5-6-20 THOUGHTS

I got up early this morning.  I’ve been in 1Thes 2 for awhile.  We will study this area tonight in our ZOOM class, but I must share this one section with us all of us for the day.
Paul is describing how he and Silvanus, and Timotheus, did their work in Thessalonica. The work was ESTABLISHING JESUS in them!

1Thes 2:7-12    But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. 8  Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. 9  For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. 10  You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; 11  just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, 12  so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory.

This passage so powerfully follows yesterday’s thoughts.  Go back and read them again.
The METHOD OF OPERATION above is awesome.  It is a total investment of mind and body to accomplish something OF GREAT VALUE... SOMETHING ETERNALLY NECESSARY!
With a careful reading, we see love, and labor and hardship.  We see devout, upright and blameless BEHAVIOR.  We see exhorting and encouragement and imploring, as from a father to his children.   The goal is that they would walk worthy of God!  

CHURCH..  This gives us each a glimpse of how we should treat each other.  Surely your leaders need to learn from this, but this is LOVE IN ACTION!  

John 13:35    "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."   I see a marvelous connection between 1Thes 2:7-12 and John 13:35!
Think of these things...

My Prayer:
Father, thank you for being love and for teaching us to love. Help us, Oh God,  to desire love so much that we seek at all times to make it happen.  May our isolated selves be filled with the love of our brothers and sisters.  We can and will love from afar dear God.  Encourage us Lord until we can meet again.  Make this day a special contemplation of nearness and dearness in us!  From YOUR love Oh God,  help us to LOVE forward!  Help us to think of ALL THAT WE CAN DO!
           In the precious name of Jesus                Amen