Grace And Peace To You -1 Thessalonians Series

 

Welcome this is Multiply a podcast to encourage village church planters and I am Brad Snowden.

1 Thessalonians 1:1 “To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace to you and peace inner calm and spiritual well-being from God “

Paul writes specifically to the believers in the church of Thessalonica. He wants to rejoice with them for their faith in Jesus Christ. He also had learned of the challenges they were facing and instead of beginning with this He gives them a greeting.

“The Church of Thessalonians in God” In God’s presence dwelling in His word that they had learned from Paul. They had life in Jesus Christ and now the powerful blessing of Paul’s greeting to them and its teaching to us all.

GRACE: divine influence upon the heart,

Wow how important is divine influence as God directs our daily walk with him and he impacts our lives and the lives of others. Church planters the most important part of anything in the future depends on God’s influence upon your heart. Do you spend time with him sitting in His presence allowing Him to direct your path for the day?

Grace: Favor (preferential treatment) 

Church planter if you go to a village chief and ask for permission to share in His village and he gives you his blessing then that is the favor of God working. Then there can be confidence that the Lord has made a way and a person of peace can be found among them.

The Lord desires you to walk in confidence because of His grace that he is pouring into your life and through your life.

PEACE: quietness, rest

If God goes before you who can be against you? The apostle Paul knows the need for God’s grace but also His peace. It doesn’t matter the situation or our challenges. God’s direction will produce a confident heart through grace. The calm assurance or peace will empower us to stand in our lives as upon His word. Church planter things are challenging in the day we live and as we serve the Lord the moving forward things may be hard. Yet in this scripture we have hope and celebration because of who God is. He is full of grace so be full of His grace and allow His grace to strengthen you to walk in confidence. The celebration of His peace no matter the chaos of the world around you there is peace quiet rest of your soul knowing that the Lord reigns above all.

Paul wrote these words for their encouragement and strength, but they had to receive them and allow grace and peace to do its work in them. What a celebration we can have when God’s grace gives us the confidence to stand upon His word. What joy comes when the peace of God rules our hearts and fortifies what we know to be true. I encourage you today, let God’s word fortify your confidence in the power of His word; GRACE and PEACE. My prayer is it be multiplied unto you in all you do. This has been a word of encouragement for village church planters.