Thursday
Read – 1 Thessalonians 2:9-16, Colossians 1:3-8
SOAP – 1 Thessalonians 2:13
And so[ we too constantly thank God that when you received God’s message that you heard from us,[b] you accepted it not as a human message,[c] but as it truly is, God’s message, which is at work among you who believe.
When Peter and the apostles were teaching about Jesus after His death they ran into problems with the authorities. The local leaders did not want them teaching about Jesus. Yet it was more important to obey God than man. People were in an uproar when a wise Pharisee named Gamaliel spoke up and said, “… in this case I say to you, stay away from these men and leave them alone, because if this plan or this undertaking originates with people, it will come to nothing, but if it is from God, you will not be able to stop them…”
Have you ever thought about the difference between a human message and. God’s message? Human news has the power to inform, and perhaps to evoke emotion. God’s message possesses the power to transform. It has the ability to change the whole course of our lives.
Lord, thank You that Your message is powerful and has the ability to transform lives! Thank You that accepting the gospel isn’t only a one-time decision, but continues to change us from the inside out. Amen.