You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit

 Good morning. So what was the Thessalonians’ response as Paul and Silas preached the gospel in power and the Holy Spirit with full conviction? You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia. How would you like for your life to be such an example that people would want to imitate you? With the Jews starting a riot about Paul and Silas‘ preaching, it would’ve been very easy for the Thessalonians to say, “forget about it - if we believe what you say, the same thing could happen to us”. Instead, despite the tribulation, they received it with the joy of the Holy Spirit. In fact, the gospel so changed their lives, that they became an example to everyone in the region. Can people say that about us? Father, no matter what we have to go through, help us to live our lives as an example to others so that they will also want to become Christians.

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