Final Instructions

FINAL Instruction from 1 Thess. 5:12-28

The message today is a simple one. No controversies. Not a lot of deep theology. There are no metaphors, idiomatic expressions, hidden meanings, or parables. Paul is giving his last instructions—which really is not his last as he writes one more letter to these people. But, for today, let’s look and see how this passage works itself out into our day-to-day lives.

First, it will affect you. Paul is asking and urging us to do something that he feels is important to the life of the Church. He is very clear about what to do.

Secondly, this passage will most likely stay with you for a long while. Not because of my superior preaching. It is going to stay around in your hearts because this is God’s Words! His Word will not return empty. Many of us today are here today because the Word of God started to work in our lives a long time ago. We now, when we look back, we can see how His Word had entered our very hearts and caused us to be alive in Jesus. His Word alive in us!

Paul asked these Believers to respect and honor those people who are teaching them—who are over them in the Church. These people work hard on your behalf. Because of that, they are targets of many attacks from the Evil One. Whoever they are, those people who have taught you, lead a Bible Study, prayed over you, these people are to get your respect. Those who were given this responsibility from the Lord have guided and encouraged you to stay obedient to the Lord. So, overwhelm them with your appreciation and with your love. Have fun doing it! As in giving with a cheerful heart—show your love without holding back.

Here comes a hard one for some: Live at peace with each other. Some feel it is their role in life to be difficult. To be nasty and mean to people. To be brutality honest no matter who gets hurt. Can’t live at peace with that kind of mindset. To live at peace with others does not mean being a weak person or a ‘YES man!’ It takes courage and power from the Lord. We all know of people who are hard to be with. Some here are married to them! Sometimes we get a feeling of wanting to hurt someone. We feel we must because something happened and our feelings were hurt. Paul says to us all: never you mind. Get that right. Be at peace with each other means that you too are at peace with God and yourself. How is that possible? Forgive them. Then you will be forgiven!

Paul moves from asking to urging his friends. A deeper, more involved action. This means so much to Paul! We are to warn the freeloaders or idle people to get moving! We all are part of the Body and we all need to be functioning in a healthy manner. Those who are idle take time away from our work in the Gospel. An idle person becomes the devil’s work area. Busy hands are good: idle hands produce discord.

We are to gently encourage those who are struggling to keep up. To reach out to those who are wiped out-exhausted and get them upright once again. It might be to hire a person—if it is your place to do that—in order to get them productive once again. Everyone needs encouragement! How did it go last week? Did you encourage someone? No? Why not? Did you forget? Did you think it was silly? Paul urges us to encourage people we are around. It is good practice to do so.

We need to be patient with people. (Now Paul is meddling!) Just let me alone, we might say. But Paul, and the Holy Spirit of God wants to bless us with an active Christian Faith. A Faith that helps encourage people to enjoy His Grace and Love.

We are not to pay back evil for evil. We are not to get even. Give that notion up! We are to be careful not to get on people’s nerves. It is easy to snap at each other. We see cats do that. We need to always look for the best in each other and it is our role in the Body of Christ to actively do our best to bring that out in others. Try to be kind. Try and keep at it!

Next comes Paul’s list. Short sentences yet powerful and life changing. Be joyful. Be cheerful-no matter what. Count it all joy—even when you enter hard times and temptation. Let’s be real, OK? Is this possible? It is when our hearts are in the right place. If we are looking into our own hearts for satisfaction, no, it will not be there. If we are looking at following the Heart of Christ, yes, it is possible—even to the point of becoming a different person once this sets into our reality!

We are to pray at all times. Even now, I would appreciate your prayers as our translator and I deliver this message. Asking God to help us understand the Word of God, to be able to speak the Word of God in an understandable manner. That people’s hearts would be touched and we, ourselves, would be different as the Word of God takes root in us.

We are to thank God at all times. Give thanks for things that come your way. The waitress gives you a glass of water: thank her. Your wife fixed dinner; thank her and then help clean up after dinner.

This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ to behave and live!

Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire. When I was a teenager, I had given my life to Jesus. While working at a church near my home, an older man—who was known as a fine Christian man—said to me, “You are excited now but wait a few years, you’ll come to understand. Your joy will leave ‘cause life is hard and your life is not all fun and games. When you get older, you’ll see.” What, to be as crusty as you? No thank you, very much! I like being joyful in Jesus ‘cause He has given me life! What else am I to do?

That old man tried to put out the Spirit’s fire in me. I am glad to say he did not succeed, but how many others are discouraged when older Believers dampen their zeal for the Lord. Careful.

We are to listen to the people who speak the Words of God but we are not to be gullible. Check what they say with the Word of God. Test the spirit, as it were. He says this but the Word say something else. Reject what that man says because of the Word of God is true. Hold on to the good and throw out anything tainted with evil. Anything, no matter the cost.

Paul asks us to pray for them. Pray for the door of opportunity to stay open. That hearts would be changed because of the Power of God in their lives. Pray all the time. Under any circumstances, keep your heart in the right place so that you can pray. Keeping yourself pure from the evil around you is your job. Say in turn with what the Lord is showing you. Ask Him for continued guidance. Pray for others direction as well.

You can keep those prayers going to the Father’s heart by staying close to Him. By keeping yourself pure. Throw out anything in your life that is tainted with evil. Anything.

Now comes the end of his instruction, but wait, there is more still. He almost ends this letter but first he gets really caught up in seeing just Who his Father is. He asked God Himself, who makes everything holy and full, to make us holy and full. Paul knows that his Father is completely dependable. If God said it, God will do it! That is a good reminder.

Look at what Paul prays for these people:

May God Himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Then, Paul gets personal. Not a problem, but we are to be genuine with one another. Embrace each other with a Holy embrace. Give a holy kiss. Not something sexual. Not with lust in the heart…but part of the purity we have in Christ.

Then, Paul ends his letter once again as I will end. God’s Grace be with you who love the Lord Jesus Christ.

AMEN.

Sons and Daughter of the Light

First Thess 5:1-11

^1-3 I don't think, friends, that I need to deal with the question of when all this is going to happen. You know as well as I that the day of the Master's coming can't be posted on our calendars. He won't call ahead and make an appointment any more than a burglar would. About the time everybody's walking around complacently, congratulating each other—"We've sure got it made! Now we can take it easy!"—suddenly everything will fall apart. It's going to come as suddenly and inescapably as birth pangs to a pregnant woman.

^4-8 But friends, you're not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? You're sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. So let's not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let's keep our eyes open and be smart. People sleep at night and get drunk at night. But not us! Since we're creatures of Day, let's act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvation.

^9-11 God didn't set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. He died for us, a death that triggered life. Whether we're awake with the living or asleep with the dead, we're alive with him! So speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope so you'll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind. I know you're already doing this; just keep on doing it. - From the Message.

Verses 1-4 are dealing with what we spoke of last week. Jesus will return as a thief in the night—we are to be unaware of when but HE WILL COME. Some will say “Peace and safety” and that becomes their mantra. While there may be some peace and safety in life, the general trend will be bad to really bad. There will be a growing evilness in society and within the Church people will ‘fall away’ from the Faith. Evil will increase and the hearts of many will grow cold. Don’t go there.

Let this be a gentle warning to family members. Do you have issues with a family member; deal with it now, as unto the Lord. Forgive; let there be restoration. Do not let your heart continue to grow cold toward them. If there is a member of this Fellowship with whom you have a broken relationship, I plead with you, in the Name of Jesus, deal with it. Seek out help. Don’t let the sun go down on another day without dealing with this attitude. Because there is an issue of pain or hurt or dislike in your heart, it will hurt you, for GOD WILL NOT ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS. By the authority of our Lord & Savior, be reconciled, in Jesus Name.

The Word of God is clear, isn’t it? The forgiven will be lifted up. Those who are in pain and those who in conflict will be comforted. Come to Him for rest. Come to Him even for the will do deal with the problems of life. He can help. He can heal. He is the only One who can. His relationship with you is that important. His Name is on you and you and I need to walk as Children of God. A broken relationship hurts His heart deeply. He will return and He MUST find a Bride—you and me—who is clean from interpersonal conflict. A Bride who is pure. Get ready: He is coming. Don’t know when but don’t feel it will be pushed aside and forgotten. All will be revealed at that time.

