Day 7 – 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer in Thessalonians

Posted on January 8, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

1 Thessalonians 3:6-13

6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. 11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones. [1]

Leaders are just like everyone else. They cry when they hurt, bleed when they are cut, suffer when they are persecuted, and can be discouraged by life’s challenges. It was, therefore, good news for Paul to hear that the Thessalonians he longed to see felt the same about him. They were concerned about him and missed his presence among them. That news alone was enough to encourage him and give him strength to continue to persevere through all his trials. But it was not the relationship alone that encouraged him; it was their faith. Timothy’s report allayed his fears concerning their faith and comforted him in the knowledge that the tempter had not been able to tempt them away from the gospel.

Discouragement is one of the powerful tools the enemy of our souls uses against us. Discouragement will motivate us to make bad decisions about everything. Combined with our vivid imaginations, discouragement will have us thinking things about our lives and relationships that are not close to being true. Discouragement will cause us to throw in the towel and quit because of real or imagined failure. Now there is no way to tell whether Paul was thinking about all of this when he wrote this letter or if he was just self-interested, but I like to believe the former. I believe he was anything but self-interested and so he now he informs them of his petitions before the Lord concerning them. He wants to come to them, but more than that he wants their love for one another to grow and their hearts to be strengthened to the point that they would be holy and blameless in the presence of the Lord. I join with Paul today and echo his words for your life.

Lord, “make the love of Your people increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as my love does for You. Strengthen our hearts so that we will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all His holy ones.” Keep us today from the trap of discouragement and motivate us to say and do the things that will encourage one another. Never allow us to grow so comfortable that we become callous and aloof toward our sisters and brothers. May Your love be our love extended to the life of this world. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (electronic ed.; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 1 Thessalonians 3:6–13.

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Day 6 – 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer in Thessalonians

Posted on January 7, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

1 Thessalonians 3:1-5

3         So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God’s fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. 4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless. [1]

So much of individual focus today is on the self. Our educational goals, career goals, and even personal goals are centered on individual advancement. Concern for others is an afterthought if we think of it at all. We explain that we are not being selfish or insensitive; there are simply not enough hours in the day to do more than we are doing. But the Bible admonishes believers to encourage and strengthen one another. The writer of Hebrews suggests that it should increasingly become a central focus as we see the day of the Lord approaching.

In these verses Paul attempts to encourage the believers in Thessalonica. He is not able to be with them physically, but his concern for their spiritual welfare is so great that he sends Timothy to strengthen and encourage them. We have all kinds of excuses why we do not encourage one another, but note that Paul was enduring great persecution and still was able to show genuine concern for someone else.

Paul’s motivation is first of all his intense love and concern for the people to whom he had ministered, but also he had a fear that the tempter might have tempted them away from the gospel. The post-modern church wants to by-pass any discussion about the reality of demonic activity, but the job of the tempter, according to Jesus (John 10:10) is to kill, steal, and destroy. Encouragement then counteracts the strategy of the tempter. It enables believers to maintain their focus and hold onto their faith. We are all busy people but let us encourage one another today lest them tempter come and tempt us away from the faith.

O Lord, You know how crazy my schedule can be sometimes. Help me do two things today: better manage my time, and stop using it as an excuse to avoid doing Your will and walking in Your purposes. I am guilty of making excuses for why I am not able to encourage my sister and brother, and I am afraid that I may have missed an opportunity to snatch someone back from the jaws of the tempter. Fortify me today so I will be able to stand and encourage myself, if necessary, and so be prepared to provide encouragement to others. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (electronic ed.; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 1 Thessalonians 3:1-5.

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Day 5 – 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer in Thessalonians

Posted on January 6, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

1 Thessalonians 2:17-20

17 But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us. 19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy. [1]

When reading most of the Apostle Paul’s words I am left with the strong opinion that he would have had a very hard time serving as a pastor in the church today. The purity of his motives and the emphatic nature of his perspectives would have made him very unpopular in the modern church. Yet here in these verses we can see the heart of a true pastor. Many are called to proclaim the gospel, but few can shepherd the flock simply because they do have the love and passion necessary to do so. In these four verses we read and feel the passionate manner in which he ministers in the very intentional language he employs. He was torn away from them like a parent is forcibly separated from a child, and he had an intense longing to see them. The word intense is one of the very few positive instances when Paul positively uses a Greek word that is variously translated, as lovemaking, lust, or love. He desires intensely to get back to them but is prevented by circumstances we are not told, but that can only be attributed to the work of the devil.

