“Then that lawless one will be revealed whom the Lord will slay with the breath of His mouth and bring to an end by the appearance of His coming; that is, the one whose coming is in accord with the activity of Satan, with all power and signs and false wonders” (2 Thessalonians 2:8-9)

The Lord will allow this in its own time.  Notice that the Lord slays him with the breath of His mouth.  The Word of the Lord is greater than any rebellion.  But between now and then, the wicked one will continue his rebellion.  Do not be led astray, as so many are, but come into the truth of Christ which has been revealed for you.  Come into His grace and mercy and know truth.

Come, Lord Jesus, and invite me to be Your guest.  Lead me in the way of righteousness and guide me according to the eternal principles of liberty and life.  In You alone, O Lord, our hope is found.  This world continues its rebellion until that time when You shall call it “the end.”  Help me to not worry about what time I am in, but to spend my time productively learning how to be faithful.

Lord Jesus, You have come so that we may have life and have it abundantly.  Regardless of the circumstances in which I find myself, help me to live into this life which You have given me through grace.  Guide me in the upward call of Your mercy in order that I may not be caught up in the insanity of this world’s rebellion.  Help me to truly abide in You and You in me that I may become like You.  Amen.

“For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way” (2 Thessalonians 2:7)

There has not been a time since Christ first appeared that the wicked one has not sought destruction of the church and her people.  You know the signs in this one thing: hatred.  The Lord restrains the wicked one, but the day will come when he is out of his cage for a time.  Meanwhile, pay no attention to him, but rather to the One who has redeemed you and given you hope and a future.

Lord, teach me to focus upon the higher things.  Guide me in Your mercy so that I would look to you and not pay attention to the antics of the wicked one.  He will do what he does; so teach me not to care except for your admonition to be on the alert.  As You guide me in my daily life, help me to put into effect these principles You are teaching me so that I may indeed hold fast to the faith You have given me.

Lord Jesus, You are the One who has fought the good fight and laid hold of salvation for us.  All authority is Yours, as it always has been, and You bring about the flow of history.  Help me to always look to You knowing that You are the author and finisher of this and every age.  Lead me in the way You know I need to go and keep me from worrying about the ridiculous attempts of the wicked one to thwart Your plans.  Amen.

“Do you not remember that while I was still with you, I was telling you these things?  And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed” (2 Thessalonians 2:5-6)

At that time: until then, do what the Lord gives you to do.  Sometimes we spend too much time on things that we ought not spend time upon.  It is not that these things are not important, they are not yet important.  Do not be distracted from the task at hand but put your hand firmly to the task of becoming like Christ, for this is the goal of us all.  Have we not been invited to become children of the Father?

Lord, I hear these things and how easy it is to become excited and want to pursue what is not mine to pursue.  Lead me Lord in the right direction in order that I would be guided by You and not by the winds of this world.  Help me understand that I am to look to You for all things. Help me to take my cues from You and do what You give me to do knowing that You alone know the timing of all things.

Lord Jesus, teach me to walk with You and follow as You lead.  Yes, I am to watch out for the lawless ones and avoid their smooth tongues; but help me today and each day You give that I may humbly follow where You lead.  Guide me according to Your goodness to see through the lies of this age and live into the new life You have given me by grace that I would hold to the path of salvation which You have set before me.  Amen.

“Let no one in any way deceive you, for it will not come unless the apostasy comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, displaying himself as being God” (2 Thessalonians 2:3-4).

The signs are there, but then, they have been there from the beginning.  Do not chase after the signs but follow the One who calls you.  In Him is life.  Life is in Him alone.  He has called you through the water and word of your baptism and in Him you have all the assurance anyone could ever want.  Come through Christ and be given the power to become a child of the Heavenly Father.  Walk in the power of Christ.

It is not your power, but His.  He is the author and finisher of your faith.  In Him alone is all hope.  Apart from Him, there is no hope.  Come then into the salvation He has prepared and be guided by His goodness and mercy.  The son of  destruction will be cast into hell soon enough.  The end of days will come upon us all.  Meanwhile, there is kingdom work to be done.  Do the work prepared for you by the Master.

Lord, teach me to learn and grow.  You are my guide and apart from You, I can do nothing.  Lead me, O Lord, and grant me a heart that willingly follows.  Through all that comes my way, guide me to hold fast to You knowing that these things must come to pass first.  There is lawlessness round about me, but help me to be one who lives in You and therefore within the law.  Through all things, be my strength.  Amen.

“Now we request you, brethren, with regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, that you not be quickly shaken from your composure or be disturbed either by a spirit or a message or a letter as if from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come” (2 Thessalonians 2:1-2).

How excitable we can be!  Something is said and the next thing you know, we’re off and running.  But it ought not be this way with you.  The Lord has come, redeemed you and set you free to be His disciple.  What then?  Only this: follow Him and learn from Him.  Be guided not by the whims of this world’s false teaching, but by the gentle rule and reign of the true sovereign, Jesus, who is Christ.

Lord, there is constant news and yet little if anything is said.  Let me not be so much political as I am discerning of the times and seasons.  Help me to see things as they are and to be guided by You, the One through whom all things have their being.  Guide me, Lord, in the way of truth that I would live into this life to which You have called me.  Your Word is truth.  Help me to listen, hear and obey.

