Prayer Works Morning Devotion September 29, 2026

A Chapter By Chapter Study Of The Epistles:

1Thessalonians Chapter 1

2We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, 3remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father,  4knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.  5For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

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Good morning, family. Welcome to the Prayer Works Morning Devotion grace to you and peace from God our Father and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

We gather each and every day at this time to give God our first fruits of the day and to give him all honor and glory for keeping us at peace at night and for waking us to a new day with new grace and new mercies.

And we celebrate this by coming before the Lord in the morning so that our day will go well as we lean on Him and trust in Him to lead us and guide us through this day and in all of our thoughts, words and deeds.

Today, family, we are in a new book 1 Thessalonians, but before we get into it, let us go to the throne of grace and invoke prayer as is customary before we do anything.

Heavenly Father, thank You for this day and thank You for Your mercy and Your grace in our lives that each and every day You see fit to raise us up as Your children and allow us to walk in the faith that You've bestowed upon each of every one of us.

We know that each of us has a measure of faith and what we do with that faith, that faith is up to us. We pray that we will use the faith that You have given us to trust and to speak about the marvelous things that You have done for us in us and through us and for us.

And so we are praying right now, Father, that as we walk by faith and not by sight, that these words that are to be spoken of from 1 Thessalonians will impact us and help us to continue to have the hope of glory that Jesus laid on us through His death on the cross.

And by coming to this world to save us, showing a massive amount of love for each and every one of us who we didn't deserve, but just the same. He loved us and God gave Him to us for His glory.

And so we give You praise honoring glory and thanksgiving and ask You to just come now and touch our hearts, touch our minds, touch our spirit as we learn about Your ways and walk in the statutes that You've laid for us and live a hope, Father, that is of You and by You and for Your glory.

And for Your pleasure. So I pray now as come before You that You take control of this call that You come down with Holy Spirit upon all of us.

Help me to speak the words that You would have me to speak and not it be my own words, but Your words, Father, we give You all praise honoring glory and we thank You for Your mercy and Jesus name we pray, Amen.

Amen family, so as I said, we are in a new book today starting with first Thessalonians in chapter one and Thessalonians just a little historical quizary here if you will. First Thessalonians or the book of Thessalonians is the New Testament's eighth epistle by Paul.

And it's the 13th book of the New Testament and the 52nd book of the Bible. Paul, Silvanus or Silas and Timothy are named directly in first Thessalonians 1:1 as the authors and this book was written in approximately AD 51.

According to Luke's report, Paul and his companions visited Thessalonica during their second missionary trip facing both successes and challenges as described in Acts 17:1 -9.

Paul composed the letter to the Thessalonian church a few months after departing from the city while he was staying in Corinth. Like a concerned parent, checking on his child's well-being, Paul sent Timothy to inquire of the church's welfare in the church of Thessalonica.

There were some misunderstandings about the return of Christ and Paul had desired to clear them up in his letter. He also writes it as an instruction in holy living. His initial fear that his efforts had been in vain proved unfounded however as the church thrived in faith and love.

Therefore, Paul's first letter to them primarily served as encouragement highlighting their endurance in the face of persecution. Key verses in this book and these letters are from 1 Thessalonians 3:5 where it says for this reason.

When I could stand it no longer I sent to find out about your faith, I was afraid that in some way the temper, the temper might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.

And then 1 Thessalonians 3:7, therefore brothers in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.

And then first Thessalonians 4:14-17, we believe that Jesus died and rose again. And so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him according to the Lord's own word.

We tell you that we who are still alive who are left till the coming of the Lord will certainly not proceed those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God.

And the dead in Christ will rise first after that we who are still alive and our left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will be with the Lord forever.

And finally first Thessalonians 5:16 -18, be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, but this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. So those are the key verses, five of them. The uniqueness of first Thessalonians lies in its eschatological value.

Eschatology is the study of what the Bible says is going to happen in the end times. Paul elaborates on the rapture of believers and event preceding the seven year tribulation. And this is found in first Thessalonians 4:13-18, facing persecution and life's challenges.

The Thessalonian believers had lost some loved ones as have we all. Paul acknowledges their grief, but emphasizes the Christian hope, urging them not to grieve like the rest of mankind who have no hope.

Similar to the book of Revelation, Paul's eschatological teachings aim to instill hope in believers who are still alive. In addition to eschatology, Paul addresses topics such as sexual purity, endurance in persecution, sanctification, living peacefully, hard work, and the day of the Lord.

The overarching goal of 1 Thessalonians is that the recipients grow in godliness and ideal that remains important even for us today.

The first three chapters are about Paul longing to visit the church in Thessalonica, but not being able to, because Satan had stopped them, and how Paul cared for them and was encouraged to hear how they had been.

