“Perfecting What’s Lacking”

I Thessalonians 3:7-13

7) Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:

8) For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

9) For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;

10) Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

11) Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

12) And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

13) To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

M

any are instructed improperly and taught things unbecoming to the people of God. Therefore, it often becomes necessary to perfect the things of Christ which are lacking in the life of the individual.

The controversial Bible truth is indicated in our subject today—that of “perfection.” Actually, this should be obvious since God is perfect. Since He is, should He not expect the same from those belonging to Him? Therefore it is only logical that anything belong to Him which is not perfect, be made so.

Generally, the excuse used by those not wanting to perfect themselves is that they don’t believe that they, nor anyone else, can be “flawless.” Scripture does not give flawlessness as the definition of perfection, but rather, sinlessness. Since scripture requires sinlessness, then it must be attainable.

Why are we confronted with so many trials and tests? Once again, because we must be perfected and only the Lord knows what must be done with us as individuals to be perfected. Without tests and trials, we would not learn how to operate in a body of flesh and yet remain sinless.

Our spiritual education is seriously hampered by our habit of “drawing the line” as to how much we are willing to do or endure for the Lord. We will never be able to escape the fact that in order to be made a perfect specimen of the Holy Ghost before God, we can skip to test. For the value of nothing is proven unless it stands the test.

We are perfected as we learn to operate in the faith of God. We then cause others to be strengthened. What makes us ever think that we can get out of a situation and stop trusting God? All we need to know is that someone will see us and be affected. In like manner, those watching us need to see us endure a test more than once, not because we didn’t pass it initially, but because in seeing us victorious, again, they are strengthened in what God can do. We cannot emphasize strongly enough that the people of God will be greatly encouraged by viewing tests as a means of God’s preparation, rather than torture.

Many desires to be used of God, but there is a high market value placed on “pure gold”—the only precious metal that God employs. Those who represent the Lord will be examples of those who are willing to stand up and learn what God requires—as well as seeing its necessity.

We know from where we’ve come and what it took to draw us out. Consequently, we can appreciate not wanting to return. That appreciation and determination should be evident to others and make us willing to be visible to those not yet dedicated to Him. All of your old running buddies, all of your partners in sin need to see you saved. Then, they can do nothing but acknowledge that if God can save you, He can save them also.

Some of us are severely lacking not only in our praise, but in our willingness to praise. Funny thing is, if this is lacking, it is only perfected by practice. We really have no choice but to offer thanks and adoration to the Lord, for not only does He deserve it, we owe Him, as well.

If you intend to be more than a “weight” in the ministry of God, but have yet to prove it, why not try submitting yourself? The sooner you do it, the sooner you can be used.

To be perfected in what’s lacking, we must learn to be still. When we emerge, we will have unequaled victory. When, we are loosed, we will have unequaled joy. When we come out, we will be unstoppable!