“Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
The Apostle Paul was only with the Thessalonians for a short time. He evangelized there and started a church. Persecution, though, forced him to flee before he wanted to leave. He left behind a very young church. You can read the story in Acts 17.
In this letter, you can feel Paul’s relief that the Christians in Thessalonica were doing well and growing in their faith. He reminds them in this verse that the reason they were continuing to grow and thrive as Christians was the Word of God. “You accepted what we said as the very word of God…And this word continues to work in you who believe.”
There are a number of things that are important if we want to grow in our faith. Probably the most important thing of all, though, is spending time in God’s Word. The writer to the Hebrews said, “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword…” (Hebrews 4:12)
God’s Word transforms our minds, teaches us, corrects us, encourages us, and guides us. My prayer for you is that you would fall in love with the Bible like never before. May the words of Scripture come alive in your life as you meditate on them!
Annie and I are serving the Lord in the US, Africa, India, and in South America. Your gift will help us continue to have a powerful impact in so many lives. Just click here to get involved. Thanks so much!
