pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: faultless


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The Power to Transform

Reading: 1st Thessalonians 2:9-13

1st Thessalonians 2:12 – “We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy.”

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In the week’s Epistle reading, the call is to live a life worthy of God’s call. As we witness to our faith, our words, actions, and thoughts should reflect God’s love and our calling to the world. In the first four verses, Paul reminds the Thessalonians of the example that he and his co-workers set for them. They were bi-vocational, working a job so that they did not burden these new believers. Paul and friends were “devout… honest… faultless” towards the believers. They treated those new to the faith as a father would treat their children. In this role, Paul and his fellow workers “pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy.” They walked alongside the Thessalonians until they were ready to walk on their own.

Paul wrote this letter to the church in Thessalonica. God’s plan went far beyond that. The words he wrote and the example he set have given guidance to generations of countless believers. We stand in that line of faith. We too are to live out our call to make disciples of Jesus Christ by being devout, honest, and faultless. We are charged with walking alongside new believers, encouraging, challenging, and urging them on in their walk of faith. We are to lift them up, not to place burdens on them.

In the last verse of today’s reading, Paul gives thanks to God for the fruit of their ministry in Thessalonica. There is fruit because the believers heard Paul’s words and his co-workers’ words not as mere human words but as the word of God. Yes, the words came out of human mouths but the Spirit of God gave the words the power to change hearts and lives. And the Spirit continued to work in the new believers, empowering them to live out their faith. This is a good reminder to us. As we seek to live out our call and to witness to our faith, we too can trust that the power to transform lives comes not from us or from our efforts. The same Spirit of God will be at work, moving hearts and transforming lives. For this we say, thanks be to God!

Prayer: Lord God, strengthen and encourage us. Lift us and prod us on. Fill us with the words to speak. Guide us in the actions to take. In all things, may our lives and our witness bring you the glory. Amen.


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God Is… Patient

Reading: 2nd Peter 3

2nd Peter 3:9 – “The Lord isn’t slow to keep his promises… but he is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish but all to change hearts and lives.”

Chapter 3 begins with a reiteration of the encouragement to recall what the prophets and apostles have taught. Peter then tells them that scoffers will come, jeering, living in sin, questioning the second coming of the Lord. Peter writes, “they fail to notice…” This is another way of reminding his audience of these truths. The word that created the world now “holds in reserve” the ungodly for the coming Judgment Day. Yes, Peter agrees, the wait feels long. But don’t forget, God’s time is not our time – “a single day is like a thousand years…”

Peter continues this thought as he tells them that God isn’t slow, he’s patient: “The Lord isn’t slow to keep his promises… but he is patient toward you, not wanting anyone to perish but all to change hearts and lives.” As Christ said, the day will come like a thief – suddenly, unexpected. On that day, “all will be exposed.” So… be ready every moment by living holy and godly lives always. Wait for the new heaven and earth, making every effort to be found in Christ – at peace, pure and faultless. And as you wait, the apostle urges, be on guard against temptations as you grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

In Peter’s day, when suffering was real and when voices and cultures spoke against a faithful walk of faith, holding onto and trusting into God’s promises was essential. Times have not changed. We live in a post-Christian world that teeters on anti-Christian at times. May we be on guard, striving to live holy and righteous lives, eagerly awaiting the day of the Lord.

Prayer: Lord God, your word and promises endure forever. Empower us to hold to these truths, especially when the world challenges our faith and our belief in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Strengthen us for this journey, O Lord. Amen.


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Rescued, Cleansed, Eager

Reading: Titus 1-3

Titus 2:14 – “He gave himself for us in order to rescue us from every kind of lawless behavior, and cleanse a special people for himself who are eager to do good actions.”

Paul’s letter to Titus is very similar to his letters to Timothy, another young, promising pastor and friend. Titus is instructed on how to establish a faith community, on how to counter false teachings, and on how to be a good leader. Paul reminds Titus of his original task: to organize things and to appoint elders in each city. Paul lists the qualifications for elders. They must be faithful and faultless. They must offer sound teaching and set a great example for others.

Paul then turns to correcting the “rebellious loudmouths,” some of whom are Jewish believers. He instructs Titus to “silence” them by correcting them firmly. Their minds are corrupt and they do things that deny God. Likely coming back to these men, Paul tells Titus to correct twice and then to disassociate from them.

Attention is then turned to the community of faith. These relationships and rules are based on what was assumed in Roman households. Older men and women are to be mature and faithful. Paul uses words like sober, dignified, reverent, and patient to describe their character. The older women are to teach the younger women to be sensible and morally pure and to work at home, being kind and submissive to their husbands. Paul’s words about slaves and masters also crosses a line for today’s readers.

Paul closes with the grace of God that came to “rescue” believers from all kinds of “lawless behaviors.” Christ saves the faithful because of his mercy, not because of anything they can do. Made righteous by grace, “cleansed as a special people,” believers inherit hope for eternal life. Paul instructs Titus, “insist on these things” because then the faithful will “give careful attention to doing good.” Following sound teaching, may we too be people who seek to do good.

Prayer: Lord God, help us to be people who are faithful and faultless. Well, as much as we can be. Build up in us the character laid out by Paul. Redeem and restore us by your grace when we fall short and when we fail. Lead us to be people eager to be and do good. Amen.