S – ¹⁶ Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.

2 Thessalonians 3:16 ESV

O – Commentary:

Paul’s concern was for peace within the church through the unity of all members obeying the truth. The Lord is the source of peace (cf. 1 Thes. 5:23) and Paul prayed that He would bestow this on the Christians in Thessalonica. A Christian and a church enjoy peace when they are rightly related to the will of God. Paul prayed that this would be the Thessalonians’ condition at all times regardless of their circumstances, even in persecution.

In praying that the Lord would be with them all, Paul was not implying that God is with Christians only some of the time (cf. Matt. 28:20). Rather, he was praying that fellowship with Christ (that Christians can enjoy only as they obey His Word) might be the portion of each believer—not just of the obedient but also of those who were presently disobedient through idle living.

 Thomas L. Constable, “2 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 724–725.

A – Peace is an elusive part of our lives when we don’t know Christ.  Everything all falls back on us to either produce, maintain or create.  Knowing our Creator and God allows us to roll those things onto Him and release that burden.  He is near and ready to do this.  It is our choice to receive it and move towards him.

R – Heavenly Father, your are the Creator and God.  We choose to move towards you today.  We humble ourselves and invite you into all that face in people and situations.  Empower us with your peace in all things.  Thank you for this blessing and your presence.

S – So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the traditions that you were taught by us, either by our spoken word or by our letter. 

2 Thessalonians 2:15 ESV

O – Commentary:

They were to stand firm (stēkete; cf. 1 Cor. 16:13; 1 Thes. 3:8). Christians are in constant danger of being swept downstream by the currents of ungodly culture. They are also prone to let the truths they know and the relationship they enjoy with God grow cold. They need to vigorously hold to what they have been taught by God’s servants. The Thessalonians were in danger of loosening their grip on the apostles’ teachings which they had received (cf. 2 Thes. 3:6) in person from the missionaries and from their letters. They were in danger of slipping backward in their Christian experience because of the pressures of their trials and the daily negative influences of the world, the flesh, and the devil.

 Thomas L. Constable, “2 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 721.

A – The challenge the Thessalonians faced is true with us today.  We are pulled in many directions as believers.  We must resolve in ourselves that we will stand firm, fight the enemy’s pull and distractions and make choices that solidify our choice in Christ.  We can do this!

R – Heavenly Father, you unchanging and the same yesterday, today and in the future.  Empower us with the resolve and tenacity to follow you.  You have given us so much and we do not want to take a step that will cause us to stumble.

S – To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, ¹² so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. 

2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 ESV

O – Paul consistently made what God has done for believers the basis of his appeals for them to lead lives in keeping with their destiny. Christians do not live worthily in order to obtain salvation but because they have been granted salvation.

A second request was that God would bring to full expression every good purpose of theirs to glorify God, and every act motivated by their faith in God. Both motives and actions have their source in God (Phil. 2:13); thus they are accomplished by His power.

1:12. The ultimate purpose of this prayer is the glory of God.

 Thomas L. Constable, “2 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 716.

A – Strong Commentary.  We cannot forget or minimize what God has done for us.  We had no ability to save ourselves from sin. Christ willingly stepped in and paid the price with his own life. He gave it to us. Secondly, when our motives and actions align with God, it allows the Holy Spirit to endue us with power that surpasses our own abilities.  All of this glorifies God – not in our perfection but the desire and growth closer to him.

R – Heavenly Father, you are gracious and merciful.  Thank you for paying the price for our sin.  Empower us to live worthy of your calling today.  Let our motives, words and actions all point toward glorifying you.  

S – Rejoice always, ¹⁷ pray without ceasing, ¹⁸ give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 ESV

O – Commentary:

God wants His people to be joyful and He gives them every reason to be. But Paul knew human nature well enough to sense the need for a reminder to rejoice at all times (cf. Phil. 3:1; 4:4). This is a command. A Christian’s joy does not spring from his circumstances, but from the blessings that are his because he is in Christ…These two words (pantote chairete) constitute the shortest verse in the Greek New Testament.

