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Praying 1 Thessalonians 1:3 – Works of Faith; Labors of Love; Endurances of Hope
TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 1:3 (NASB 2020) constantly keeping in mind your work of faith and labor of love and perseverance of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father,
DEVOTIONAL: Examples of works of faith, labors of love, and endurances of hope (1 Thessalonians 1:3), fill 1 Thessalonians. Do they fill our lives and churches?
A friend said he emphasized work, labor, and endurance in his preaching; but later realized he was not emphasizing faith, love, and hope. This got me thinking as to how we can get things backwards, and end up de-emphasizing the deeper spiritual nature of God’s life in us.
For example,
• We can work without faith, but if we truly have faith then we can’t not work – we must act upon our faith!
• We can labor without love, but if we truly have love then we can’t not labor – we must act upon our love!
• We can endure without hope, but if we truly have hope then we can’t not endure – we must act upon our hope!
Faith, love, and hope, all come from God which animates us, makes us alive, so that it becomes our new nature to work, labor, and endure. Having trouble staying active? Don’t just put in more effort, you’ll fail. Ask God for more faith, love, and hope. Only when we rely on God does everything fall into place, priorities become clear, and God will fill us and our churches.
PRAYER: In Your presence we come to the God of our faith, love, and hope. In your presence we acknowledge only the God of faith, love, and hope, can purity our work, labor, and endurance. Your Son came to show us the way of work, love, and endurance as being empowered by His faith, love, and hope. We must not separate the divine cause from the human effect. May we understand everything begins with You. Amen.
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