Scripture to Read: 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10
God desires our lives to be lived so fully and completely for Him that our lives “sound forth” for Him. As we saw in yesterday’s devotion, the Gospel was being lived and shared by the new believers in Thessalonica. Today we see in 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10 that the faith of the believers in Thessalonica was spreading way beyond the region in which they lived. God was using those believers in Thessalonica in such great ways because of their willingness to serve our Lord and to share Him. Paul was even led by God to tell them that he, Silvanus, and Timothy could not add anything to what these believers were already sharing and doing. God had Paul tell these believers in Thessalonica that he, Silvanus, and Timothy were getting reports about them and how they were hearing how their lives had drastically changed because of their relationship with Christ. There is no doubt that Christ transforms every believer because He comes to live in every believer through His Spirit. But we, as believers, must also make the choice to live our lives fully and completely for our Lord. We should be living so passionately for Christ that anyone who talks about us immediately begins to talk about how they see Christ in us and through us. If our lives are not being lived for Christ in this way, then we are either in sin or we’re still lost and don’t know it. We must examine our lives and make sure that what people hear and see is Christ in us.
Challenge & Application
1. What did God teach you today about what people hear from you and see in you when they are around you?
2. Who will you impact this week with the Gospel as you let your life “sound forth” for Christ?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!