2 Thessalonians Ch.1

Background on the Book:

Paul had a deep relationship with the new believers in the Thessalonian church. They were young, bold in their faith, fully committed to one another and zealous for the things of God. These new converts had a great reputation for being God-centered, Word driven, deeply devoted to one another, loving and supportive and exploding with new faith. Despite the fact that they were enduring persecution for their Christian beliefs and dedication to Jesus the risen Savior, the church was growing and adding to its numbers weekly. Their new faith came with a personal cost, but the reward of a life in eternity forever with the God of Israel made every minute of being persecuted and misunderstood tolerable. They believed Jesus Christ was God in the flesh, who came to earth and walked among them, who died and rose again to be with the Father in heaven. He was the one who would soon return and gather up His church, and they were anxiously waiting for this with fervent passion. They expected Christ to return at any day, and they lived each day as if it were the last day to tell others that Jesus was the long awaited Messiah that their forefathers had written of. Paul wrote two letters to the believers in Thessalonica as a means of encouraging them to persevere through these tough times of persecution and rejection by their society. In 1 Thessalonians Paul encourages the reader to stay the course, not quit and not cave in to the accusations and pressures put upon them by non-believers around them who would love to dissolve the church through distorted lies and unending peer-pressure, hoping to silence the message of the gospel. He reminded them not to be alarmed when persecution came, knowing that it was part of the call of every believer to suffer for the sake of the Gospel. (1 Thess. 3:3, 4) Some of his last words were colored with admonishment to have a walk that pleased God by honoring Him and keeping their own bodies separate and holy, by abstaining from sexual immorality and unholy conduct. Paul closed the first letter by describing the coming “Day of the Lord”, which was the motor behind their passion, followed by instruction for “holy living” as a disciple of Jesus. Paul sends the church a second, follow-up letter, approximately a few months after the first. (2 Thessalonians) False doctrine had been on the rise in that city. Incorrect teaching had infiltrated the church, declaring the “Day of the Lord” was actually happening then and there. Paul worried that the false teachings would have an effect on the believers there, especially since they were weary from the persecution they were

1 weathering. Would their confusion lead them to despair? Paul was a little worried, so he wrote this second letter as a spiritual father would. He desired to bolster their faith. He wanted to clear up any confusion the false doctrine may have bred. Some were questioning their faith, some were confused on the timing of the return of Christ, causing them to waver in their commitment to Jesus. “Was Jesus really who we thought He was?” “Will He really return for His church?” These questions began to dog the church as the persecution persisted. Paul was concerned that some would leave the faith in their weariness or disillusionment. These letters were Paul’s means of steadying the ship that had been rocked with suffering. He would continue to pastor them through some really difficult, confusing times. Paul’s shepherd’s heart is revealed in his writing. They loved him, and he viewed them as his dear family. Let’s study the book!

Day 1

Before we open God’s Word and begin to read it, we should always invite the Holy Spirit, (our teacher/helper/counselor) to guide us through it! If we don’t prepare our minds and hearts to hear spiritual things, there is a strong chance it will fall on a preoccupied, unmotivated heart.

Let’s bow our hearts in prayer: Write out your prayer to God for today. (Keep in mind that He already knows your needs before you ask, and His answers are prepared ahead for you, but He encourages you to ask Him for all your needs. Also remember the transformational power of a woman with a grateful heart. ______

Please read 2 Thessalonians Ch. 1 in its entirety.

1. Who wrote this book? 1 Thessalonians 1:1 ______a. What is another name for Silvanus? ______

2 See Acts 17:1-4. b. Paul and Silas were great ministry partners and, more importantly, loyal friends.Silas was a leader in the Jerusalem Church and a Roman citizen like Paul. They had forged through many a tough time in ministry together, persevering through persecutions, beatings, being misunderstood and falsely accused. There is nothing like trudging through challenging ministry days with another sister in Christ to quickly deepen a relationship. Oddly, one of the sweetest gifts God can give comes at the most vulnerable of times, through being involved with another person during your most horrific trial. It can birth the most valued and cherished friendship.

