“For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either” (2 Thessalonians 3:10).

Here is a principle for our time.  This is not speaking to those who are unable, but to those who are.  There are many who are lazy and are willing to let others take their portion of the work.  It ought not be this way amongst those who follow Christ.  Each should do their part.  It is not cruel to not give to the one who is belligerent.  If you are going to partake, you should do your part.

Lord, this is one of those things that is hidden amidst the wickedness of our age.  In the name of compassion, we give away the house.  Teach me, O Lord, that only in You can we find goodness and mercy.  Only in You can we find temperance and hope.  Lead me Lord in the way of living this life that You have given me so that I may do the work You give me to do while it is day.

Lord Jesus, You came and served and did not ask to be served.  Now that You have served us, You ask us to serve others in Your name.  Teach me how to give to others so that when I partake of what You have done for us, it may be sweet.  Lord, You have created balance in the universe and no one is exempt from living in that balance.  Lead me, Lord, to live a life of common sense and balance.

Lord Jesus, You have done what we could not do for ourselves.  You have not asked us to treat You as the king You are, but to serve the least of these as if we were serving You.  Lead me in this way so that I may know the truth that only when I do what You ask do I receive the heavenly food that You give.  Help me to model this in my daily life and to live consistently in You.  Amen.

“[N]ot because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example” (2 Thessalonians 3:9).

There are freedoms we have in Christ where we may do something, but the higher principle of asking whether it is profitable takes precedence.  In a way, we are called to become partners in the Gospel.  That is, to seek to do the greatest amount of good we can.  You have been called to offer yourself as a model in your community of godly and good behavior.

Take the challenge and live into the role the Lord has given you.  Know that in Him there is freedom, but use this freedom wisely.  Be guided not by your own desires, but by the desire to see the kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus expanded.  Learn to follow the example of those who lead the godly life, be an example for those who do not yet know Christ and do all of this for His glory.

Lord Jesus, You sent Your disciples out two by two in order that they would reach out to the world with the truth of salvation.  Guide me Lord in the way of truth so that I would be one of those who seek to serve You always.  Lead me in Your goodness in order that I may be an example for others.  Make that example you create in me consistent and faithful to You so that I may bring no shame and lift up Your name, Amen.

“[N]or did we eat anyone’s bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you” (2 Thessalonians 3:8)

The tempo is increasing as more and more people want more and more things without thinking about who will pay for them.  The infection has come into the church as well.  The real question is whether you are doing your part; not more, nor less, but your part.  It is always good to seek to be a good steward both of time and talents as well as of the mysteries of the faith.

Lord, I know these things.  But just because I know them does not mean that I practice them.  Help me Lord to know that in You is all hope.  Help me to understand that I too must do my part. You have called me through faith and in grace to live into the new life You give me in Christ.  Help me live that life, doing what I can do and learning what it means to be a good steward.

Lord Jesus, You have come so that we may have life freely and abundantly.  Guide me Lord in the life You have given me knowing that You paid the price I could never afford, but to not treat it as a cheap nothing.  Help me do my part.  It is not so much how much I do, but that I do what I do with all I am able for the sake of the kingdom.  Lead me to learn how to apply these things in accordance with the Father’s will.  Amen.

“For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you” (2 Thessalonians 3:7)

The Christian life is a disciplined life.  These things are not said without reason.  Yes, there are those who can take these things too far.  We are not to become Pharisees.  But we also do not need to be all things to all people.  That is the same as being nothing to no one, including ourselves.  Come then and humbly walk with the One who has saved you and live with self-discipline.

Lord, this world is often undisciplined.  Help me to be one who is disciplined in the way that You have modeled through the saints.  Guide me to humbly walk with You always and to apply these things knowing that to do so is wisdom.  Lead me in the upright way and help me to be an example to others that I might live this life You have given me through grace and in faith.

Come Holy Spirit and minister to my inner life.  You know where I struggle.  You know where I give in to the pressures of this world.  You know where my heart is not right.  Lead me through these things so that I would not just be an outward example of Christianity, but also inwardly faithful as I am in outward appearance.  Through all things, continue to encourage me in the way of Christ so that I too would be a faithful example of Christianity.  Amen.  

“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us” (2 Thessalonians 3:6).

We are easily influenced by others.  You and I may think ourselves exempt, but we are not.  Those who are unruly are like leaven.  A little goes a long way.  Just look at the church.  Where once two out of three went to church every Sunday, now its one in five.  What’s happened?  The unruly have had their way.  Such is the way of this world.  Take these admonitions seriously.

Lord, I know that no behavior in and of itself is deadly to my salvation, yet, if I am led away from You to rejoin the rebellion, that would be deadly.  Help me to learn these precepts in grace where I do what I do because it is what I do without heaping guilt upon those who do not.  Lead me Lord in the way You know I need to go and then help me to have the fortitude to walk in that direction.

Lord Jesus, there is no doubt that I need to be saved.  I even need to be saved from undoing in my life what You have done.  Help me to always be gracious, but also guarded so that I would not be led away in this world of constant rebellion.  Guide me Lord in order that I may humbly walk with You in the way of life.  Through all things, keep me now and always in Your Word and the will of the Father.  Amen. 

“We have confidence in the Lord concerning you, that you are doing and will continue to do what we command.  May the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the steadfastness of Christ” (2 Thessalonians 3:4-5).

