(Pastor Drew Worthen, Calvary Chapel Port Charlotte, Fl.)

One of the uncertainties of life is the future. You and I just don't know what tomorrow brings. And yet in the uncertainty of such things we are certain, as believers in Christ, that God will be with us tomorrow as well as today.

The problem we run into is that in areas of life beyond our control, which include the future, we have a tendency to replace faith with worry or anxiousness. What I find interesting as I observe other Christians, as well as my own life, is that worry or anxiousness never solves any problem. In fact it compounds the problem in this way.

For example, suppose you have a financial crisis which creates tension, in that the bills have to be paid. We all know that worry won't pay the bills, but worry may actually create more bills as it turns to physical ills from the extra acids in the stomach which may produce ulcers.

Worry may also increase stress we put on ourselves which in turn produces things like headaches, fatigue and a variety of other physical, not to mention, emotional problems. This is often indicative of the opposite of living by faith.

Now, what we need to be careful of is not to confuse living by faith in all things, with living foolishly. Living by faith with the example above is to first pray and ask God's strength to deal with the crisis, but to also regroup and discover ways in which the problem may be solved according to God's word.

Budgeting, a second job, cutting back on credit cards, even being faithful to give God what He desires may be some solutions to such a problem, and having the discipline to put those things into practice, always acknowledging that God is still our provider and will bless our efforts as we honor Him with our money.

To live foolishly in that same situation is to say we will trust God to provide and then do nothing. In 2Th.3:10, Paul say's, ""If a man will not work, he shall not eat."

I remember in my own life when Cheryle and I were first married, we in essence were asking God to bless us financially and yet we would not bless Him by giving Him the first fruits of our income. That was a lesson we had to learn and God taught us that as we put Him first He was faithful to bless us in a variety of ways. Trusting God and obeying God go hand in hand in our walk by faith in Him.

Martin and Deidre Bobgan from their book "How to Counsel from Scripture make this comment about faith. "Faith is undermined when we question, alter, distort, contradict, forsake or ignore God's word" (Such action creates doubt, worry and disbelief.) If we believe God's commands proceed from His love we will trust and obey Him, forsaking our own ideas and imaginations which would conflict with His word, despite our feelings and circumstances. It is in the trials of life that our beliefs are challenged and we are pressed to see if we really believe what God says."

That's why, as I said last week, the solution to our lack of faith is to look to Jesus who is the author and perfecter of our faith; looking to who He is, that is God, and looking to what He's done, that is dying for the penalty of our sins and responding in love which manifests itself in worship to Him, which moves us to obedience.

As we get into our study this morning I bring this up because Paul too had an opportunity to walk by faith as he was confronted with a problem. Yes, he was most certainly concerned about the church in Thessalonica, but instead of being hamstrung with worry, he did the next best thing by writing a letter and sending Timothy.

And having done all that he could he was able to live with the reality that he had done all that he could do, and he simply trusted that God was able to take that situation and work it out to His honor and glory.

The thing that has impressed me about trials in which we are forced to trust God, is that they have a purpose to cause growth. But, just as real, they can have a negative effect if the only thing we see is the problem.

Keep in mind why we have been called from the kingdom of darkness into the marvelous light of Jesus Christ.

EPH 2:8 "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
10 For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

We are God's workmanship to do the works He has called us to. Not to live by faith will always keep us from doing those works in His power and strength and will keep us from glorifying Him the way we could if we would fully trust Him.

And that's what the enemy wants. He can't take your salvation away, but he can keep you from being effective in the Kingdom of God as you submit to the old ways of the old nature instead of walking by faith in obedience as the new creatures in Christ that we are.

This was Paul's point when he said in 1TH 2:18 "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."

The works that God had set before Paul included the work of ministering to the Thessalonians and just because a trial got in his way, which by the way was a direct attack from Satan himself, Paul did not let that trial sidetrack him from the bigger picture of being God's servant.

A lot of people would have packed their bags and left the planet if they had been given the task Paul was given by God under the adverse conditions he experienced. But, by faith he looked to God and trusted Him and was content in Him because he knew God had called him.

That doesn't mean that Paul's "intestinal fortitude" got him through his problems; it means that Paul understood that God's grace was sufficient and Paul knew that was all he needed. He was content with knowing that God was with him.

