When we're broken in the right places, the light of God shines out of our lives, the knowledge of Christ permeates the atmosphere like a perfume, those hungry for truth are fed, and lives are changed because of the sacrifice of Jesus.

Paul fought some spiritual battles for the Thessalonian believers, but he was confident he would stand with joy before Jesus at His return.

If we want to be effective in changing the world around us, we need to be broken in the right places - our wills, our pride, and our hearts.

When Paul's ministry and motives were being attacked, the perfect defense was to point out the way he lived his life. The people of Thessalonica knew Paul's character and actions; therefore, they knew the accusations were not credible.

Many people struggle with believing in God because they can't reconcile a God that is good and all-powerful, yet allows evil to remain in existence. However, the problem of evil is an even greater dilemma for those who don't believe in God.

In Paul's commendation to the Thessalonian church, we see that the believers in Thessalonica turned from idols to serve God and they were waiting for Jesus' return.