2 Thessalonians 2:16-17, NKJV: Now may our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, and our God and Father, who has loved us and given us everlasting consolation and good hope by grace, comfort your hearts and establish you in every good word and work.
I never thought about the consolation and hope of God as gifts with salvation. Usually you think of being consoled during the time of some tragedy or misfortune. No, this is saying that when we received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we also received consolation without limitation that brings rest without measure.
Why is it necessary for our hearts to rest in the Lord? Because God wants us established and strengthened in every good thing we say and do. Can't you see the importance of every word and every work or deed strengthened? It produces good. Weak words and weak works are not effective in achieving God's desired results-either for us or in the lives of others.
I don't know about you, but I long to see the body of Christ produce the results that Calvary provided. That may mean setting aside some of what you thought was important. You may have to revisit and release some habits and attitudes you have been clinging to.
Several years ago, when my late husband and I lived in Manhattan, as I went through my morning routine of looking from our living room window out over Central Park and New York City in praying for the unsaved, I asked the Lord to give me a new prayer for them. "Lord, how do You want me to pray for them?" I asked. I heard in my spirit, "Call them saved, filled with the Holy Ghost, and led by the Spirit of God." In other words, stop calling them or referring to them as lost.
Scripture says that we can call those things that be not as though they were (Romans 4:17). So often we pray what is on our mind and in our hearts. We even pray concerning known situations and circumstances.
I believe that there is a better way, which is to ask the Father what He would have us to pray. Then, watch Him answer you through the prompting of the Holy Ghost. That kind of praying produces everlasting comfort to us and to others in need. Let the Father and Jesus establish our hearts to pray according to what they want done, okay?
I never thought about the consolation and hope of God as gifts with salvation. Usually you think of being consoled during the time of some tragedy or misfortune. No, this is saying that when we received Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, we also received consolation without limitation that brings rest without measure.
Why is it necessary for our hearts to rest in the Lord? Because God wants us established and strengthened in every good thing we say and do. Can't you see the importance of every word and every work or deed strengthened? It produces good. Weak words and weak works are not effective in achieving God's desired results-either for us or in the lives of others.
I don't know about you, but I long to see the body of Christ produce the results that Calvary provided. That may mean setting aside some of what you thought was important. You may have to revisit and release some habits and attitudes you have been clinging to.
Several years ago, when my late husband and I lived in Manhattan, as I went through my morning routine of looking from our living room window out over Central Park and New York City in praying for the unsaved, I asked the Lord to give me a new prayer for them. "Lord, how do You want me to pray for them?" I asked. I heard in my spirit, "Call them saved, filled with the Holy Ghost, and led by the Spirit of God." In other words, stop calling them or referring to them as lost.
Scripture says that we can call those things that be not as though they were (Romans 4:17). So often we pray what is on our mind and in our hearts. We even pray concerning known situations and circumstances.
I believe that there is a better way, which is to ask the Father what He would have us to pray. Then, watch Him answer you through the prompting of the Holy Ghost. That kind of praying produces everlasting comfort to us and to others in need. Let the Father and Jesus establish our hearts to pray according to what they want done, okay?
