He knows every motive. He knowsevery secret. And therefore His judgment is always perfectly righteous.

Abrahamasked in Genesis 18:25: “Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” Andthe answer is absolutely yes. Notice also that Paul isn't telling thesepersecuted Christians to seek revenge. He is telling them to trust God. Romans12:19 says: “Vengeance is Mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” Thattakes an enormous burden off our shoulders. You and I don't have to settleevery score. We don't have to make everyone pay for every wrong done to us. Wecan place those things into the hands of a righteous God.

ThenPaul gives these suffering believers a beautiful promise. He says: “And toyou who are troubled rest with us.” I love that word—rest. TheThessalonians were under pressure now, but the pressure wouldn't last forever. Therewas coming a day of rest. And notice when Paul says that ultimate rest willcome: “When the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven.” Paul keepsbringing these believers back to the return of Jesus Christ. Their presentsuffering had to be viewed in light of eternity. And that is still true for us.Whatever burden you are carrying today is temporary. Whatever heartache you areexperiencing is temporary. Whatever injustice you may have endured istemporary. But our relationship with Jesus Christ is eternal.

Thereis coming a day when Christ will return and everything will be seen from God'sperspective. That doesn't mean our suffering isn't real. The Thessalonians'suffering was very real. But it means that suffering doesn't get the lastword. Jesus does. Perhaps today someone has treated you unfairly. Maybeyou've been misunderstood. Maybe you've experienced something that you cannotfix. You don't have to carry the burden of making everything right yourself. Placeit in God's hands. He sees. He knows. And He will always do what is right.

Untilthen, we keep trusting Him. We keep loving others. We keep doing what is right.And we keep looking for Jesus. Because one day our faith will become sight, ourstruggles will be over, and we will enter into the rest He has promised.

Let'spray. Father, thank You that You are a righteous and faithful God. When weexperience injustice or difficulty, help us not to become bitter or seekrevenge. Help us place those things into Your hands and trust You to do what isright. Give us grace to remain faithful while we wait for the day when our LordJesus Christ will be revealed from heaven. In His name we pray, Amen.

Godbless, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!

Today we continue our study of 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 bylooking at verses 3 and 4: “We are bound to thank God always for you,brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith grows exceedingly, and thecharity of every one of you all toward each other abounds; So that we ourselvesglory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all yourpersecutions and tribulations that you endure.” When Paul wrote his firstletter to these believers, he had commended them for their faith, love, andhope. Now some time has passed. And Paul has received another report aboutthem. The persecution hasn't stopped. Their problems haven't disappeared. Butsomething wonderful has happened. They have grown.

Paulsays, “Your faith grows exceedingly.” I love that expression. Theirfaith wasn't standing still. It was growing! And interestingly, their faith wasgrowing while they were suffering. Sometimes we think spiritual growthoccurs when everything is going well. But often our greatest spiritual growthtakes place during the most difficult seasons of our lives. When everything isgoing well, it is easy to say we trust God. But when we don't understand whatGod is doing, when our prayers don't seem to be answered the way we hoped, andwhen the road becomes difficult—that is when our faith is tested. And testedfaith can become stronger faith.

James1:3 says: “Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.” Perhapsyou are going through a trial today. Don't automatically assume that somethinghas gone wrong. God may be using that very difficulty to develop something inyour life that could never develop any other way. But Paul noticed somethingelse. Not only was their faith growing, but their love was growing. Hesays: “The charity of every one of you all toward each other abounds.” Theword “charity” here means love. Their growing faith in God was producing agrowing love for one another. And that is an important measurement of spiritualmaturity.

Aperson may know a great deal about the Bible. They may be able to explaindoctrine. They may attend church faithfully. But one of the clearest evidencesthat we are growing spiritually is that we are becoming more loving towardothers. Jesus said in John 13:35: “By this shall all men know that you areMy disciples, if you have love one to another.” And notice Paul's language.Their faith “grows exceedingly.” Their love “abounds.” Thesebelievers weren't satisfied with yesterday's faith or yesterday's love. Theywere continuing to grow.

