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1 Thessalonians 4:1
In 1 Thessalonians 4:1 is the reason for preaching – the reason for evangelism – the reason for our hope which is in our Lord Jesus Christ; that we would all receive guidance through the working of God in our lives to spread the message of the gospel for the benefit of all who hear. The Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Philippi, “Only let your conduct be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of your affairs, that you stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel, (Philippians 1:27, NKJV).
It is not that we receive the glory for our conduct in Christ Jesus but that others would see Jesus working in our lives through our conduct and glorify God for the work He is doing in our lives. Our reward for such actions comes from within as God’s Holy Spirit fills us with a joy that only He can reward. Paul wrote to the church at Colossae, “For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light” (Colossians 1:9-14).
We may ask, “What is the reason Paul speaks of?” The reason is the knowledge and understanding of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and of the Love God has shown us through Him and is reflected in our lives through our faith in Him (Colossians 1:3-6).
This is a command that in Christ Jesus our lives should be a reflection of Him.
This is one of the main reasons we attend weekly church services, to receive the exhortation in the Lord Jesus that we should abound more and more in our walk with God through salvation in Christ Jesus and of the ways in which this should be in our lives (1 Thessalonians 4:1). We have been given commandments by God to lead us in the right ways of our lives; let’s follow in the footsteps of Jesus as He leads us, that we all will be a reflection of Him to all those around us and throughout the world!
Dear LORD,
Thank You for the encouragement and inspiration You give us through Your Holy Spirit working in our lives to be a reflection of Jesus to all those we come in contact with. Please help us to see that the glory is Yours and the joy in our hearts is the reward You give us for being faithful to You – in Christ. In Jesus name I pray, amen.