“But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter. May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” (2Thessalonians 2:13-17 NIV)
Several years back, the following poem appeared in the Gadsden Times. I hope it will bless and encourage you today.
Hope For Tomorrow
(author unknown)
“There’s hope for tomorrow, even when things look dim,
There’s hope for tomorrow when you put your trust in Him.
Though darkness surrounds you, He’s always there,
With arms that will hold you in His loving care.
Just when you thought you had lost everything,
He’s right there beside you, with comfort to bring.
And you’ll know with assurance, He’ll never depart,
For He’s dwelling inside you, right there in your heart.”
(reprinted from The Gadsden Times,6-10-05, Page B3)
Standing firm in the truth is our response (gratitude really) to God’s work in us through Christ. He called us to “the sanctifying work of the Spirit” and truth through the gospel passed down by Paul and the other apostles. Our hope is grounded upon truth — God’s truth — and standing firm in his truth keeps our hope alive and strong.
When our confidence wavers, then obstacles become larger than our hope. Encouragement weakens. Good hope becomes uncertainty. Our hearts succumb to discouraging circumstances. And finally, our words and actions lose their vitality and value.
On the other hand, truth — biblical truth — is our defense against discouragement and uncertainty. Our “belief in the truth” is the substance of our hope. Practicing the truth is what produces the evidence of unseen things. And God called us to his truth so that we “might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
So, stand firm and allow the Father and his Son to encourage your hearts. Let the Holy Spirit sanctify you and empower your actions and conversations by his grace.
Dear Father, thank you for calling us to your truth. Empower us to be strengthened by your Spirit. This I pray in the name of Jesus. AMEN
Be encouraged today by standing firm in biblical truth,