one step: 2 Thessalonians 1.2

This is evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be considered worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are also suffering—

2 Thessalonians 1:5

Have you ever suffered for anything?

I’ve suffered because I’ve made dumb choices. I’ve suffered because I was rude or prideful in my discussions of this or that. I’ve suffered because I chose difficult paths or because I made poor fashion choices (elementary school can be brutal).

In this journey of following Jesus, I have often heard some speak of suffering as a validation of the work of God. In these conversations, the suffering is often attributed to satan, thus allowing satan to serve as the validator of the work of God in one’s life. It sounded something like, “the devil really doesn’t like what you’re doing, that means you are really advancing the Kingdom of God!”

While it’s true that we are in a battle not against flesh and blood, and the enemy comes against us, in 2 Thessalonians 1:5, Paul frames suffering differently. “This evidence,” that he refers to draws from the previous verses. In other words, Paul says that the growth, increase, perseverance, and faith shown by the Thessalonians gives evidence that they are a part of God’s people.* This evidence, excitingly, is a fulfillment of the challenge that Paul gives them in 1 Thessalonians 2.*

The Church in Thessalonica, as discussed previously, was enduring persecution. Historically, many communities of various beliefs and religions have endured persecution.* It’s easy to fall into the trap of thinking that suffering validates belief.* Just because we are persecuted for our beliefs, it does not mean that our beliefs are true. If anything, it just means that someone else with power over us does not like them.

No, suffering will happen in this life. We live as broken people in a broken world with other broken people. Our suffering for the Kingdom of Heaven does not validate the work of God in our lives, but it does evidence His work in our lives because we are suffering for Him rather than for something else.* As in the case of the Church in Thessalonica, the evidence includes growth, increase, perseverance, and faith despite suffering.

Gary Shogren discusses this well:

There are two theological questions concerning “be considered worthy.” First, given that God’s true people will be persecuted, does the reverse follow, that people who are persecuted are proved to be God’s people? Not at all, as even a cursory glance at history proves: people of every religion have suffered for their faith at some point…

Second, is tribulation salvific; that is, does Paul teach that suffering tribulation is the path that leads to eschatological salvation? No… Paul and Barnabas told the Galatian disciples that “we must go through many hardships to enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22); they did not say that “because we suffer a lot, we will be permitted to enter into God’s kingdom.” It is God’s right judgment, not sufferings, that admits people to the future age. What defines the saved person is belief in the gospel (1:10); what often distinguishes the believer is suffering.*

Sometimes we suffer because we make dumb choices (I know that I do). Sometimes we suffer because we stand up for things that other people don’t like. Other times, we suffer for the sake of the Gospel and the Kingdom of Heaven. Those willing to do this, that is evidence that you belong to the people of God.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to evaluate the questions, “why am I suffering?” and “what am I suffering for?” Perhaps today God wants you to know that you are His because of your belief in Him. Maybe today God wants you to see your suffering for Him as a gift of the evidence of your belonging to Him.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (pp. 212–213). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 246–248). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 283–286). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, pp. 520–523). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, pp. 117–118). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (pp. 183–184). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 458–464). Baker Academic.

one step: water break

Behold, God is my helper; the Lord is the sustainer of my soul.

Psalm 54:4

The One Step Daily Devotional is intended to provide just one step each day for your journey with God. Every journey requires water breaks. Here is a water break for you.

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We all need help some times. We all find ourselves in a place where we feel that we are not enough. In fact, if greater humanity is anything like me, we all need help a lot of the time. Jesus knew this, so when He left His time of incarnate ministry, He let the disciples know that the Father would send the Helper in His name (John 14:26).

Psalm 54:4, written long before the time of Christ’s arrival, refers to God as Helper. the word for helper used here is עָזַר (ʿāzar [also ʿēzer, or ʿezrâ]; pronounced, aw-zar´;).* This word does not refer to coming alongside and assisting people who are doing their part.* This word we translate “helper” denotes assisting people who have no hope without the help. John Goldingay explains,

“Help” is thus a rather feeble equivalent for ʿēzer, which suggests a powerful person taking decisive action on behalf of a weak person who is in dire need. In English, without “help” we might manage OK but a little less comfortably; in Hebrew, without ʿēzer we would often be dead*

At it’s root, ʿāzar means to surround, protect, or aid.*

This is who God is; this is who we are in contrast to God. God daily brings us life-saving aid; we are completely helpless without HIm. Without God, we have no hope.