5:17. Continual prayer is not prayer that prevails without any interruption, but prayer that continues whenever possible. The adverb for continually (adialeiptōs, also in 1:3) was used in Greek of a hacking cough. Paul was speaking of maintaining continuous fellowship with God as much as possible in the midst of daily living in which concentration is frequently broken.

5:18. The two previous commands deal with one’s time (“always” and “continually”); this one deals with his circumstances. Christians are to give thanks to God in every circumstance of life. The fact that God works everything together for good for those who love Him (Rom. 8:28) is the basis for this entreaty.

These three exhortations in verses 16–18 are not just good advice; they are God’s will for every Christian. They are not the totality of God’s will, but they are a clear and important segment of it. God’s will means joy, prayer, and thanksgiving for those who are in Christ Jesus.

 Thomas L. Constable, “1 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 708–709.

A – In our time and circumstances, we need to recognize that God is working for our good.  It is hard when people or situations don’t meet our expectations.  However, if we are fully trusting God, we know that He is working even in those times to move us toward his will and purpose for our lives.

R – Heavenly Father, you are good and hold all things.  We can fully trust that you are working on our behalf for our good.  We know that you have a purpose and will for us that cannot be stopped or thwarted.  Empower us to be joyful, pray throughout the day and be grateful today.

S – For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. ⁸ Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

1 Thessalonians 4:7–8 ESV

O – Commentary:

A second reason to avoid sexual immorality is that it goes against God’s calling for a Christian. Paul’s first reason (v. 6b) looks forward to the prospect of future punishment, but his second reason looks back to the purpose for which God called each Christian to Himself. God’s plan for a Christian includes purifying his life. Sexual immorality frustrates the purpose of God’s call. Certain pagan cults promoted unclean ceremonies, but Christ’s plans for a Christian are to clean him up. A holy life demonstrates God’s supernatural power at work overcoming what is natural, and it glorifies God. The Greek noun hagiasmos (“holiness”) occurs here for the fourth time in eight verses

 Thomas L. Constable, “1 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 702.

A – Salvation is a free gift – Jesus paid the price for our salvation.  Living for God does come with a price for us – our daily lives need to begin to look more like Christ.  God is holy. When we bring our physical bodies, minds and actions in alignment with God’s character, we reflect him to others which brings him glory.  It is work.  Yet, taking on his character in our own lives allows us a stronger relationship with him.

R – Heavenly Father, you are Holy.  Empower us to walk in purity.  Give us the resolve and the strength to overcome the sin and patterns in our lives that keep us from purity.  Thank you for the Holy Spirit who leads and gives the ability to do this.

S – And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you,

1 Thessalonians 3:12 ESV

O – Commentary:

The Thessalonians were already noted for their love, but Paul prayed that it might abound—increase (pleonasai) and overflow (perisseusai)—even more. “Genuine Christian love … is the one thing in the Christian life which cannot be carried to excess” (Hiebert, The Thessalonian Epistles, p. 155). The image of love overflowing its container suggests that Christian love is something that wells up from within a person naturally. Paul was concerned that it overflow to everyone, not just to Christians in the church. His love was their model.

 Thomas L. Constable, “1 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 699–700.

A – What would it look like if our love overflowed to excess?  Not in a naive, ignorant love that was silly in its application.  Instead, a genuine, authentic love that loved others in the value that God has for them and revered God with a grateful heart.  Our lives would be transformed from seeking our will to seeking Him.   Others would not just be part of the journey but the recipients of a tangible expression of our love for God.  This is a big win!

R – Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you.  Empower us today to be filled with your Spirit to love you and others authentically.  As we do this, diminish our selfishness and help us to uphold the value that others have in our lives.

S – We exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. 

1 Thessalonians 2:12 ESV

O – Commentary:

Worthy” can mean appropriate to the dignity or standards of the person being honored (see comment on Col 1:10–11); Jewish wisdom texts sometimes spoke of the righteous being “worthy of God” (e.g., Wisdom of Solomon 3:5; 6:16). To new Christians who could no longer participate in the civic cult that honored the emperor in Thessalonica (1:9), God’s “*kingdom” may have had political overtones; recognizing their greater allegiance to God’s kingdom would be costly (see comment on Acts 17:7).

Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament, Second Edition (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic: An Imprint of InterVarsity Press, 2014), 585.

A – Do we walk daily in a way that it is “appropriate to the dignity or standards of the person being honored?”  What a question! The answer is “no.” It is hard to imagine a day where our thoughts, words, actions and intentions all align with God’s standards.  Yet, we can walk each day in confidence knowing that He meets us where we are and covers our sins with Jesus’ blood.  It is a humbling challenge.

R – Heavenly Father, you are gracious and merciful to us.  Thank you for changing our hearts from self centered to God centered.  Empower us to walk in a way that is worthy of you.  Where we falter, thank you for covering us with the blood of Jesus and inviting us back into relationship.

S – For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, ⁵ because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake

1 Thessalonians 1:4–5 ESV

O – Commentary:

The proof of God’s love for the Thessalonians was His choice of them unto salvation. From the word translated chosen (eklogēn) comes the English “election.” That God has chosen to bless some individuals with eternal life is clearly taught in many places in both the Old and New Testaments (e.g., Deut. 4:37; 7:6–7; Isa. 44:1–2; Rom. 9; Eph. 1:4–6, 11; Col. 3:12; 2 Thes. 2:13). Equally clear is the fact that God holds each individual personally responsible for his decision to trust or not to trust in Jesus Christ (cf. John 3; Rom. 5). The difficulty in putting divine election and human responsibility together is understanding how both can be true. That both are true is taught in the Bible. How both can be true is apparently incomprehensible to finite human minds; no one has ever been able to explain this antinomy satisfactorily. This task transcends human mental powers, much as seeing angels transcends human visual powers and hearing very high-pitched sounds transcends human auditory powers. The Thessalonians’ response to the gospel message proved that God had chosen them for salvation.

 Thomas L. Constable, “1 Thessalonians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 691.

A – In reading this commentary, it brings up the conversation between predestination and free will choice.  This portion does a solid job of describing both parties.  The conclusion is still true today – we don’t know how this works.  Yet, many people believe both sides very strongly…which is fine as long as you don’t alienate the person on the other side of the issue.  We can disagree on the interpretation of scripture on these issues.  We cannot disagree on the foundational truths.  Like any family, we are all unique in our gifting, talents and beliefs.  And, we are one…united by the blood of Jesus as part of God’s family.

R – Heavenly Father, you are Lord of the family of God.  Thank you for creating us unique in so many ways.  Empower us to maximize those qualities to be the best version of us that reflects our love for you and others.

S – Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, ²⁴ knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Colossians 3:23–24 ESV

O – Commentary:

In fact, whatever (cf. v. 17) slaves do should be with all their heart[s] (lit., “out of the soul,” i.e., genuine and from within, not merely by outward pretense) and for the Lord, not for men. While slavery was certainly undesirable, Paul’s goals did not include restructuring social institutions (cf. 1 Cor. 7:17–24). Principles in Colossians 3:22–25 for Christian slaves may be applied today to Christian employees. If more Christian employees today served their employers with genuine concern and as though they were serving God, quality and productivity would increase dramatically! It is the Lord Christ whom all Christians are serving. (This is the only place in the NT where the term “the Lord Christ” is used.) After all, the final “payday” (an inheritance … as a reward) is coming from the Lord 

 Norman L. Geisler, “Colossians,” in The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures, ed. J. F. Walvoord and R. B. Zuck, vol. 2 (Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1985), 683–684.

A – While writing is targeting slaves, it applies to all of us when we look at the work we do.  Part of our expression of love for Christ is our attitude and aptitude we display when we are working.  Do we emulate the same principles of following God when we work in our hearts but also in our deeds?  Love, compassion and strength would not allow us to do a feeble attempt at our work; as we value others, we are compelled to bring our best for them.  Knowing our testimony is on full display while we work, who would want to taint that with a subpar effort or attitude?

R – Heavenly Father, you are the Lord Christ.  Enable us today to use our thoughts, words and actions in a way that displays your love for You and others.  Our testimony while we work will draw people closer to you in relationship.