1 Thessalonians 1:7,8 - Your faith has become known eveywhere

1:7

Paul and his companions had been a model for the Thessalonians. The Thessalonians in turn became a model for all the believers in the region of Macedonia and Achaia. So we see again the power of the Holy Spirit. We need to be so much more Spirit led and Spirit empowered, and to be relying on Him to change people’s hearts.

1:8

The effect of the gospel among the Thessalonians became known over a wide area. As an aside, it says “become known everywhere”, clearly this did not mean literally everywhere. So called literal readings of the Bible can at times be illiterate.Everything needs to be read in context and with a modicum of common sense. There was no need for boasting on Paul’s part, no need to talk things up beyond where they were.No need to exaggerate! We need to have a greater confidence in the power of the gospel and the word of God and the Holy Spirit. It is so easy to become disheartened when our society becomes ever more secular, or we can fall into relying on gimmicks (we won’t call them that, but we will be relying on something other than God to bring about results).