What fueled this longing? It was the relationship he had developed with the community of believers in Thessalonica. They were his joy, hope, or crown “in which [he would] glory in the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ when He comes.” Some would say that Paul was too harsh, and the modern church probably would not tolerate him; but no one can deny his heart that was deeply and passionately devoted to the community. It is an element often lacking in ministry today where the pastorate is little more than a job and efforts are made to squeeze it neatly into a forty-hour workweek. Granted such a Pauline example places incredible strain upon a family that is our first glory and joy, but we can never forget the people to whom we have been called because they are the joy, hope and crown in which we will glory in the presence of Jesus.

I have a close brother that loves the people he serves so sincerely and purely that I am convicted whenever I am around him. Regardless who they are every lamb is constantly reminded of his love and devotion. Such a relationship makes saying the hard things easier and makes them more palatable because there is not a question of love. As a result I work harder to make certain my love is evident to all because I know one day they will be the joy and hope, the crown I hold in my hand as I stand before Jesus.

Dear Father, I love you but sometimes forget how inconsistent it is to love You whom I have never seen and despise my sister or brother whom I see all the time. Cause a genuine love for my fellow believers to spring up in me today. Enable me to see beyond their awkward and irritating idiosyncrasies to see them as You see them. Let my love and devotion be so pure that I, like Paul, have an intense longing and desire to see them as my glory and my joy. Amen.  

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (electronic ed.; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 1 Thessalonians 2:17–20.

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Day 4 – 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer in Thessalonians

Posted on January 5, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

1 Thessalonians 2:6-16

6 We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 7 but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us. 9 Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you. 10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory. 13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.[1]

This is a rather long section and we do not have time or space to comment on all of it. However, most striking to me is the response of the people to the faithful and diligent efforts of Paul, Timothy and Silas as they labored among them. Their approach was not cumbersome or burdensome. They could have lorded their position over the people and demanded all kinds of concessions from them but they did not. Instead they dealt with the people “as a father deals with his own children, encouraging, comforting and urging [them] to live lives worthy of God, who [called them] into His Kingdom and glory.” As a direct result the people received the gospel as the Word of God, and not as words of men. The proof of their acceptance was evidenced in the manner they lived their lives. They “became imitators of God’s churches in Judea” even while they were being persecuted.

So much of ministry today has become materialistic and commercialized. People enter ministry as just another profession seeking what they believe they should receive instead of what they should give. They forget the example of Jesus and the apostles that came to serve and not to be served. Whether one has been called to pastoral ministry or just to be a witness for our Lord, believers are all called to some form of ministry. How we go about it is important. We should not concern ourselves with the ones who persecute us, for they will incur the wrath of God. Our concern should be our level of faithfulness in spite of the suffering we experience.

Dear Lord, we confess that we have often gotten off track in our ministries, in our service to you and your people. We have coveted what we have seen in the world and forgotten your promises. Forgive our sin and enable us to reorder our steps and our ministries so we become imitators of You and the world begins to imitate us. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (electronic ed.; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 1 Thessalonians 2:6–16

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Day 3 – 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer in Thessalonians

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

Day 3 – 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer in Thessalonians.

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Day 3 – 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer in Thessalonians

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

1 Thessalonians 2:1-5

2       You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2 We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. [1]

How do we define success and failure? One is considered successful when they advance in position, prominence, and they prosper. We live in an age when big is better. We want bigger homes, more expensive cars, and better paying jobs so we can afford the bigger things. This same attitude has crept into the church. Not only do pastors want to lead bigger churches, but also people want to attend them. There is nothing wrong with having nice things or being part of a large ministry, it is just simply not the best barometer for measuring success. The reason being that they are sometimes arrived at by and through “error or impure motives,” and sometimes by trickery. Think of the number of people who have been scammed and duped by pyramid and ponzi schemes. Think of the people who have been led astray by believers who have told them what they wanted to hear instead of the truth.

Early in my ministry I struggled in this area. I did not have a problem with impure motives or theological error, but I thought I could please everyone. All I succeeded in doing was angering everyone and making myself seemingly schizophrenic. Regardless of what this world regards as success such material and carnal accomplishments run contrary to the standard of the Bible. Be careful of those who seek to flatter you or lavish you with praise. Be cautious when it comes to believing the good reports about you today. They may change dramatically tomorrow. Be zealous in maintaining your integrity as you minister and witness. Test your motives even as God tests the heart. Take off the mask of insincerity and be who God has called you to be because He is our witness and He is watching.