ThenPaul mentions a third quality: Patience. He says they demonstrated “patienceand faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure.” Theword patience here carries the idea of steadfast endurance. They were stayingfaithful under pressure. They didn't quit. They didn't abandon their faith. Theycontinued trusting God even when following Christ was costly. And Paul was soencouraged by their testimony that he told other churches about them. Thinkabout that! This young church that had experienced so much difficulty became anexample to other believers. Their suffering became a platform for theirtestimony.

Myfriend, we don't always get to choose what happens to us. But by God's grace,we can choose how we respond. Our trials can make us bitter, or they can makeus better. They can drive us away from God, or they can drive us closer to Him.

Andperhaps today would be a good time for each of us to ask ourselves threequestions: Is my faith growing? Is my love increasing? Am I learning topatiently endure the difficulties God allows in my life? The Thessaloniansremind us that spiritual growth isn't measured by how easy our lives are. Sometimesthe strongest faith grows in the hardest soil.

Yesterday we began our journey through the little book of 2Thessalonians. Today, let's begin looking at the first chapter, starting withverses 1 and 2: “Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of theThessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, andpeace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” These words mightsound like a simple greeting, but there is a great deal of truth packed intothese two verses. Paul begins by mentioning Silvanus, whom we usually know asSilas, and Timotheus, or Timothy. These three men had been together when thechurch in Thessalonica was established.

Ifyou remember from our study of 1 Thessalonians, Paul had only been inThessalonica for a short time before persecution forced him to leave. Yet inthat brief period, people believed the Gospel, their lives were changed, and achurch was born. Now Paul writes to them again. And notice how he describesthem: “Unto the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and theLord Jesus Christ.” They lived physically in Thessalonica, butspiritually they were in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Whata wonderful description of every believer! We live in a particular town. Wehave an address. We belong to a family and a community. But if we have trustedJesus Christ as our Savior, our true spiritual position is in Christ. Andthat was especially important for these Thessalonian believers because theywere experiencing persecution. Their circumstances were difficult. Theirenemies were real. Their suffering was painful.

Butnone of those things could change their position in Christ. And neither can thecircumstances you and I face today. You may be going through disappointment. Youmay be dealing with sickness. You may be carrying a burden that nobody elseknows about. You may be facing uncertainty about tomorrow. But if you knowChrist, you can remind yourself: I am in Christ. My circumstances maychange, but my relationship with Him does not.

ThenPaul gives them two wonderful words: “Grace unto you, and peace.” Graceand peace. Notice the order. Grace comes first, and then peace. We cannotexperience the peace of God until we have first experienced the grace of God. Graceis God's undeserved favor toward us. We could never earn salvation. We couldnever deserve forgiveness. But God loved us and sent His Son to die for us. Paulwrote in Ephesians 2:8: “For by grace are you saved through faith; and thatnot of yourselves: it is the gift of God.” And once we have received God'sgrace, we can experience God's peace. Romans 5:1 says: “Therefore beingjustified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” First,we have peace with God through salvation. Then, as we walk with Him, wecan enjoy the peace of God in the circumstances of life.

Thatis exactly what these Thessalonian believers needed. They couldn't control thepersecution around them. They couldn't control what others said about them. Theycouldn't know what tomorrow would bring. But they could know the grace andpeace that came “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” And so can we.Maybe today you are facing something you cannot change. Instead of allowingfear to control your heart, remember who you are and where you are. If you knowJesus Christ, you are in Him. You are surrounded by His grace. And youcan rest in His peace. The world may be troubled around us, but Jesus said inJohn 14:27: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you.”

Let'spray. Father, thank You for Your amazing grace that saved us and for the peacethat we have through the Lord Jesus Christ. Help us today to remember thatregardless of what happens around us, we belong to You and we are secure inChrist. May Your grace strengthen us and Your peace guard our hearts as we walkwith You today. In Jesus' name, Amen.