Daily Reading February 24 2010 from 2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 NIV

Day 45

2 Thessalonians 2:13-17 NIV
13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth.14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. 15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. 16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, 17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

Eternal Encouragement!
I like that phrase "eternal encouragement", Paul was an encourager and it becomes more and more evident as we read passages like these to the Thessalonian church. Not only did the Apostle encourage he constantly mentioned those who brought him encouragement. Individuals such as Onesimus, Epaphras, Barnabas, and then churches also that encouraged him such as this very church at Thessalonica. When Paul was in prison there were times where he indicates that many had forsaken and rejected him so he was always very careful to mention those who had stayed true, they were his brothers and thus his encouragers. Encouragers are motivated by love for others. Those who can look through much of our negative qualities and see what we are inside and what we are destined to be in Christ. They are those who see diamonds rather than lumps of coal. They seem to always be able to find some kind of good in any situation and in just about any person. Why shouldn't we be encouraged? We are all examples of what God can do with a submitted life. If you are like me you seemed hopeless and unworthy. In fact I was unworthy and completely hopeless until I found some encouragers who looked through my past and saw what God could do. I still have many undesirable traits but God has delivered me from much. Along the way He has continued to send encouragment along through committed believers who were willing to share His love with the unlovable. It is for this reason that I have no other option but to find others that I can pour love and hope into and watch what God does in these submitted lives. As Paul says here the ultimate encourager is Christ Himself who alone was able to bring ETERNAL ENCOURAGEMENT to fallen man. Praise God! Find someone you can pour into, someone who even seems hopeless, and share the loving encouragement of Christ.

Blessings,

Pastor Larry