LET THE LORD DIRECT YOUR HEARTS

2 Thess 3:1-5 Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you: and that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things, which we command you. And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ.

Throughout his epistles to the church of Christ in Thessalonica, Paul prayed to God on their behalf. Now, as he closes his final letter to them, he asks: brethren, pray for us, that is, pray for Paul, Silas, and Timothy. What were they asked to pray for? Not for good health, sustenance, or their prosperity. Rather they were to pray for the success of their labor in preaching the gospel message of salvation. They were to pray that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you. From this scriptural example we know that, from the beginning of one's Christian life, earnest prayers should be made to God for success in preaching the gospel message of Jesus Christ, and that it may have free course, to be spread throughout the entire world. The hope of salvation through Jesus is to be preached to every man or woman that has an open and receptive heart, and is earnestly searching for eternal salvation.

Having heard, believed, and obeyed the gospel of Christ, which Paul had brought to them, they were not to be content to have the hope of salvation for themselves alone. They were to pray that others, throughout the entire world, could enjoy this same hope, even as it is with you. They were to pray that the preaching of salvation through Jesus Christ, by Paul, Silas, and Timothy, would not be hindered by unreasonable and wicked men. There has been slanderous, ungodly, and misleading opposition to the preaching of God's will throughout all ages of time. It certainly existed during the first century preaching by Jesus Christ and His chosen disciples, it was true throughout the missionary travels of the apostle Paul, and it continues to exist today. The reason for this contentious opposition is that all men have not faith. All people of the earth fall into one of two categories: they either accept, believe, and obey the will of God, or they reject, deny, and obey self-will. They either have faith in God and His holy word, or they refuse to have faith in God by denying the truths found in His Holy Spirit-inspired scriptures.

The world was then, and is now, filled with hostile unbelievers, that deny God, by the unrighteous things they say and do. They teach things contrary to the will of God and lead others astray with false doctrines. They promise eternal salvation, but their promise is empty and cannot be attained through their erroneous, fault-filled teaching, that is designed by human beings, and is used only to satisfy their own covetous desires. However, Christians have something that people of the world do not have. They have a God that is faithful; a God that will fulfill every promise made through His holy word. And in spite of all unfaithful, false teachers, God promises to all His righteous children, that He will stablish you, give you spiritual and moral strength, and keep you from evil,which was, and is today, brought into the world by covetous, self-rightous,ungodly men and women. God promises in His holy word that, by taking His shield of faith, we will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked (Eph 6:16).

Touching them, that is regarding the members of the church of Christ in Thessalonica, Paul placed his confidence, not in them, but in the Lord. The fact that these members of this church were obediently doing the things, which we commanded you, Paul was confident that God would direct their lives during their sojourn through life here on earth. With their faith firmly placed in God, Paul was surethat the Lord (would) direct (their) hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. These two things every Christian should allow God to direct into their lives.

We need to love God, and love others, as God loves us. Our affection must never be placed on self-satisfying things of the world. Neither must we place our affection in false preachers, that make lies of God, by corrupting the truths found in His holy word. To love God and our neighbor as we should, we must, at all times, be found doing the will of God - that is, doing the things commanded by Jesus Christ and His chosen, Holy Spirit-inspired writers of the New Testament. Let the Lord direct your hearts. Then, and only then, can one wait with confident patience for the second coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.