Hi Sisters & Brothers,Our scripture reading for the second Blood Moon comes from 1 Thess. 1-2The imagery is exquisite, appropriate and applies to the watching expectantchurch line after line to this faithful remnant. I pray I'm worthy. Thank you LordJesus.Greeting
cGrace to you and peace.The Thessalonians' Faith and Example
2 dWe give thanks to God always for all of you, constantly1 ementioning you in our prayers, 3 remembering before four God and Father gyour work of faith and labor of hlove and isteadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, jbrothers2 loved by God, kthat he has chosen you,5 because lour gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power andmin the Holy Spirit and with full nconviction. You know owhat kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake. 6 And pyou became imitators of us qand of the Lord, for ryou received the word in much affliction, swith thetjoy of the Holy Spirit, 7 so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. 8 For not only has the word of the Lordusounded forth from you in Macedonia and Achaia, but your faith in God has gone forth veverywhere, so that we need not say anything. 9 For they themselves report concerning us the kind of wreception we had among you, and how xyou turned to God yfrom idols to serve the living and ztrue God,10 and ato wait for his Son bfrom heaven, cwhom he raised from the dead, Jesus dwho delivers us from ethe wrath to come.Paul's Ministry to the Thessalonians
2 For you yourselves know, brothers,3 that our fcoming to you gwas not in vain. 2 But though we had already suffered and been shamefully treated hat Philippi, as you know, iwe had boldness in our God jto declare to you the gospel of God in the midst of much kconflict. 3 For lour appeal does not spring from merror or nimpurity or oany attempt to deceive, 4 but just as we have been approved by God pto be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not qto please man, but to please God rwho tests our hearts.5 sFor we never came with words of flattery,4 as you know, nor with a pretext for greed—tGod is witness. 6 uNor did we seek glory from people, whether from you or from others, vthough we could have made wdemands as xapostles of Christ. 7 But we were ygentle5 among you, zlike a nursing mother taking care of her own children. 8 So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God abut also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us.9 For you remember, brothers, bour labor and toil: we cworked night and day, that we might not be a burden to any of you, while we proclaimed to you the gospel of God.Now, watch how the Apostle Paul concludes his message, it positively reeks of a reunion in Heaven after the Rapture occurs.10 You are witnesses, and God also, how holy and righteous and blameless was our behavior to you believers; 11 for you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you 12 to lead a life worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.
13 And we also thank God constantly for this, that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men but as what it really is, the word of God, which is at work in you believers. 14 For you, brethren, became imitators of the churches of God in Christ Jesus which are in Judea; for you suffered the same things from your own countrymen as they did from the Jews, 15 who killed both the Lord Jesus and the prophets, and drove us out, and displease God and oppose all men 16 by hindering us from speaking to the Gentiles that they may be saved—so as always to fill up the measure of their sins. But God’s wrath has come upon them at last![b]Paul’s Desire to Visit the Thessalonians Again
17 But since we were bereft of you, brethren, for a short time, in person not in heart, we endeavored the more eagerly and with great desire to see you face to face; 18 because we wanted to come to you—I, Paul, again and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope or joy or crown of boasting before our Lord Jesus at his coming? Is it not you? 20 For you are our glory and joy.What an awesome God we serve writing the end from the beginning. This shall soon come to pass, so fear not and bring the humble sheep home with you.Agape,Michael Curtiss