Shabbat Shalom! We are going to continue in the study in the Word of God of the letter that Shaul Paul wrote to the Thessalonians. So please open your Bible to 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. We are enjoying the study of the letter that Paul Shaul wrote to his brothers and sisters of the city of Thessalonica at about 52-53 AD. He was writing to them from Corinth and he was concerned so much about their spiritual well-being. And you know, brothers and sisters, any spiritual leader, whether he was in the past an apostle or a pastor or a shepherd or anyone that really seeks to glorify the Lord and to be a blessing for the people of God, he will desire to see the maturity that exists in the lives of the brothers and sisters whom the Lord have entrusted unto him.

And you can see this in the third chapter of 1 Thessalonians. So I'd like you to follow me. I'll read the whole chapter. There are 13 verses in this chapter. And let's please read those and follow me. The apostle Paul is saying, Wherefore, when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone, and send Timothy, our brother and minister of God and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Messiah, to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith. That no man should be moved by this affliction, for yourself know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation, even as it came to pass, and ye know.

For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain. But now, when Timothy came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and love, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us as we also to see you. Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith. For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord. For what thanks can we render to God again for you? For all the joy, wherewith we joy for your sake, before our God.

Night and day, praying exceedingly that we might see your faith, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith. Now God himself, and our Father, and our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, direct our way unto you. And the Lord make you to increase, and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you. To the end, he may establish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, with all his saints. And I'm stopping here at verse 13, at the end of 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. Thirteen verses full of material for us to see, beloved brothers and sisters, the attitude that Shaul Paul had towards the brothers and sisters in the city of Thessalonica.

You know, it is puzzling sometimes to me when I think about the fact that many times we, those of us who are in ministry, who serve the Lord, a time our hearts are so dry, or cold, or not exercise enough in our love and care for the saints of God, for the people of God. And sometimes, one wonder, Lord, am I right in my conduct, in my attitude towards my brothers and sisters in the Messiah? And so, it's not only applied to Paul, or applied to any leading brother in local assemblies, local congregation, but it's applied to us all as the body of Messiah. It is necessary for each and every one of us to develop a heart of love and care and concern towards the things of God, and towards the brothers and sisters in our Lord, Yeshua, the Messiah.

And so, you notice in this third chapter that you might say that the theme of this chapter is found in verse 8. And what is the theme? "Stand fast in the Lord." In Hebrew, "Eimdu atem be'adonenu." "Stand firm in the Lord." In other words, the Apostle Paul said in the previous chapters, chapter 1 and chapter 2, how he was led by the Spirit of God to preach the Gospel in the synagogue in the city of Thessalonica, where many or at least some of the Jewish community became believers in Yeshua, the Messiah, but not only Jewish people, there were Gentiles, there were women, there were all people that came to faith in the Messiah.

And he was so glad to see, here is a local assembly that had been established in the city of Thessalonica. But then you see, he had to be driven out of Thessalonica, as we read it in Acts chapter 17. When he had to quickly go from Thessalonica, you remember, in Acts chapter 17, because some of the Jewish people who did not accept Yeshua, the Messiah, the Messiah was so unhappy with Shaul Paul, so they began to, you might say, to chasten him out of the town. And he went from Thessalonica, he went to Berea, when he came to Berea, he went to the synagogue of our own Jewish people, and then others became believers in Yeshua, the Messiah.

But then again, those same people came to Berea, and caused him difficult times there as well. So he left Berea, and he went, as you remember, to Athens, and then from Athens he went to Corinth, and from Corinth he is writing this letter to the brothers and sisters in the city of Thessalonica. But you notice, brothers and sisters, he doesn't only desire people to be saved, but he desires that they're saved and forgiven people, whether they are Jewish or non-Jewish people, the ones that became forgiven believers in the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah, he wants to see them growing spiritually. He doesn't like to see them as babies who do not grow spiritually.

It is actually not fair and not right to say, "God, I want you to be my Savior, but I do not want you in my life the rest of the time. I want to go to heaven, but don't bother me here on earth." Paul never thought in that manner. Paul says, "Listen, we are so happy that you have accepted the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, but we want you to mature." And you notice, beloved brothers and sisters, twice the word "established" is mentioned here in this third chapter. Notice verse 2. It says, "I send Timothy, our brother and minister of God and our fellow laborer in the gospel of the Messiah, to establish you." Notice in verse 13, he said, "To the end he may establish your hearts," the Apostle Paul is saying to the believers at Thessalonica.