Describe a time below that Paul and Silas were in great trouble together. How would that difficult experience bond you as friends and ministry partners? Read Acts 16:16-31. ______

How many times did they have the whip laid to their backs? ______v.23 What did the leaders do to heighten the pain of the flogging? V.22 ______After the excruciating pain of flogging with sticks, what did the Magistrates command the guards to do with the Paul and Silas? V.24 ______

I’m sure all they wanted to do was curl up in the fetal position on the floor, to be left alone until the pain faded, but you cannot curl up or sleep well with your feet shackled to the floor in a cold damp cell. Sitting up in pain, I’m sure their eyes locked many times over, with reassuring tears that it was all worth it for their Jesus. Inwardly the challenge awaited a decision as they checked in with the Lord, recommitting their personal devotion to Him, before any words could be spoken out loud about what they had just endured together.

There are no words that can express our great gratitude to those that endure trials with us. When we are at our weakest, when we see no hope for the future, when we see no way out or no purpose of good in the situation, when we want to quit so badly but there is no place to go, when our heads hang and our arms are heavy, when we can

3 no longer raise the bat, reaffirming we struck out with exhaustion long ago - that’s when the miracle happens, AND God sends us people. Check out this article I found on Chuck Missler’s website “Koinonia House”.

The ten Boom family belonged to the Dutch Reformed Church and believed strongly in the equality of all people before God. One of the brothers was a minister and the sisters had been active in charitable work before the war. During the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands, the family began to hide numerous Jews and resisters in their home, and built a secret room to protect them. In 1944, the family and other people at the house, about 30 in all, were arrested for their resistance activities and taken to Scheveningen prison. The six Jews in hiding at the house were not discovered and survived, with the help of other Resistance workers. Father Casper ten Boom became ill and died 10 days later at the prison. A brother, sister and nephew were released. In June, 1944, Betsie and her sister Corrie were sent to Ravensbruck concentration camp. Betsie’s strong faith in God kept her from depression throughout her life and especially within the camps. Corrie told of how Betsie reached out to help others and helped Corrie to see the best in everything, no matter what the circumstance. Before her death, Betise experienced three visions from God about what she and Corrie were to do after their release. She believed they would be released by the New Year. Her first vision was of a house for former prisoners. The second was to own a concentration camp where they could teach Germans to learn to love again. The third was that she and Corrie would travel the world telling what they had learned of God while in the camps. Betsie died in Ravensbruck on 16 December 1944, at the age of 59. Her sister Corrie was released due to a clerical error, and went on to set up the projects that Betsie had seen in her visions including traveling the world to speak about her faith.Betsie and her father, Casper, were honored by the State of Israel in 2008 as Righteous Among the Nations. Her sister Corrie had been honored previously.

"In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." 1Thess. 5:18

It's simple to thank God when He does miracles and answers prayers just the way we want them answered. It's also pretty easy to thank Him when we can look around and see many blessings in our lives. When our situation seems awful, though,

4 and we're struggling through tragedy or just plain hard times, it can seem hard to believe that God is really there taking care of things; it can be hard to say, "I know You love me. Thank you for what You are doing even now." Jesus never promised us gardens of roses or even daisies in this life. He did promise he would never leave or forsake us (Heb 13:5).

Thank You For The Fleas: In her book The Hiding Place, Corrie Ten Boom tells of a time she discovered that God was working even in the most horrific circumstances. Corrie and her sister Betsie had been imprisoned by the Nazis for hiding Jews behind the wall of their Holland home, and Nazi prison conditions were pretty well unbearable.

Corrie writes: "Barracks 8 was in the quarantine compound. Next to us--perhaps as a deliberate warning to newcomers--were located the punishment barracks. From there, all day long and often into the night, came the sounds of hell itself. They were not the sounds of anger, or of any human emotion, but of a cruelty altogether detached: blows landing in regular rhythm, screams keeping pace. We would stand in our ten-deep ranks with our hands trembling at our sides, longing to jam them against our ears, to make the sounds stop. "It grew harder and harder. Even within these four walls there was too much misery, too much seemingly pointless suffering. Every day something else failed to make sense, something else grew too heavy."

