Daily Devotional

As I look back over decades of ministry, I am thankful for the godly people who have helped shape my life and my ministry.  Their impact was felt as they lived out in practical ways their faith, love, and hope.  God desires for us to touch other people with these same qualities.  Faith, love, and hope are being built into our lives through the work of the Holy Spirit, that we might share them with others.

Our work produced by faith

As Paul thought of the Thessalonian believers, he was reminded of their living faith.  After coming to know Christ, the Thessalonians had active faith that caused them to share the gospel with everyone around them.  Paul commended them for their work produced by faith.  Their faith was energetic and people saw the reality of it as evidenced by their good works.

God has brought people into our lives that will encourage us to have an energetic faith.  Their lives and their activities keep energizing us to live for the Lord.  We need to thank the Lord for those who are encouraging us to step out in a greater way in our faith to serve Him.  

Our labor prompted by love

Paul described the depth of the devotion of the believers in the church of Thessalonica.  Even though they were very devoted to the Lord, Paul’s words are not specifically speaking of their devotion to God, but that love which manifested itself in acts of kindness toward other Christians and toward mankind in general.

God’s love in our lives will demonstrate itself through labor prompted by love.  It will cause us to expend energy in serving others.  We should thank the Lord for the people in our lives that do things for us because of their love for the Lord.  God often meets the needs of our lives through the loving service of God’s people.   As we have been blessed by others, we should look for opportunities to serve others with love.

Our endurance inspired by hope

The Thessalonians endured the issues of life because of their hope in the Lord.  Their hope focused on the future return of the Jesus Christ.  Paul described a mindset which remains unconquered by trials and persecutions.
 
Today we need people in our lives that will keep our focus on the hope of the Lord’s return.  When we face difficult times, we need people of hope around us.  They will help us to endure through the situation because they remind us to fix our hope on the Lord.  We need to thank the Lord for people who help us have this mindset.

Prayer:  Lord, thank you for those who encourage me to grow in my relationship with You.  Help me to be an encourager to others to grow in their faith, love, and hope.  Amen

New American Standard Bible (NASB)
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