In other words, he began the chapter with the necessity to be established, and he end the chapter with the necessity to be established in the Lord. Unfortunately, we often see that some, and sometimes we are ourselves in the danger of it, is to kind of float, you know, not to be committed to the things of the Lord. Yes, I'm a believer, I feel like going to the church meeting or to the congregation meeting, I go. I don't feel like, I don't go. I feel like reading the Bible, I will. And I don't feel like, I don't. I feel like praying, I will. And if I don't feel like, I don't.

And that is not healthy for the believer in Yeshua, the Messiah. It's not spiritual growth as he is expecting it from us. And so here in this chapter, there are three points that the Apostle Paul is presenting to the Thessalonians. The first point that we learn here, that because of his care for them, he sent Timothy, a younger believer, to establish them in the person of the Lord. Secondly, Timothy returned and he gave Shaul Paul the report about the spiritual state of the local assembly at Thessalonica. And thirdly, what the Apostle Paul does, in verses 9 to 13, he gave thanks and he prayed to God on behalf of the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica.

So let's go over those points that I just mentioned here in this passage. First of all, Paul sent Timothy to establish the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica, verses 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5. Notice what it says in verse 1. Wherefore, when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone. And then verse 2. And then verse 2. We sent Timothy, our brother and minister of God and our fellow laborer in the gospel of the Messiah, to establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith. Notice that Apostle Paul used the word here, we could no longer forbear. We couldn't bear it. We couldn't bear it. Time passes by.

We knew that there were a group of believers in Thessalonica because we have come to preach there in the synagogue in Thessalonica for three Shabbat days, Acts chapter 17. We had to flee to leave and we haven't seen you for a few years. And we didn't know how you are doing. We want to make sure that you are doing well, that you are growing spiritually. So the Apostle Paul said, I couldn't bear it anymore. I had to do something about this. And therefore, I thought it good for me to remain, to be left in Athens. And I sent Timothy in order that he will establish you.

Now, it's such a commanding way, beloved brothers and sisters, to hear about Timothy. You know, Timothy was a younger brother. Tom was, of course, the older one. Timothy, you notice the Apostle Paul say a few things about Timothy here in this chapter. It says in verse two, he was our brother, number one. Secondly, he was a minister or a servant of God. And thirdly, he was a fellow laborer with us. Now, three things that he mentioned, Shaul Paul is mentioning about Timothy. The first thing he's mentioned that he was our brother. In other words, we learned very quickly that he was a believer. We cannot send an unbeliever to come to try to establish a group of people, whether they are believers or not.

He must be a person who is a believer in our Lord, Yeshua, the Messiah. He's a child of God. No person that is not a child of God can help anyone in spiritual things. Notice that he called him our, in Hebrew, our brother. He was a brother. He was a brother. He was a saved individual. In fact, Timothy was a child, you might say it, a child of Paul, of Shaul in the faith. He became a believer in Yeshua, the Messiah, through the preaching of the Apostle Paul. Timothy, his mother was Jewish, and he grew up in, you might say, in a Jewish influenced home.

He heard about the scripture. And later on, he heard about Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah. And he embraced him as his Mashiach, his Lord and Savior. He was a brother. So that's the first important thing to hear about Timothy. Secondly, notice what he says about Timothy in verse 2. He was also a servant of God. He had an attitude in his heart of a servant. He didn't come to lord himself over the brothers and sisters. He didn't come to commend them to do certain things. He came in order to lift them up, to minister to their hearts, to the young one, to the old one, to the men, to the women, to the brothers and to the sisters.

Timothy was a servant. If we are ever going to help other brothers and sisters spiritually, we have to develop a heart of a servant. Notice he called him minister of God, but it's actually the word is servant. The servant of God. He was a person that Paul could trust him and said to him, Timothy, listen, I'm so concerned for the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica. We haven't seen them for such a long time. I don't know how they're doing. We visited them once when we were there in about 50 AD. We preached the message of the gospel in a synagogue of our own Jewish people. But Timothy, I'm really concerned for the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica.

Will you go to them and see how they are doing? And you can just imagine, Timothy, he was a real servant of the Lord. He says, Paul, I'll go. I'm going to minister to them. I will seek to encourage them. And so he went. Timothy, as we read here in verse 2, he was not only our brother. But he was a servant of God. He was a mesharet ha-Elohim. He was serving the people of God and serving the Lord himself. But brothers and sisters, look at the third thing that we find here about Timothy in verse 2. And we send Timothy, our brother, number one. Number two, and servant of God.

