1 Thessalonians 1:8-10
Rebecca Lightfoot
The last thing that Paul mentions n 1Thessalonians1 that will identify true seekers&followers of Christ is a FAITH that changes the way we live when we truly revere The Lord and what He has done for us->1Thes1:8-10,”The Lord’s message rang out from you(out from the way they lived/things they did & did not do/the way they spoke/the way they treated others/the way they thought,etc.)not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.....They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.”As was the case w the Thessalonians, our entire life will be impacted by what Jesus has done for us,& by the unbelievable/awesome relationship with The One True Holy God that Jesus makes possible...IF we truly accept what Jesus only can offer...!If our lives do not demonstrate that we are IMPRESSED GINORMOUSLY by these things...then we have not come to realize the AWESOMENESS of these things.If our lives do not have areas where we are TURNING AWAY from things unholy&unrighteous,and TURING TOWARD GOD...,then we must ask ourselves the question,”what &/or whom am I being identified with by the way I live/the things I do & do not do/the way i speak/the way i treat others/the way I think,etc.?The Thessalonians lived in such contrast to the way that the world around them lived...that their FAITH impacted the world around them for the GOOD of the world around them!Dear Lord,there are many areas of my life that I am hanging on to things & ideas (both become idols) that are disabling me from being devoted to the kind of turning to You that Paul talks about in these verses.I pray for Your Spirit & Your Word to shine a revealing light into my life so these areas will be revealed without doubt...& then help me to muster the courage,strength,resiliency,and FAITH to turn wholeheartedly toward You.