Tuesday, June 7, 2016

Beyond the Gospels: Thessalonians

Today's passage: 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12
[Click the reference above to read on BibleGateway.com or flip open your Bible.]

For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work...
2 Thessalonians 2:7

The power of lawlessness, wielded by the man of lawlessness, is currently at work in the world. It's easy to believe when we see how God and His ways are being challenged in every culture and people group. Christians persecuted to all degrees. Perversion of His way seems to be the order of the day.

From atheists to ISIS. From the erasing of gender to the removal of the Ten Commandments. From all ways lead to God and the dismissing of the notion of hell. From the eradiction of truth to the making of your own truth. The secret power of lawlessness is at work.

God's Word tells us a time is coming when lawlessness will have full sway in the world. Revealed for all to see. Yet I wonder if any will recognize him.

The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works.
He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie,
and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing.
They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
2 Thessalonians 2:9-10

The man of lawlessness comes with wonderful displays of power, lies, deceptions. If we are not fully grounded and rooted in God's truth, in agreement with His Word, we run the risk of being deceived. Adam and Eve, two who walked closest with God, fell to his deception. What prevents us from doing the same?

The lawlessness at work in the world today and the full revelation of its coming, may cause some to live in fear and despair. There is no reason if you trust and follow Christ. He too will have His full day of revelation and He will be no match for lawlessness.

And then the lawless one will be reveled,
whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth
and destroy by the splendor of his coming.
2 Thessalonians 2:8

Lawlessness will literally be blown away by His breath. Overthrown by His demeanor.

Those who perish refuse to love truth.
Those who love His truth will have no fear.

Do you love His truth? do you wrestle with Him in it? or dismiss it? because it's not what you want to hear?

Does the news of the day fill you with panic? dismay? despair? because you spend more time in the news than with Him? in prayer? in praise? in His Word?

Yes. Lawlessness is already at work. Seemingly alive, well, and convincing.
Don't be drawn into either error: being deceived or being paralyzed by fear.

As Believers we are charged with bringing truth and light into the world. Now's the time to be bold and stand up for Him. Suppress and derail the works of deceit to the full extent of the faith and power we have available to us through Christ Jesus by way of the Holy Spirit.

Lord, reveal where I've been deceived or have the potential
to fall to the secret power of lawlessness.
I want to know and love Your truth. Encourage and empower me
by Your Spirit and Your Word so I can derail and delay
lawlessness from being fully revealed.
Use me to teach others to love truth that they might be saved.

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