Verse of the Day 10/21

2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful. He will establish you and guard you against the evil one^.   English Standard Version (ESV)

I enjoy baseball and this time of year I enjoy watching the playoffs and seeing how players perform at "crunch time", who will step up there game and make a difference.  Managers will try to set their pitching rotation so that they'll have their ace, their best, their most established pitchers set up to pitch in the decisive games.  Those established players are ones that have proven themselves throughout the year and now when things are on the line the coaches, players and fans trust in them.

Reading these verses also made me think of Ephesians 6:10-18 and putting on the full armor of God in order to stand, to stand established in Christ before the evil one and the challenges that he throws our way.  As with a pitcher, the ace of a team, he doesn't just go out there and throw his best fastball every pitch of the game.  He studies the competition, has an idea of how he is going to pitch against every player on the opposing team.  He has become established by studying and applying what he knows  and using his skills using the best pitch for the situation, whether it be the first pitch or a full count with the bases loaded.  When he has command, control of his pitches he will likely succeed.

In this passage Paul is like the coach here encouraging and challenging his readers while having confidence in the Lord about them, "that they are doing and will do" (v.4 ESV)  what the Lord wills.  He has faith not only in his fellow Christians, but more importantly in God, who has proven Himself, as John MacArthur notes, "in regard to creation, His promises, salvation, temptation, suffering and here faithful to strengthen and to protect from Satan."

The  Master never lets us down. He'll stick by you and protect you from evil (The Message), establish and guard you today.  Do your part and put on the full armor.

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

2 Thessalonians 3:1-5The Message (MSG)

Those Who Are Lazy

3 ^1-3 One more thing, friends: Pray for us. Pray that the Master's Word will simply take off and race through the country to a groundswell of response, just as it did among you. And pray that we'll be rescued from these scoundrels who are trying to do us in. I'm finding that not all "believers" are believers. But the Master never lets us down. He'll stick by you and protect you from evil.

^4-5 Because of the Master, we have great confidence in you. We know you're doing everything we told you and will continue doing it. May the Master take you by the hand and lead you along the path of God's love and Christ's endurance.