Do you know who else God sent to help us? It’s someone that our society historically devalued, minimized, and cast aside. It’s someone whose contribution was often hidden or ignored. Who could this be? Woman.

In Genesis 2:18, 20-22, God tells us,

Then the Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him.”… The man gave names to all the cattle, and to the birds of the sky, and to every beast of the field, for Adam there was not found a helper suitable for him. So the Lord God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.

The word translated into “helper” in verses 18 and 20 is āzar! God’s creative purpose for providing Eve for Adam was not to supplement some assistance to an already-capable being who would be fine without the help. God saw a life-or-death need that someone needed to fulfill. That person, whom Adam could not live without, was Eve.

Adam and Eve are both created in the image of God, and one portion of the picture of God that woman reflects in our world is (borrowing Goldingay’s words) “a powerful person taking decisive action on behalf of a weak person who is in dire need.”

Today, take a step. Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to reassess how you view women. Perhaps today He wants you to reassess how you view God. Maybe today He would have you reassess how you view yourself.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a water break… we all get thirsty.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Goldingay, J. (2006). Baker Commentary on the Old Testament: Psalms 90–150 (T. Longman III, Ed.; Vol. 3, p. 757). Baker Academic.
Strong, J. (2009). In A Concise Dictionary of the Words in the Greek Testament and The Hebrew Bible (Vol. 2, p. 87). Logos Bible Software.

Christian community matters. This devotional found it’s origin in a conversation across the table from a friend. God wants to speak through others. Community is a space where that can happen.

one step: 2 Thessalonians 1.1

We ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers, as is right, because your faith is growing abundantly, and the love of every one of you for one another is increasing.

2 Thessalonians 1:3

Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays in one of my favorite times of year (autumn). Interestingly, Thanksgiving is probably the least-marketed holiday of the “big holidays” that we celebrate. There are few (if any) songs written for Thanksgiving. There aren’t any cult-classic Thanksgiving movies being watched every year by families across the country. In our culture, Thanksgiving seems to get lost between Halloween and Christmas. What does Thanksgiving have? It has a parade, football on tv, pumpkin pie, and turkey (and hopefully a lot of other food too!!).

In some ways, it feels as though Thanksgiving is nothing more than a springboard to Christmas. It serves a purpose of letting everyone know when it’s acceptable to put up Christmas decorations and shop for great deals on presents.

Paul, in his opening words of 2 Thessalonians, says that they “ought to give thanks to God for you.” The “we” is Paul and his team (Timothy and Silas).* They had been investing in the Church in Thessalonica, and their investments were paying off. Meaning, their desires expressed in 1 Thessalonians were coming to pass.* The church there was actually loving one another, and no one was being left out.* The church was growing in faith despite persecution and times of division.* It was no small thing.

Paul’s “ought” should not be taken as an obligation, however.* Scholars struggle to interpret the Greek well into english here because Paul isn’t communicating that thanksgiving must come from a place of compulsion. He is communicating that the thanksgiving that they express is fitting and necessary.* Because their prayers are being answered and their investment into the church is bearing fruit, they have no choice but to be thankful to God. It’s too exciting and wonderful not to!

Leon Morris shares,

What makes a person happy? Money? Beauty? Popularity? Such things may bring temporary pleasure but not long-lasting happiness. Unfortunately, our culture too often defines happiness by the rolling tide of circumstances that flow in and out of our lives: when we prosper materially, we are happy, and when we do not, we are unhappy. Even many in the church believe that faithfulness to God brings a reward of material blessings and happiness and that God withholds blessings in response to unbelief. But is happiness a pleasure arising primarily from good material circumstances? Paul tells Christians in 1:3–12 what should ultimately drive them and give them pleasure and happiness. What motivates believers is also that for which they should be thankful. At the least, 1:3–4 (and possibly 1:3–9) provide the basis of the initial thanksgiving at the beginning of 1:3. If we can plumb the depths of the basis for this thanksgiving, we will uncover the root cause of right and good passions.

