#Faith, Love, and Hope
Daily Reading: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5-
1 Paul, Silas and Timothy,
To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you. 2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.
Our goal in writing to you is so that you might have joy, pleasure and contentment with whatever you encounter because you have salvation through Christ (1 Thessalonians 1:1). Salvation is found in the Greek word for peace.
As Paul continues on in his writing we learn that it is helpful to receive God’s grace and peace by knowing that other believers are praying for you (1 Thessalonians 1:2).
When you study out verse three you and the phrase “work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ” it is an incredible testimony of the faith found in the believers at Thessalonica during persecution.
When you dig into the Greek definitions found in verse three it would read as follows: “Your trust in God during your intense trouble and toil as a result of your good will and brotherly love toward others and your constant patience has been inspired by an expectation of good in our Lord Jesus Christ.”
God the Father is the One has been instrumental in producing this faith and love and hope (verse 3) in the lives of the believers of Thessalonica, since Paul thanks Him for it.
Set your hope on the sovereign grace of God, and in that hope find the strength to endure (1Thessalonians 1:4-5).
