Christianity Oasis Forum

[cimi]

May 2
Thursday


A PLEA
FOR PRAYER

READ:
2 Thessalonians 3:1-5
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Brethren, pray for us.
__2 Thessalonians 3:1
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A missionary recently visited the Bible study I was attending. She described what it had been like to pack up her household, part with friends, and relocate to a distant country. When she and her family arrived, they were greeted with a flourishing drug-trade and hazardous roadways. The language barrier brought on bouts of loneliness. They contracted four different stomach viruses. And her oldest daughter narrowly escaped death after falling through a railing on an unsafe stairwell. They needed prayer.

The apostle Paul experienced danger and hardship as a missionary. He was imprisoned, shipwrecked, and beaten. It's no surprise that his letters contained pleas for prayer. He asked the believers in Thessalonica to pray for success in spreading the gospel__that God's Word would "run swiftly and be glorified" (2 Thess. 3:1) and that God would deliver him from "unreasonable and wicked men" (v.2). Paul knew he would need to "open [his] mouth boldly" and declare the gospel (Eph. 6:19), which was yet another prayer request.

Do you know people who need supernatural help as they spread the good news of Christ? Remember Paul's appeal, "Brethren, pray for us" (2 Thess. 3:1), and intercede for them before the throne of our powerful God.
__Jennifer benson Schuldt

`````````````````````````````Commit to pray and intercede__`````````````````````````
`````````````````````````The battle's strong and great's the need;```````````````````````
```````````````````````````And this one truth can't be ignored;`````````````````````````
```````````````````````Our only help comes from the Lord. __Sper``````````````````````
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Intercede for others in prayer;
God's throne is always accessible.

*******************************Today's Bible Reading __ 2 Thessalonians 3:1-5*****************************

1 Finally, brethren, pray
for us, that the word of the
Lord may run swiftly and
be glorified, just as it is
with you, 2 and that we may
be delivered from
unreasonable and wicked
men; for not all have faith.

3 But the Lord is faithful,
who will establish you and
guard you from the evil
one. 4 And we have
confidence in the Lord
concerning you, both that
you do and will do the
things we command you.

5 Now may the Lord direct
your hearts into the love of
God and into the patience
of Christ.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>INSIGHT<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

In verse 5 of today's reading, we find the apostle Paul encouraging
the Thessalonians with a message that can help us in our walk with
Christ. He calls them to allow the Lord Himself to "direct [our]
hearts." But this is not some abstract concept. Paul says, "may the
Lord direct your hearts" into two specific areas__the love of God
and the patience of Christ. Some have speculated that here "the
Lord" refers to the guiding and directing work of the Holy Spirit.
While "the love of God" is fairly self-explanatory, the "patience of
Christ" seems to refer to the hope that we have in Christ (1 Thess.
1:3,10), allowing us to endure as we wait for His return.