Dear God, we do not want to be insincere, but sometimes it is hard to hold on to our integrity. We are so often surrounded by opulence that we are tempted to seek the things others have acquired for ourselves. We confess we want to be appreciated, loved and respected and are tempted to do the things that please people whether or not they please You. Help us today to maintain a singular focus. Keep our eyes set upon You and Your Word. Guard our ears so they block out every sound that does not comes from You. Let the aroma of Your love fill our nostrils so we may be more like You. May we today live in the light of Your glory and be content. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (electronic ed.; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 1 Thessalonians 2:1–5.

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Day 2 – 21 Days of Fasting & Prayer in Thessalonians

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

2 We always thank God for all of you, mentioning you in our prayers. 3 We continually remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ. 4 For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, 5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words, but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and with deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord; in spite of severe suffering, you welcomed the message with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. 8 The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath. [1]

What marvelous words of affirmation Paul writes about the believers in Thessalonica. He applauds them for their faith but also gives a glimpse of the themes he will address in his letter. They are “the character of the gospel messengers (v. 5b), the conversion of the Thessalonians (vv. 6, 9–10), the results of their conversion (vv. 3, 7–8), the sufferings they and the apostles endured (v. 6), the mission of the church (v. 8), and their eschatological hope (v. 10).[2] Each of these themes is addressed at length in other parts of the letter.

What excites my attention to this letter is the emphasis Paul places on relationships with the believers. His knowledge of them is intimate. He knows them well because he lived and suffered among them. They did what many in the modern church do not want to do, they became imitators of Paul and joyfully welcomed the good news of the gospel even though they were enduring intense persecution. Their faith was so commendable that other believers in the region began to emulate them. I think these verses offer a tremendous challenge to those who would answer the call to gospel service. We are more than preachers and teachers. We are gospel messengers that point the way through our words and our deeds.

Dear Father, serving You is often easier than serving Your people. It is not always easy to live under a glass top. Our every action is observed, analyzed and critiqued. Our families often suffer, faint and fail under the scrutiny. But You have called us and we have answered, and we will go. Help us to be the models You desire us to be and the Church needs us to be. Never allow us to grow weary, but strengthen us to be even more effective as we advance the gospel message. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (electronic ed.; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 1 Th 1:2–10.

[2] Gene L. Green, The Letters to the Thessalonians (, The Pillar New Testament CommentaryGrand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos, 2002), 86-87.

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21 Days in Thessalonians

Posted on January 2, 2013 by Dr. Logan's Blog

On this second day of 2013 I invite you to a season of prayer and fasting. During these days I will be studying in the books of 1st and 2nd Thessalonians. I encourage you to read through them in preparation for this study.

1         Paul, Silas and Timothy, to the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you.[1]

This first letter, written by the Apostle Paul, was intended to address the struggle of believers living out their destinies in a hostile world. While he shares authorship with Silas and Timothy, make no mistake about it Paul is the principle author. This first verse is in one sense just a typical and traditional greeting, a standardized form of salutation. But considering the issue the book addresses and the hostile environment in which the community existed it would seem to be more.

Paul does three things in his greeting. First he identifies himself and his two traveling companions. Second, he clarifies to whom the letter is specifically written. Third, he apostolically declared grace and peace over them. Beyond the identification of the ones from the letter has come, note the specificity of the identification of the ones to which the letter is written: “the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” In an age when the church appears to be confused about whom she serves and represents Paul is crystal clear thereby establishing the authority in which he writes and the power of what he will say.

Significant to me also is the declaration: “grace and peace to you.” Some manuscripts add the words, “from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” More than just a standard greeting this is a declaration of what Paul seeks and intends for them. Grace is the unmerited favor of God. There is nothing they did to earn it and nothing they can do to purchase it. Peace is not just “a state of concord or tranquility,” it is “freedom from disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions.” It is “harmony in personal relations.”

This is my desire for “the church in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” as we begin this New Year. May we have the unmerited favor of God and may we be free from “disquieting or oppressive thoughts or emotions,” and live in “harmony in personal relationships.” Grace and peace to you!

Dear heavenly Father, grant Your children grace and peace. Allow us today and throughout this New Year to be free from thoughts and emotions that disrupt and disquiet our lives. May there be harmony in every relationship we have at home, our places of employment, the marketplace, or at church. Enable us to boldly stand and declare our allegiance and devotion to You without fear and without wavering in this hostile environment in which we find ourselves. Today we declare over our lives grace and peace. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (electronic ed.; Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1996), 1 Thessalonians 1:1.