Yet, in the midst of the suffering, the women prisoners around Corrie and Betsie found comfort in the little Bible studies they held in the barracks. Corrie writes they gathered around the Bible "like waifs clustered around a blazing fire…The blacker the night around us grew, the brighter and truer and more beautiful burned the Word of God."When they were moved to Barracks 28, Corrie was horrified by the fact that their reeking, straw-bed platforms swarmed with fleas. How could they live in such a place?

It was Betsie who discovered God's answer: "'"Rejoice always, pray constantly, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus." That's it, Corrie! That's His answer. "Give thanks in all circumstances!" That's what we can do. We can start right now to thank God for every single thing about this new barracks!' "I stared at her; then around me at the dark, foul-aired room…"

They thanked God for the fact they were together. They thanked God they had a Bible. They even thanked God for the horrible crowds of prisoners, that more people would be able to hear God's Word. And then, Betsie thanked God for the fleas.

"The fleas! This was too much. 'Betsie, there's no way even God can make me grateful for a flea.' "'"Give thanks in all circumstances,"' she quoted. 'It doesn't say, "in pleasant circumstances." Fleas are part of this place where God has put us.' "And so we stood between tiers of bunks and gave thanks for fleas. But this time I was sure Betsie was wrong."

It turned out that Betsie was not wrong; the fleas were a nuisance, but a blessing after all. The women were able to have Bible studies in the barracks with a great deal of freedom, never bothered by supervisors coming in and harassing them. They finally discovered that it was the fleas that kept those supervisors out. Through those fleas, God protected the women from abuse and harassment. Dozens of desperate women were free to hear the comforting, hope-giving Word of God. Through those fleas, God protected the women from much worse things and made sure they had their deepest, truest needs met. We all have "fleas" in our lives. We all have those things that we can see no use for, things that are obviously horrible, unpleasant, painful things that we want gone. No life is free of "fleas", but if Corrie and Betsie can be our examples, God can use even these nasty insects for our protection and blessing. Let’s thank God for His constant care and provision and for His hidden blessings that come in ways we can easily overlook.

c. No life is free of “fleas”. Describe a time you went through something in which seasons of it were almost unbearable. In the end could you see that it sent you in a direction you needed to go or protected you or others from something worse that could have come? ______

d. Do you have a close friend you gained in a season of life when you were weak and needy, lacking in hope - maybe in need of some back-up? Did God bring unexpected blessings as you view that time in hindsight? Describe how that came about and what unexpected blessing was given to you through that friendship.

6 ______Share with your group if you can.

2. What were leaders Paul, Silas and Timothy thankful for when they thought of the believers in this church? 2 Thessalonians 1:3-4.

Write out all you can find listed in these 2 verses. ______

a. Mentioned at the top of their list of accolades was their faith in Christ.

In 1 Thessalonians 1:3, Paul referred to their faith as, “Their “work” of faith”. In this second book to this church, Paul refers to their faith as, “faith that grows exceedingly.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3) Why the shift in words? May I suggest we can see the answer in V.4? Here Paul extends the description of their “faith”, to “faith in all your persecutions and tribulations”.

● Isn’t it true that our faith grows from a “working faith” to a “faith that grows exceedingly” through the difficulties we endure in life?

Could it have been the persecution that lit their faith on fire? Could it have been the beatings in the Marketplace with Silas or the time shackled in prison or the way Paul was persecuted and run out of town, that made them determined to stand for the gospel of Jesus Christ? Was it the persecution that deepened the friendship? Persecution of the church always promotes growth of the gospel. Persecution in our individual lives forces us to draw near to our Savior, where personal growth can occur. How many times have the pressures of life been the very agent that God used to force to open me up to others and be vulnerable for prayer? And prayer in those times is what I needed most!

“Suffering is the very agent that God sometimes uses to see where our loyalties lie.”

Our trials show us so much about the condition of our faith. They seem to give us an accurate reading on where our relationship with Christ is at this very moment.

b. Do you have a growing faith today? What is fueling your faith to forge ahead? ______

d. Let’s thank the Lord “for the fleas”. What negative thing in your life today can you imagine God using for His glory in your life later? ______Share with your group - it will build others’ faith, too!

