I Believe...In You

And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command.
(2 Thessalonians 3:4 – ESV)

The commands were from God not Paul; he was just delivering the message (1 Thessalonians 2:13). They were already doing it but Paul wanted them to grow in it, for the word of God to grow in them. And he had confidence in the Lord for their sake; He is trusting in God for their obedience. He had seen it working in them already, he knew they were saved and he knew that they would continue to be sanctified, that they would grow in grace. It was not a confidence in their potential as humans but in God as their sanctifier.

Now here is something I want to make sure you don’t miss. It is a theme that runs throughout the New Testament; it is very ingrained in Paul’s writings. He believed in them because he believed in God. He believed in them because they believed in God. I believe in you for the same reasons. I believe in God and I believe in you because you believe in God. It is right for me to say it, so listen to me, you who need to hear it: I believe in you.

What did Paul want for those in his care? Here in 2 Thessalonians 3 we see that he wanted them to be used by God (vs.1-2), be deepened in God (vs.3), delivered by God (vs.3), devoted to God (vs.4), and directed to God – both knowing the love of God and the steadfastness of Christ, and also becoming a reflection of them back to God and to others (vs.5).

This is my heart for you, that you would know about God’s love toward you so much that you become a reflection of it toward others. My prayer is that the steadfast power of Christ may course through your veins so that you may overcome any evil that comes your way, and that you would see all things as God working patience in you, and that you would become a living picture of the Rock that is Christ to all who encounter you. This is my heart for you, my vision for the church and its members, my personal prayer for each of you, and the pulse that beats within me and for this ministry. Prayer can accomplish all this; let’s make this our prayer for each other.

This is what Paul, and God, wanted from them and for them. These scriptures apply to us all. God wants these things for us and I pray for these things for you, and what I am asking from you is that you pray these things for me. I believe in God, and I believe in you. Let’s all pray.

“Living For Today With An Eye For Tomorrow”©