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The Life of Faith 6:19 – 7:12 True Treasure vv. 19-21 The issue here is sustainability. As we live our lives we gather wealth, either earthly or heavenly. Earthly treasure is fraught with risk and always ends in total loss. Heavenly treasure, on the other hand, lasts forever. The case is not either/or but the […]

Key Verse: 1 Timothy 1:15 “This is faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.” Paul is quoting something he, and presumably Timothy, have both memorized–perhaps it’s part of an early Christian creed or hymn: “Christ Jesus came into the world […]

Key Verse: 2 Thessalonians 3:10 “…If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.” One commentator entitled verses 6-15 as “Off come the gloves.” Paul very bluntly confronts the members in the Thessalonian church who are living “disorderly and not according to the tradition which [they] received from us” (v.6). The “disorder” is very clear–they’re […]

Key Verse: 2 Thessalonians 2:1, 2 “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.” […]

Key Verse: 2 Thessalonians 1:5 “…that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God…” Generally speaking, Paul, Silas, and Timothy were pleased with the Thessalonian church. In their estimation, the qualities of they believers there were “evidence that God’s judgment is right” and they were “counted worthy of the kingdom of God” (v. […]

Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:9,10 “For God did not appoint us to wrath but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.” Paul continues his teaching about the return of Christ. He points out the futility of attempting to […]

Alms, Prayer, & Fasting 6:1-18 Fasting vv. 16-18 There is only one fast declared in the Old Testament. On the Day of Atonement the Israelites were to fast (Le. 16:29, 31; 23:27-32; Nu. 29:7), meaning abstinence from food and drink for the twenty-four hour period from sunset to sunset. Later in Jewish history other fasts […]

Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 4: 16, 17 “For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be cut up together with them in the clouds […]

Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 3:9, 10 “For what thanks can we render to God or you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God, night and day praying exceedingly that we may see your face and perfect what is lacking in your faith?” Paul is speaking like a loving […]

Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 2:13 “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you receive the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.” When […]

Key Verse: 1 Thessalonians 1:3 “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.” (NIV) I don’t think I should be dogmatic about this, but what I see in the key verse certainly gives room […]

Key Verse: Colossians 4 “Continue earnestly in prayer, being vigilant in it with thanksgiving.” Paul had a very strong view on prayer. The Greek verb he uses here was also used by an historian (Polybius) in describing the stubborn persistence of a siege. This powerful imagery is not an overstatement — it is merely consistent […]