Not too long ago I was discussing with my older daughter a situation in a mutual friend's life and how it seemed she was being met with one trial after another. The trials came like ocean waves, rolling over her life one after the other, crushing her before she had a chance to stand on her own two feet. I was expressing my concern for her, and my daughter responded with, “Well, Mom, I suppose she is closer to the Lord than either of us are!” Good point, I thought. Trials cause true believers to hide themselves under the shadow of His wings!

d. Write out 1 Peter 1:6-9. ______

God is revealing your personal faith to the world, dear friend. People are watching to see how you handle the pressure. By the grace of God, they will see a woman of extreme faith and strength, which they will acknowledge is very unusual in your circumstances, and then they will turn to look at your God! That’s exactly how God

8 will get the glory through your struggle! Praise Him for His ability to turn our sufferings into a witness of His miracle working power!

Day 2

Please read 2 Thessalonians 1:4-5. (NKJ)

1. Paul says that your faith through persecutions and trials are ______of the ______judgment ______. V.5

Please don’t miss that! The tough stuff that you are going through today is the “evidence” to the world that God is alive and real! Like the title of the movie proclaims, “God’s not dead!” Your faith through life’s struggles, coupled by God’s power to perform miracles, shouts to the world there is a God! Here is a thought. If you had never spoken a word about your faith in Jesus, could a court of law convict you of being a Christian just by the way you live and what you do? Would there be enough evidence to convict you?

The early church leaders boasted about the on fire faith of believers in Thessalonica. The believers there never let go of Jesus, even when real persecution gripped their lives. Persecution pushed them into Jesus, it didn’t make them run away. He is the God of new beginnings. He is alive and restoring to health those things that die because of the dark sin of this world. Your life is the evidence that all that is true. Your faith today propels the truth that God is real. He is the only one that can carry you safely to the doors of eternity. People are starving for truth and security like that. They want to believe that Jesus is real and can be real for them, too. Show them through your perseverance where to go to receive living water! Show them through your endurance where to go and receive spiritual bread!

2. V. 5 says, “Their faith and patience through trials was the “evidence” of the “righteous judgment of God.” (NKJ) What does that mean?

9 Sometimes it helps to look at various versions of a verse to grab its intended meaning. The Amplified Version of the Bible adds a full range of descriptive words that often help.

2 Thess. 1:5 - Amplified Version: “This is positive proof (or evidence) of the just and right judgment of God to the end that you may be deemed deserving (or counted worthy) of His kingdom. (a plain token of His fair verdict which designs that you should be made and counted worthy of the kingdom of God], for the sake of which you are also suffering.”)

In Teri’s version it might have said, “Their unshakable faith was positive proof that God thought they deserved to be a part of His kingdom, for which they were suffering in this present world”.

3. The definition of a “test” is to prove by trial. Are you in the process of being proven, friend? So, it seems to make sense that when we are being tested by God, God is proving something to us or to others through the pain, pressure and instability the trial brings with it. Why does Scripture say Job was chosen to be “tested” by God? Job 1:8 ______

Well, it wasn’t because he was a horrible Christian or even a carnal Christian. Let’s put that kind of thinking out of our heads.

According to John’s gospel who gets pruned? John 15:2 ______

God prunes those who are already bearing fruit to His name, so if you are in the middle of life altering, crazy things, take it to the bank you are already a fruit producer for the Kingdom! He is just causing you to be more spiritually prolific than you already are!

The best apricots I get from my apricot tree come when I remember to prune the tree in the fall. There have been years I have forgotten. In those years, the spindly branches reach long and tall toward the sun, seemingly trying to reach the glorious richness of the sun’s rays. They would have been happy to have been left alone, but I knew the harvest would be sweeter with a pruning. The first time I pruned the tree back, I almost felt bad for lopping off those tall branches. I questioned whether I had ruined the harvest to come.

10 As Spring came, I could see the tree covered with large, green apricots. Hundreds of them covered the tree, and their size seemed to double with every branch that was pruned. a. As you think about trials and what God does through them, list some things God could be proving to you and others around you through a trial in your life now or a previous one. ______

Below are a few verses that might help you with your answer. Read each one and make personal notes.