Word made flesh, Jesus my Savior, guide me through the morass of this world so that I cling to that which is true.  Though there are others fervent in clinging to lies, give me discernment in order that I would dismiss what is not true and cling to You, for You are truth.  Guide me, Lord, and lead me in the way of everlasting life.  Help me, Lord, to grow and be a help to others.  In all things, lead me in the way I need to go.  Amen.

“To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will 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).

You have been called.  Have you taken up the call and begun the journey of living the new life?  It is not about some special day when you were magically transformed, but about living into the life to which you have been invited.  Life is a journey, with eternal life at its end.  Only God can live all moments simultaneously.  You and I live life one moment at a time.  Come then and live the Christ-life of the redeemed.

Lord, You said that we must abide in You and You in us.  You have called for each of us to live this new life under the management of the Holy Spirit.  Take away all the obstacles I may have  that I would truly live into the new life You give me through grace.  Guide me according to all that You offer to abide in You as You abide in me.  Lead me to become what You have always intended that I be.

Holy Spirit, Lord of life, You have breathed upon all who believe and given them the breath of eternal life.  Breath afresh on me this day so that I would humbly walk in admonition of Your grace and mercy.  Help me see that only in Christ is there hope and a true and eternal future of love.  Guide me this day and every day to humbly walk in Your grace seeking to do that which is pleasing to the Father.  Amen.

“These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed – for our testimony to you was believed” (2 Thessalonians 1:9-10).

We are given the opportunity by the grace of God to be forever united with the Lord.  The default, the direction we are born heading, is away from the Lord.  It is not that the Lord sends anyone to hell, but that He has come so that as many as come to believe would be rescued from going into eternal separation from the Lord.  There will come that day when the final separation occurs.

Lord, help me to not listen to the voices of hatred which abound in this age.  Guide me to hear Your voice of love reaching out to lift me out of this hell-bound age of rebellion.  Lead me in the way of eternal life so that I would learn to be shed of those things which speak of rebellion and replace them with the things of love.  Guide me, Lord, in the way You know I need to go from rebellion into love.

Thank You, Lord Jesus, love incarnate, who has come so that all those who come into Your love would be lifted out of this world of rebellion and into the new life of love.  Guide me, Lord, in order that I may now and always humbly abide in You, knowing that You alone have the word of eternal life.  You are that Word and being invited into the life You give leads into salvation.  Lead me in the way of truth.  Amen.

“For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus” (2 Thessalonians 1:6-8).

When the rebellion is over, there will be two kinds of people, those who received the salvation of Jesus and those who continued their rebellion against the Lord.  There are both those who are a god unto themselves and the faithful who know that Jesus is Lord of lords and King of kings.  Vengeance belongs to the Lord and He has promised that all things will work for good for those who love the Lord.

Lord, I do become angry and want vengeance.  But You teach me to love my neighbor and have a desire that they too come into the salvation You offer us all.  Teach me the balance I need to love my neighbor, but not fall into any temptation that may come through my rebellious neighbor.  Guide me, Lord, in living the life of faith You give me, learning how to be faithful in this world.

Lord Jesus, You will return to judge the living and the dead.  Help me to understand that this judgement belongs to You alone.  Help me to discern where I need to discern and to refrain from desiring anything other than the salvation You give me to be given to my neighbor as well.  As far as it concerns me, help me to be obedient to the Gospel which You have given me by grace through faith.  Amen.

“This is a plain indication of God’s righteous judgment so that you will be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which indeed you are suffering” (2 Thessalonians 1:5).

This is not suffering for suffering’s sake but being persecuted for holding fast to the truth that has been revealed to you.  Meditate upon this, for there is a difference.  The suffering of persecution is for the sake of the kingdom.  It is a matter of seeing this current state of rebellion for what it is and living in reconciliation with Christ instead.  You will live what you believe.

Lord, teach me how to be consistent in the way of truth.  I am not, and I know this.  You have come that I may have life and have it abundantly.  This world seeks to take all that I have and consume it.  You take all the is temporary and replace it with all that is good and eternal.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of everlasting truth so that I may be guided by You alone in and through all things.

Come, Holy Spirit, and grant that I would have discernment in these things.  You have taken me to the deeper places where I see beyond this age and its shallow offerings.  Guide me to stay on course and finish the race You have set before me despite the spiritual rebellion that is all around me.  Through Your leading, I will become what has been intended that I be.  Lead me and teach me to follow.  Amen.

“[T]herefore, we ourselves speak proudly of you among the churches of God for your perseverance and faith in the midst of all your persecutions and afflictions which you endure” (2 Thessalonians 1:4).

Unless you know what true persecutions are, you are better to remain silent.  There are those who have truly suffered for the cause of Christ.  The Lord knows and sees.  He who created you knows your circumstance.  In one sense, we all suffer, but each in different ways.  Hold to the faith you have been given and persevere knowing that God will grow in you what He intends.

Lord, let me never exaggerate the suffering I endure, yet also help me to own it and see it for what it is.  Guide me, Lord, so that I would be led by You alone and not tossed about as this world will try to do.  Lead me through all that comes my way that so I would hold fast to Your goodness and mercy.  You are the One who has always been there, for You are the One through whom all things have been made.

Lord Jesus, I was created for You and it is not the other way round.  Guide me, O Lord, in order that I would forever hold fast to what You teach me.  Let me never be conformed to this world, but in spite of what it may do to me, hold me fast to the truth You have revealed.  In firmness of faith may I speak the truth, example Your presence, and live peaceably with all in the community in which You have placed me.  Amen.