We give thanks to God always for all of you, making mention of you in our prayers; constantly bearing in mind your work of faith and labor of love and steadfastness of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the presence of our God and Father, knowing, brethren beloved by God, His choice of you; for our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit . . . 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5a

This Thessalonica church impacted their world and became an example to all believers because of three things: their work of faith, their labor of love, and their steadfastness of hope. These people became imitators of Jesus and because of it the gospel went out in their city, in their region, and throughout their world.

The Thessalonians had their time, but now this is our time. We’ve received the gospel message not in word only, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:5a). God has called us to take our moment we’ve been given and express the love of Christ.

What I like about the Bible is it shows reluctant people, flawed people, and people with issues who were lost, but God shone His light on them and the gospel went into their lives—not just in theory, but also in power. We are not left powerless either. When Jesus ascended into heaven we received the amazing advantage of the Holy Spirit to equip us for effectiveness (John 16:7).

“The people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits” (Daniel 11:32b NKJV). God has called us in our daily life to have a heart and expectation for amazing exploits but with a willingness to serve in the daily grind in faithfulness, steadfastness, and obedience strengthened by the amazing Holy Spirit. Plug in. Stay connected. Pray. As you do that, you will be effective in spreading the good news of Jesus in this time!

Press on!
Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32 NASB

This is the huge deal: God has called us to the royal law of love (James 2:8). Bitterness and unresolved anger give the devil an opportunity to keep us from moving forward: “Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity” (Ephesians 4:26-27). Thomas Jefferson wisely wrote: “When angry, count to ten before you speak. If very angry, count to one hundred.” Though there will be times when we become frustrated, we don’t have to let ourselves become controlled by anger; instead, we can choose to walk in love.

If we aren’t walking in love we are missing it. “Love is patient” (1 Corinthians 13:4a). Let’s remember how patient and longsuffering God is toward us, and increase in our capacity to endure.

Love is the catalytic qualifier for breakthrough and blessing. When you crucify your flesh and show mercy, it defiantly deadbolts the door to the enemy and activates a heightened move of the Holy Spirit in your life.

pa•tience n. “The capacity to endure hardship, difficulty, or inconvenience without complaint.” Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Houghton Mifflin Company, 2004.

God has called us to this revolutionary idea of love, and we aren’t to misspend in strife the energies that are reserved for mountain-moving. The devil is trying to take you out because he doesn’t want you to fulfill your call. So guard your heart from offense and don’t let strife stop the flow of your fruitfulness. There is breakthrough ahead; don’t back down from the love walk!

Choose Love,

Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father who is in heaven will also forgive you your transgressions. [But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your transgressions.] Mark 11:25-26

Faith works through love (Galatians 5:6). Faith can’t work unless we let go of all bitterness and walk in love. Jesus said that, after loving God, the greatest commandment is to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39). There is no way around forgiveness; God has made it imperative for every Christian.

We all deal with offense at some point, but the greatest hindrance to faith is harboring resentment. When my prayers seem hindered, God reminds me to check up on my love walk. If even Jesus on the cross said “Father, forgive them” (Luke 23:34), how important is it for us to forgive in our daily lives—even one person several times a day!

Then Peter came and said to Him, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven.” (Matthew 18:21-22)

Don’t let your actions toward people be based on what they did to you. Instead, consider how great a debt of sin God has forgiven you. In comparison, every other offense is small (Matthew 18:21-35). You don’t have to be a doormat and let people take advantage of you, but you do have to forgive. Turn your hurt into a prayer and stir yourself up to walk in love.

We are called to impact our culture—don’t let the sabotage of unforgiveness cripple your effectiveness. Christianity has to work where the rubber meets the road. That’s how people will know we are followers of something real: “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). Don’t wait for your flesh to feel like forgiving—choose the path of love today.

Thank God for His forgiveness!

Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2009 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you,
along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other,
just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32

God has called us to follow Christ’s example: He showed His great love and died for us when we were still stuck in our sin. Consider the parable Jesus told of the king who forgave his servant an enormous debt, but then that servant still demanded payment of a small debt from another man. When we don’t forgive, we are forgetting about the huge debt of sin Jesus forgave (Matthew 18:21-35).

Choose to be governed by love instead of bitterness. “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma” (Ephesians 5:1-2). It’s easy to justify resentment, but it will hinder the quality and progress of your walk. Don’t wait around for someone else to do all the repenting—be quick to forgive.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a

We can’t afford bitterness. This is a new season and the church is being called upon to reach a world that is shaking off complacency and asking to know God. Choose to unhitch your wagon from offenses one more time, and open your heart to God. When you get up in the morning, meditate on verses about walking in love. On the other side of this obedience you’ll experience advancement and greater effectiveness.

Love never fails!

Pastor Jeff Perry
St. Louis Family Church®

Copyright © 2008 St. Louis Family Church. All rights reserved. No part of this article may be reprinted or distributed in any form without prior written permission of St. Louis Family Church. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.