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21 Days of Prayer & Fasting – Day 21

Posted on October 28, 2012 by Dr. Logan's Blog

October 28, 2012 – Day 21 – James 5:17-20

17 Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. 18 Again he prayed, and the heavens gave rain, and the earth produced its crops. 19 My brothers, if one of you should wander from the truth and someone should bring him back, 20 remember this: Whoever turns a sinner from the error of his way will save him from death and cover over a multitude of sins. [1]

These last four verses in the book of James serve to emphasize and highlight the incredible power of prayer and restoration. Both serve crucial functions in the body of believers. Prayer does not just benefit the individual but also the community. As an example of that power over a community James invokes the memory of Elijah and perhaps the greatest, or at least most sensational, miracle he performed. At his word there was no rain in the land for nearly four years. The drought brought about the reconciliation of an entire nation.

The same power of prayer, evident in Elijah’s life, is still available to the believer today, and like the days of Elijah it’s benefits to the community are still very real. The Israelites were guilty of worshiping a false god, Baal. They were seduced away from the one true God because of expediency. They believed that Baal was the god of fertility, while Yahweh was the God of fire and wrath. When they wanted to ensure the birth of children or the harvest of an abundant crop they would pray to Baal, but when the nation was under siege, they prayed to Yahweh. Elijah, in dramatic fashion, demonstrated to the nation that there was but one God and no amount of praying to Baal could alter that fact or cause there to be rain.

The result of this encounter with the people and the priests of Baal was not just bloody destruction, but the reconciliation of a wayward people back to God. So much of our prayer is self-interested when it should contribute to the good of the community. God will take care of us. He has done so in the past and will continue to do so in the present and the future, but we have an obligation to bring a wayward brother or sister back from the error of their ways and in so doing build up the community of faith. Prayer is the most powerful weapon in our quiver. It brings us into the manifest presence of God and releases His presence by our words. It provides the material the Holy Spirit needs to create in our lives. God will hear and answer us, but we have to pray.

Lord, You taught Your disciples how to pray. Like that great prayer we honor and adore Your holy and righteous name. We extol Your virtues and invite the presence of Your Kingdom here on earth. We implore Your perfect will for our lives and seek Your provision for each and every day. We ask You to forgive our foolish ways and restore us to right relationship with You and our sisters and brothers. Preserve us in the time of temptation and great evil. Guide our steps and bridle our tongues. Let only that which builds up Your Kingdom and exalts Your power come out of our mouths. Then in Your mercy, use us for Your great purposes, in the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Jas 5:17–20.

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21 Days of Prayer & Fasting – Day 20

Posted on October 27, 2012 by Dr. Logan's Blog

October 27, 2012 – Day 20 – James 5:13-22

13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise. 14 Is any one of you sick? He should call the elders of the church to pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise him up. If he has sinned, he will be forgiven. 16 Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective. [1]

I am regularly convicted about how little I pray. The last ten words of this particular passage give me incredible hope and haunt me at the same time. On the one hand we have the assurance of the efficacy of prayer, but on the other we are confronted with the reality of western Christianity that tends to approach prayer perfunctorily. Whenever we read of the early church praying in the book of Acts tremendous things, even miraculous things, occurred as a result of their praying. The church had great power because it believed in the power of prayer.

Our lives are often so chaotic that we spend woefully little time alone with the Lord, and when we do pray our conversations are one sided and very brief. James essentially tells his readers that communion with God is a continuous relationship. If one is in trouble they commune with God through prayer. If one is happy the communication may come through joyfully singing, but they commune nonetheless. He appears to lobby for a personal time of devotion to which every believer should commit. But then he shifts gears and makes the devotional time corporate. There are some things that need to be brought to the set leaders of the body for their intercession, things that go beyond our personal time with the Lord, things that need authoritative intercession. Hence, bring sickness to the elders so they can anoint with oil, lay hands and pray the prayer of faith.

The most critical piece in this passage is faith. Faith is the key ingredient that is missing from most of our praying. We will pray for peace or comfort, acceptance or gratitude for things not being worse before we pray for healing. James says the prayer offered in faith brings healing and forgiveness of sin. We have been seduced by the enemy of our souls into the belief that God’s power and our prayer is limited. Where is our faith that contends ‘there is nothing God cannot do?’ We cannot and dare not deny God’s sovereignty, but we can and should employ our faith and trust God to move.

Lord Jesus, please forgive our lack of prayer. Forgive our lack of confidence, belief and trust that You are indeed the great ‘I Am.’ We have lost the simple innocent faith we had when we first met You. We have become jaded and cynical believing there are certain things for which we should not and cannot pray. Restore to us that childlike faith that believes You for anything and everything. Give us the capacity to employ the measure of faith You have given to each of us. But most of all, give us a passion to commune with You. Increase our love for You and help us to sift through the business of our days to make more quality time to spend with You. Amen.

[1] The Holy Bible: New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 1984), Jas 5:13–16.

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