And notice the third thing. He said, our fellow laborer. You see, Timothy was also a team man. He was a fellow laborer. He was serving the Lord together with Shaul Paul, with Silas, and with others. He was a team, you might say, team player as we are when we play soccer or play basketball or play any other game. You boys and girls who are young, who are still in school and so on, you probably would join a team and your coach will tell you that you have to be a team player. You play the game alongside of others. You don't do your own thing. You're a fellow team player.

Here, Timothy was such a commendation. He called him our co-laborer or fellow laborer. And notice, in the gospel of the Messiah. You know, it's so precious. When in the ministry of the Lord, Yeshua, the Messiah, the brethren are working together as a team. Concerning together for the well-being of the others. It's not a one man show. It's not, I'll get my way and I'll do my thing and I'm going to have my rights and I'm going to do as I please. And I don't care what do you think. And I don't care if it is affecting you or not. In every relationship, in every service for the Lord, it's got to be a team playing together, serving together.

And so, Timothy was so much commended by the God of the Messiah. And he is our fellow laborer in the gospel of the Messiah. You know, it's sad that in church history, unfortunately, there are so many divided groups who do not work together on the basis of the teaching of the word of God. And no wonder there is no power. No wonder there is no effect. No wonder there is a scattering of the flock and the sheep are scattered one way or another. And if we are going to be able to leave an impact upon the people of God and an impact in the world in which we live in, we have to work together.

Together, of course, not on expense of doctrine, of teaching. We need to be basing ourselves on the scripture, on the word of God. But if we are going to be a blessing, we got to work together. Any service, any ministry has to be done by people working together. And so we find out the beautiful thing that he said here about Timothy. So, verses 1 and verse 2, the concern for the brethren of Thessalonica, he could not forbear anymore. He had to send someone to see how they are doing, but he doesn't send anyone. He sends a believer by the name of Timothy. He sends a servant attitude, one who is really desired to serve God and practice this in his life.

And he serves someone who is a team man, part of those who work together. Now, why did he send him? Notice here, he said, "In order that he will establish you and to comfort you concerning your faith." The reason that I sent Timothy to you, beloved brothers and sisters of the Thessalonians, of Thessalonica, is because I wanted you to be established. I wanted you to be comfort and to be established in your faith. Now, he doesn't talk about them that he wants them now to become believers. No, they were already believers. But they needed to mature. They needed to learn. They needed to be established.

The word here in the Greek, the word established is very interesting, is sterizo in the Greek. But in Hebrew is lechazek, to be strong, to be strengthened. How we need to be strengthened in our faith. Not to be shallow, but to be mature and to be strengthened in our faith, to grow spiritually and to mature so we will be able to be a blessing to brothers and sisters wherever they are. God's people need to be established. Now, let me show you for a moment some who were not established. Look at 1 Corinthians, please, with me. Chapter 3. Paul writing to the Corinthians, and he writes to them in verse 1, and he says, And I, brethren, I could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babies in the Messiah.

I have fed you with milk and not with meat, for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able. Well, Paul was writing to the Corinthians, and he says, listen, I could not speak unto you as a mature believer, established believer. You are like babies. And you know, if you have a baby, those of us that have had children and had babies, when they are crying, you need to burp them, right? After you feed them, you've got to burp them all the time. And the apostle Paul is saying, listen, it seems to me that I need to burp you all the day long.

You are not maturing, you are like babies. You are fighting, you are whining, you are not establishing the faith, and so on. He says, I could not give you meat, because you need milk. You are just like a baby that needs to grow. I could not write unto you and speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal. In verse 3 of 1 Corinthians 3, he said, for ye are yet carnal, for where is there is among you envying and strife and divisions. He said, you're telling me that you are not carnal? He said, and you walk as men? For while one say, I am of Paul, and another one say, I am of Apollos, are ye not carnal?

There was a party spirit. Oh, I am of Paul. Oh, I am of Apollos. And the local assembly was divided. Brothers and sisters, listen. It takes a lot to build. And it takes very little to destroy. To be a builder, it takes an effort. It takes humility. It takes zealousness. It takes a desire for the welfare of God's people. But to destroy? Any one of us can do so. Any carpenter will tell you today that it's very difficult for him to build a structure. But if he doesn't like that, he'd take a sledgehammer and he can break it in a moment. And the Apostle Paul said about the Corinthians, listen, I couldn't tell you that you are mature.

