1 Thessalonians 1:4-5, “For we know, brothers, loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”
Hearing the Word of God, the gospel, produced changes in the Thessalonians’ lives as it does today. God’s Word has power. It transforms and changes lives while molding us into holiness and godliness. It penetrates our hearts and lives and teaches us how to live like Christ in a culture that is foreign to Christian values and ideals. It is how God’s voice comes and speaks to us. Then we have the Holy Spirit, a living Person who convicts, comforts, and instructs us when we read the Word and completes a great spiritual work within us.
Dear reader, if you are a born-again Christian, then you are chosen and loved by God. That is a fact. When you read a verse that gives you comfort, write it down. When you read a verse that teaches you about something or instructs you, write it down. When you read a verse that makes you want to shout it out loud in praising God, write it down. This will become your story, and God’s story together, of God’s promises of hope to rely upon and cling to with convictions of steel given to you by the Holy Spirit.
The Phillips version of 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 states it this way, “We know that God not only loves you but has selected you for a special purpose. For we remember how our gospel came to you not as mere words, but as a message with power behind it – the effectual power, in fact, of the Holy Spirit.” Did you realize God not only loves you but has selected you for a special purpose? “Before any decision, ask: Is this consistent with God’s will for my life?” Charles Stanley. Actions speak louder than words.
We all make mistakes and get in over our heads in circumstances and situations, but God says He will be there with us. Look at these promises from Isaiah 43:2-3 MSG:
“When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place,
It won’t be a dead end –
Because I am God, your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you.”
A.W. Tozer has said, “What comes into your minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” Faith, hope, and love are evidences of a Christian. These Christ-like qualities can come only from God. Seek to encourage others seeking truth, to strengthen their faith in God’s abundant mercy, love, and grace, while increasing their hope. That is part of our particular elected purpose on this earth. Meanwhile, our living hope, our place of refuge, is focused on waiting for Christ’s soon return.
Listen to Phil Wickham Living Hope (Official Music Video), March 29, 2018.