Too often in our consumer-materialistic culture, we can find ourselves wearing glasses that see what we do not have and what God is not doing. In reality, each of us has much, and God has done much in our lives. When we truly look at what God has done to answer our prayers (for a spouse, for food, for love, for friends, for jobs, for a good community, salvation of a friend, healing from a sickness, Jesus Christ, etc), we will have no choice but to be thankful to God. It will be fitting. This thanksgiving does not mean that our problems disappear, we minimize our difficulties, or pretend that everything is fine. No, Paul still underwent difficult times, but somehow he held onto gratitude despite the very real hardship that he endured.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to examine what God has done in your life. Perhaps today God wants you to count your blessings. Maybe today God wants you to redefine your source of happiness. Perhaps today He wants you to be thankful for something eternal that He has done in your heart or in the heart of someone you love.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (pp. 211–212). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (pp. 243–245). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 278–280). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, pp. 506–507). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, pp. 115–116). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (pp. 181–182). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 447–453). Baker Academic.

one step: water break

The hand of the Lord was upon me, and he brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of the valley; it was full of bones. And he led me around among them, and behold, there were very many on the surface of the valley, and behold, they were very dry. And he said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?” And I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” Then he said to me, “Prophesy over these bones, and say to them, O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. Thus says the Lord God to these bones: Behold, I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. And I will lay sinews upon you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live, and you shall know that I am the Lord.”

So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I prophesied, there was a sound, and behold, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. And I looked, and behold, there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them. But there was no breath in them. Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived and stood on their feet, an exceedingly great army.

Then he said to me, “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. Behold, they say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are indeed cut off.’ Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will open your graves and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will bring you into the land of Israel. And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and raise you from your graves, O my people. And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you in your own land. Then you shall know that I am the Lord; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the Lord.”

Ezekiel 37:1-14

The One Step Daily Devotional is intended to provide just one step each day for your journey with God. Every journey requires water breaks. Here is a water break for you.

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There is much that can be gleaned from the study of this passage, but today, I want us to look at the simplicity of this truth: life came in the valley of death. Maybe you are in a season that looks like death. Maybe today you look around and only see the remnants of life, dried up and decaying.

God sees something else.

God sees the potential for a great army of living, breathing people. Where we see death, God sees life ready-to-happen.

Today, take a moment in the journey of life to drink some water and take a break. During this break, remember that the dry places often make great places for God to do miracles that look like life.

What’s our part? Look at Ezekiel: allow God to take you where He wants to take you. Allow Him to lead you, no matter how strange the path. Do what He tells you to do. Hear His voice to understand what is happening (even if the understanding comes after the miracle).

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to listen. Perhaps today God wants you to speak something life-giving over the death before you. Maybe today God wants you to change your perspective to His. Perhaps today God wants you to follow Him somewhere unusual and uncomfortable.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus. Take a water break… we all get thirsty.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

one step: 1 Thessalonians 5.11

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

1 Thessalonians 5:28

Paul began his letter to the Church in Thessalonica with these words (1 Thessalonians 1:1):

To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace.

Paul’s last words in this letter to the Thessalonians echo his first. Why?

First, we must understand that Paul repeated himself in his closing to provide emphasis.* Paul sought to emphasize the grace of Jesus as demonstrated in the peace that He has for the church (which it so desperately needs.)* Paul wanted a divided, persecuted church to receive the unmerited peace of Jesus in their lives and in their community.

Furthermore, Paul wanted them to remember this: the peace Jesus has is by grace. Why is this important for Paul to say? Letters written circa Paul often closed with sentiments or well wishes of “be strong,” or ”prosper.”* These greetings elicit action. They command a response from the reader. It’s much like telling someone to “dig deep and try harder.” This is not the way to peace.

God has peace for all of us through Jesus Christ, no matter our circumstances. And we cannot earn it or fabricate it with our own strength and will. The importance of this cannot be overstated. Paul needed to tell the Thessalonians, and God knew that we need to hear this truth too.

Today, take a step.

Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to begin and end your day with a reflection on the reality of His peace-giving gift of Jesus Christ. Perhaps today God wants you to release your striving and receive His peace. Maybe today God wants you to know that He is with you.

Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.

Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.

Feel free to comment at the bottom of this page! We would love to hear from you!

*Holmes, M. (1998). 1 and 2 Thessalonians (p. 202). Zondervan Publishing House.
Shogren, G. S. (2012). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (p. 236). Zondervan.
Green, G. L. (2002). The letters to the Thessalonians (pp. 272–273). W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.
Kim, S., & Bruce, F. F. (2023). 1 & 2 Thessalonians (D. B. Capes, Ed.; Second Edition, Vol. 45, p. 498). Zondervan Academic.
Morris, L. (1984). 1 and 2 Thessalonians: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 13, p. 111). InterVarsity Press.
Beale, G. K. (2003). 1–2 Thessalonians (pp. 177–178). InterVarsity Press.
Weima, J. A. D. (2014). Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: 1–2 Thessalonians (R. W. Yarbrough & R. H. Stein, Eds.; pp. 430–432). Baker Academic.