Tuesday Thought – March 22, 2016

Good Morning Friends,

“Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you. We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Thessalonians 1:1-3)

If someone who knew you and your church well were to write a brief description of you, what words would he choose to describe you?

There are some negative ways some churches would be described.

We continually remember before God your whining and complaining.

We continually remember before God your apathy and lukewarmness.

We continually remember before God your self-centeredness and lack of compassion.

We continually remember before God your worldliness and sinfulness.

And there are other churches that would be described in very positive terms.

We continually remember before God your focus on others with compassion.

We continually remember before God your devotion to prayer.

We continually remember before God your outreach to others and concern for missions.

We continually remember before God your holiness and the way in which you are set apart for God.

Paul described the Thessalonians with three words: faith, love, and hope. These characteristics produced positive results among them. Their faith produced work, their love prompted them to labor for the Lord, and their hope inspired them to endure whatever they had to endure in order to continue to serve the Lord.

Faith, love, and hope -- would anyone describe you with those words? Could those words be used to characterize your church?

His, by Grace, Steve