Faith is like a seed ... it must be nurtured - 1 Thessalonians 1-3

Paul is very complimentary about the "faith" of these believers in the church of Thessalonica. Apparently, when he first meet them they were eager to express their faith in Jesus and that faith had proven, over time to take root. Despite Paul's absence, their faith continued to grow, although he was quite worried about that and sent Timothy to check on them and the life of their faith. Paul repeatedly wants them to know how much he appreciates their faith and how he has heard good things about it. In chapters one and two he makes several mentions about their faith in good phrases and excellent reports. However, he is a teacher. He can't help but teach them and instruct them. Even though he nurtures them like a mother, he also encourages and teaches them like a father (chapter two). He wants them to do something with their faith in chapter three. He tells them in 3:10 that he wants them to "complete" what is lacking in their faith. Apparently this group of believers, that had a great reputation, was not to seat on their faith but was to work on growing their faith. Although it will be next week that we look at chapter four and five, in 4:1 and 4:10 he wants them to "excel more." Our faith is not to be stagnant. We are not to "get faith" and put it on the shelf like a cold piece of furniture. We are nurture our faith and grow it. We are to expand it and stretch it. That is why Paul refers to it in 1:3 as a "work of faith." We tend to think of faith as something we own, or something we get like a gift and can wear in pride and honor. And, although it is a gift it is a gift that is to be worked on. We work on our faith by reading more of God's word and trusting less of ourselves and more of His Word. Faith comes from hearing God's Word. We are to allow the circumstances in life to drive us to believe God's Word more and more each day. God allows circumstances to come into our lives so that we have a need for faith in God's Word. Nurture your faith today. Excel even more in it. Don't be happy with the same level of faith you have today that you had yesterday. Tomorrow you will need to stretch your faith a little more.