Your parents say one thing, your friends say something else, and all around you the media paints a glamorous picture of what other kids are doing. What's a girl to do? Shellenberger is the editor of Brio Magazine for teen girls published by Focus on the Family, and is the author of girls published by Focus on the Family, and is the author of 41 books. She's traveled to every continent in the world e 41 books. She's traveled to every continent in the world even Antarctica! Second Thessalonians was written to a people bombarded with sensual images and pleasures from the world.
Paul's advice to these people, so young in their faith, contains profound truth that is just as relevant today as it was back then. Now, Faith, Love, and Patience brings these words of wisdom in a form that teenage girls will find irresistible. The study brings Thessalonians to life with contemporary language, stories, discussion questions, and journaling opportunities to coincide with Scripture itself. This study is attractive not only because of its colorful dialogue and format but because of its incredibly affordable price as well.
Log In to sync your basket across devices. About Meet the Author Series. Susie Shellenberger Shellenberger is the editor of Brio Magazine for teen girls published by Focus on the Family, and is the author of girls published by Focus on the Family, and is the author of 41 books. This is the kind of life that draws others to follow Jesus for themselves. How we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you … that you would walk worthy of God: Paul himself lived justly and blamelessly , but he also told the Thessalonians they should live the same way.
He could tell them that they should walk worthy of God because his life and message were consistent. For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.
Words of Encouragement (1 Thessalonians) (Girl's Guide Study Series)
When you received the word of God: Paul earnestly believed and taught others that God had spoken to man and that we have recorded this word of God. Paul believed in a voice that speaks to mankind with the authority of eternity, and speaks above mere human opinion. Since we do have this word of God , we have a true voice of authority. Some people like to say that there is a word of God , but that we can't be sure of what He says.
When we appeal to the Bible, they like to reply "That's just your interpretation. If we can not know what God has spoken, then He may as well not have spoken at all. You welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God: The Thessalonians received the word of God as it is in truth.
Paul presented it not as the word of men , and the Thessalonians received it as the word of God. Not everyone receives this message as the word of God. Yet when they do not receive it, it reflects upon them , not upon the message. The whole case is like that of the Irishman who tried to upset evidence by non-evidence. Four witnesses saw him commit a murder. He pleaded that he was not guilty, and wished to establish his innocence by producing forty persons who did not see him do it.
Of what use would that have been? So, if forty people declare that there is no power of the Holy Ghost going with the word, this only proves that the forty people do not know what others do know. Which also effectively works in you who believe: Paul's confidence in the word of God wasn't a matter of wishful thinking or blind faith. He could see that it effectively works in those who believe. God's word works , it doesn't only bring information or produce feelings.
There is power in the word of God to change lives. Men possessed with the devil are called energumeni. And where the word is believed and received as the word of God, there it hat this energy, or worketh effectually, so as to promote love, repentance, self-denial, mortification, comfort, and peace.
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For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus. For you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans, who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they do not please God and are contrary to all men, forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins; but wrath has come upon them to the uttermost.
For you also suffered the same things: When the Thessalonians responded to the gospel, they became the targets of persecution. As they did, they were not alone, because those among the churches of God have often suffered persecution. The Thessalonian Christians became imitators of those who had suffered before them.
The Thessalonians willingly suffered the same things because they were convinced that Paul brought them not the word of man, but the word of God. The word of man isn't worth suffering for, but a true message from God is worth it.
Churches is the ancient Greek word ekklesia ; it was not a specifically religious word. Christians passed over many Greek words that were commonly used for religious brotherhoods. It is not to be named with any of the words proper to religions in general [of that day]. Who killed both the Lord Jesus and their own prophets, and have persecuted us: Paul comforted these suffering Christians with the assurance that they were not the first to suffer this way.
The Lord Jesus faced persecution, and the Christians in Judea faced it first. Additionally, Paul and his associates were also persecuted. Who killed … the Lord Jesus: Here Paul wrote that his own countrymen the Judeans had killed … the Lord Jesus. But Paul knew well that the Jews of Judea were not the only ones responsible for the murder of Jesus.
The Romans had their full share of guilt, so both Jew and Gentile were guilty. And they do not please God and are contrary to all men: Paul also comforted them with the awareness that they were right, that they are the ones pleasing God. This was necessary assurance because they were persecuted by religious people, and might wonder if these other religious people were in fact right before God in their persecuting.
Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they may be saved, so as always to fill up the measure of their sins: Here Paul revealed what offended the religious persecutors of the Thessalonians so much. They were outraged that Gentiles could be saved without first becoming Jews. This exclusive attitude filled up the measure of their sins. The Jews themselves were vigorously engaged in this period of their history in actively proselyting Gentiles.
Words of Encouragement: A Guide to 1 Thessalonians by Susie Shellenberger
Their fierce opposition was due to the fact that Christian missionaries offered salvation to Gentiles without demanding that they first become Jews. But wrath has come upon them to the uttermost: Paul comforted the Thessalonians by assuring them that God would indeed take care of their persecutors. When Christians forget this, they often disgrace and curse themselves by returning persecution for persecution towards others. For what end God has preserved them distinct from all the people of the earth among whom they sojourn, we cannot pretend to say; but it must unquestionably be for an object of the very highest importance.
In the meantime, let the Christian world treat them with humanity and mercy. He is very much part of them, and he sorrows for their fate. But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. Therefore we wanted to come to you; even I, Paul, time and again; but Satan hindered us. For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing?
Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy. Away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face: Paul knew that the Thessalonians appreciated the comfort he gave, but they wondered why he didn't come and bring this comfort in person. They naturally thought that this would be much better. Yet Paul assured them that the reason was not a lack of love or desire on his part. We wanted to come to you … but Satan hindered us: It wasn't that Paul did not want to visit the Thessalonians.
It was that Satan hindered Paul and his associates.
Paul assured the Thessalonians that he desired to be with them, but he was hindered by Satan, and that this happened time and again. The Thessalonians were mostly Gentile converts, yet when Paul mentioned Satan here, he gave no further explanation. This shows that in the few weeks he was there, Paul taught the Thessalonians much about Satan and spiritual warfare.
Paul, in all his apostolic ministry and authority, could still be blocked by Satan. But Paul did not just receive this Satanic hindrance in a fatalistic way. He did something about the hindrance. First, Paul understood that this was Satanic hindrance. He knew this was not a random circumstance, but a direct attack from Satan.
Paul had the discernment to know. Second, Paul had faith. For a short time means that Paul knew it would only be a short time until the roadblock was overcome. Third, Paul was committed to fight against the roadblock any way he could. If he couldn't be there in person, his letter will go for him and teach and encourage them in his absence.
Many scholars believe that 1 Thessalonians was Paul's earliest letter written as an apostle to a church. If this is the case, then Satan's roadblock got Paul started on writing letters to the churches.
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When Satan saw the great work God did through theses letters, he regretted that he ever hindered Paul at all. Finally, God brought the victory. I have but one piece of advice, and that is, go on, hindrance or no hindrance, in the path of duty as God the Holy Ghost enables you. Paul assured the Thessalonians that he could never forget them because they were his glory and his joy.
His inability to visit should never be taken as a lack of love towards the Thessalonians. Perhaps Paul would say that he didn't need a crown in heaven, because these precious ones were his crown of victory. Those whom we bring to Jesus and disciple are a crown of victory for us. Most preachers, on reading it conscientiously, will either give up their place to others, or purpose to do the work of the Lord more fervently for the future.
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Words of Encouragement: A Guide to 1 Thessalonians
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