Paul then prays for them. In chapter 4, Paul is instructing the believers in Thessalonica on how to live in Christ Jesus, live a holy life. And then he goes on to instruct them in the misconception that they had.

He tells them that the people who had died in Christ will also go to heaven when He comes back. And then the book ends with final instructions on again living the Christian life. So it begins this way, and it's a short 10 verses, but I'll break it down as I go along.

Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy. Now, we know these are the three that were responsible for writing this and helping Paul as he ministered and we know that Paul was an amazing man and a possible of God, and he, of course, didn't work by himself whenever he could.

Paul had a team with him, and here Paul mentions the man that worked with him. Silvanus, also known as Silas, was a long and experienced companion of Paul. He traveled with Paul on his second missionary journey and was imprisoned and set free with Paul in the Philippian jail.

You can read about that trip that I believe has to do with the demon possessed girl, that they cast that demon out, and her owners lost their monetary income in Acts 16:19-30.

When Paul first came to this church, Silas came with him, and therefore the Thessalonians also knew Silvanus or Silas as well. Timothy, on the other hand, was a resident of Leicester, a city in the province of Galatia, also referenced in Acts 16:1-3

He was the son of a Greek father and a Jewish mother named Yunus. From his youth, he learned the scriptures from his mother and grandmother. Timothy was a trusted companion and associate of Paul, and he accompanied Paul on many of his missionary journeys.

He was like a son to Paul. Paul sent Timothy to the Thessalonians on the previous occasion, and then he goes on to say to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. You hear me say that all the time.

This is Paul's standard greeting. I heard a pastor explain that you can't have peace without grace from God first. Peace is an aspect of God's grace to us. The Greek word for grace is charis, and strong concordance defines it as graciousness, benefit, favor, gift, grace, joy, liberality, pleasure, or thanks.

It is especially used for a kindness or favor bestowed on someone who is still deserving, such as of a master toward his servant or of holy God toward sinful mankind.

Charis or grace encapsulates the saving work of Jesus Christ, offering forgiveness, inheritance, and God's presence available to all who receive it humbly, and it was a way of greeting.

On the other hand, peace or Shalom was the Jewish way of greeting. Again, in strong concordance, Shalom means completeness, soundness, welfare, peace. It is translated success and used as part of an inspired blessing in 1 Chronicles 12:18.

Shalom is applicable to an external peace between two entities, such as individuals or nations, and to an internal sense of peace within the individual.

Now, moving forward, Paul himself founded the Church in Thessalonica on his Second Missionary Journey, as it says in Acts 17 verses 1-9. He was only in the city a short time because he was forced out by enemies of the gospel, yet the Church of the Thessalonians continued alive and active.

On Paul's Second Missionary Journey, he was imprisoned again in Philippi, and then miraculously freed from jail, only to be kicked out of the city. Then he came to Thessalonica and the prosperous capital of the province of Macedonia in northern Greece, located on the famous Ignatian way.

Verse 2, we give thanks to God always for you all making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of our God and Father, knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God.

So Paul says we give thanks to God always for you. So when Paul thought of the Christians in this Church, his heart felt filled with gratitude. Paul started the Church there less than ideal circumstances.

Of course, being run out of town after only three weekends with them, as it says in Acts 17: 1-10, yet the Church was strong and full of life. Paul knew that his work was beyond him and his abilities and that it was the work of God.

Verse 5, for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit, and in much assurance as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake.

The gospel is not a matter of mere words. In the modern culture there is an overflow of information or entertainment that often only amounts to mere words. Yet the gospel is more than words.

It also has power. The message of Jesus Christ has power. It has power for miracles, power for wonderful signs from God, and best of all it has the power to change minds and hearts.

Verse 6, and you became followers of us and of the Lord having received the word in much affliction with joy of the Holy Spirit. So the Thessalonians stopped following other things but followed after Paul and the Lord. Paul says that it was a good thing for them to follow him.

And he wasn't shy about saying follow me because he knew where he was going. This shows that Paul's message included an element of personal discipleship. There was a sense in Paul in which he personally led these Thessalonian Christians in their spiritual life.

They could see his life and were invited to learn from his examples. And this is how we have to hold ourselves so that all around us can see us as true disciples and follow us to Jesus. Verse 7, so that you became examples in all of Macedonia and Achaia who believed.

So again Paul was the example to these Christians and they became examples to others by way of Paul. This is exactly how the work of God should happen. As we become disciples of Jesus by our example showing love, then we become examples to others.

The Christians in Macedonia and Achaia needed examples and the Thessalonians supplied that need. This was true even though they had only been followers of Jesus a short time.

As Christians ourselves, we also need others to show who we need others to show who we are and how we can follow Jesus beyond just the need of hearing about how to follow Him.