You are behaving as carnal. And yet, to the Thessalonians, he writes, he says, listen, I wanted to see that you are established in your faith. And therefore, I've sent unto you Timothy, so he will help you to be established and comforted in your faith. I'm not going to read, but if you read the book of Hebrews, in Hebrews chapter 5, he said this, the same thing to the early Hebrew believers. That they were behaving like babies instead of maturing spiritually. And that's why the Apostle in chapter 5 had to challenge them when he wrote unto them in Hebrews chapter 5. And so, beloved brothers and sisters, to be established, it means that one needs to be strengthened.

One needs to be setting fast. One needs to be placed firmly. One needs to be confirmed in the faith and maturing and growing and becoming more in some small way like our Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. And we all need that today. Thank God for those who minister to us and teach us and help us to take another step forward in our spiritual progress. So, now in chapter 3 of 1 Thessalonians, in verse 3 and 4, we can see that Paul have a desire that none of the believers will move away from the person of Yeshua, the Messiah. And so, he's saying to them in verse 3, The reason that I sent Timothy, so he will establish you and he will comfort you in your faith, is in order, notice verse 3, that no man should be moved by these afflictions.

For you yourself know that we have been appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation even as it came to pass any now. Paul reminded them, you know, brothers and sisters, if you are going to identify with the person of Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, And if you become part of the family of God, he says, listen, we have already told you that in this world you will have tribulation. You are going to experience affliction. You are going to experience tribulation, opposition, because you identify with the person of Jesus, of Yeshua, the Messiah. And so, part and parcel, brothers and sisters, in a world in which we live in, is that the believer somehow will experience some affliction and tribulation.

I know that none of us can say that we are praying to God and asking, God, please give me some trouble now because I really would like to be more in trouble and persecuted here. None of us do so. We know that, in fact, we are shivering from trials and tribulations in our lives. But you see, beloved brothers and sisters, Paul warned the believers, as he said, not to move because of problems. Problems at times discourages us, right? And when we are getting so discouraged and disappointed, we say, you know what, God? I just don't want this kind of trouble in my life. I want to have it easier and therefore I'm moving.

I'm not really continuing to follow the Lord. I'm going to maybe stay back and I will not take side with the believers. And things creep into the life of the believer. We know that. And yet Paul says, listen, the reason that we send unto you, Timothy, the brother, the servant, the fellow worker, the fellow laborer, is because we want you to be established so when affliction will come, you will know how to handle afflictions and trials. And you see, beloved brothers and sisters, we know that very well that trouble come our way, one way or another. We are very thankful that we live in this country of Canada.

We still have liberty to meet, to gather ourselves together, to read the word of God. But imagine how people live in countries where they are not able to meet together or to read the word or they live in a country that they don't have any liberty whatsoever to express themselves in their faith in the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. Imagine. Imagine. Imagine what they are experiencing. And so the Apostle Paul says, you know, even you go through affliction and though you're going through tribulation, we want you to stand firm and not to move out of continuing to follow Yeshua, the Messiah. I'm reminded of the verse that is found in John chapter 16, before the Lord Yeshua, Jesus, the Messiah, went to the cross, to the tree, before he died, in the upper room in the city of Jerusalem, Jerusalem.

He said to the disciples in verse 31, 32, and 33. He said, do ye now believe? Behold, the hour is come. Yea, is now come that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone. And yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have shalom, peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world. The Lord is able to sustain the believers, to continue to follow after him, and to continue to serve him in this world. So, in 1 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verses 3 and 4, the apostle gave the reason why he sent Timothy to establish, and the reason why they needed to be established, in order that they will stand firm.

Stand firm. Not move because of affliction, but continue on to follow the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. And then verse 5. Notice that, brothers and sisters. In verse 5, Paul knew very well that Satan will seek to tempt the Thessalonians. Satan is still working today, beloved brothers and sisters. We read here in verse 5, "For this cause, when I could no longer forbear," and this is the second time he used the word forbear, "I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain." You see, the tempter, the tempter in Hebrew is Hamenaseh, the one who tempt us, and try us, and pull us away from the things of the Lord.

He knows your weakness, and he knows mine. He shoots those arrows exactly where your weakness and mine is, in order to cause us to fall, and stumble, and turn away from the things of the Lord. And he is called in the Bible, the tempter. Twice, actually, he is called the tempter here in 1 Thessalonians chapter 3 and verse 5, and he is also called the tempter in Matthew chapter 4 and verse 3, when the tempter, Satan, came to tempt Yeshua, the Messiah, in the wilderness. Now you and I fail many times. And the tempter is successful many times in our life, but he was never successful in the life of our blessed Lord Yeshua.

