Green Meadow Drive

06/25/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗯𝗼𝘂𝘁 𝗚𝗼𝗱 - 𝟭 𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗵𝘆 𝟭
15 It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all. (1 Timothy 1:15).
The emotions and thoughts that can happen when exposed to truth. Shame, guilt, fear, dread – I have sinned against God. Joy, relief, hope, love – in Jesus I am forgiven. Desire, praise, submission – I eagerly and willingly give my whole self unto Him. All this in a moment of time, at the same time.
At one time, Paul hated, persecuted, and waged war against the disciples of Jesus. As Paul writes of this period of his life: I was a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man… I acted in ignorance and unbelief” (1Tim. 1:13). What he did to the least of the saints, he did unto Jesus their Lord (cp. ). He was at war with God. He was trying to destroy what God had built. Thinking himself a friend of God, he was in truth an enemy of God. BUT. BUT!
16 Yet for this reason I found mercy, so that in me as the foremost, Jesus Christ might demonstrate His perfect patience as an example for those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:16
Even thinking about this caused Paul to break forth in praise: 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. 1 Timothy 1:17
When you think of God and the message of the gospel, what runs through your mind? Thanks be to the Lord for this unspeakable gift? Hugh DeLong

06/24/2026

𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗮𝗺𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗼𝗿𝗱 - 𝟮 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝟯
In Chapter 4 of 1 Thessalonians, Paul says that the apostles’ commands/writings are ‘the will of God’. The Thessalonians received these words as the Word of God (2Thess. ). So, what does it say? What am I instructed to do.
Now in Chapter 3, twice Paul commands, (4, 6, 12), and this ‘in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. When he was with them, he gave the ‘orders’ (10). A short list looks like this:
· Pray – specifically for those spreading the gospel as they face the opposition that always comes with such activity. (The general command is ‘pray without ceasing’ – 1 Thess. 5:17)
· Keep away from unruly brethren (6)
· Follow the Apostles’ example – not be a burden to others.
· Thus, work and eat your own bread.
· Do Good, and don’t grow weary.
· Do NOT associate with a disobedient brother, but admonish him.
Of course, this is not a complete list, yet the overall direction of one’s life will be in harmony with these things! Are you living like this? Hugh DeLong

06/23/2026

A Deluding Influence - 2 Thess. 2:11-12
(11) For this reason God will send upon them a deluding influence so that they will believe what is false, (12) in order that they all may be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness. 2 Thessalonians 2:11-12
Paul had preached in Thessalonica and left there a small group of disciples, but they live in the midst of a community that persecuted them! Such rejection of God’s message and persecution of His people will not go unpunished. While THAT punishment may not happen until the final judgment, there is a more timely problem for these unbelievers – they will simply become more and more deceived in their thinking! That is the promise made here but is a repeated principle of divine judicial hardening!
This is not a ‘one-time’ disobedience, but a lifestyle of rebellion and rejection. It is an established Divine pattern of reaction to such disbelief. We don’t relish the idea for understanding the terrible nature of eternal condemnation; we can’t wish that on even our enemies. We simply need to be careful on the arc of our lifestyle. We must continue a lifestyle of loving God and keeping His word. Hugh DeLong
For your information, a partial list of passages dealing with God’s judicial hardening.
Acts 7:42 – God turned away and gave them over to worship the host of heaven.
Romans 1:24, 26, 28 – with descending steps, God gave them over to more and more depravity.
Psa. 81:11-12, When God’s people did not listen He gave them over to the stubbornness of their heart.
Ezek. 14:7-9 – when people inquired of the Lord with ‘idols in their hearts’, God answered them ‘according to their idols’.

