Keeping Promises

2 Thessalonians 3-Part 1
But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.   2 Thess 3:3


LET IT GLOW

Am I faithful in keeping my promises? One promise I can say I have kept is my marriage vows. So far, after 38 1/2 years of marriage, my husband and I have remained faithful to each other and to God. Not all people can say that though, which makes me sad for them. Nowadays, spouses leave when they get tired of the situation or other person. If this has happened to you, I am so sorry. But there is one who is faithful, that won't leave us and that is Jesus.
If we've been a Christian very long, we have experienced God's faithfulness to us. I certainly have. So I looked up the word to see what it meant in this passage.

Here it is in Thayer's Lexicon: faithful refers to God abiding by His promises.
Do I hear an amen or praise the Lord?

Lamentations 3:22-23 says, "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."

Do I hear you joining me as I sing that old hymn Great is Thy Faithfulness? Morning by morning new mercies I see, all I have needed Thy hands have provided, great is Thy faithfulness Lord unto me.

Yes, how faithful our God is! Glory to His name!  Even when I am not, He is.

God is faithful in regard to
*creation (Ps. 119:90)
*His promises (Deut. 7:9, 2 Cor. 1:18, Heb. 10:23)
*salvation (1 Thess. 5:24)
*temptation (1 Cor. 10:13)
*suffering (1 Peter 4:19)
*strengthen and protect from Satan (John 17:15, Eph. 6:16, 1 Thess. 3:5).
[Resource: The MacArthur Bible Commentary]

Am I faithful to keep my promises to Him? How about you? Here's where we use that should word again.

Liberty Bible Commentary says:

The faithfulness of God means here that He will support and keep from evil. The word keep (phylasso in Greek) means rather "guard." From evil, should rather be translated, "from the evil ONE," since the gender is masculine in the original (John 17:15).

So Paul is praying that Jesus will guard us from Satan. Jesus also prayed the same thing in John 17:15,
"I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil."

Sounds like my prayers for others should include asking the Father to guard a loved one from evil today. We know how active the evil is today, so that's a very good thing to do.



LET IT GROW

Let's look back at verses 1 and 2: Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

Often we read of Paul asking churches to pray for his ministry. He wants the Word of God to be successful and accomplish its purpose, as it did when  the Thessalonians believed it and were saved. Paul, Timothy, and Silas were stewards of the Lord who preached His Word. It was their primary occupation in life. Paul asks for prayer for their safety in the work, and that they might be protected from evil men who opposed them.

Sounds like a good prayer request to me. Do I ask others to pray for me when I'm in a difficult situation? Not very often, I admit.

Jesus said that the world would hate us (John 17:14). People certainly did hate Jesus, which resulted in His death. They hated Paul, too. Think about how badly he was mistreated. Have people changed today? No, they still don't like to hear the truth and admit they are sinners in need of a Savior, just like in Jesus' day and Paul's day. Yes, you and I need all the prayer support we can get. Shall we SAP-stop and pray?

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your faithfulness and unfailing love for us, Your children. Please protect my sweet friends today from evil that surrounds them. Please bless them so their cup runs over with Your love.
In Your Name,
Amen


LET IT GO

Be faithful to pray for God's protection from evil upon others, especially those in ministry.

Daily thank the Lord Jesus for His faithfulness to me.