Yeshua is holy, and harmless, and undefiled, and separate from sinners. He never sinned. He never sinned. The tempter could never tempt him to fall. Every time when he tried to cause him to stumble, Yeshua said, the scripture says, "It is said, thou shalt," and he quoted the word of God. But the tempter, many times tempting us, as he tempted, perhaps, as well, the Thessalonians. And as he's tempting from the beginning, the one that tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden, began Eden in Genesis chapter 3, and throughout the ages, beloved brothers and sisters, he is still tempting the people of God. And Paul was so concerned, he could not forbear anymore.

He wanted to know how the brethren are doing in Thessalonica. Are they growing spiritually? Are they walking with Yeshua? Are they following the Lord? Are they the ones staying close to the Lord? And he says, "Listen, I know very well that you need to be established. I sent Timothy, but I also know that there is someone who is the tempter, who constantly want you and I to be tempted, and ultimately to fall away from that which he is honoring unto the Lord." And you see, beloved brothers and sisters, Satan never stopped to work. He worked in the past before the Messiah came. He worked in the past in the history of our people Israel.

He worked in the past when the Messiah entered into this world. He worked in the past when Yeshua was in the wilderness in Matthew chapter 4. He worked throughout history in the history of the church age, and he is still working today seeking to tempt and to beguile us so we will turn away from the things of the Lord. And when we are not careful and allow him to have sway, we find ourselves falling on our faces and dishonoring the Lord, and ultimately we say to ourselves, "I should stay close to Yeshua the Messiah. I would have been so blessed had I stayed close to him." And so Paul, with his concern, sent Timothy, knowing that Satan will sink to tempt the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica.

And so now, after he said that, brothers and sisters, in verses 1 to 5, we find that Timothy went. And Timothy went, we don't know it from here, but we know it from the book of Acts, that he met Timothy later on in Acts chapter 18. He met Timothy in the city of Corinth. And Timothy returned back to Paul, and he gave him the report about the brothers and sisters in the city of Thessalonica. And what a good report Timothy had given to Shaul Paul. About the report we read in verse 6, 7 and 8. Look what we read. It says in verse 6, Timothy now reporting to Shaul Paul after he visited Thessalonica.

And notice what we read in verse 6. "And now when Timothy came from you unto us." You read in Acts chapter 18 that Timothy came to the city of Corinth. "When Timothy came from you to us, he brought us good tidings of your faith and your love. And that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us as we also to see you." You know, when Timothy came back, Timothy must have said, "Paul, Shaul, let me tell you, I visited the brethren in Thessalonica. Let me tell you some good report. The brothers and sisters in Thessalonica, wow, they are growing. I'm giving you a good report about them.

They have love towards one another. They minister the things of God to one another. Paul, there is a good testimony concerning the brothers and sisters in the city of Thessalonica." Timothy gave the report to the apostle Paul. And you notice that we continue. And in verse 7, he says, "Therefore, brethren, we are comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith." Timothy says to Paul, he said, "The brethren are in such a good spiritual state. Therefore, Paul was comforted and he was encouraged knowing that they desire to see Paul and that he also desire to see them in Thessalonica." A good report, brothers and sisters.

Sometimes I wonder if someone will come to visit us in our homes or in our local fellowship and he will ask, you know, how are these brothers and sisters doing? Are they doing well? Are they growing spiritually? Are they walking with the Lord? How are they doing? How are they doing among themselves? Is there love among the brethren? Are they teaching still the truth of the Word of God? Are they walking with the Lord? This is an important thing to see in the life of all God's people. And if there is no maturity and spiritual development, something is wrong. Something is definitely wrong. A baby that does not grow, his mom and dad will definitely be concerned about his or her welfare.

They will take him to the doctor. They will want to make sure, doctor, there is a problem here. And something is wrong in our life when we are not growing. Something is lacking. Something is not right. So the Apostle Paul says, you know what he said? Brethren, he says, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith. In other words, we have been persecuted. We are going through trials ourselves. But by knowing that you are spiritually growing, it gives us comfort. It encourages us. We continue on. And brothers and sisters, this is something that is needful for us to see that we can encourage each other by our spiritual maturity.

As we grow spiritually and iron, sharpen iron, and we encourage each other and build each other up. We can continue on to walk because we see a brother and a sister continue on in their spiritual life. But if not, what do you think is going to happen? You get discouraged. You know, I'm telling you, you look at the present condition today of the body of Messiah. And if you travel around and you visit local assemblies, local congregation, local churches, and you don't see spiritual growth, it is extremely discouraging. And if they don't go, I don't need to go. If they don't continue to follow Yeshua, I don't need to do so.