06/22/2026

06/22/2026

𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗡𝗢𝗧 𝗙𝗔𝗜𝗥 - 𝟮 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝟭
It's NOT FAIR! I thought God loved us! We are striving to follow His instructions! Yet, what we live with is persecution, trouble, and being ostracized by the people!
I don’t know if that is how I would react if I was one of these disciples in Thessalonica during these beginning years of the church. How do you wrap your head around this? I would suggest 3 basic concepts.
First, you (if you were one of these disciples) were warned that this was part of what you were signing up for! NOT an easy, comfortable life HERE and NOW. This is the part of discipleship that is often ‘hidden’ from people we study with and new converts. That wasn’t Paul’s approach to generating faithfulness.. Read again:
Second, THIS is the very EXAMPLE that Jesus lived out for us! This is at the heart of the story we tell each Sunday in the fellowship of the Lord’s Supper. BUT, in that there is always the ‘rest of the story’ (as Paul Harvey used to say!). Yes, he was rejected, he suffered, he died on the cross, BUT he was raised and glorified as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Thus, we declare his death UNTIL HE COMES. Paul wrote about this coming and tells us he talked about it while among them at Thessalonica. We must not let the trouble and discouragements of life NOW override our HOPE and EXPECTATIONS to come.
Third, while in our estimation it isn’t fair, Paul assures us that GOD IS JUST. There will come a time of recompense! For us – relief from such persecution (vs. 6). BUT also for affliction, retribution, and eternal destruction (vs. 6, 8, 9) to those who ‘know not God and obey not the Gospel.
Many in the church at Thessalonica WERE living through this and living with hope, faith, and love. They lived with expectation of the return of Jesus and OUR life in the new heaven and earth where there is peace and the experience of the very presence of God. These three basic concepts should be at the heart of our thinking as we struggle through this life. Hugh DeLong

06/19/2026

𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗢𝗻𝗲 𝗔𝗻𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 - 𝟭 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝟱
We begin this last chapter with a reminder that we are living with the foundation of God’s great gift to us and the hope that we have in Jesus. Having warned these young in the faith disciples of the trouble and persecution they would face because of their faith and lifestyle, he reminds them that they are children of God – children of light, children of the day. He uses these phrases that have long been used of the difference between good and evil. Evil has been associated with darkness and night but light and day are tied to goodness.
They became disciples of Jesus on the conviction that He, having been crucified and raised to glory, is the Son of God. In the midst of such persecution that would come, they need to always remember that God has ‘destined them to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ’. OUR response is to now live with Him and for Him.
God, in His wisdom, knew that getting through such difficult times almost always requires strength that we get from others. This requires personal relationships with other disciples who share our convictions and lifestyle. We then are to encourage and build up one another. This is the bond of love. This is the unity of our religious family. One of my favorite passages about this is Ecclesiastes 4:9-12: “ (9) Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. (10) For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. (11) Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? (12) And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can resist him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.
Look around at your brethren you have joined together with. Who among them is struggling? Who can use a friend to help with their load? Who can YOU encourage and build up today? Hugh DeLong

06/18/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱 - 𝟭 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝟰
Paul only stayed a short time in Thessalonica and hence left a fledgling group of disciples in a very ungodly situation. Thessalonica was a rather typical Roman city, and one which had a very loose moral code, and one very far different than God’s.
While many things were permitted and practiced in this city (and across the Empire), Paul could state emphatically:
“ Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;” (1 Thessalonians 4:1-3)
From the beginning, God’s instruction for sexual intimacy has been in a committed one on one relationship, one male and one female, with a complete dedication to being a connected and intertwined unit – the two shall be one. Then Jesus added: “What God has joined together, let man not put asunder.” (Mark 10:9)
Yet from the beginning, men have lived in ‘the lust of concupiscence’ (KJV – just because I enjoy the sound of reading it – ESV = “the passion of lust” – NASB95 = “lustful passions). Lust is desire, but that ‘sexual desire’ is to be restrained and limited to the one spouse. This is not a suggestion! This is God’s WILL. This is the commandment of the Lord. Our society is no different than Roman society in this regard; we (as a society) have rejected God’s will and made our own moral rules. In this regard, our cultural battle as disciples is not far different from that of these first-century disciples in Thessalonica.
The encompassing warning for US as disciples: “Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge.” (Hebrews 13:4)
We are God’s people. We have been set apart from the worldly culture (sanctified). On an individual level, this demands self-control, the reigning of our desires, the changing of our mindset on the relationship within marriage. We are not to be conformed to the cultural moral thinking, but to walk by God’s will. The conclusion of this section: “So, he who rejects this is not rejecting man but the God who gives His Holy Spirit to you.” (vs. 8) Hugh DeLong

