Convictions of STEEL

Have you ever wished for a super power? As children we sometimes daydreamed about having some of the special powers that we watched in movies and television shows  or read about in comic books. Some of the more impressive ones were strength, speed, intelligence, ability to control nature, etc. One of my favorite fantasy powers was invisibility. Imagine the amazing possibilities if you were invisible!

1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 (MSG) states, "It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. When the Message we preached came to you, it wasn’t just words. Something happened in you. The Holy Spirit put STEEL in your convictions.You paid careful attention to the way we lived among you, and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master."

A really cool special attribute would be the ability to imitate Jesus...the way he loved, the way he lived, his very essence. In Acts 8 (MSG) Simon the Wizard observed Peter and John preaching the Message of Jesus and performing miracles. "When Simon saw that the apostles by merely laying on hands conferred the Spirit, he pulled out his money, excited, and said, “Sell me your secret! Show me how you did that! How much do you want? Name your price!"

from designbolts.com

He was immediately rebuked for trying to purchase the gift of God. He had seen the movies; he had read the comic books; he wanted the special super powers. He wanted to be able to imitate Peter and John in astonishing the people with sorcerer's magic tricks. He should have sought to preach and imitate the Master, Jesus Christ. Only in that way would he have received STEEL in his convictions.