When we walk in the way of the Lord, we are not free agents.  Many act that way, but Christianity is a kingdom, a marriage between the bride and the bridegroom.  We do well to not reflect the world, but to reflect Scripture.  Come into the right relationship with the Lord and be led by Him as He leads you into eternity.  Learn to obey all that He commands in accordance with the Great Commission.

Lord, You have offered to teach me these things, but I seem to want to put my twist on them.  Take me back to the roots of faith where I do things the way You have told me to do them.  You do not change so why should Your ways change?  Teach me to accept all that You command and through whom You send to command.  In and through all things, guide me by Your Word according to Your purposes.

Lord Jesus, You have come so that we may be freed from the traps of this age.  Guide me, O Lord, in order that I would humbly walk in the way You would have me walk.  Help me according to Your purposes to see that in You alone is all hope and an eternal future.  Lead me to know that in You is all life and through You alone, life eternal.  Teach me to look to You alone always.  Amen.

“But the Lord is faithful, and He will strengthen and protect you from the evil one” (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

You know that you will experience adversity (and know the Lord uses it for your good) and you know that Lord is protecting you.  Through these things He will strengthen you for all that will come.  Know that the Lord is accomplishing in you what He has purposed from the beginning, so trust in the One who will accomplish this.  The Lord is faithful and will do as He has promised.

Lord, the trials come and I am discouraged.  I do not know whether to go one direction or another.  Help me amidst the struggles of this age to see that in You is all hope and the only future fit for living.  Guide me, Lord, so that I would trust in Your faithfulness and flee from the wicked one.  You are my strength and shield and a bulwark against all adversity.  Let me see how close You are holding me.

Lord Jesus, You know what it is to face the adversary.  You know what it is to be tempted.  You know the difficulties of this world but endured and overcame them.  Lead me, O Lord, to see that in You alone is all hope and a future.  Guide me into that future in order that I may now and always hold fast to the truth of the Gospel that You have shared through Your own body and blood from the cross, granting me life now and forever.  Amen.

“Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you; and that we will be rescued from perverse and evil men; for not all have faith” (2 Thessalonians 3:1-2).

Not all have faith.  Sometimes we think that others are indifferent and simply need to be told the truth.  There are evil people who are not indifferent, but hostile.  Be loving, but firm.  Keep your eyes open, for we fight not against flesh and blood, but against principalities.  Receive the Word of the Lord and live in the truth of that revelation.  Be guided by the Lord and stand firm.

Lord, help me to have what wits I have about me all the time.  There are different kinds of people and I am to love my neighbor, but that does not mean that I do not need to keep my guard up.  Teach when to be on guard and when to be relaxed.  Help me to pray for all of the saints always.  Guide me in these good things that I would learn from You how to be faithful always.

Lord Jesus, You have come to give Yourself for our sake.  You are the Word made flesh.  You are the Good News.  Help me to receive You and live in You and to not be fooled by those who bring any other word.  Let me also be loving yet firm in doctrine so that I may hold fast to You and not be led astray.  Finally, give me a heart for all of those who have yet to receive the goodness of Your grace and mercy that they would come to know You.  Amen.  

“Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself and God our Father, who has loved us and given us eternal comfort and good hope by grace, comfort and strengthen your hearts in every good work and word” (2 Thessalonians 2:16).

The work we do is not out of compulsion.  We should never be driven by the need to do anything, but in love we have been called by the One who first loved us.  In the good hope of grace and in the faith He gives, do all that you do.  Be strengthened not by your efforts, but by the goodness of the Lord who gives us the eternal hope in the salvation given us by grace.

Take care that you do not fall into the trap of seeing anything in the way of obligation.  Instead, see things in terms of the grace you have received and pass on that grace to others.  In love we are called to live.  God first loved us so that we may love Him and others.  The motivation does need to eventually become loving obedience to the faith.  Move in that direction and you will move closer to the likeness of Christ.

Lord Jesus, You did what You did out of love.  You love each one of us.  Guide me, Lord, so that I would be led by You and not by myself or others.  Let me not fall into the traps of being legalistic nor uncaring about what is right.  Help me always to live according to the word that You have given knowing that You are calling me into Yourself.  Open my eyes to see more clearly and guide my actions to serve more purely.  Amen.

“So then, brethren, stand firm and hold to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us” (2 Thessalonians 2:15).

Hold fast and stand firm, says Paul.  How many have wavered and fallen in our day because a new wind of doctrine comes and people are blown away.  Stand fast then in the never-changing true Gospel delivered once for all.  In Christ alone is all hope, for He is the rock of our salvation.  Where you lack faith, trust in the One who gives faith.  He has already overcome so that You might join and be with Him forever.

Lord, I do not understand all of these things, but then, I do not need to, do I?  I sometimes am blown about like a piece of paper in a storm.  Help me to become like You and be an unmovable rock laid upon a foundation of truth.  Guide me, Lord, in all things so that I would now and always hold fast to what I have already been given and build my life upon You.  Help me now and always, Lord.

Lord Jesus, You are the foundation, author and finisher of my faith.  You are the One who makes this faith possible.  Lead me, O Lord, so that I would go the way You know I need to go.  In and through all things, help me see the path You lay before me and not wander from it.  Teach me how to hold fast to that which You have taught me.  Amen.