Our beloved Thessalonians were facing such hard trials and persecution they thought they were living the day of the Lord, the time of the tribulation. Paul sends them this second letter to calm their hearts and remind them that the day of the Lord wouldn´t come until certain events had taken place and that when Jesus returns, His church will meet Him in the air (1 Thess. 4:13-18) and be far from the events to come.
The day of the Lord is the period that follows the rapture of the church. It will be a time of tribulation for people on earth and though a great number of Jews and Gentiles will be saved during this seven-year period, the vast majority of the world´s population will be lost.
Today´s verses describe that the Holy Spirit, who now restrains “the mystery of lawlessness”, the evil agenda Satan has for this world, will be out of the way during the tribulation. When the church is raptured, the Holy Spirit will be present on the earth, but will not be restraining the forces of evil as He is today.
Once the church is out of the world, Satan and his forces – who know their final destiny is approaching (Rev. 19:20; 20:10-15) – will try to take with them as many people as they can to the lake of fire.
As many souls as they can.
“In spite of its weakness and seeming failure, never underestimate the importance of the church in the world. People do not realize that the presence of the people of God in this world gives unsaved people opportunity to be saved.” – Warren Wiersbe, Be ready.
The presence of the church, the presence of the people of God, your presence in the world is what is making all the difference.
However, let´s be clear here: just being present is not enough.
Attending church on Sundays, going back to our lives, our routines and schedules and doing things our way won´t make a difference.
We need to be aware of what´s involved: the souls of the people around you who don´t know Jesus and their future destiny.
God wants to use you, your gifts, your talents, your life to lead to Jesus as many people as possible while you are on this earth.
And the time is now.
“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might, for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.” Ecclesiastes 9:10
There are numerous people in the world today who have never heard the Gospel yet. This is why Love God Greatly works so hard to get God’s Word out into the world by removing financial and language barriers that once kept people from having access to the Bible in their language.
The thought that God wants to use you to help get to these people and fight Satan and his evil forces while there is still time should blow your mind.
He wants to use you.
He has given you the power to fight and conquer.
He is partnering with you to take people away from the devil´s hands.
The question is: are you making the difference? Is your presence in this world a threat to Satan? Do you realize people who are not saved are going to hell for the eternity?
“The mystery of lawlessness” is already at work. Evil is already present.
Whatever you can do to spread the Gospel or to help others get it, do it and do it now.
Be the one willing to make a difference.
Content in His service,
Edurne lives with her husband and three children in Puerto Ayacucho, Venezuela, where they serve as missionaries to tribes in the Amazon jungle. Her passion is to help women and children understand God´s Word and help them grow and flourish in their faith. She serves with Love God Greatly International and leads LGG Spanish. You can find Edurne and her team at: Ama A Dios Grandemente
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Stay tuned, sweet friends our summer study will be announced NEXT WEEK!
Edurne writes in the blog, “There are numerous people in the world today who have never heard the Gospel yet.” So true. My daughter in law does “Prayer on the Street” with a group each Wednesday evening during rush hour. When she got home last week, she told me most Danes have never heard the Gospel. It is a country of five million people, the majority of whom are without the Lord. Sure, they have a calendar based on the liturgical year, but they see their days off, like Pentecost and Ascension, simply as holidays from work, not for what they truly should celebrate. Believe it or not, even pastors in the state church are athiests! Anne’s father is one and says it’s very difficult working with other men who believe in nothing but went into the church simply as an “easy career choice.” So sad. When we think of the unsaved today, it’s not only the aboriginal peoples who live away from civilization; rather, it’s the person walking down the street beside us, in the cubicle next door at work, or sitting in our classrooms. As Edurne says, this is why the work of LGG is crucial. Most of us have known the Lord for sometime, and yes, we benefit greatly from these studies, but how much more precious they are to women who have no tradition of Bible study. Lord, please continue to bless this worldwide ministry that your Word would go forth to all the earth!
I should add that my DIL says Prayer on the Streets is a very effective tool for speaking Truth to passersby. When asked if they would stop to hear the Gospel, most Danes would walk on by, but if someone cares enough to pray for them, they are receptive. Anne has met many on the streets whom she’s invited to church that now attend regularly! PTL!
Deb,
Thank you so much for joining us today and sharing from your heart. The work your daughter in law is doing is amazing! Please know we are praying over her and her group for continued success. God Bless You all!
Please pray for my daughter as she is confused and then gets stubborn when I speak to her about the Lord. I am praying for her under my umbrella. I feel inept at times because I fumble so much with fear and panic, yes even talking about his coming. I am afraid I won’t listen when I should or follow with the believers when I should. Please pray for me too. Amen
Dear Stephanie, You are not alone sweet Sister. I have loved ones who are so far away from the Lord, and sometimes I find myself becoming so discouraged and disappointed when I see them rejecting the saving love of God! I know so many people who are in our shoes and fervently praying for their loved ones as well. I am a small group facilitator, and in my Friday SOAP, I encouraged our Facebook group of women to be patient, trust God, witness about His love boldly, and let the Spirit use our testimonies for God’s purpose in His time. You and your daughter will be in my prayers Sister!