1 Thessalonians 1:4-10
Rebecca Lightfoot
N 1Thessalonians1:4-10,Paul talks about how sincere seekers/followers of Christ can be identified by a few things that happen in their minds/hearts/lives.1st characteristic is how our minds/hearts/lives are impacted by the Gospel of Christ->1Thes1:5,”....because our gospel(Gospel of Christ)came to you not simply with words,but also with power,with the Holy Spirit & with deep conviction.”.This means that if we truly accept God’s Gifts of Mercy & Grace through Christ,that it was not just by our hearing the message of the Gospel...but by the powers of God’s Love via His Spirit personally touching our minds/hearts/lives with His Glory.Whenever a human is in the presence of God/His Glory,there is 1 of 2 reactions that will occur-we either turn and run away because we cannot bear the overwhelming TRUTHS that God’s Glory reveals(TRUTHS about the Absolute Glory of God & His Righteousness are more than a bazillion times “brighter” than the sun...bringing into The Light ALL TRUTH...about God,& about ourselves)and our pride &/or arrogance refuses this “exposure” to such absolute TRUTHS.The other response is that our minds/hearts/lives fall prostrate before The Holy&Righteous One that LOVES us endlessly...and we are so humbled by such absolute TRUTHS that we ACCEPT our NEED for what only The Gospel of Christ can give.The 2 choices are that we either choose to accept His Love,or we refuse & run away from from such absolute TRUTHS because our arrogance &/or pride will not “allow” us to accept our desperate NEED to be saved.Both of these involve the power of The Holy Spirit! When we accept The Truths of the Gospel...we accept the Spirit of Christ into our hearts/minds/lives.When this sincerely happens,we are truly changed by the “conviction”(the quality of showing that one is firmly convinced of what one believes or says)that occurs in our hearts/minds/lives...then changes occur in our hearts/minds/lives as we grow in our faith.Dear Lord...help me to be increasingly mindfully/heartfully aware of Your Spirit in my life.Help me to turn from my arrogance/pride,and humbly accept what Your Spirit is teaching me through Your Word and through Your Spirit’s Power.