Why should I? And there is discouragement. And the body of Messiah don't grow. All seek their own, Paul said, not the things of Jesus the Messiah, Paul said years ago. And how we need to learn. Paul says, when we heard about your state, brothers and sisters in Thessalonica, it causes us to be comforted. Even though we are going through tribulation, we can continue on knowing that others are continuing to follow the Lord Yeshua, the Messiah. In verse 8, Paul wanted them to stand fast in the Lord. Notice this expression. This is really the theme of 1 Thessalonians chapter 3, verse 8. For now we live if ye stand fast in the Lord.

Ta'amdu atem be'adoneinu. What does that mean to stand fast in the Lord? To stand firm. To continue on. To move along following the Lord, even though there are sometimes trials and difficulties. That's the desire of the Apostle Paul. By the way, the Apostle Paul many times, and I'm going to give it to you here. Many times he used that expression, stand fast. In 1 Corinthians 16 and verse 13, he said, stand fast in the faith. In Galatians chapter 5 and verse 1, the Apostle Paul said to the Galatians, stand fast in the liberty that you have. In Philippians chapter 1 and verse 27, the Apostle Paul said to the Philippians, stand fast in one spirit.

In Philippians chapter 4 and verse 1, the Apostle Paul said, stand fast in the Lord. And also in 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 15, he said to the brethren, brethren, stand fast. In Hebrew we call it aim do. Be steady. Be steady. Don't be one time in a mountain, the next time in a valley. One time you like it, the next time you don't like it. One time you feel good, the next time you feel bad. You know, we are like the waves, aren't we? Coming in, going out. You know, it's amazing how we can be. And I'm saying we because I'm speaking about my own heart. We know ourselves.

We know our hearts are. And here the Apostle Paul is saying, brethren, he says, now we live and now we enjoy to continue to serve God if you, brethren, are standing in the Lord. It's amazing how it left an impact upon the Apostle Paul. Imagine when he suffered so much and he was led by the Spirit of God to establish local assemblies as he was preaching the message of the gospel in many towns and cities. Imagine, he says, if he established a local assembly and then when he comes the next time, nobody's there. No more. I remember when I took some of the tours to Asia Minor, to Turkey and to Greece.

And I remember when we went to Turkey, it's Asia Minor. Do you know Turkey today has only 2% of all Turkey or Asia Minor that have people who are called Christians? Only 2%. And out of these 2%, the majority of them are nominal Christians, not necessarily born-again believers in Yeshua, the Messiah. Now imagine, in the very area where 2,000 years ago there was an establishment of many, many local assemblies in Asia Minor. And today, in the last days of the Laodicean days in which we live in, 2% who named the name of Jesus, of Yeshua, out of these 2%, the vast majority of them are nominal. People who were born to others that claim to be believers, but they are really not born from above, born by the Spirit of God.

Imagine if the Apostle Paul would have gone to the very same visit right now, to Asia Minor, and would stop in all these other places and say, "Where is it? What's going on? What's happening?" And it shows us how the enemy of God's work is working full-time. And the flesh that is existing in us do not allow us, or in other words, constantly take over us, and instead of spiritually we'll grow and continue to follow the Lord, we allow ourselves to fall by the wayside. Oh yes, we are saved. We are going to heaven. Hallelujah. We are going to be with Jesus one day with Yeshua in heaven.

But what about here and now? When we need to walk with the Lord and ask Him to help us and to serve Him. Because we have a very short time, beloved brothers and sisters, we only have one life to live. We are going to be taken out of here, every one of us in His time. And then we have to ask ourselves the question, "What have I done for the Lord here and now? Have I served Him? Have I ministered the word? Have I behaved in a way that will be pleasing to Him? And when I fall and stumble, and we do, have I got up and shaked my pants and so on and confessed it before the Lord and continued to walk with Him?" That's the question that Apostle Paul is challenging.

But he got a good report about the Thessalonians. And there were not so many years in the faith. When he visited them, it was 50 A.D. The letter is about two, three years later on. What's going on with the Thessalonians according to Timothy? Good report. There is spiritual growth. There is love among the brethren. They continue. They are standing fast in the Lord. And so when Paul heard that, he was rejoicing in his heart. He was so comforted that now notice what he does. First verses here. Verses 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13. Paul gave thanks to God. And he prayed for the brothers and sisters in the city of Thessalonica.

