Continue to Encourage

This passage talks about the Day of the Lord. A day we know will happen – we just don’t know when. The apostle Paul tells the believers in Thessalonica to continue to encourage and build each other up. Clearly they were already doing that. Paul wanted to make sure that didn’t stop.

We all need encouragement and building up. I’m thankful for many believers over the years who have done that for me. I think we sometimes need the reminder that this needs to be a continual action. Until Christ returns, we have a job to do. Encouragement will help us to continue to fulfill our purpose of honoring God with our lives.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us what we need to do. Thank You for the example of the believers in Thessalonica who encouraged each other. Please help us to continue to do that until Christ returns.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Wasting Away or Being Renewed

Have you ever felt like you were wasting away? I know some days that seems like all we feel. However, I know that God does not lie. While our physical bodies are growing weaker every day, our spirit can be renewed. God’s Word and the ministry of the Holy Spirit are powerful in our lives.

We can be renewed as we seek God through reading His Word, spending time in prayer and with godly people. Our inner selves are maturing – being renewed as we seek God.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for providing a way for us to be internally renewed. Please help us to seek You and Your way. We need You.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Unshakable

As believers we should know why God is worthy of worship. This verse gives us one reason – God’s kingdom cannot be shaken. Our world is very shaky. I am thankful God gives me a solid foundation.

The rest of the verse tells us to offer God acceptable worship. Worship that has reverence and awe. I think we would show an understanding of the solid foundation God gives if we stopped allowing an “anything goes” philosophy. We need to stop and think about how we choose to worship God whether alone or with others. God is worth the extra thought.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the strength that makes Your kingdom unshakable. Please help us to think through how we worship You. May our worship be acceptable, filled with reverence and awe.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.

Where is Your Trust

I like the way this verse is worded. A person is blessed by trusting in the Lord. The second part catches me. Blessed is the person “whose trust is the Lord.” God needs to be the object of our trust. Too often we trust more in people than in the Lord. God uses people in our world – in our lives. However, God is the only one Who is truly good. He is the One in full control. I am so thankful.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for being a perfect object of our trust. Please help us as we interact with one another. Please guide our trust to You and away from people. We need to hold tight to You and show others how to do that as well.

I pray this in Jesus’ name.

God is so good.