with Elder Elico Manenji
✝️The Apostle prays that his proclamation of the gospel in all places may bring the same fruitful results as it did in every other area he went preaching. His desire was that God protect them from the enemy's attacks even Satan.
He is confident that they will continue to stand firm and that they will obey the important instructions that he was giving them.
The Apostle expresses confidence in God and in them as they patiently wait for the coming of Christ.
He exhorts them to maintain strict discipline in the Church as he and his team behaved themselves amongst them, as they worked with their own hands, availing themselves by their own power and authority. He directs them not to associate with those who obey not the orders contained in his letter but prays that they may have increasing peace until Christ comes.
1️⃣2 Thessalonians 3:1-5: Prayer is the need of the Church to maintain stability amidst persecutions.
⏹️All Christian success is based on prayer cooperating with preaching oof the gospel of Christ.
One can not preach successfully without accompaniment of prayer, neither can one preach without prayer.
The Psalmist says, "Hear my prayer, O LORD, give ear to my supplications: in your faithfulness answer me, and in your righteousness" (Psalm 143:1).
⏭️Prayer speaks to God for man whilst preaching speaks to man for God. Prayer seeks to bring God to man and preaching aims to bring man to God.
Prayer moves God towards man and preaching persuades man to seek after God.
Prayer makes known to God mankind's requests and preaching reveals to man God’s mind and will.
The Psalmist says, "My voice shall you hear in the morning, O LORD; in the morning will I direct my prayer to you, and will look up" (Psalm 5:3).
⏭️Preaching is casting in the seed and prayer brings the rain and the sunshine for the seed to germinate and grow.
Preaching deposits the leaven and actions of grace in mankind but prayer secures the hand which adds its working. Preaching utters the good tidings of God's kingdom and prayer carries the sound to the ear and makes everything therein all sensitive. Preaching is doing the practical work which man can do and prayer asks for what God only can do and for that which is necessary to the success of that which the man can do.
The Apostle says, "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but to us which are saved it is the power of God. For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe" (1 Corinthians 1:18, 21).
⏹️The Lord is faithful, He is good. God is faithful to Himself and to the promises He has made for the salvation of mankind who believe. He can not lie about His holiness, about His immutable laws as sin has caused suffering in the world and that us the submission of the gospel as it draws us towards Him. When mankind is made conscious of their sins and they repent, they will attract His Divine mercy, they will find in God a reconciling Father.
Then the thought of His faithfulness becomes the source of their firmest assurance and the sweetest consolation in the message of the gospel.
The Apostle says, "For all the promises of God in him are yes, and in him Amen, to the glory of God by us. Now he which establishes us with you in Christ, and has anointed us, is God; Who has also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts" (2 Corinthians 1:20-22).
⏭️God’s faithfulness is light that dispels darkness and to the sinner it is justice and to the repentant and penitent it is His mercy.
God in pardoning sinners does not sacrifice His righteousness nor His holiness, but righteousness has He offered to mankind because of the Cross.
The Scriptures say, "Know therefore that the LORD your God, he is God, the faithful God, which keeps covenant and mercy with them that love him and keep his commandments to a thousand generations" (Deuteronomy 7:9).
2️⃣2 Thessalonians 3:6-18:Warning against idleness and indiscipline.
⏹️The matter of true Christian discipline is to hate sin and love the sinner and always seek to restore them to God. True Christian discipline is to disassociate with disorderly conduct and restore the erring member to faith and sanctification by the Word.
This is the true notion of Christian discipline toward an erring member. Cease to have fellowship with him that no longer fe to have faith and duty as of paramount importance. When the person shows that they are no longer worthy to be recognized as a Christian brother, leave them to themselves and to their God.
Peradventure God may bring them again by His Word to repentance. Speaking of God's care, the patriarch Jobs says, "He opens also their ear to discipline, and commands that they return from iniquity"(Job 36:10).
⏹️The believers should avoid the temptation to being dishonest and lazy, the Church should be society of honest, busy men, carelessness and indolence should be condemned and it is equally good as denial of faith and infidelity.
The prophet Ezekiel says, "Behold, therefore I have smitten my hand at your dishonest gain which you have made, and at your blood which has been in the middle of you. Her princes in the middle thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain" (Ezekiel 22:13, 27).
⏭️He who is negligent of his own interests will hardly be serviceable to others.
Whosoever is slothful in business will be a slothful Christian, idleness is the parent of vice. He who has some good end to pursue is too busy for temptation to pursue but the idle having nothing else to do, is tempted to yield.
A vacant mind is a proper habitation for the devil for an idle mind is the devil's workshop.
The wiseman says, "Slothfulness casts into a deep sleep; and an idle soul shall suffer hunger" (Proverbs 19:15)
"A slothful man hides his hand in his bosom, and will not so much as bring it to his mouth again"(Proverbs 19:24).
🅰️Appeal
We are thus encouraged to have peace with God, peace in our own minds and consciences, peace with all mankind.
Since God has offered us salvation, reconciliation, grace and mercy, we should have peace by all means as God is the Lord of peace. Jesus said, "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you: not as the world gives, give I to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid" (John 14:27).
Elico Manenji
(+263712952704)
No comments:
Write comments