He gave thanks first. We read it in verse 9. And he prayed from verse 10 on. How beautiful. We see the attitude of the Apostle Paul. So we read in verse 9. Paul gave thanks. For what things can we render to God again for you? For all the joy we enjoy in your sake before our God. Paul now giving thanks. He thanked God. He thanked God that God worked in the life of the brothers and sisters in Thessalonica. That God gave him joy to hear about their well doing spiritually speaking. They will continue on well even though they were going through tribulation and persecution. He said, for what thanks can we render to God again for you?

For all the joy we're with. We joy for your sake before our God. He had joy before God on behalf of the brothers and sisters in this city of Thessalonica. It's amazing when you really think about the attitude that the Apostle Paul had. He gave thanks. He gave thanks to God. He said, God, I thank you for the brothers and sisters in this city of Thessalonica. I thank you for the report that I heard from Timothy. That they are standing fast in the Lord. That his love among the brethren. They continue to serve and to live for Yeshua the Messiah in spite of the fact that there are trials in their lives.

And now in verse 10. We pray to God requesting three things. And notice that brothers and sisters in the next verse here. After he said in verse 9 that he gave thanks. Now notice in verse 10. Night and day. We are praying exceedingly that. And here he's asking three things. Night and day. Night and day. The Apostle Paul is praying all the time. Exceeding that. And you notice he's praying for three things in these verses. Number one. 10 and verse 11. He's praying for their additional spiritual maturity. We read. That we might see your faith. And might perfect that which is not mature. Notice the word he said. And that we might see your faith.

And that we might perfect that which is lacking in your faith. In other words. The word perfect means that to make it more mature. That your faith will mature and grow and develop. The word perfect here comes from the Greek word to be mature. Yeshua said many years ago that ye might be perfect. It means that ye will be mature. The believers need to be mature. And so the first desire is that he wanted to see them. In order that he will be able to cause them to mature in an area that they are still lacking in their faith. If he would come to hear the Apostle Paul on our behalf.

There are many areas that you and I need maturity. One of us need this area. Another one another area. We all need to be mature believers. Growing spiritually. People that are continuing on to follow Yeshua the Messiah. That's the desire of the Apostle Paul. He wants to have brothers and sisters who are mature. Who are growing spiritually. Secondly, notice his second request from God. It's found in verse 12. He prayed that the love of the brethren will grow even more. Notice that and I'm reading. And that the Lord will make you increase and abound in love one towards another. And toward all men even as we do towards you.

Now wait a minute Paul. You want our love to grow among one another? Yes. And you see the love here does not speak out feeling. Oh I have a tingly feeling for this brother. For this sister. Oh I love them. That word for love is agapeo. Unconditional love. Sometimes we don't like what others are doing. Sometimes others don't like what we are doing. And how we are behaving. Well how do we handle one another? I still remember years ago when they asked one of the preachers. Well if you come to a church meeting or to a congregation meeting. And you don't like brother so and so.

Or sister so and so. What do you do? Well some say well I don't come anymore. Then I don't have any problem. Well you go somewhere else you'll find another person. That you don't like what he or she does. So what are you going to do? We all going to go? We are not going to come? Well what do you do? Well I tell you what to do these brothers said. When I come to the meeting and I am sitting with the brothers and sisters. And I don't like the behavior of this one or the other. And maybe they are too pushy. Or maybe they are too blunt.

Or maybe they are not sensitive. Well I will bear with them. And if need be. I will speak with them in order to edify them. To help them with their problem. And if I need to be corrected. I will be accepting and willing to be corrected by others as well. And that's how we continue on. And our love ought to grow. Love doesn't mean tingling of the heart. Love means willing to take second place. Love bears all things. 1 Corinthians chapter 13. Love among the brothers and sisters is amazing to experience. You know we have the song that we often sing in Hebrew. Hine ma tov u man naim shevet achim gam yachad.

Behold how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity. Well how is it possible? Unless we have bearing with one another. Loving one another. Israel our people in a future day will enjoy it. Because in a future day when the Messiah will come. Israel our people will be restored. They will trust in him. They will accept him. They will be born from above. Born again. And they will enjoy the unity that is awaiting for Israel in the future. And when you and I are going to be in heaven beloved brothers and sisters. I will never hurt you anymore. And you will never hurt me or will never hurt each other.

