A Changing Church

Life is not the same today as it was yesterday or the day before. When we consider the struggles we faced in the past, some have remained the same, their persistent nature being the struggle, while others are gone and replaced with something new. Sin, the curse, the devil, they have more than one tool in their arsenal with which to attack the church. How are we to survive, let alone thrive, in these ever-changing conditions? Where can we find solid ground upon which to stand? As we begin the second letter of Paul to the Thessalonians, we can see that the church has changed. Even as the persecution they face has increased, and there are false teachers seeking to lead them astray, the church has grown. Their faith has flourished, their love increased, and their hope persisted. How? In the midst of all the changes, the "grace and peace of God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ" remains unchanged. God's grace and peace toward us is the solid ground upon which we stand. Come what may.