If You Stand Fast in the Lord 1 Thessalonians 3:8

When Timothy brought “good tidings” of the “faith and charity” of the Thessalonians and their desire to see Paul and his companions, Paul and his men were “comforted in all” their “affliction and distress” by their “faith”. In chapter three and verse eight of his letter, Paul told the Thessalonians how he and his men “live” if they “stand fast in the Lord” where we read:

For now we live, if you stand fast in the Lord.

The verse begins, “For now we live,...” Paul began with the word, “For” which means “because or since” “now we live” or “at this time and in the present Paul and his companions live, breathe and enjoy real life”. Paul and his men were able to enjoy real life because of the reports they received from Timothy concerning the Thessalonians.

The verse goes on to say, “... if you stand fast in the Lord.” Paul went on to add, “if” or “in case, provided that and when” “you stand fast” which means “persevere, persist, and keep one's standing” “in the Lord” which refers to “he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master”. Paul knew there was no greater life than knowing the Thessalonians persevered and persisted in their relationship with the Lord Jesus.

When we think about Paul's words, we begin to see the depth of his commitment to the Thessalonians. He considered it “living” if the Thessalonians persisted in their relationship with the Lord Jesus. Do we have anyone in our lives about whom we feel this way? This “enjoying real life” is notable especially when we consider how Paul was so adamantly against the church of Jesus at one time. Only by the Holy Spirit of God can a person be changed in this manner, and as we ponder this idea, perhaps we should ask the Lord Jesus to give us this same way of “living” because others “stand fast in the Lord” as well.

Next time Paul tells the Thessalonians about his “joy” over them, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.