Thanking God upon every

remembrance of you all.

Reading first Thessalonians chapter 1 verses 2 & 3 I notice that Paul’s thankfulness was prompted by his observation of these particular Christians. He saw in them faith, hope and love though not in that order in these verses. What he saw was the out flowing of that special trinity.

The King James Version has “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;”

“Work produced by faith, labour prompted by love and endurance inspired by hope,” is how the New International Version renders it.

Christian virtues need to be seen. During my recent visit to the local hospital for microsurgery I saw two nurses working together making the beds in preparation for the next group of day patients. I knew both of them. One of the young nurses was from South India who had interviewed me for my pre-operation visit a few days ago in the previous week. Then we talked together about the grace of God and our shared knowledge of Him, actually I should have asked more questions about my forthcoming surgery but that didn’t happen but that was my fault. The other nurse was given to me in recovery and I quickly found out she attended a local Evangelical church that is very well known to me and she knew many of my friends. The Lord was good in giving me these two. Thank you LORD.

As these nurses saw me they smiled and warmly greeted me asking how I was that morning.
I then introduced them to each other though they sometimes worked together they didn’t know that they shared the same Lord and Saviour. It was not their fault in a busy life on the wards but it took a talkative stranger to get them talking together about the Lord! As each talked independently with me that morning, as I tried very hard NOT TO TALK as I had been instructed, they said the same thing about the other, “She is a really nice person”.

Work produced by faith, labour prompted by love.

That word labour (kopos) gives me the impression that it is work (ergon) that is just that little bit harder. Work that can produce some sweat (sorry ladies) as seen on manual labourers.
The New Testament Greek word kopos is translated elsewhere as weariness. Working to the point of weariness.

Often work, the deeds we do, are done in a dutiful manner but lack that extra spark of real dedication. All too often I see poor application of true Christian service. So often it is the bare token of service not that all out and out life commitment to do a real work for Jesus.

These Christians in Thessalonica were different to those in Ephesus.

In the Book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ in chapter 2 the Lord says “I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience.” Notice there is no mention of what prompts and produces these same virtues. But then by this time in the church at Ephesus they had lost their first love. Their love for Christ had grown cold. True to say they had lost all hope in Christ.

Endurance can be just that, enduring something because that is what is expected of you.
Enduring can soon become drudgery rather than patiently enduring for Christ.

Enduring with Christ does bring very special rewards in the Eternal Glory read 2 Timothy 2 verse 12 & 13.

“If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us. If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself.”

So let us ask ourselves some questions.

“When people see us do they thank God for us?”

What is it that they are seeing in us?
What is producing our good deeds?
What is prompting our labours?
What inspires our endurance?

The steps and the stops !

The Psalmist declared that “the steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord” to which George Muller added to this verse “and the stops”.
Psalm 37:23 - 24 “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholds him with his hand.”

The steps and the stops are ordered by the Lord! At this time in my life I am about to have one of those stops mentioned by Muller, one of those unsought after moments when it is good to know that we have a living relationship with a Lord who promises to uphold.

Recently we have been very active with a Retreat at Harby in the Vale of Belvoir 30 miles from our home. The Retreat was for visitors from the Independent Evangelical Churches of Poland, mainly church leaders and their wives plus those actively involved in church life in that country. We can praise the Lord for the helpers He gave to us and the energy He supplied plus the generous financial support from those who knew of the enterprise. The cost of coming to the UK was very attractive with earlier booking with Ryanair and all other costs were covered by generous giving here in Britain. Each day during our Retreat we had fine Bible ministry from gifted teachers and local Pastors and the letters received from those who attended have given testimony to the blessings received.

But I digress, I have a habit of doing that, more so when speaking and preaching. This is part of my problem, namely an over use and it would seem some abuse of my vocal cords. Eighteen months of a less rigorous engagements and some speech therapy have given me little comfort from not having the voice to sing and lead services as I used to do.

Doing some web searching for the experiences of others I have found that a variety of celebrities have been along this road. Some are like Julie Andrews who lost her voice following surgery in 1997, others have much better stories to tell. Freddie Mercury of Queen (you good people might not know that name) was back to normal lead singing in a short time but his singing wasn’t the grand opera type! A few people with vocal problems have sought a career change but that prospect isn’t one I fancy. I've discovered that Nana Mouskouri was born and has lived all her life with one non-functioning vocal cord. She's done OK for herself as a singer, not that I'd particularly want to sound like her. Each case is different I well realise that fact but I would like to get my singing voice back again. One thing I have discovered is that those with vocal problems become good bloggers. So having been silent for some months with no new postings I can promise that I will be using this means of communication during the quiet period I need following minor surgery. That word “minor” is very comforting, just some “minor surgery is required” said the ENT specialist “you will need to be put to sleep for a short time”.

So there it is from the horse’s mouth, as it were, minor and short.
Praise God for prayer at these times as with all times.

John Newton of “Amazing Grace” fame said that climbing a “steep hill” of prayer was certainly often “wearisome to the flesh” for him. “It is but dry work,” he complained in his dairy, “when the Spirit of wisdom and application is withdrawn in a great measure, but I desire to submit and continue waiting for the blessing with patience in the best way I can”. Newton counted prayer an enormous privilege. “O it is wonderful – that dust and ashes should converse with the great God. Yet such honour have all his saints. This is the honour that cometh of God only – access by faith in prayer”

‘Tis a pattern set for us,
How we ought to wait and pray:
None who plead and wrestle thus,
Shall be empty sent away. (Olney Hymns, Book 1, Hymn 88)

During the next few weeks after my medical treatment I will be in “autumn hibernation” in my study since I think that this will be my best way of not speaking. One West Midland’s minister who is my age when I asked about his surgery for the same condition said to me that he thought the nine weeks of no speaking did him the most good.

NINE WEEKS of silence – surely not!
So it will be back to the blogging for nine weeks.