Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

 (2Th 2:1) “Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,”  The Holy Spirit is about to say, “Since you know this, don’t worry about that.” In other Words, you know you are His and He is coming for you. There are truths that are foundation and should be held to, not cast aside in our minds and hearts. Salvation is one of them. We base our faith upon the knowledge that Jesus died for our sins on the cross, paying its price, was buried and then arose from the dead; that if we would turn in our hearts from our sinful ways He would forgive us and give us eternal life. Not life, but eternal life. We then read some verse that seems to say, “Do this or you will lose it.” We are shaken from our foundation upon which we trusted. God did not promise us “life”. That we could lose. He promised use “never-ending life”. That cannot be taken away, for it does not end. It seems the Bible is the only area of learning where people have a tendency to throw away the foundation for what they seem to learn later. “Since you know this, don’t worry about that.”

(2Th 2:1)  “Now we beseech you,…..”  It is easy to “breeze” by such a statement as this thinking Paul is imploring them for something. Remember, Paul is not writing this; Paul is penning this, acting as a scribe for God. God is imploring (begging) those He has saved, those who have received unmerited favor, those bought back from sin by His Own blood. Should He have to implore us? It reveals how sinful our old nature really is, that He could not simply ask and expect to receive! All the excuses man has for not obeying the Lord sickens me. God help us!

(2 Thess 1:12)  That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”   Every saved individual glories in the word, “grace”. It means “underserved favor bestowed”. No person is given the gift of everlasting life because they deserved it. What each of us, no matter our age deserve, are the agonies of hell fire. Jesus paid for sins. He took what we deserve – death – on the cross. Thank God for “grace”! 

 (2Th 1:11)  “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: (12)  That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him,….”  So, the saved are uplifted, “glorified”, as they obey “all the good pleasure of His goodness” – doing what pleases Him. People have a tendency to give glory to the servant of God rather than the Master. I say to you, “Reflect the glory. Give it unto God.” Remember, the servant is nothing, the Master is everything!

 (2Th 1:11)  “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power: (12)  That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.”  Notice the primary goal was not the saint, but the saint’s Lord! Your purpose in life in not your pleasure, your happiness, your achievement, but the glorification of He Who gave His life in payment for your sins! It is to be lived for the glorification of the only living and true God!  

(2Th 1:11)  “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:”  The work of God’s children is done two ways upon this earth. There are those who work through the flesh, fulfilling the task before them. And, there are those who look to their Father to bless the work, giving them strength, wisdom, and ability for the task, and…..to bless the task to the recipients. The Lord has said, “….. Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit,…” (Zech 4:6). This is what the Lord means when He says, “….and the work of faith with power:”   

(2Th 1:11)  “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness,……”  Sinful man is blind to the goodness of God. Instead, he blames God for all the sickness, the death, and even the wrong their eyes behold. The Good God is He Who restrains His holiness and waits for that last soul to be saved on His timetable. In the meantime that same Good God continues to bless even the lost with life. He uses the saved to bless the lost with “the goodness of God”.

(2Th 1:11)  “Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:”  “That God would count you worthy of this calling….” In Christian “talk” we use “calling” for the ministry – ministers. That is not what is being said here. Firstly, it is the Lord that reaches down and calls the lost to Himself. The Bible says “there is none that seeked God; no, not one.” (Rom 3:11)  So, each of the saved were first called. “Worthy”: have you sought to be worthy – worth it?

(2Th 1:10) “When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.” The Second Coming of Christ not to be confused with the Rapture of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4. “Glorified IN His saints”. Ephesians says sinners saved by grace are the glory of the God of Mercy for eternity! Praise His Name for saving repentant sinners. May we each live daily to seek His praise, giving glory among men for the many blessings we enjoy.  

 (2Th 1:9)  “Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;”  Notice closely the words, “from the presence of the Lord” and consider: most people spend their daily lives unto themselves, not giving thought and so, much less, time – of and to the Lord. Is it not right and just that they should continue to have as part of their eternal punishment, being apart from presence? They enjoyed the blessings of this life: (Mat_5:45) “That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.”  The judgment is that they will no longer enjoy these blessings of which they did not render due acknowledgement and suffer the punishment of eternal agony instead. Terrible!