Scripture:
1 Thessalonians 3:1-2; 1 Peter 5:10
Tue, 5 April 2022

Establishing Our Faith

Past Week’s ReviewTIMOTHY WAS SENT TO THE THESSALONIANS TO “ESTABLISH and encourage you in your faith” (v.2). The Thessalonians’ faith is a key focus in 1 Thessalonians 3: “your faith” is repeated five times (1 Thess 3:2, 5, 6, 7, 10). A key action towards our faith is “establish” (stērizō). Stērizō means “to cause someone to become stronger in the sense of more firm and unchanging in attitude or belief ”9. Our faith is established in three ways. We establish ourselves in our faith. The primary building block in establishing our faith is the Word of God: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom 10:17). The object of faith is God. Faith in God grows out of knowing God. Who God is, is represented by what God says. How do we trust in God? By trusting in His Word, where He has revealed Himself. So, devoting time and effort to get into and grow in the Word of God is a critical necessity. We establish one another’s faith. Faith building is a community endeavour, as Paul said to the Roman Christians: “that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (Rom 1:12). We do this “through the encouragement of the Scriptures” (Rom 15:4) and by sharing our personal faith journey. God establishes us in our faith. Trials and suffering are key divine means in this: “After” we “have suffered for a little while”, God will “restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish” us (1 Pet 5:10). How will God answer our prayer, “Lord, increase my faith” (Lk 17:5)?
Observation:

How is faith established?

Deeper Reflection
TIMOTHY WAS SENT TO THE THESSALONIANS TO “ESTABLISH and encourage you in your faith” (v.2). The Thessalonians’ faith is a key focus in 1 Thessalonians 3: “your faith” is repeated five times (1 Thess 3:2, 5, 6, 7, 10). A key action towards our faith is “establish” (stērizō). Stērizō means “to cause someone to become stronger in the sense of more firm and unchanging in attitude or belief ”9. Our faith is established in three ways.We establish ourselves in our faith. The primary building block in establishing our faith is the Word of God: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom 10:17). The object of faith is God. Faith in God grows out of knowing God. Who God is, is represented by what God says. How do we trust in God? By trusting in His Word, where He has revealed Himself. So, devoting time and effort to get into and grow in the Word of God is a critical necessity.We establish one another’s faith. Faith building is a community endeavour, as Paul said to the Roman Christians: “that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine” (Rom 1:12). We do this “through the encouragement of the Scriptures” (Rom 15:4) and by sharing our personal faith journey.God establishes us in our faith. Trials and suffering are key divine means in this: “After” we “have suffered for a little while”, God will “restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish” us (1 Pet 5:10). How will God answer our prayer, “Lord, increase my faith” (Lk 17:5)?
9 Johannes P. Louw & Eugene A. Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament Based on Semantic Domains, Second Edition, Volume 1 (UBS, 1988, 1989), 74:19
Application:

What are the areas in my life where my faith needs to be established?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for pastors and staff: To perfect, confirm, strengthen and establish their faith in trials
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 7:13-18, 25-27; 11:29-36
Sat, 2 December 2023

The Triumph

Observation:

What characterises the triumph of God’s people in tribulations under tyrants?

Deeper Reflection
God’s people living under tyrants and suffering tribulations under them can triumph – whether we are delivered from or destroyed in tribulation. The triumph rests on a threefold confidence.We know the conclusion of evil. It is repeated in manifold ways in Daniel that evil that comes through inhuman kings – no matter how great and how long – will definitely come to an end: “he will be broken” (Dan 8:25), “he will be found no more” (Dan 11:19), “yet he will come to his end” (Dan 11:45) and “all these events will be completed” (Dan 12:7).We know God’s calling for us: To be a suffering people – to be captured, plundered, burned or killed (Dan 11:33). But in our suffering, we can be strong as “people who know their God” (Dan 11:32), knowing that God is purging and purifying us to become a sanctified (Dan 11:35; 12:10) and shining people who “shine brightly” with heavenly brightness in the hostile world (Dan 12:3). And we will be a steadfast people who “keep waiting and attain to the 1,335 days” (Dan 12:12) – until we become a sovereign people who “receive and possess the kingdom forever” from “the Ancient of Days” (vv.13-14, 18, 27).We know who is in control. The tribulations under the tyrants in Daniel 7 to 12 are all subject to and subsumed under “that which is decreed will be done” (Dan 11:36; 9:26, 27) “at the appointed time” (Dan 11:27, 29, 35).We conclude Daniel with this theological-discipleship summary statement: We can triumph in tribulations under tyrants when we trust with tenacity in the One who is on the throne.
Application:

How can I triumph in tribulations?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for Church Board: To grow in the faith and perseverance of overcomers in Christ
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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