1 Peter 1:6-8 -

Deuteronomy 8:14-18 -

James 1:2-4 -

Psalm 34: 1-9 -

Our long-suffering through trials is evidence that we are God’s children. My prayer for each one of you can be echoed from the voice of Paul. Close today by writing out Colossians 1:9-12.

______

Day 3

Please read through today’s Scriptures. 2 Thessalonians 1:6-9.

11 These are some serious verses that will take some thought and study to understand correctly. Pray that the Holy Spirit will be your teacher as you work through the intent of these three verses.

1. At first glance what do you think v. 6 is saying? ______

It is true - what troublemakers sow, they shall reap.

Is this a righteous thing? God, as judge, is a side of God that we don’t like to think about much We love to sing songs about God as our friend, “What a friend we have in Jesus,” - or God as the one who loved enough to send His Son for our redemption. But God is also just. He will one day make all things right and put things in their proper place. Everything will be known as He shines light upon all things hidden. He will right the wrongs and set things as they should have always been. The offended and wounded will one day have the truth revealed.

a.Verse 6 is very clear. It says what you think it says. God will repay with trouble those who have troubled you. When God judges, it is a righteous judgment. That means there is no error in the decision.

Write out Romans 9:14 below. ______

Lives matter, and our behavior does have lasting consequences. Now, if you have invited Jesus to be your Savior, you will never face judgment for your sins. That was taken care of by Jesus when He died for you, but we will give an account of how we lived and what we did with our time, material possessions and spiritual gifts God gave us to use to serve Him.

Jesus talks openly about judgment coming to the non-believing ones. (They are often referred to as Gentiles in Scripture.) People don’t like to talk about the judgment of God or hell or eternal damnation, etc. These things are often kept in silence although they are very real and part of the future. Read through Matthew 25:31-46. What is the first thing Jesus will do from His throne? v.32 ______

12 Sheep - go to the ______. Goats - go to the ______. What sweet words do the sheep on the right look forward to hearing from Jesus? v.34______I sure hope you are His sheep, dear friend. I hope you will follow the rest of the herd moving right. The gate is narrow, Scripture says. From my perspective the narrow path seems to be made clearer every day, pitched against this dark confused world.

What happens to the goats standing to the left of His throne? Matthew 25:41 ______

A future of eternal everlasting fire scares the “heebie jeebies” out of me! And it should! This is not make believe. There is a place called “hell” that is a place of everlasting fire and destruction. I wish it would be empty, but it won’t be. There will be some who will never bend their knees to Jesus until they are forced. They will never accept Him as their loving Savior over their sins. This will be their fate, and I tell you, it just breaks my heart. One can only get to hell by pushing the love of God aside over and over again.

According to the words of Jesus in Matthew 8:12, what will hell be like? ______It will be a place of unconsolable grief.

I used to think this phrase, “there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” , to mean hell will be a place of deep despair and crying and “the gnashing of teeth” to be a reference to some kind of demon presence there, lashing out at the souls of the lost. I pictured demons seeking to devour like starving lions unleashed on helpless prey. After further study of the word “gnashing” in this verse, I gained a whole new perspective of what hell is. It gripped my soul! The word “gnashing” in the original Greek is the word, “broog-mos’” which means grating or grinding in pain. In other words it is not a demon gnashing its teeth. It is the fallen souls, grinding their teeth in immense pain in response to the eternal fire upon their bodies, all this in such darkness - for there is not light in hell, and to top it all off there is no end to this misery. Sobering, isn’t it? Eternal means eternal, never ending. This is their plight, this is their future forever and ever. This should make our hearts weep for the lost.

