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👉🏼 (Reading: 1 Thessalonians 2:1-2)
📜 ""You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition.""
1 Thessalonians 2:2 (N L T)
📋 The devil hates the gospel and often stirs his agents to strongly oppose it. So, God's faithful servants who persevere in preaching the Good News are often persecuted and mistreated.
The Apostle Paul shares his experience: "You know how badly we had been treated at Philippi just before we came to you and how much we suffered there. Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition."
Paul and Silas went to Philippi to preach the gospel, They suffered greatly there; they were severely beaten and thrown into prison. That bitter experience could have stopped them from preaching the Gospel, but God strengthened them to preach in Thessalonica. Paul affirms this: "Yet our God gave us the courage to declare his Good News to you boldly, in spite of great opposition."
Our Lord Jesus is with us always, giving us boldness to carry out the task of preaching the gospel and discipling people (Matthew 28:20).
We can endure suffering for the gospel only if we offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God and resolve to complete the task of preaching the gospel, no matter what suffering comes our way (Acts 20:22-24).
Are you willing to suffer for the gospel?
🔑 Key Lesson: Preaching the gospel often attract suffering.
🛐 Meditation and Prayer: Lord, give me the grace to suffer for the gospel.
📚 Further Reading: 2 Corinthians 4:7-11.
◼️ The Bible in One Year: Lamentations 1-2.