SOAP 11/29/2014; 2 Thessalonians 1:11-12

Today's reading: 1 Thessalonians 4, 5; 2 Thessalonians 1, 2, 3

S) "¹¹ To this end also we pray for you always, that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, ¹² so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."

2 Thessalonians 1:11-12 (NASB)

O) This passage comes directly after describing the eternal judgment for unbelievers (vv.7-9), and the salvation of the saints (i.e. believers, v.10). Paul makes it plain throughout this book, how much grace is involved in our salvation. It doesn't end with the grace of the cross, and the provision of an eternal savior. The grace of the God is also at work in our very ability to perceive His glory and believe the gospel message.

A) For those who already believe, then, the focus for us is that our lives would be a manifestation of His glory, by the fulfillment of His calling on us, doing good, walking in faith, and the power of God. All of this, not for the purposes of attaining righteousness (because that is through faith), but for the purposes of evangelism, that those who see us, would see the grace and glory of God, and believe. I also need to remember the very first thing Paul wrote here, "To this end also we pray for you always," I have a tendency to want to pray for my own loved ones, and my ability to evangelize, but I often neglect to pray those same things for other believers. I need to remember that God's will is bigger than my own life. I need to commit to praying for the salvation of my own friends and family, but also for the salvation of others, whom I don't know directly.

P) Father, Your timing is perfect. In Your perfect knowledge, You have a plan to save every person. I want to be sure I am being used in every way You will, and that I am not missing opportunities to pray and play a role in the salvation of people I may not even know. To that end, Father, I pray that You will count as worthy, my brothers and sisters in Christ. Fulfill their every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in them, and they in You, according to Your grace and our Lord Jesus Christ. May this be done in them and in me, according to Your will. In Jesus's name I pray. Amen.