13 Now, I didn’t give you this explicit definition and picture of hell just to be grossly graphic or sensational. I am telling you what God’s Word says. It is a true warning for the stubborn soul without God. These are words not mentioned much in Scripture unfortunately. I think they should be taught more often than they are. Knowing what God spared us from is a major part of the true gospel, right? As His ministers, we need to give them all of it! Knowing God spared me from all this is what causes me to bow low. This picture in my mind begs me to bow low and stay low. Our Father in heaven supplied His Son, precious Son, to be the covering of all we have done wrong. Through this we have redemption and freedom and eternal life in heaven where we will live with perfection for all eternity. Let’s all get low with great gratitude for sparing our life through His Son Jesus Christ! b. As we look back at 2 Thessalonians 1:7, what is promised those who have withstood persecution and trials? “To give you who are troubled ______.” (NKJ)

I don’t want to sound like a slug or one without any passion in life, quite the contrary, but REST sounds pretty good! The kind of rest the Lord is talking about, is a type of rest we have never experienced before. From the moment we took our first breath in this world the enemy of our soul sought to take our life! We entered a spiritual battle - a battle for our very soul. From day one the spiritual battle raged up above and believers were the target. You and I have been the bullseye for many years now. “Rest” is not referring to a good night’s sleep. It’s so much deeper than that. It means to enter into a time when there is a complete stopping of energy spent to get things done. The time of doing on earth will be complete. In eternity there will be physical rest but more important spiritual rest. No more spiritual battles. King Jesus reigns, and the Kingdom has a perfect ruler, the One who rules with wisdom and holiness. There is no ulterior motive, no selfish ambition behind His agenda, there is no prejudice in His actions. We will serve the will of the perfect King! And REST from all that was before will be sweet! The believer will enter to a “rest” from all the darkness and trials the darkness brought into every life from the beginning of the ages! Satan is cast into outer darkness, and we are able to rest from his attacks. The mind will rest from the battle of lies and fear, the body will rest from the process of aging, the soul will rest in its eternal home. Oh, I could shout “Praise Jesus” right now! Just this morning I looked in the mirror, noticed a few more wrinkles and age spots and said to myself, “ Well, Teri, you're getting closer to home”!

14 The non-believers will go through a different experience. REST will not be on the table for them. Their future holds quite the opposite. They will never experience rest. In fact, this earth offers more comfort and rest now than they will ever experience for the rest of eternity. c. What will come of those who deny Jesus as Savior? 2 Thessalonians 1:9 Write it below. These are sobering words. ______

The most difficult thing about hell is those there will have seen God; they will have experienced His holiness, righteousness, sweetness and understood for the first time that everything said about Him is true, and then they will never be able to be in His presence again. They will have tasted His love, holiness and goodness and realized they rejected it all, to live their personally selfish life! May God pour His Spirit out on this earth in these last days! “Bring revival, Lord!” “Save the lost”!

Now, for the good news! Say that aloud! “Now, for the good news”!

Day 4

Today’s reading; 2 Thessalonians 1:10-12

2 Thessalonians 1:10. (NKJ) 1. Please fill in the blanks. When ______, in that day To be ______in His saints And, To ______Among all those who believe, Because ------among you ------.

When Jesus appears at the second coming, He will be made glorious through our testimony of faith!Through our testimonies of faith, His goodness will be reflected to

15 the world! Your faith and perseverance count for something. Don’t quit, no matter how painful or difficult the trial. Represent Jesus well, and in the end your life will be a reflection of all that is good in Him! His blessings will come from your obedience. What a privilege that He would want to share His glory with us! We are fallen creatures where, Scripture says, “no good dwells”. Why would God want to share the stage with us? After all, we have nothing that is good within us. If anything good has come from our lives, it has been through God’s power and grace!

2. Fill in the blanks once again; Romans 8:18 - “For I consider the sufferings of ______, Are not worthy to be compared With the ______that shall be ______.

One day, we will be glorified (respected) with HIM! One day, this trial will be glorified (respected) in HIM!

3. Our daily prayer could be this; “Lord, help me to love your goodness more than my own desires. Help me to want to please you more than vindicate myself . Help me to operate in faith outside my scope of understanding.”

W. Sparrow said, “One day, when we see Jesus face to face, sight will set the seal to faith.” When we see Jesus we will know it all, just as He does! We will know what He knew and understand why He did what He did! Sight will set the seal!

4. Paul ends the first chapter with a prayer for the believers in that church of Thessalonica. Read 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12.

What was Paul’s hope for those Christians? V.11 ______

a.What “calling” was Paul referring to? (review v.5) For further reference see Romans 8:15-18. ______

It’s true, we may suffer for Christ’s sake, but we will also be GLORIFIED WITH HIM!

