grace, gratitude, gospel, godliness.....

Grace, gratitude, gospel, godliness ......

Just reading through the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians, or any of the epistles of Paul, he starts with grace and peace to his readers,.... thanksgiving...

Wouldn't it be nice if we always were greeted with the same heartfelt. Words and thoughts...grace, peace and thanksgiving....knowing that others were appreciative of us...that they wanted the best for us...prayed for...loved, encouraged...

And then, further, that we responded to the gospel positively  and yet further, that our example of godliness shines out to others....

It is nice  to get positive feedback, a word of encouragement, ...and all we have to do is open the Word for that..

But, on the other hand, am I giving that same positive feedback to others?  Am I encouraging others in their lives..?  Hummmmm,..

Thank YOU for those examples of words of encouragement, that positive feedback...help me to do the same for others whom I meet along the way....


1 Thessalonians 1 New International Version (NIV)

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.
Thanksgiving for the Thessalonians’ Faith
2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We 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 and sisters 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 deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake. 6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering 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.