06/17/2026

𝗔𝗳𝗳𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗝𝗲𝘀𝘂𝘀 - 𝟭 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗮𝗻𝘀 𝟯
Here in Thessalonians, Paul writes because these new disciples were facing difficult times. Everywhere Paul established disciples, there was a pushback by the community! Remember the story in Acts 17,
Acts 17:5 (5) But the Jews, becoming jealous and taking along some wicked men from the marketplace, formed a mob and set the city in an uproar; and attacking the house of Jason, they were seeking to bring them out to the people.
Then, these new brethren sent Paul and Silas away (for Paul’s safety!). THAT left these young converts to face their community without the leadership of Paul! They had only their memory of what he had been able to instruct them on. This trouble didn’t end for them when Paul left! Hence Paul wrote this letter to them so that no one would be disturbed by these afflictions; for you yourselves know that we have been destined for this. (3:3). He reminded them that “when we were with you, we kept telling you in advance that we were going to suffer affliction; and so it came to pass, as you know.” (3:4).
Such affliction throughout the history of the church as caused some disciples to quit, to abandon their discipleship. Others, enduring the trials, were strengthened and then in turn strengthened others.
As you read this letter, try to put yourself in their place. They had social pressures – idolatry, immorality, pressure to conform to their community, family and even their ‘old ways’. Some caved in, these brethren were holding firm. BUT, how would you have done? How are you DOING today with the pressures you must face in following the teaching of Jesus? Are you being transformed? Or are you being conformed to your past lifestyle? The admonition to each generation of disciples is the same: BE FAITHFUL TO JESUS. Hugh DeLong

06/16/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱 - 𝟭 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘀. 𝟮:𝟭𝟯
“For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
After his conversion, Paul spent the rest of his life preaching about Jesus throughout the Roman Empire. He was confident that the content of his message was the revelation from God and not just his, or any man’s, opinion. Hence, he affirms that his preaching was ‘in truth, the word of God’.
Such assurance was found in the fact that God CONFIRMED such preaching with miraculous signs that were worked through him. Not only did this establish HIS faith and confidence, it also established such faith and confidence in these brethren.
This message, the word of God, is powerful and active – not a ‘dead word’. It is the living God’s word and hence a ‘living word’. It had the power to create faith in those who heard it. YET, not all who heard it received it! God allows men to reject such if they choose! This, being the very message of salvation, all such men will be lost and condemned, not for the rejection itself, but because it is a rejection of the only way of salvation and forgiveness.
THIS is the message that still endures and abides. THIS is the message that we have heard, believed, and are now to be following. Hugh DeLong

06/15/2026

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗱 𝗼𝗳 𝗚𝗼𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝟭 𝗧𝗵𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮
This is more of a study outline than an article. I know most people do not actually look up each scripture but an outline actually shows the material idea quicker and often more digestible. IF you don’t look up each verse, then, since this letter is short, why not read the whole letter each morning? 😊 Hugh
The message: Jesus is the Son of God (1:10), He died for us (5:9-10) was raised from the dead (1:10) and thus saves us from the wrath of God (1:10), and will return to gather us to live with him (4:15-18; 5:9, 23).
· Teaches us how to WALK and please God – 4:1
· These instructions/commandments were given by the authority of the Lord Jesus – 4:2
o And thus are given ‘by the word of the Lord’ – 4:15
· These commandments are the will of God and provide for our sanctification 4:3
· Rejecting these is to reject God – 4:8
· Receiving such was receiving the Word of God and thus receiving GOD – 2:13
· Thus, it is the gospel of God – 2:2, 8, 9; the gospel of Christ 3:2
· Such WORD works in believers – 2:13
o The power of God unto salvation – Rom. 1:16-17
o Produces FAITH – Rom. 10:17
o Able to build up – Acts 20:32
o Able to save – James 1:21
o Is profitable for – 2 Tim. 3:15-17
· The apostles, as exemplified by Paul, KNEW they were sent from God with this inspired and authoritative message. 1:1-2
· This message came not in ‘word only’ but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction – 1:3
o Was confirmed by the miracles & signs – Mark 16:16-20; Heb. 2:3-4; etc.
Is your faith the ‘like precious faith’ of these disciples? Do you believe what they believed? Are you living by the word of the Lord even as they? Hugh DeLong