Back in 2014 when I moved from Tennessee back to Kentucky, I took a couple of my blackberry bushes with me and transplanted them at our new home. I planted them there by my chainlink fence in my backyard, and just a year or two later to surprise, I had an entire patch of blackberries. I couldn’t believe how rapidly those things spread. There are some things that you hope don’t spread, but there are other things that you hope spread, like my blackberries. Man, they were so good!

In 2 Thessalonians 3:1, we see another thing that we should hope spreads. Apostle Paul says, “Finally, brothers, pray for us that the word of the Lord will spread rapidly and be glorified, just as it did also with you.” What exactly is Paul talking about here? What is the word of the Lord? Well, that’s the Bible in general, the truth of God, but I think Paul particularly has in mind the gospel of Jesus Christ. The truth that Jesus lived the life of sinlessness we have not and cannot live, died the death on the cross that we deserved, rose again from the dead three days later, and is now offering, calling, even commanding, all sinners to repent and believe on Him for their forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation.

Apostle Paul says that we need to pray this spreads like crazy. And almost 2,000 years later, it certainly has, but we need to spread it some more. And people need to receive it so that life sprouts up in them and produces much fruit.

Even now, I’m spreading the word of the Lord to you. Beloved, if you are listening and Jesus is not your Savior and Lord, He needs to be. You need Him to be. More than the air you are breathing, you need your sins forgiven because if you don’t, you will face a never-ending death in Hell, completely apart from the goodness of God. But if you turn from your sins and trust in Jesus, you will be forgiven of your sins and have life in Heaven everlasting.

This is the gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. I pray you’ll receive and then spread it on as well. Yes, indeed, would that the word of the Lord spread faster than my blackberries did!

Change begins in you!