Daily Bread Pastor Mike Anderson

2 Thessalonians 3 Enduring Word Commentary   Request for Prayer 3 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. 2 And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. 3 But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one. 4 We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. 5 May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance. Paul was passionate about prayer for the Thessalonians, but he is not too proud to ask for prayer as well. We can see his heart for God's Word, as his prayer is that the gospel would spread rapidly. Paul's greatest passion was the spread of the gospel. Though he spent time encouraging all of the churches he planted, he is always praying for those who have not yet heard the gospel.  Do you have a heart for the gospel t...

2 Thessalonians 2 - NIV Enduring Word Commentary The Man of Lawlessness 2 Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, 2 not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. 3 Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness[a] is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. 4 He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God. Paul continues to teach on Jesus' coming and how all believers will be gathered to him. Again this points to a pre-tribulation rapture. Paul also needs to expose a false teaching in the church that Jesus had already come. It seems strange that anyone who knew anything about Jesus' ...

Introduction to 2 Thessalonians - Insight for Living, Chuck Swindoll 2 Thessalonians 1 - NIV 2 Corinthians 1 - Enduring Word Commentary 1 Paul, Silas and Timothy,  To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:  2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul gives his familiar opening greeting to the Thessalonians. This second letter comes in a relatively short period time after the first one. There are similar themes in terms of staying steadfast in the midst of persecution and also further teaching on the end times. Whenever a church is being persecuted, Paul tends to point to the end times as a means of encouragement for the trials they are going through. Paul says in Romans 8:18,  " Our present suffering is not worthy to be compared to the glory that will be revealed in Christ Jesus ."  Thanksgiving and Prayer 3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your f...

1 Thessalonians 5 NIV Enduring Word Commentary The Day of the Lord 5 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, 2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. Paul concludes his letter to the Thessalonians with teaching about the Day of the Lord. This is referring to the day Jesus will return. Like today, they were curious about when this would happen. There have been many people over the last 2,000 years who have been bold in predicting an exact date, like Harold Camping, who predicted the date of Jesus' return would be September 6th, 1994. When the date passed without incident, he then predicted May 21, 2011. Alas, he was wrong again. Such has been the fate of anyone who has attempted to predict when Jesus would return. The one thing about all such progno...

1 Thessalonians 4 Enduring Word Commentary Living to Please God 4 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. Paul was happy that they were " living to please God". It seems like a simple enough phrase but important nonetheless. What a great thing to say about someone that they are " living a life that is pleasing to God" . It also points to the fact that we can live a life that is not pleasing to God. Paul urges this to do so more and more .  We never arrive in our Christian faith. We are always seeking to live a life more pleasing to God. We please God when we do the things he asked us to do. We please God when we love him with all of our hearts and our neighbors as ourselves.  Would you say you are living a life right now, which is ...

1 Thessalonians 3 Enduring Word Commentary 3 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 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 tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain. Paul's deepest concern for the Thessalonians was that the persecution and trials they were going through might shipwreck their faith. Paul knew they had so much potential, so he sent Timothy to encourage them. Even though Paul had told them (and us) we would be persecuted for the...