Jump Start # 346

2 Thessalonians 3:1 “Finally, brethren, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you” 

  Our passage today shows us what is within the heart of the apostle Paul. This is what he longed for and what he wanted. It is a beautiful prayer that we ought to pray as well. The apostles and others were busily preaching and teaching the word of God. In many places they found great results. People were listening, changing and becoming obedient to the will of God. Churches were being established, elders appointed and the kingdom of Christ was getting a toe hold in pagan communities. Other times, it was more difficult. They met resistance, especially from Jewish communities. People argued. What the apostles were saying was misquoted, riots took place. In some communities they were driven out of town.

  Paul’s prayer was that the word of the Lord would spread rapidly. Growth. Increase. This is takes place as people become disciples of Jesus. The word spreading meant more souls being saved. Paul understood the direct link between the preached word, the word being obeyed and growth. He didn’t stoop to side show carnival approaches to attract people. He preached the word of God. He didn’t have to persuade people through games, activities, food or other means. He preached the word. It worked. It worked then and it will work today. The reason for that, this is God’s way.

  Have we given up on God’s way? Are we so convinced that this generation simply isn’t interested in preaching, that we no longer try. In far too many places, the Bible isn’t preached. A verse or two may be read between jokes, skits, drama, but it’s not preached. Folks today don’t know the Bible. Watch a show of Jeopardy when one of the categories is the Bible. The contestants will stay away from that until there are no other options. They can get the answer to Russian poets or chemistry equations, but they can’t tell which books belong in the Bible. Sad.

  The first prayer that we ought to pray is that the word of God would grow rapidly and be glorified within my heart. That’s where this must start, with each of us. By glorifying, we esteem the Bible. It is the final answer. I have my thoughts and you have your thoughts, but once the Bible is opened and understood, that settles it. That is the answer. The word of God growing rapidly within each of us will change us. We become a people of the book. We know what God wants. We know what Jesus would do. Confidence grows, doubts disappear when the word is growing within us. Many of our issues and problems come from lives that are not anchored in the word of God. We allow worry and fear to dominate us and control us. Faith, based upon the word of God will settle those things.

  Then, we need to pray that the word of God spreads rapidly within our church. We need to be a people of the book as a church. As Jesus tossed out the money changers in his time, we’d start tossing out the clowns, the entertainers, the plays, the food, and all the stuff that fills our belly, and our time but not our souls. Back to the book is what we need. Bible classes where we sit around, with the Bible opened in our laps, pens in our hands for notes and we discuss and learn the words, the thoughts, the context, the meanings of passages. Our eyes become amazed at the Jesus we find in the gospels.

  Now here’s a thought for you: God’s smart. Smarter than any of us. He knows the best way to communicate. He could have told us to act out the stories in the Bible. He didn’t. He could have sent us pictures, even videos, so we could watch His message. He didn’t. He told the disciples to go and PREACH the gospel. Words. Words have meanings. Words can be understood, translated, copied, memorized, studied and repeated. It is through words that God’s saving message would be told. “Go tell it on the mountain,” is an old hymn that shares this concept.

  Finally, we need to pray that God’s word spreads rapidly throughout the world. And it is. In fact, in many third world countries, the word is spreading faster than it is here. Amazing stories of people walking for miles and miles to hear the gospel preached. Some going without food, others trading what little they have just to own a copy of the Bible.

  It starts with each of us. When is the last time you opened your Bible? Church on Sunday? When is the last time you memorized a passage or used a verse in an email or conversation with someone? Is the word growing rapidly within you? Gotta make room for it in your heart. Gotta set aside some time for it. Then watch great things as your attitude, character, hope, desire, marriage, friendship, devotion all soar because the word of God richly dwells within you.

Roger