God's Word For Every Day

When Jesus began his preaching ministry, he proclaimed this message: "The kingdom has come." In the coming of Jesus Christ, the kingdom of God has come.  This is a message of great practical relevance to our lives here and now. Since Jesus Christ has come, we are called to repent and believe the gospel - repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. In his letters to the church at Thessalonica, Paul emphasizes the future of the kingdom - the kingdom will come. In speaking of the coming kingdom, Paul is speaking of the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. Like Jesus, Paul emphasizes the practical relevance of the preaching of God's kingdom. To receive Jesus Christ, we must come to him in repentance and faith. This is the point at which Jesus Christ comes into your life, changing your life, enabling you "to live the kind of life that pleases God" (1 Thessalonians 2:12). To be ready for Christ's second coming, we must continue in the way...

"It is God’s will that you should be sanctified" (1 Thessalonians 4:3). The Gospel does not only come to us with a Word concerning our past - "Your sins are forgiven" (Matthew 9:2) - and our future - "Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life" (John 3:36). We rejoice in what God has done for us - "your sins have been forgiven" (1 John 2:12). We look forward to the glorious future towards which He is leading us - "the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 6:23). Between the past and the future, there is the present. We do not jump from "my sins have been forgiven" to "I'm looking forward to eternal life." In the present, we are called to live for the Lord - " Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2); "L ive a life worthy of the calling you have received" (Ephesians 4:1) . 

We need both ‘love’ and ‘holiness’(1 Thessalonians 3:12-13). Our love is to be holy. Our holiness is to be loving. Getting the right balance between love and holiness is like walking a tightrope. You can easily lose your balance and fall off. We can be too soft - all love and no holiness. We can be too hard - all holiness and no love. Love doesn’t mean ‘anything goes ’ - ‘I don’t care how you live’. That’s not love. That’s indifference, a ‘couldn’t care less’ attitude. Holiness doesn’t mean looking down your nose at other people - ‘You’ve sinned and I will never let you forget it’. Don’t be like ‘the Pharisees’. They wanted to ‘stone the woman caught in adultery’. We must not ‘stone’ people with our ‘hot tongue and cold shoulder’! Be like Jesus. Show love - ‘I don’t condemn you’ - and holiness - ‘Do not sin again’(John 8:3-11).

1 Thessalonians 2:13-20 Note especially 1 Thessalonians 2:13 - more than the words of men, the Word of God. It works effectively in those who believe. Our faith doesn't create God's Word. It's God's Word that creates our faith. Man's word is a shaky foundation. It's building on sand. It's foolishness. God's Word is a solid foundation. It's building on the rock. We are wise when we build on God's Word. When we receive the Gospel as God's Word, our lives are changed. We say, "The Lord has done great things for us and we are filled with joy" (Psalm 126:3).

1 Thessalonians 1:1-2:20 When we gather together to hear the preaching of Your Word, show us, Lord, that we need more than the “words” of the preacher. Show us that we need “the power of the Holy Spirit” (1 Thessalonians 1:5). Help us, when we hear Your Word, to know that it is more than “the word of men” – it is “the Word of God, which is at work in us believers” (1 Thessalonians 2:13). 1 Thessalonians 3:1-4:12 Lord, we need both “love” and “holiness” (1 Thessalonians 3:12-13). Our love is to be holy. Our holiness is to be loving. Where do we learn to be loving? Where do we learn to be holy? We learn from Jesus, our Saviour – Jesus, Your Son. Jesus says, “I don’t condemn you” – This is love. He also says, “Go and sin no more” – This is holiness (John 8:3-11). Help us to be more like Jesus – in love and in holiness. 1 Thessalonians 4:13-5:28 Lord, there are times when we feel like giving up. You never give up on us: “He who calls you is utterly faithful and He w...

When I was living in Glasgow, at the end of the twentieth century and the beginning of the twenty-first century, I met a lady who lived in three different centuries! She was a born a few months before the end of the nineteenth century. She died a few months into the twenty-first century. When someone achieves their century of years, it is a time for giving thanks to God. We look back over our life and we say, ‘Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life’. It is not only a time for looking back. It is also a time for looking forward – ‘I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever’ (Psalm 23:6). We look back, giving thanks to God for many precious and treasured memories. We look forward to something even better – ‘we will be with the Lord for ever’ (1 Thessalonians 4:17).