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2 Thessalonians 3:5
In the second letter the Apostle Paul wrote to the church at Thessalonica he has been giving them encouragement for being faithful to the Lord Jesus Christ through trials and persecution. In chapter 3 he asks their prayers for him and his ministry team, and then notes his confidence in the Lord Jesus Christ for those who do the things that were taught for the way in which one should live as a Christian. He then states in 2 Thessalonians 3:5 (NKJV), “5Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ.” This is such a powerful statement as Paul comes to the heart of the matter, which is the condition of our hearts to be open to receive the love of God, along with His patience.
This is a command to let the love and patience of God direct our hearts.
One’s heart is the center of his or her being as it is our soul that resides there and is accompanied by God’s Holy Spirit for all who put their faith in Him. This is the center of every person. The Bible teaches us in Proverbs 27:19, “As in water face reflects face, So a man’s heart reveals the man.” Jesus teaches us in Matthew 6:21, “For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” The Apostle Paul taught the Colossians to “let the peace of God rule in your hearts” (Colossians 3:15), and the Apostle Peter taught in Acts 15:8-9, “So God, who knows the heart, acknowledged them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as He did to us, and made no distinction between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith.”
Dear LORD,
There is so much teaching about our hearts in the Bible that we could study this topic for days, years, even the rest of our lives as we try to gain a better understanding of the relationship You desire to have with each of us if we will let You into our hearts. Please open our minds to receive the words that You speak to our hearts and lead us to victory – in Christ forevermore. In Jesus name I pray, amen.