Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

Let's start off today’s devo with a little history lesson on the church in Thessalonica. The city of Thessalonica was a port city on the Aegean Sea, so it was a hot spot for all kinds of people and beliefs. You had people who believed in the Greek gods, those who believed in the Egyptian gods, and Jews who were not happy that Paul and his crew were in town. Needless to say, it was going to be an uphill battle sharing the gospel among the Thessalonians.

Knowing the history of Thessalonica makes the story of what the Lord did through the lives of the faithful few that much sweeter. As the newfound church spent time with Paul and his team, more people began to believe and be changed by the Holy Spirit. Paul starts this letter off by telling the Thessalonians how he thanks God for them constantly. He remembers them for their work of faith and steadfastness of hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. I don't know about you, but that sounds like a far cry from who these people were likely to be before Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy brought the Gospel to them! Verse 5 explains how this is possible. We see that it’s not only because the Gospel came to them in word, but also with full conviction in the power of the Holy Spirit. True transformation only happens when the power of the Holy Spirit moves in and through those who seek God and His will.

Not only does scripture tell us about how the Thessalonians were changed, but it also paints a picture for us of what it looks like once we have received the Holy Spirit and the call of God on all followers. In verse 8, Paul tells not only of how the Word of God sounded forth from this church but also of the faith of the Thessalonians. Did you catch that? The combination of their sharing of the Gospel and their steadfast faith made such an impact that the news made its way to Paul. I pray that we may be a church that is eager to share the Good News of Jesus Christ and that we have faith that would leave a lasting impact on those we encounter.  

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Where is your relationship with the Holy Spirit today? Have you experienced the power of the Spirit in your life? Have you experienced that tug on your heart to share your faith with others? Well, the good news is that He is not far, but is more than able to move in power and use your faith in big ways! The church of Thessalonica is evidence of the power you can experience today!
• Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, we thank You for the gift of Your Holy Spirit. Thank You for sending us a helper and comforter. I pray that our ears would be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit and that we would be guided by You. Give us the courage to be bold in our faith and trust in Your power to save! In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Family Devo: 1 Thessalonians 1

By: Cindy Ogilive

When partnering with your family to know, love, and follow Jesus, we strive to create and share content filtered by the Head-Heart-Hands model.   

Head: the knowledge of God and His Word | Heart: the personal connection from scripture | Hands: a missional mindset  

Head

1 Thessalonians is a letter written by Paul for the church in Thessalonica. In 1 Thessalonians 1, Paul, Silas, and Timothy are thanking God for the Thessalonians’ faith. They explain that they are thankful for the leaders. The leaders were models to all believers in Macedonia and Achaia. Everyone slowly started to see how these Christians had faith, and they all wanted to follow the same God. 

Heart

Are you a leader or a follower? Do you set an example in your faith at your school, or do you follow the crowd? I challenge you to be a model of faith, just like the Thessalonians. 

Hands

Prayer: Lord, I pray that I am a model of You even though it may be hard. I want to be a leader. I pray that there is an opportunity to answer someone’s questions about You. Thank You. Amen.