1 Thessalonians 1:4-8 Contemporary English Version (CEV)4 My dear friends, God loves you, and we know he has chosen you to be his people. 5 When we told you the good news, it was with the power and assurance that come from the Holy Spirit, and not simply with words. You knew what kind of people we were and how we helped you. 6 So, when you accepted the message, you followed our example and the example of the Lord. You suffered, but the Holy Spirit made you glad.
7 You became an example for all the Lord’s followers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 And because of you, the Lord’s message has spread everywhere in those regions. Now the news of your faith in God is known all over the world, and we don’t have to say a thing about it.
“work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” Paul wrote these words of praise and encouragement to the Church at Thessalonica to describe not only their work, but the attitude of faith, love and hope that was the character of their work.
It does not sound as if the Church at Thessalonica was filled with people who begrudgingly or with a sense of duty only did the work of God. It sounds as if this was a church that approached the work of God with joy.
How meaningful it had to be to hear your mentor speak of your work with praise. How joyful it had to be to hear that, because of your efforts, the Word was spreading over the world!
The miracle of the Body of Christ is that He has equipped every one of us with a gift to bring to the table. We can all be a part of the joy of service if we but open our eyes and hearts to opportunities.
Acts 8:29-31 Contemporary English Version (CEV)
29 The Spirit told Philip to catch up with the chariot. 30 Philip ran up close and heard the man reading aloud from the book of Isaiah. Philip asked him, “Do you understand what you are reading?”
31 The official answered, “How can I understand unless someone helps me?” He then invited Philip to come up and sit beside him.
Some of us work best within a group. Some of us serve as missionaries at home and abroad. Some of us, like Phillip, seize any opportunity to tell the Good News where ever a chance presents.
Our job is to seek His will and serve as He guides us.
Paul's writting in 1 Thessalonians 1, gives a glimpse of a church doing the work of God.
Luke in Acts 8 gives an example of an individual doing this same work. What is interesting is that both the church and the individual took their lead from the Holy Spirit and this is where we must go for support and guidance.
We find faith in His Word: Romans 10:17 (KJV)
17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
We find love in His Word: 1 John 2:5 (KJV)
5 But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him.
We find hope in His Word: Romans 15:13 (KJV)
13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost.
Then we go about the business of doing His work for this is the Great Commission.
May God Forever Be a Blessing in Your Life!!!
