GOOD NEWS FROM TIMOTHY
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Opening Prayer
Lord God, help me begin each day with thanksgiving and live it with expectant joy because I know you love and care for me.
Read 1 THESSALONIANS 3:6–13
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Timothy’s Encouraging Report
6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
Reflect
Today’s reading is about good news. The good news of Jesus is the best news of all.Timothy brought Paul good news. The Thessalonians continued to grow in faith and love (v. 6). Paul took the good news of Jesus to the Thessalonians. Now Timothy’s report is good news for Paul. The longing to see each other was mutual (v. 6). No doubt the encouragement was mutual too (v. 7).
Verse 8 conveys the importance the Thessalonians’ ongoing faith had for Paul. Put yourself in his shoes. What did he mean by this? He was revitalized by knowing that the Thessalonians were standing firm despite tough tests. Verse 9 shows how much this meant to Paul. He asked how he could give thanks for all the joy he had received because of them. Look at verse 10 to discover how he answered his own question.
In verses 11–13, Paul prayed three things for the Thessalonians. Identify what those three things were. In verse 12, Paul indicated that only the Lord Jesus can help Christians to love each other. They were not to lose sight of that, however hard the pressure became. We see the third thing Paul prayed in verse 13. His focus was on the state of their lives when Jesus returns.
Apply
In light of Paul’s prayer, how can we pray for ourselves in our own walk with Jesus?
Closing prayer
Thank you, Holy Spirit, for those around me you are bringing to faith in Jesus. Show me ways that I can encourage them in their new walks of faith.
Book and Author Intros
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