Mom's Rose Garden

1 Thessalonians 3-Part 1
And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlaborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith.   1 Thess. 3:2


LET IT GLOW

One of the fond memories I have of my childhood was  Mom's rose garden. There were all colors and kinds of roses. The one that stands out in my mind was the deep red American Beauty rose. Not only were the petals gorgious, but the fragrance was astounding. I couldn't walk by the garden without bending down to take a sniff of that rose. It was so soothing and peaceful. If God made anything better, He kept it to Himself because He shared the best of His creation with us (meaning this rose).
 As you know, gardens don't flurish by themselves. We pulled weeds on a regular basis. Each rose bush had to be watered frequently. On warm summer evenings, Dad and I would drag the waterhose from the cattle trough to the garden. Baracades were made around each one using dirt. He thought it helped them hold more water, probably. The price paid, working in the garden, was worth it all whenever those bushes had their flowers. they were the fruit of our labor. Mom would pick some and make a flower arrangement for us to enjoy in the house. Keeping them watered resulted in enjoying these beauties all summer. I guess you could say we paid the price.

I take it that Paul was willing to pay the price of having Timothy seperated from him and Silas. We don't know for sure that Silas was still with Paul. In verse 1 of this chapter, Paul  says, "we thought it good to be left at Athens alone." 
Having heard about the persecution that the Thessalonians were going through, Paul wanted to help this church.

"Paul's concern did not focus on health, wealth, self-esteem, or ease of life, but rather the spiritual quality of life. Their faith was of supreme importance in Paul's mind as evidenced by five mentions in verses 1-10 (see verses 5,6,7, 10)," states The MacArthur Bible Commentary.

Am I willing to pay the price to accomplish whatever God has for me to do? If I do, it will be as sweet as Mom's roses.
Jesus paid the ultimate price in purchasing my salvation so it is free to me. I owe Him a lot. My life, in fact.


LET IT GROW

How did Paul describe Timothy in verse 2? He described Timothy as our brother, minister of God, and fellowlaborer in the gospel of Christ. Spiritually speaking, Christians have the same heavenly Father and are in God's family. Timothy was their brother in the ministry. It was God who called and sent them to share the truth of God. Timothy gave himself to meditation, reading, exhortation, and doctrine and preaching the gospel of Christ.

What two things did Paul want Timothy to do while in Thessalonica? He was to establish and comfort them in their faith.

Libertay Bible Commentary states:

Establish in the Greek is the word sterizo , which is used to mean "to stabilize" or to support an already existing structure. In the New Testament this word is used in the figurative sense of stablizing believers.

Comfort in the Greek is the word parakleo, which sululd be translated "encourage" rather than comfort.
It is the word from which we get the name of the Holy Spirit in John, namely "the Comforter." A better translation might be, "to support and help you in your faith."

"Establishing comes first. Encouragement can really only come after we are established in the right direction, otherwise, we are only encouraged in the wrong course," said David Guzik.

Am I established in my faith?  Do I encourage others in their faith in Jesus?

* There is only one rose bush left in Mom's rose garden. I dream of having my own flower garden one day, but I haven't paid the price yet (work) to do it.

**How fast this year has gone. I can't believe a year has passed since my first posting on CRF. I said yes to God as He challenged me to write this study through the New Testament. It has been a wonderful blessing and eye and heart opener. I'd send all my faithful readers a dozen roses if I could. We'd get together for a party if it were possible. Since it isn't, I pray the Lord will bless you for your faithful support and encouragement to this country gal. People in over a dozen countries have dropped in to read. Guess I'm a foreign missionary. Praise the Lord Jesus for His blessings, faithfulness, mercy, and Word! Looking forward to the rest of the books. Again, thanks for walking with me along this country road of faith.
Rejoice in the Lord, always, and again I say rejoice. Phil. 4:4

LET IT GO

Pay whatever price it costs me to do God's will in my life.

Be established in my faith in Jesus.

Encourage, comfort others when they are persecuted.