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In today’s daily word of God, we are wrapping up the week with the last chapter in the Book of 2 Thessalonians. Paul admonishes the believers to pray for the Apostles and teachers of God’s word that they may spread the word of God quickly. This is an important prayer especially in the current times we are living in. The word of God is being pushed out of everything now and deemed as offensive and hate speech. We are in a spiritual war against good and evil, but in the end we know God always wins!
We know that God is love and as believers we must continue to spread the word of God quickly to as many people as we possibly can. Paul also gives a warning to stay away from other believers who refuse to work. He goes on to say that as a believer if you choose not to work, then you should not be allowed to eat. We should never become a burden to others when we have able bodies to work. Even as an Apostle of Christ, Paul worked. He did this so that the people of God did not have to take care of him. He both worked and taught the word of God.
How We Treat Others
Paul goes on to say that if there are other believers among us that refuse to follow the teachings of Christ, that we should not associate with them. He tells us to not treat them as enemies but to counsel them as fellow believers. Many times as believers we are taught the extremes of this lesson. We either continue to associate with them out of guilt or we completely turn away from them and treat them as an enemy. Neither of these extremes are what the scriptures teach us.
We must learn how to not associate with other believers who are not following the teachings of Christ, but try to counsel them back into the paths of righteousness. If we treat them as our enemy and not show the love of Christ, they may never return to the right path. This is what many call “church hurt” these days. When people lose their way, offer them wise counsel and the love of God. If they refuse it, then you cannot associate with them and the path they choose. Today I pray that we seek the Lord on how to treat our fellow brothers and sisters. I pray that those who have been hurt, will be restored to Christ and that the peace of God will be upon us and in us wherever we go that others may see and experience it as well.
Peace!
Spread The Word of God Quickly
2 Thessalonians 3
And now, brothers and sisters, pray for us.
Pray that the Lord’s teaching will continue to spread quickly.
And pray that people will give honor to that teaching, the same as happened with you.
And pray that we will be protected from crooked and evil people.
Not everyone believes in the Lord, you know.
But the Lord is faithful. He will give you strength and protect you from the Evil One.
The Lord gives us confidence that you are doing what we told you and that you will continue to do it.
We pray that the Lord will cause you to feel God’s love and remember Christ’s patient endurance.
The Obligation to Work
Brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ we tell you to stay away from any believer who refuses to work.
People who refuse to work are not following the teaching that we gave them.
You yourselves know that you should live like we do.
We were not lazy when we were with you and we never accepted food from anyone without paying for it.
We worked and worked so that we would not be a burden to any of you.
And we worked night and day and had the right to ask you to help us.
But we worked to take care of ourselves so that we would be an example for you to follow.
When we were with you, we gave you this rule: “Whoever will not work should not be allowed to eat.”
We hear that some people in your group refuse to work.
They are doing nothing except being busy in the lives of others.
Our instruction to them is to stop bothering others, to start working and earn their own food.
It is by the authority of the Lord Jesus Christ that we are urging them to do this.
Brothers and sisters, never get tired of doing good.
If there are some there who refuse to do what we tell you in this letter, remember who they are.
Don’t associate with them.
Then maybe they will feel ashamed.
But don’t treat them as enemies.
Counsel them as fellow believers.
May You Have Peace At All Times
We pray that the Lord of peace will give you peace at all times and in every way.
The Lord be with you all.
Here’s my greeting in my own handwriting— Paul.
I do this in all my letters to show they are from me.
This is the way I write.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.