New theme: SONS OF THE LIGHT. Much to say about LIGHT and darkness. One has the blessings of God/the other does not. When on is in the LIGHT, they walk differently. They think differently. They are different because the LIGHT is in them. This LIGHT is more than a clean conscience. More than good feelings. More than being good…or kind…or doing what is right. This LIGHT is the Holy SPIRIT. This LIGHT is a relationship based on the action Jesus did on the Cross. His death on the Cross opened the door of Heaven so that we could be forgiven. It is the most important fact that ever was revealed.

5 You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

So We have a name. Sons of the light. What does that mean and what does that entitle us to do or be? First of all, the term looks like it comes right out of the Gospel of John and later 1st John. He deals a great deal with the word LIGHT.

Shall we look at a few areas of LIGHT, according to John? 16 times in his Gospel, this word is used. Light of me, light shines in the darkness, testify concerning the light, witness to the light, true light that gives light to every man, Light has come, men love darkness instead of light, evil hates the light…and that is only from Chapters 1-3!

Jesus Himself said in John 8:12: “I am the light of the world, Whoever follows Me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

John 9:5 “While I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

John 11:10 “It is when he walks by night that he stubbles, for he has no light.”

John 12:35 “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going.”

Then Jesus talking about Himself in John 12:36 and 46 “Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” “I have come into the world as a light, so that no one who believes in me should stay in darkness.”

See what He is getting at? There are two camps. One camp is in the LIGHT and the other camp is in Darkness. Light and darkness. No middle ground. No place for a fence sitter. You either are one or the other. To become a Son and Daughter of the Light, you need Faith. You can move from the dark camp to the Light camp through Faith in the Light. To walk in the Light is being obedient to the Call of God on your life.

In First John, John speaks of Light five times. 1 John 1:5; 1:7; 2:8~10.

•God is light.

•if we walk in the light, as He is in the Light.

•the true Light is already shining.

•Anyone who claims to be in the Light but hates his brother is still in darkness.

•Whoever loves his brother lives in the Light.

These are not just nice words or a suggestion from John. It is much more than that! He means it! You can’t really love God and have hate in your heart for one of God’s Children. Any of His Children. Esp. when they are part of the Body of Christ!

6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

Alert and self-controlled. Two action words that take some practice. If you were guarding a bank filled with Gold bullion and Diamonds, you would need to show some alertness. Not only with being awake but also with the proper tools of the trade. What kind of guns would you have?

How do we develop such alertness in the Spirit-life? One, read in the Word of God as often as you can. Not just a Daily Bread devotion once a day—that being a good source. By developing the Mind of Christ.

In 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 14 The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man's judgment: 16 "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Also in Paul’s letter to the church at Rome, St. Paul teaches believers access the mind of Christ through offering ourselves to God as a living sacrifice. He says very practically, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:1~2).

(1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for Him. Don't become so well adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what He wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you. From the Message)

The New Living Translation has it this way: “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.”

THERE IS A VERY BIG DECISION involved over which we have some measure of power, although enabled by HIS Grace. The practical and personal question is: will I align my thoughts and beliefs with the messages coming to me from this world, or will I align my thoughts and beliefs with what God says is true?

Another example. In his letter to the Philippians Paul says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5, KJV).

5 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: NIV.

He then describes what that would mean: that He humbled himself, that He poured out His life in love, that He became a servant to even to the people who wanted Him dead. Apparently having the mind of Christ involves not only what goes on between my ears, but also what I do with my hands and feet and mouth toward others. This is not the way people act that lives in the darkness, BUT IT IS THE WAY PEOPLE LIVE WHO LIVE IN THE SON…IN THE LIGHT OF JESUS!

The idea is not just found in Paul’s letters. In His final words to His disciples Jesus says, “Everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (John 15:15).

