Paul closed his first letter to the Thessalonians with the glorious promise that Christ would soon be returning. So, he called the Christians at Thessalonica to stay awake and remain alert in view of the second coming of Jesus.
Many people struggle with allergies. Allergies tend to flare up when dust and pollen in the air make it difficult to catch your breath. You can’t breathe properly because of all the stuff in the air. Your nose gets stuffed up, your eyes get runny, and your head feels congested. It isn’t any fun. These symptoms arise because the air you’ve inhaled has been contaminated by allergens.
One of the biggest problems in the early days of the church was the preponderance of false teachers, people who were teaching a false version of the gospel and leading many followers of Christ astray. Of course, this hasn’t ceased to be a challenge for the church today. There are many today whose damaging distortions are tempting modern believers with subtle and damaging alterations to the truth.
Back in the mid-1800s, there was a man who had a major need in his life, so he decided to go to the White House and set his problem before Abraham Lincoln, who was then President of the United States. But he soon discovered that it was very difficult to get access to the President, for Lincoln was a very busy man.
Nearly everyone, in some area of their life, takes a leadership role. That’s why learning to be a strong leader is important for us all. The book of Nehemiah provides us with one of the clearest biblical examples of what leadership looks like when it is properly dedicated to fulfilling God’s kingdom.