PHI 4:11 ...... "for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength."

Now, before you begin to wonder, what in the world this has to do with our text which we have yet to get to this morning, let me just say, it has everything to do with it, because this entire letter has to do with practical godly living which Paul continued to remind his hearers was to be by faith, if it was to be effective and God-honoring.

We have been called in Christ to be servants of the Most High God. What kind of servants are we going to be and what will the world see? Will they see a group of people who say they trust God, and yet deny the power He has given us by being like the sea tossed here and there, or will they see real people with real problems who are able to trust Christ and not be side-tracked by those problems as we deal with them the best we can in His strength?

This is what Paul did throughout his entire ministry, and we have the same Holy Spirit residing in us as he did. And so what does Paul do when he realizes that he can't go to the Thessalonians? Does he give up any hope of going to them because Satan has thwarted his efforts?

Of course not. Look at verse 11, "Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you."

Paul knew that only God was able to deal with his problem. He had done everything humanly possible, and now he does the only thing he could do, which he had been doing all along. He prays to his God and Father and Savior who alone is able to work it out.

In this prayer we see something of Paul's understanding of the sovereignty of God. Paul realizes that God has allowed Satan to create this problem, but he also realizes God is the one who can lift the blockade, but only as God desires to do it in His timing and will.

This is often the hard part; waiting on God and trusting Him, realizing, as I mentioned in the beginning of this message, that the uncertainties of life will often throw us into a tailspin if we aren't in the posture of living by faith.

God can direct your way, and will direct your way, but you must be willing to be directed, which is the what the Holy Spirit is constantly doing in our lives. Not only directing, but empowering us to do what He desires. That's why constant communication with our God, or prayer as we know it, is essential.

It not only gives us an opportunity to find comfort in discussing our situations with our Father, but it's also the place to go to have Him shoulder our anxieties and problems that we admit are more than we can often handle. He's more than willing to take our burden and make it light.

That doesn't necessarily mean that the burden will automatically go away, it does mean that God is capable and willing to carry both you and the burden when the walk becomes too hard.

And don't forget what God tells us in 1CO 10:13 "No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it."

He's always going to be faithful. We just need to be believe what He say's, which is why it's called faith in Him. I've seen more Christians go through trials and temptations and want to give up and yet God was faithful to be with them. And more times than not, just when they were ready to throw in the towel the solution from God was right around the corner.

You and I don't know the future, but in Christ we know the God who holds it. So hang in there as you hang on to Christ. The other thing we see in the 11th verse is that Paul puts God and the Father into the same sentence with Jesus Christ as having an equal part in the divine guidance he seeks.

This is theologically significant. Many cults and unfortunately even some main line denominations have questioned the divinity of Jesus Christ. Is He God or is He just a great teacher empowered by God to do the will of God on our behalf? This is important for us and it was important for the Thessalonians because they had come out of paganism which adopted many gods.

We're told in the scriptures that there is only one God. And yet we're shown that this one God has revealed Himself to us in three persons. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Three distinct persons, not three Gods. We get a glimpse of this in the very beginning of the bible.

GEN 1:26 "Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground."
27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
28 God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground."
29 Then God said, "I give you every seed-bearing plant on the face of the whole earth and every tree that has fruit with seed in it. They will be yours for food."

In verse 26 He speaks of "US" and verse 29 He speaks of "I". Is God schizophrenic? No. Do we fully understand the plurality of the Godhead in the light of His only being one God? No. But, it's true and we accept it by faith.

We see another example of this in ISA 48:12 "Listen to me, O Jacob, Israel, whom I have called: I am he; I am the first and I am the last.
13 My own hand laid the foundations of the earth, and my right hand spread out the heavens; when I summon them, they all stand up together.
14 "Come together, all of you, and listen: Which of the idols has foretold these things? The LORD'S chosen ally will carry out his purpose against Babylon; his arm will be against the Babylonians.
15 I, even I, have spoken; yes, I have called him. I will bring him, and he will succeed in his mission.
16 "Come near me and listen to this: "From the first announcement I have not spoken in secret; at the time it happens, I am there." And now the Sovereign LORD has sent me [Jesus Christ], with his Spirit."

In the NT Jesus speaks of Himself as being the first and the last, which is one way of speaking of His eternal existence.

