01 July 2018
Two-Minute Features | 08 July 2018

True Believers Endure Through Persecution (TMF:925)

Friday, July 06, 2018
Peace to Live By: True Believers Endure Through Persecution (TMF:925) - Daniel Litton
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       Verses 6b & 7: “for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia” (ESV). When Paul presented the Gospel to the Thessalonians, it would appear that there was persecution from the Gentiles who did not believe. Paul says they had “received the word in much affliction.” So, apparently there was hostility toward receiving the word. And not only that, but once the word was received, there then had to be hostility toward continuing to believe in it. Therefore, even though the Gospel caused these new believers persecution, they kept with it. This shows the transforming power behind the Gospel, that it is real and the power of God that is manifested to new believers. They had an underlying trust in God, which was their joy as the Holy Spirit bore witness to each of them individually that they belonged to God.

We Become Imitators of the Lord Jesus Christ (TMF:924)

Thursday, July 05, 2018
Peace to Live By: We Become Imitators of the Lord Jesus Christ (TMF:924) - Daniel Litton
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       The Apostle also pointed out the fact that the believers in the church in Thessalonica had also become imitators of the Lord Jesus Christ. And this is what every Christian is supposed to do. We often use the phrase, like I just did, of becoming more like Jesus. And that’s true for the Christian. Some people still wear the bracelets that say, ‘What would Jesus do?’ And that’s it in a nutshell. To ‘follow’ Jesus means we model his way of doing things, and the ways he outlined in the rest of the New Testament. What he had the Apostle Paul write, and the others who wrote the New Testament, was for our instruction so that we can be most pleasing to him. So, we need to know the Scriptures as best we can then, right? We, as Christians, should be familiar with our Bibles so that we can move toward becoming more pleasing to God, which is more like Christ.

We are to Follow the Example of Our Leaders (TMF:923)

Wednesday, July 04, 2018
Peace to Live By: We are to Follow the Example of Our Leaders (TMF:923) - Daniel Litton
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       Verses 5b & 6a: “You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. And you became imitators of us and of the Lord” (ESV). Paul and his companions modeled good behavior to the new disciples. They did this to set a good example, which also gave proof of the power behind the Gospel. And thusly the new believers followed their lead. And I suppose this is hard for many people to hear today in America, for many don’t want to follow anyone’s lead, but want to do things their own way. But notice how Paul said to follow their example, as their example modeled that of the Lord Jesus Christ. And that becomes, then, the mark of any of us who lead others or who preach the Word of God. We are examples in thought, word, and deed to others—both to believers and to unbelievers. But really, that makes good sense because any of us who have risen to the status of leader have likely done so because we have in fact been working hard—working toward become more like Christ in our own lives. If we hadn’t of been, we wouldn’t be a leader in the first place.

Saving Faith Involves Conviction from the Spirit (TMF:922)

Tuesday, July 03, 2018
Peace to Live By: Saving Faith Involves Conviction from the Spirit (TMF:922) - Daniel Litton
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       And God drew each person he saved to himself. It was through his power that people believed and their lives were changed. Each person who believed received the Holy Spirit. Of course, the process started with each individual being convicted of his and her sins, and then convinced of the Truth behind the Gospel, which Paul was proclaiming, through the power of God. The Holy Spirit moves to save people. The writer of Hebrews recorded, “Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts (Hebrews 3:7, 8, ESV). And those who truly become Christians have full conviction, full assurance of the Truth, and stick with it. They are not of those who believe enthusiastically for a short while and then fall away, like Jesus talked about in the Parable of the Sower in Matthew chapter 13. Nor are they those who believe and then stop believing because the things of this world choke out their new beliefs. But these are the people who believe and then produce good works in varying amounts.

The Power of God is Behind His Word (TMF:921)

Monday, July 02, 2018
Peace to Live By: The Power of God is Behind His Word (TMF:921) - Daniel Litton
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       The news we have received gladly and whole-heartedly is good, and we want to share this so that others can experience what we have experienced. But Paul and his companions didn’t just preach the Gospel and people then became saved, but the power of God was behind it. The Bible tells us: “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart” (Hebrews 4:12, ESV). There is power behind God’s Word, and it does change people lives. And God drew each person he saved to himself. It was through his power that people believed and their lives were changed. Each person who believed received the Holy Spirit. Of course, the process started with each individual being convicted of his and her sins, and then convinced of the Truth behind the Gospel, which Paul was proclaiming, through the power of God. The Holy Spirit moves to save people.