Begin with 2 minutes of silence and stillness before God.

I don’t know about you, but I feel like we are in such a confusing time as Christians when it comes to our culture and all the information at our fingertips. I mean, there are so many websites, blog posts, podcasts, and Instagram videos! You name it, it’s out there for us to consume and be influenced by. There are more Christian podcasts than ever before! The presence of celebrity pastors on Instagram is like nothing like we’ve ever seen. Sometimes it can be hard to discern good theology from bad theology when there is so much of it out there for us to consume all at once. It’s hard to know which pastors are being sincere in their teachings and way of life when all we can see is their expensive taste and highly entertaining charisma on the stage.

In today’s scripture, Paul explains his heart behind why he shares the Gospel and who should be glorified in the process. He makes a powerful statement in verse 4 that because they have been entrusted by God with the message of the Gospel, they seek to please not man, but God alone! I’m sure there has been a time when we have cared about someone so much that we have spun the Gospel in a way that would be more palatable for someone who wasn’t a believer. Part of this comes from a place of wanting so badly for that person to be able to hear and receive some of the harsh but necessary truths that come with surrendering to God. However, at the end of the day, all we are doing is trying to please man instead of striving to please God.

Paul also goes on to say that he and his teammates did not come with words of flattery or to seek glory from the people they were preaching to! It’s so important that when we are listening to sermons, podcasts, Instagram posts, etc., we are being mindful of what is being communicated and who it’s bringing glory to! Is this pastor on Instagram just telling me things that will make me feel better about myself or is he speaking truth to me through scripture? Is the message focused on Jesus and glorifying Him or is the message mostly trying to entertain me with humor and charisma? These are questions that we should be mindful of when we are telling others about the Lord and His Word! Are we actually telling people the truth and leading them to know, love, and follow Jesus or are we just trying to make others feel “good” while enjoying the sound of our own voices? We need to remember whose opinion matters the most! We need to remember whose name is the most worthy of glory! 

Take 2 minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Has there ever been a time when you found it hard to know the intentions and integrity of a pastor, speaker, or Christian influencer? How did it make you feel? 
• What are some ways to be more mindful about our personal integrity when sharing the Gospel with others? 
  
• Prayer: Dear Lord, thank You for the Gospel and the hope that is afforded to anyone who would receive it! I pray that You would give us the courage to boldly share the truth of Your Word with others. God, convict us when we care more about what others will think about us than what You think of us. Humble us when we want to seek glory for our name and not Yours. You are the only one worthy of our praise and glory! We love You. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

Family Devo: 1 Thessalonians 2

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

In this chapter, Paul tells about his trip from Philippi to Thessalonica, how he was treated so poorly, and how he preached the Word in truth and without worrying about pleasing others. They wore no masks, there were no tricks or dishonesty. That means he didn't try to hide who he was - an imperfect follower of Jesus. He didn’t try to please anyone other than God. God doesn’t want you to wear a mask. He wants you to be genuine. You don’t have to worry about pleasing anyone other than God. God asks for your honest thoughts through prayer. You don’t have to impress anyone other than Him. 

Heart

Who are you trying to impress? Who do you have a mask on? God calls you to take that mask off today. Let people see you. 

Hands

Prayer: God, I pray for the ability to focus on You and the things above. Lord, I pray that I can be like Paul and not wear a mask but show others who you really are. Amen.