REV 1:17 "When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last.
18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades."

Paul records this for us in COL 2:9 "For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
10 and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority."

Jesus Christ is fully God who took on flesh to die for our sins. In fact, He is the God who, as Isaiah records, is the one whose hand founded the earth, and His right hand spread out the heavens.

Speaking of Jesus Christ Paul explains to the Colossians as well as us in COL 1:16 "For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him."

What this should do for you and me is give us great hope that this same Jesus who loved us with an everlasting love is the same Jesus who is the Creator God who knows us intimately because He created us and knows our weaknesses.

The writer of Hebrews gives us a great picture of how Jesus Christ is personally concerned with everything that's going on in our lives and desires to be with us in all things.

HEB 4:15 "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are--yet was without sin.
16 Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

And this was Paul's point in bringing this up to the Thessalonians. He say's, we may not be able to come to you now, but our God and Father Himself and our Lord Jesus Christ, who is certainly God, is the one we will seek so that He may direct our way to you.

And so Paul was sending a powerful message to the Thessalonians so that they could trust that this risen Savior was not just one of the many gods of their former system, but rather He is the one true God, the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end, the one they can and must go to for strength and wisdom and comfort.

And Paul say's as much in the next couple of verses. 1TH 3:12 "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."

Paul prays that God would make their love abound and overflow"

The word abound has with it the idea of increasing and growing. The Greek is more emphatic as it's more literal translation is closer to super-abound; be in excess.

Paul say's, 'you've tasted the kindness and love of the Lord and you've expressed that love in many ways, but don't think that your love can't grow more. In fact, it must grow so that you will be even more effective for Christ's service.'

And how must that love demonstrate itself? Paul tells us here that it's a love that is patterned after God's love for us. The word love here in our text is agape. It's a selfless love which looks for the best for others. It's a love that is practical in its approach and is not limited to just emotions or feelings.

That doesn't mean that emotions or feelings don't enter into the picture, but the kind of love mentioned here is not hindered if, for some reason, you don't feel like extending love to others.

In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus didn't feel like accepting the torture and the cruelty of the cross that lay before Him. Speaking to His disciples on that night He said to them, "My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me."
MAT 26:39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, "My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will."

Christ's love was deeper than a feeling toward someone. And for us to be the kind of servants God wants us to be we must have that same kind of agape love. I'll be real honest with you, if your love is dependant on how you feel, or what you think about someone, you will never love like Christ and you will never truly reach out to the lost and hurting with the kind of compassion we see in our Lord.

ROM 5:8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him!"

I've known Christians who will not reach out to certain others because that other person is quote "a sinner". This is a self-righteous attitude that Christ say's is evil. He went so far as to call the Pharisees, who had this attitude, "white-washed tombs."

It's hard to love the unlovable and the unlovely and that's why we must continually seek the Lord for His super-abounding love that looks past those things to reach out to those who need His love and forgiveness.

To serve Christ in a world which by nature does not want the things of God necessitates His love. Pray for that love daily and extend that love with the truth God gives us in His word. That love as we see in verse 12 is not just for the brethren. It's to be extended to all men which includes the lost.

And here's why Paul wanted the Thessalonians, as well as us, to seek this love of God.

1TH 3:13 "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."

Our hearts are to be strengthened so that we may represent our God in a way that brings honor and glory to His name. Holiness isn't an option for God's people. But holiness isn't something we create. It is a work God does in us through His Holy Spirit who is conforming us into the image of Christ as we submit to Him.

It's a result of loving God above all and walking in obedience according to His word. Holiness is, in a sense, a badge from God which demonstrates commitment to Him with the express purpose of lifting His name on high through service to Him as we serve others in His love.

In simple terms holiness means to be set apart. In Christ, every single believer has been personally set apart by God for one purpose and that is to magnify the name of Jesus Christ in your life.

You do that by loving as He loved and by serving unselfishly as He did so that God may get all the glory as He works in your life. The Lord Jesus is coming back. If He were to come today, how would He find us? Lovingly obeying Him as we serve others in His love or seeking our own ways and ends?

1PE 2:9 "But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

Pray for His love and strength to abound in you so that you may declare His praises and with thanksgiving declare His message of hope and love to a very unlovely world who still needs to hear it and see it in your life.