Category Archives: 2 Thessalonians

Stand Fast

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2 Thessalonians 2:13-17

But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

Matthew 24:42 – “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”

I Corinthians – 16:13 – “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”

DO NOT GIVE AN INCH.  Nothing the devil throws against you shall in anyway harm you if you are walking in the will of the Lord.

Phil 1:27 – “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

Phil 4:1 – “Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.”

Phil 3:14-19 – “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.  Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.  Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.  For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.”

Gal 5:1 – “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”

Eph 6:14 – “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness.”

Just remember, you cannot fight sitting down.

Walk Worthy

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2 Thessalonians 3:6-7

But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, brethren, stand fast and hold the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle.

Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.

Matthew 24:42 – “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming.”

I Corinthians – 16:13 – “Watch, stand fast in the faith, be brave, be strong.”

DO NOT GIVE AN INCH.  Nothing the devil throws against you shall in anyway harm you if you are walking in the will of the Lord.

Phil 1:27 – “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel.”

Phil 4:1 – “Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.”

Phil 3:14-19 – “I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Therefore let us, as many as are mature, have this mind; and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal even this to you.  Nevertheless, to the degree that we have already attained, let us walk by the same rule, let us be of the same mind.  Brethren, join in following my example, and note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern.  For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame—who set their mind on earthly things.”

Gal 5:1 – “Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage.”

Eph 6:14 – “Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness.”

Just remember, you cannot fight sitting down.

Counted Worthy

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2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

What do others expect of you as a parent, a grandparent, student, employee, friend, and neighbor?

  • Take a moment and jot down what others may expect of you and whether or not you are fulfilling those expectations.  Ask yourself whether others might come up with the same list that you did.  Take a big breath and honestly begin making a list about what Christ expects of you.  Ask yourself whether or not you are fulfilling those expectations.  WOW, SOS, OH ME!!!  
  • If we all honestly take the time to make these lists of friend’s and God’s expectations of us, we would probably find out that we come up way short. 
  • The whole reason for the exercise that we have honestly and sincerely completed is to be counted worthy.  Not worthy in our eyes, but in our friend’s eyes, and more importantly in God’s eyes.

Phil 2:12-  “Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”

  • Christ must be first and foremost in our lives.

Colossians 1:9-14 –  “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.  He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.”

Colossians 3:17 – “And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Ephesians 4:1-3 –  “Therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?”

When we talk about God’s expectations and being worthy, there is the danger that we begin to think we can somehow earn God’s love and mercy.  The Bible is clear that we are made worthy only by the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross.

  • Worthy…not by our deeds but by His grace.
  • Worthy…by His labor of love on the cross, not by our labors.
  • Worthy… through His grace…only His grace.
  • Worthy…through placing our trust in Him.
  • Worthy…through walking in obedience to His Word.

But there is a danger of taking God’s mercy for granted.  While salvation is free, it is not without cost.  It cost Jesus his very life.

So – to think about God’s expectations of us is not to put us on a guilt trip or start down the road of trying to be good enough.

But it is rather to realize what a great gift God has given us in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and that should lead us to want to walk in a way that will bring glory and honor to Him. 

If we call our self a Christian let us walk in a way that honors the family name.