It is to show us so that we then can use what we see as an example and model that example so that others can see and follow. Verse 8, for from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth not only in Macedonia and Achaia.

But also in every place your faith toward God has gone out so that we do not need to say anything. For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you and how you turn to God from idols to serve the living and true God.

And to wait for His son from heaven whom he had raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

So just imagine that these Thessalonians were worshipping false gods, idols and they through faith and the example of Paul and how Paul lived for Jesus were able to model that and turn away from their false gods and their idols to serve the living and true God.

And be an example to those in Macedonia and Achaia, how marvelous and wonderful is that and that they were willing to do this and wait on Jesus.

Whom God had raised from the dead to deliver them from the wrath that was to come. It says, from you the word of the Lord has sounded forth and this was a part of the good example that this church had provided.

Sounded forth means a loud ringing sound that as of a trumpet blast the good work the Lord did among these Thessalonians became known all over the region and everyone talked about the changes.

And then it says your faith towards God has gone out so that we do not need to do anything so Paul was saying you Thessalonians basically are sounding forth the word of the Lord so effectively that you're putting me out of business.

In other words Paul didn't have to do anything that the Thessalonians did it for him by their faith, says we don't need to do anything.

And then Paul here also appears to ideas the word of the Lord sounded forth and their faith towards God has gone out. So these two aspects are essential basically of a church is going to spread the gospel.

First they need a message to spread and that message first needs to impact their own lives, second they need the faith to go out so that their faith toward God goes out to all of the world. So when the Thessalonians received the word of God from Paul they responded to it by leaving their idols.

They gave themselves to serve the living and true God their reception of the word and their faith in God was shown as true because they did something with the word of God.

And then it says even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come so Paul here was pointing out the essence of salvation and saying that Jesus delivers us from the wrath to come. We are saved from something and that something is the righteous wrath of a holy God.

Paul's letters to the Thessalonians can be applied to many of life situations today. It gives us the confidence as Christians that dead or alive when Christ comes back we will be together with Him. It also assures us as Christians that we won't receive God's wrath.

It instructs us on how to walk the Christian life daily. In a world filled with unanswered questions, uncertainty and suffering, believers may become easily discouraged. The world increasingly opposes the Christian faith affecting the followers of Jesus.

However, the hope of resurrection remains available to believers today even as we navigate this period that we are in between Christ's ascension and the consummation of his kingdom.

As we continue to cling to our hope in Christ, that hope in Christ will transform our perspective on life and motivate us toward right living and a right standing with God.

Let's pray. Gracious and loving Heavenly Father, I thank You, I thank You, I thank You that You are a one merciful loving true Abba Father to all of us. I thank You that Your mercy in grace is unbounded.

I thank You, Father, that for all who believe in Your Son and for all that are willing to wait on His return and trusting You and trusting Him and believe that He is our Lord and Savior.

That You have in store for us wonderful things and that in the day of the Lord we will be raised with Him as Your word says. And that all we have to do is be faithful to our calling and faithful to our beliefs and preach the word that You placed in our hearts and minds.

And the word that is in Your scriptures to those that You sent to us. And so I pray this day, Father, that as we go forth in this day, that any and everyone that comes our way.

That we can be a blessing to them in some way, shape or form, saying a kind word, being an encourager, bringing unbelievers to belief in Your Son, Jesus Christ.

I pray, Father, as we leave this call that we don't leave Your presence and that Your presence will be with us for the remainder of this day and in the days to come.

And as this world continues to devolve into dark days, that our hope in You will keep that light burning in us, keep the fire of the Holy Spirit lit in us, Father, so that we fear nothing that this world can throw at us.

But trust in You in all things so that we can walk by faith and not by sight and that we can fend off the fiery darts of the enemy that will certainly come our way because we know we have Jesus as our Lord and Savior and He has already won the battle.

So we are victorious in our Lord and Savior and so again, I thank You for this confidence, this faith that can only come from You, that we can trust Your words as truth in our lives this day.

So Father, I pray You're blessing now, I pray for those that need to have peace in their lives, those that are struggling, Father, to find their way that You will show them the way to go.

Bless all those on this call, bless their families that are represented here, heal the sick Father, especially Mother Russell and Sarge, bless them, bless their families and just continue to hold them in Your arms and shadow them under Your wings.

And I pray that for all of us, Father, hold us in Your arms and shadow us under Your wings. Now Father, as we leave this call, we pray that You will lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

For Yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever and ever In Jesus name, we pray, Amen and Amen. Amen family pray that your day is all that you dreamed it would be and that going with God.

And letting him light the way to your footsteps that your crooked rose will be made straight this day. And then any and everything that comes your way, you realize you already have the victory because God loves you.

Go in peace family, we will see you again tomorrow, 7am Central, 8am Eastern. We love you and most of all, God loves you.