2 Thessalonians Chapter 3 Verse 1

• “Finally brethren, pray…” I love this because Paul says, “Quit talking to men and listening to men…talk to God!” See that? Isn’t that awesome! He commends them, he corrects them, he comforts them and then he sends them to the Father! Listening to all these talking heads around you (including your own); where’s that gotten you? Listen to God! Talk to God! Spend time with God! Finally brethren, pray!
• You know the word for prayer in Greek is amazing. It is proseuchomai! Sounds a lot like what? Prosecute! I love this! How our hearts just typically, generally, almost always…at least mine…default to thinking the worst and I begin to prosecute folks’ motives and the cynic in me just becomes the prosecutor. Anyone else like that? Well listen, God takes all that darkness of heart and turns it towards righteousness when we pray! We prosecute our own flesh and condemn our own darkness when we pray in submission to the Father, an in alignment to the word! James 5:15, “The effective, fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much!”  
• And Paul says please pray for me because I am not feeling it man…I’m so discouraged by life…NOT! Psyche! Listen to this…pray for US that the word of the Lord may RUN and be glorified cuz that’s where the power is! Primary prayer of Paul as portrayed by his life…your life portrays your prayer as well, you know.
• And isn’t it revealing that leaders need prayer too? Paul is superman to the early church and yet he is totally reliant on the grace of God and the strength of the Holy Spirit…I often think of the leaders of our movement and how strong they are but I know this, the leaders many times have it harder, harder trials than those that are not in leadership. I know that about my own leaders here and continually pray for them!

2 Thessalonians Chapter 3 Verses 2

• Now with that statement Paul is taking a jab at the men in Thessalonica who are leading the church astray. Calling them unreasonable, wicked and faithless. But he is also asking for prayer and I think it’s interesting and impactful that he first prays that the word would run and that God would be glorified but then he doesn’t pray that he would be effective with wicked men but that he would be delivered from them…why? Because faith is not found in them.
• Isaiah 59:6-8 gives us a glimpse of unreasonable, wicked…faithless men and women…and Paul says once here and again later in this chapter…press the eject button. Obviously the word first, bring them opportunity to glorify God first…that’s the pattern here in these verses, but when they choose unreasonably to worship wickedness and deny the faith…live faithlessly…eject. And I believe he says with a heavy yet sure heart, “For not all have faith.” But check out the comfort…

2 Thessalonians Chapter 3 Verse 3

• But the Lord is faithful! Man folks ejecting you…when are you going to eject? Eject from the world. From the flesh. From the mess of this fallen fallacy and trust in God! Turn to Him! Listen only to Him! Because He is faithful! And in that He is righteous (the opposite of wicked) and He is actually reasonable (the opposite of unreasonable) when your eyes are open and you can see…it’s amazing! The Spirit of God floods in and opens your eyes not to truths but to truth!

• You come into conformity to the word of God because man the Holy Spirit is unlocking the testimony of truth in your own heart that all this stuff is right on man! Makes little sense in the flesh but man considering who we are, who God is, what God has done, considering the cross of Christ…it becomes absolutely reasonable to deny your flesh, take up your cross daily and honor God. It becomes entirely reasonable to glorify God in your moments and to love your enemies and to love your wife and to respect your husband and to discipline your kids and train them up to know God…not through the discipline but through your ultra-authentic grace filled example!!!

• God is faithful and He will fix you! That is literally what this word establish means in the Greek. God will fix you. If you let Him. And you say, “I’d love for Him to fix me! I want to be established and powerful in my walk! I want to be close to God and receive all that comes with that!” Ok then, get in His Word and don’t stop every day until His Word gets into YOU!! Not Tuesday and Friday. Make it a priority, man! Are you a disciple of Christ? Answer this…do you have any discipline in your time with God!? It’s so clear and simple and yet so many hear and hear and hear and hear and don’t do, chew and chew and chew and never swallow…It confuses me!!!
• And then things ain’t fixed and they turn not from sin but to man! Counsel, advise, encouragement…come on man…take up your bed and walk! But I digress…not all have faith…and faith comes ONLY by hearing and ONLY by the word of God. That verse is exclusive! NO more distractions. (All these script pop-ups on my computer I straight pounded my desk because I want no distractions!) I want Jesus! I want His Word to run swiftly in my life and in my SALTY church and the name of Jesus be glorified! And so I will discipline myself. Because just as Romans 12 says…it is reasonable.
• And as I do that, as I meet with Him and press in to Him, not because I want to necessarily, discipline has NOTHING to do with desire…but because it is the right thing to do…then I am also guarded from evil. I guard my heart and life through Christ Jesus man and in that I more Christ-like towards April, towards my kiddos, at church, at work, on the streets…filled with the mind of Christ! And look man this is straight up commandment style...

2 Thessalonians Chapter 3 Verse 4

• God’s commandments are God’s enablements. God’s commandments are not to make us subjugate to Him because He is almighty…that’s entirely reasonable but that is not His way with His children (just like that’s not your way with yours)…His way is to set us up for ultimate success…life and life abundant and so His commandments…well heed ‘em…surge and thrive and live…disregard them…feeble minded, unguarded and unestablished and let me tell you…it shows.
• Paul says it subtly, so as not to condemn but it is here nonetheless to those who have eyes to see…this is a commandment, to be established in the Lord…rejecting the will of the flesh and living your entire life for the Lord Jesus!

2 Thessalonians Chapter 3 Verse 5

• I love this so much. It’s so simple. Let the Word of God run…run what? Man let it run your heart. You say, “Too hard.” You’re not committed. You’re not disciplined. You’re not seeking God through His word because if you were you’d find that living aside from it is where it’s hard. But man that ice looks thick doesn’t it…?
• All your working, all your gifts, all your talents, all you sacrifices and services, all your annointings…they are of no value if the love of God is not there working through it…and so Paul leads us straight to pay dirt…the love of God and the patience of Christ…intimacy with the mystery of the Triune God as right here we see, “Lord, God, Christ,” once again in one verse…relationship with God Almighty, His love and power pulsing through your priorities…the patience of the cross establishing and guarding every step…all hinged upon your decision…Him or you.
• Without discipline there is no decision…there is only drifting. God calls you to Himself…and His calling is serious, man…ask yourself today…has my answer to Him been the same?