Stained Paper Towels

2 Thessalonians 1-Part 3
And God will use this persecution to show his justice and to make you worthy of his Kingdom, for which you are suffering. In his justice he will pay back those who persecute you.
2 Thess. 1:5-6  NLT


LET IT GLOW

Last night I made some blackberry jelly from the berries which I had picked last summer. A couple nights ago, I cooked them, pressed the juice out, and strained the seeds, in preparation for the jelly making process. After the stirring the sugar and Sure Jell in the juice for 45 minutes, and  boiling it, the jelly was ready to pour into jars. Before putting the lids on top of the jars to preserve them, I wiped each one with a paper towel. Because of spills and dribbles down the sides, there were purple stains on the paper towels. Looking back on this, it reminds me of how my life is stained with sin. Even though I've been a Christian for 40 years now, I still  sin and I am in need of cleansing and forgiveness daily from the Lord Jesus.

Isaiah 64:6a says, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags."
Isaiah 1:18 says, "Come, now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."

Yes, sin in my heart is like the purple splotches of blackberry jelly on the paper towel. But after confession, Jesus cleanses me like a new, clean paper towel.

This is what makes me worthy for the Kingdom of God, His forgiveness and cleansing of my soul. It's the helmet of salvation that Jesus provided for me. It's the breastplate of righteousness with which  He freely covers me.
There's another thing that makes me worthy of the Kingdom of God-persecution and tribulation. Paul said it in verse 5.

The MacArthur Bible Commentary says it this way:

The Thessalonian believers were not self-centered, but concentrated on God's kingdom. Their focus was not on personal comfort, fulfillment, and happiness, but on the glory of God and the fulfillment of His purposes. They were not murmuring about the injustice of their persecutions. Rather, they were patiently enduring the sufferings they did not deserve (verse 4). This very attitude was "manifested evidence" or positive proof that God's wise process of purging, purifying, and perfecting through suffering was working to make His beloved people worthy of the kingdom by being perfected (James 1:2-4). For believers, afflictions are to be expected as they live and develop Christian character in a satanic world. Suffering is not to be thought of as evidence that God has forsaken them, but evidence that He is with them, perfecting them (Matt. 5:10). So the Thessalonians demonstrated that their salvation, determined by faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ, was genuine because they, like Christ, were willing to suffer on account of God and His kingdom. They suffered unjustly as objects of man's wrath against Christ and His kingdom (Acts 5:41).

Thank You Lord that my sufferings so I can be made worthy for Your Kingdom.


LET IT GROW

Verse 6 in the King James Version states: Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you.

We've seen that the righteous judgment of God works to perfect believers. It also works to repay the wicked.
"Vindication ane retribution are to be exercised by God, not man, in matters of spiritual persecution. When God repays and a how God repays are to be determined by Him," stated MacArthur. (see Deut. 32:35; Rom. 12:19-21)

It's not my job to pay back evil for evil, but to love them, bless them, do good to them, and pray for them that are my enemies, those that curse me, those who hate me, and to those who despitefully use me and persecute me. (Matthew 5:44) These were words of Jesus.

Did anything jump out at you in that verse? Is there something you are not doing? How many times have I read it and did not see that I am to "bless" those people? Such a tall order, isn't it. But you know, it is only with the help of the Holy Spirit that I can do those things to those people.

I have found that when God takes His vengence upon a person for what they do to me, it's worse than what I would have done. I realize that we all need His mercy.


LET IT GO

Confess and get cleansed from my sins daily.

Appreciate all that Jesus provided for me when He died on the cross.

Let Him take care things and people.

Keep on lovin' God and others.