The Greatest Need for Strength is at the End

The Greatest Need for Strength

is at the End

 Sometimes we question the benefits

of doing and saying good.

But Jesus will come and

reward your good works and words.   

 

Starting something is usually

the easy part.

There is the excitement and dreams

that pump you up with energy.

It’s after you have been

at the same dream

for a long time

that you get tired.

You want to find a new dream

 – a new start.

But finishing is the key to success.

There are a lot of starters,

but few finishers.

Paul writes about the day

when Jesus will come back.

A day when He will deal

with the evils of this world.

Paul was concerned that the Thessalonians

might not be ready for a long wait.

It has now been 2000 years

and Jesus has not come yet.

The temptation is to let down our guard.

To maybe lower our standard;

find a new focus.

So Paul asks God to

encourage us so we can finish.

We have an eternal encouragement.

This 2000 years, is like 2 days

in comparison to our eternal hope.

With the right prospective –

the time has not been long.

He encourages us to find strength

in two simple things

 to get us to the finish line…

·       Strength for good deeds

·       And good words

No matter what happens around us,

these two things must remain strong

in our daily lives… 

good deeds and good words!

If we are to excel,

we should dream again of new ways

to make a difference using

good deeds and good words.

Don’t let your energy level drain

 when it comes to

doing and saying good.

 Scripture Reading

2 Thessalonians 2:1-17 NIV

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ

and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers,

2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by

some prophecy, report or letter supposed to have come from us,

saying that the day of the Lord has already come.

3 Don't let anyone deceive you in any way,

for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs

and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction.

4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything

that is called God or is worshiped,

so that he sets himself up in God's temple,

proclaiming himself to be God.

5 Don't you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things?

6 And now you know what is holding him back,

so that he may be revealed at the proper time.

7 For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work;

but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.

8 And then the lawless one will be revealed,

whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth

and destroy by the splendor of his coming.

9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan

displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders,

10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing.

They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.

11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie

12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth

but have delighted in wickedness.

13 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.

14 He called you to this through our gospel,

that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

15 So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you,

whether by word of mouth or by letter.

16 May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father,

who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope,

17 encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.