There is no sin in heaven. And as we heard. Or to dwell with saints above. That is glory. But how to dwell with saints below. It is another story. It is not easy to dwell with saints below. But if our love will grow. And if we care for one another. Paul saying. I am praying my second requirement from the Lord. Lord. I want the increase. And abounding. Of the brethren in love. One towards another. But not only towards one another. But also towards all men. Remember Yeshua before he died. He said by this. Shall all men will know that you are my disciples. If you have love one towards another.

The love of God shed abroad in our hearts. Are to be evident in others who watch us. And how we fail in it. Isn't it? Sometimes people look at us and say. Then you call yourself a believer in Jesus. Look at the way you speak. Look at the way you handle yourself. Look at the way you curse. Look at the way you are behaving. And you want to tell me about this. Jesus is Yeshua. You better don't tell me that. You better keep it for yourself. I don't need it. And notice how the Holy Spirit of God. Gave it to us. He said. And that the Lord.

Will make you to increase and abound in love. One towards another. And toward all men. Even as we do. Toward you. We love your brethren. Paul saying to them. And we expect from you. To love one another. Brothers and sisters. This is challenge. For us all. If somebody come to our midst. And he doesn't experience the love of the brethren. He will not come again. And you and I are not helpful in our spiritual progress. If we don't develop an attitude. A right attitude. So if somebody come to our midst. He or she can say. You know brethren. Maybe these people are not all. Somewhere who knows.

But one thing I have experienced here. There is a love among the brothers and sisters. There was a right attitude. A right behavior. This is what the Apostle Paul desired to see with us. And finally in verse 13 of 1 Thessalonians chapter 3. Paul the third prayer that he heard from the Lord. He prayed that the brethren will be established. As it says here. You see an unblameable. Until the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah. With his saints. Now interesting. Look at this verse. It says in verse 13. To the end that he may establish your hearts unblameable. In holiness before God. Even our Father. Listen to this.

At the coming of our Lord Yeshua HaMashiach. With his saints. Now when I read this passage. I was thinking to myself. You know. I believe in the rapture of the church. I believe that the saints. In the present day dispensation. Will be rapture. And we are going to talk about it. In the next ministry or so. In chapter 4. That the believers in Yeshua the Messiah. Will be taken out of here. Before the tribulation period. Will begin upon the face of this earth. Of this earth. And when the Lord Yeshua the Messiah. Is coming. At his second coming. He will come with all his saints. He could not come with all his saints.

If his saints are not with him. His saints have to be with him. In order that he will come with all his saints. But he is coming. He is coming. He is coming. Beloved brothers and sisters. And we are exhorted to be established spiritually. Because Yeshua is coming at any time. He will come. He will come first of all. To take the heavenly company up. To be with him in glory. And he will come at a second coming. Upon this earth. In order to establish a messianic kingdom. As it had been promised. To Daniel. And to the people of Israel. In the past history. That God is going to send his son.

To establish the messianic kingdom. We read in Revelation chapter 1. In verses 7 and 8. Behold he comes with clouds. And every eye shall see him. And they also which pierced him. And all the kinders of the earth. Shall wail because of him. Even so. Amen. I am the Alpha. And the Omega. The beginning and the ending. Says the Lord. Which is. And which was. And which is. To come. The Almighty. He is coming. Brothers and sisters. He is coming. The Lord is coming. And the Lord wants us. To be established. Spiritually. So we will be able. To be taken. To be with him. And come with him.

As we read here. In 1 Thessalonians. Chapter 3. In verse 13. To the end. That he may establish your hearts. Unblameable. And in holiness. Before God. And our Father. At the coming of our Lord. Yeshua. The Messiah. Jesus. The Messiah. With all. His. Saints. That's the future. Return. Of Yeshua. The Messiah. You see. And I'm going to close with that. He came once. And he died. For our sins. He paid for every sin. That we have committed. On the cross. On the tree. He bore our sins. In his body. On the tree. But God took him. He was raised. For our justification. He was taken to heaven. And he's waiting the day.

That he will come again. At his second coming. And when he's going to come. At his second coming. All will have to recognize. Who he was. And who he is. Every knee shall bow. Every tongue will confess. That Yeshua. The Messiah. Jesus. The Messiah. Is Lord. To the glory. Of God. The Father. We're going to come. With him. We're going to reign. With him. We're going to enjoy. Him. As the heavenly company. Will be blessed. To be with him. And reign with him. Israel. Our people. Will be restored again. And he will be called. King of kings. And Lord of lords. And he will rule.

And reign. In this world. What a day. Is awaiting. The people. Of God. Brothers and sisters. May the Lord. Help us. To be. Established. Spiritually. As we live here. In this world. Until. He's coming. To take us. To be. With him. In glory.