My thoughts were captured....

Today I was reading from 2 Thessalonians 3 minding my own business... (in other words not expecting to learn anything because I feel busy and rushed inside) Oh my, I read that over again and I think...I shouldn't say that! Makes it sound like I"m reading the bible just to go through the motions. Okay, I admit, Sometimes I do that. Sometimes I feel so rushed and busy that I read the bible just to get into the habit again when things have been busy and distracting and stuff. Sometimes I just have to go through the motions to remind myself of the importance of spending time with the one that I love the most. What I find is so cool is when I do that, not really thinking, sometimes God just blesses my socks off and helps me to see deeper DESPITE myself. Isn't that way cool how his Holy Spirit works within us? :)

Anyways, what captured my thoughts this morning?

One Paul asked for prayer. He needed that prayer. It was so important to Paul that God's word be spread around and that it be honoured.

1Finally, brothers, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may speed ahead and be honored, as happened among you, 2and that we may be delivered from wicked and evil men.

Paul knew that alot of the people that he met had no faith, and that those folks would cause him difficulty. But he also knew that God was faithful. He is the one who protects us from evil.

For not all have faith. 3But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one.

And therefore he had confidence. He had confidence that those he led to Christ would be okay, and he had confidence that God would work as he aught in them.

4And we have confidence in the Lord about you, that you are doing and will do the things that we command. 5May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.

Made me think a couple of things
1. Do we have confidence that God will work as he aught in the lives that we come into contact with? Seriously do we? One of the things I really struggled with when I came to live in Exeter was leaving behind of my friends that I regularly did one to one bible study with (love doing that by the way and really miss that type of study). Anyways, I really struggled with how is she going to do know, will she continue learning of the Lord and ..... I have to admit, I didn't trust that God would continue to push her to learn more. And to my amazement and surprise, he brought another lady into her life who also was willing to do bible study with her. THAT was just so awesome, and a really good lesson to me. Those that do seek God will find him. God honours our hearts and gives us what we need to learn of him. My friend was given the structure that she needed to continue to learn of God and I saw God's faithfulness in action.

2. Do we really trust the promises of God?
If So... what stops us from proclaiming God's good news to all those around us?

If we trust the promises of God then we shouldn't fear that
a. we don't know enough
b. we might suffer fear, embarrassment, ____________ (you fill in the blank)

If we know that God will protect us from the evil one, what do we have to worry about when we share God's good news with others?

3. The importance of asking for prayer. Do you that? Do I do that? yes, I'll admit, I often fail to ask for prayer that God's word will be spread through me and that it is spread in an honourable, God-pleasing, God working way.

It all seems to go together it seems. This trusting God to protect me from sin, this desire to spread his word, this need to have prayer while doing so. And having that confidence that God will continue to work in the lives of those we meet and witness to.

Kinda neat I think. What think you?