16 Then when all is said and done, He will place the “crown of life” upon our heads.

I believe Paul had a “life verse”. Do you want to know what I believe it was? Read 2 Timothy 4:6-8. This was Paul’s hope as he faced death. This is our hope, living on planet earth where it seems some days like the wheels are coming off! Keep pressing into Jesus, and you will be triumphant, and, on your last day, you will be the victor! You will cross the finish line, you will bow low and you will feel the pleasure of your heavenly Father as your eyes are cast upon His. He will crown you the victor, and you will bow lower, as your soul melts with gratitude, knowing it was only by His sheer grace and power that made you able to finish this race in humanity. Gives me chills even as I write the words.

A crown placed upon one's head designates honor. It is the symbol of Christian triumph.

Jesus had some specific words of encouragement for those deep in the weeds of spiritual battle. What were they? Hang your hope on these today!

● Revelation 2:10 -

● Revelation 2:17 - a.Jesus refers to “hidden manna”, that overcomers enjoy. What do you think Jesus is referring to?

I found the following description of “hidden manna’ online in “Expository Files”. This was a perfect definition of what Jesus was referring to when He described giving “hidden manna” to those who are overcomers.

Hidden Manna God gave manna to Israel in the wilderness (Exodus 16:11-15). This was during the Exodus from Egypt. A whole nation of people needed sustenance to survive in a barren wilderness in order to reach Canaan. Only God could have preserved such a great number of people in the desert and wastelands. He did so with a food called manna which would fall from the sky and water from rocks. The word “manna” means “What is it?” which probably refers to the initial reaction of the people when they found it all around one morning. The Old Testament often refers to this event suggesting that it

17 shows how God cares for His people. In fact, a pot of it was kept in the Ark of the Covenant to remind the people of God's care (Exodus 16:33,34; Hebrews 9:4). When the people saw the Ark, they would remember the things it contained and what they represented.

The point: the people would not have survived without it. God gave them everything necessary which they could not provide for themselves, but then expected them to trust and obey Him by doing the things they could. Jesus uses this figure to tell us something that is similar.

“Hidden manna” refers to that which sustains and strengthens us as Christians in our faith. By faith disciples can overcome even the most difficult of circumstances. The persecution of the church at Pergamum had been great. One of the members of that body had been executed (Revelation 2:13). But even in the most peaceful of times, there is a danger of becoming complacent and surrendering. People deny the Lord sometimes under threat, but at other times just through neglect.

We need God's manna to sustain us in the wilderness of this world as we journey toward our spiritual promised land. If we supply the faith, God will supply our strength.

Jesus is our “bread of life” (John 6:47-51). Jesus and the things He provides is to the spirit what physical bread is to the body. It fills the emptiness and satisfies deep human longings. It instills confidence and hope. Jesus refers to eating his flesh and drinking his blood - not literally, but figuratively through receiving His Word and example into our hearts. Going through the motions won't do it. (John 6:52-58). One must fully receive Jesus.

Some think life can be successful without this part. It can't. Many pampered bodies are home to starving souls. How blessed is one who realizes their soul's need for this bread, for that is necessary to be filled (Matthew 5:6). “Filled” - “Strengthened” - “Hope” - “Purpose” - “Confidence” - “Endurance” are some of the results of receiving this hidden manna (Philippians 4:11-13; Ephesians 3:16; 6:10).

Through this lesson, we have been reminded that the true Christian will suffer. We will suffer just as our Savior suffered. It is the calling of every believer.

18 Through the reading, study and obedience of God’s Word we will find nourishment, peace, hope, confidence, and endurance through the trials and suffering we endure for Christ’s sake. No believer need be a starving soul. God’s Word is a fountain of hope to the hungry. I have a special quote memorized that I read long ago, , “Starving souls live at a distance from the mercy seat of Christ.”

Don’t live at a distance from God dear one. Don’t allow anything to keep you from intimacy with the Savior; Not frustration Not failed expectations Not confusion Not anger Not pain Not personal plans Not worldly goods… God is WITH you… Develop a habit of a daily time to nourish your soul through the ‘hidden manna” you can find every day in God’s word. It will sustain you and lead you to success!

Have a wonderful week!