II Thssalonians 1:1-4

FOR AUDIO VERSION CLICK HERE.

1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; 2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing 4 Therefore, among God's churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

Here we have the second letter from the trio to the followers of Jesus in Thessalonica. Their instructions and prayers in the first letter seem to be coming true of these new believers in Jesus.

NOTE "your faith is growing more and more" and "the love all of you have for one another is increasing". The gratefulness to the Lord has nothing to do with how much they have grown nor how much more they have learned. They are not enthused about their latest building project, their choir or their massive offerings. They were most grateful to God for their faith growing and their love for one another increasing.

Today we are all excited about the wrong things! We must learn something from this. We must focus our gratefulness and enthusiasm on growing our faith in Jesus and increasing our love for one another. THEN AND ONLY THEN do you have something to share with others in this world that is supernatural! The Lord is giving me the eyes to see this among the fellowship of Jesus with whom I hang out. I am seeing a growing faith and an increasing love that is thrilling me most. Each time we gather together I am sensing this "more and more" idea within the fellowship. Now that is what encourages me most.

Now NOTE the context in which the "more and more" takes place. For the Thessalonians it is in the midst of trials and persecutions in their lives. They found the key to growing faith and increasing love for one another. It is perseverance!

Perseverance has the idea of hanging in there. When you are in the position of hanging in there in the midst of great difficulty, you'll see your faith growing and your love increasing for one another. So, what are we to do? Pray for more trouble and problems? No, trouble and problems will be provided automatically. What we must do it TAKE THE TIME, no, MAKE THE TIME alone with the Lord to learn how to grow your faith and trust in Him. And, MAKE THE TIME to be with one another-log some hours together-in order to set the proper context of opportunity to learn to love one another. There is no substitute for investing yourself in growing your faith and increasing your love for one another.

So, where are you spending your time? Are you wasting it yourself or are you investing in your personal relationship with Jesus and your relationships with your brothers and sisters?