Walk as Children of the Light. BE Sons & Daughters of the JESUS!

putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

This is the practical side of the Walk of Faith. An activeness of putting on Faith and love as one would put on armor before a battle. Dressed up in Faith, love and the hope of salvation. A breastplate-for frontal attacks; a head covering of Hope-the mind we spoke of before—of Salvation. The heart is protected and the mind as well. Be aware of the attacks of the evil One. Watch your heart and watch your mind.

So, we need to realize that He dies for us to live a better way: His Way, so that we may live together with Him. We are to encourage one another and build each other up so that no one is left behind. Young and old, strong in the Lord and those who are weak. All are to be encouraged and grow closer to Him. Are you doing that with each other? We need to be!

"How Can I Please You, Father?"

Please read 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12 8/29/10.

Living to Please God.

For as long as I have been in the ministry, since age 15, I have been asked by so many people: “What is God’s Will for my life?” I have even asked myself the same question!

Interestingly enough, that question comes from all ages, from both males and females. Young believers and older. In this country and in my home country. Everyone wants to know God’s will. The catch is: few want to really do what His Will is. Everyone wants to be told what to do but very few really want to follow that advise. Why? Because, we feel, we know best what is good for us!

"Don’t try to give me the facts; my mind is made up with my own thoughts and understandings. I don’t like being told what to do! I am my own person!"

Strong feelings here!

God’s Will! & Seems so dark and mysterious. So unknowing. Right? Not really. The Bible shows us so clearly the general rule of thumb as to what His Will is for us who follow Him &and for those who need to follow Him.

Here it is: Be His person and Think His Thoughts. Feel His feelings. Hurt when He hurts. Have your heart be moved as His heart is moved. Enjoy His presence in your life. Allow His Spirit to move you, teach you, lead you and keep you.

We are all concerned with the details of an agreement. The fine print is very interesting to read. Yet, ever look at the printed warning sections to some of the medicines we take? Or if you use the intranet, the fine print of YouTube or I Tunes? No, we just press ‘agree’ and move on.

But in life, it is way different. We want every 'T' crossed, every 'ga' marked. We want every day -every year- filled in and so the question I am asking is “Where is the Faith in that kind of living?” We really don’t NEED to know EVERYTHING. If we did, we would be so afraid. We would just stay in our beds!

However, Paul, here in this letter, spells it out very simply for us. God’s will is for you to live a life that is sanctified. In fact, we are living that way right now.

RIGHT? Not really. The people in that city might have been living that way but that was written a long time ago and they are all dead now. Paul had already instructed them how to live their lives in order to please God. (verse 1) Now, he adds, "we now ask you, URGE you IN THE LORD JESUS to do this AND more and more."

What is he asking? He is asking them (and us) to be more diligent in how we live out our days. If we loved people on Sat, we must REALLY love them today. MORE and MORE.

Also we must be more and more sanctified. What does that mean? Sanctify 1. to make something holy. 2. to free somebody from sin, for example, by a ritual act of purification. 3. To separate from an evil way to a way of purity. As in a marriage, the couples NEED to be at peace with each other because of the oath or vow they made to one another. To be set apart to be one. Let no man pull it asunder.

In this case, to be set apart from the evil society with it’s world-view which is 10,000 degrees off from where the Lord would have us be. Set apart TO Jesus. He owns us now. No longer can we live our lives as we where the boss. We both NEED Him and we should desire that needing. If it is not there, it should be a warning that all is not well with our soul. Not well and in need or some direct repair from His Hand.

Paul affirms that these words of instruction are not just from his lips he does teach it but it is by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

See verse 2, & verse 8.

2. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

8. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you His Holy Spirit.

Don t like this kind of teaching, don’t get mad at me! I am just teaching what Paul taught. Don’t be mad at Paul: he was only telling us what God told him!

And, here are some of those instructions: we should avoid sexual immorality! That we should control our OWN body-in a holy and honorable way, not in pagan or heathen ways. Don t reject these instructions.

One at a time: #1. AVOID SEXUAL IMMORALITY.

This comes in many and different ways. Sex and sexual imagery is rampant. It is used for selling coffee, to old cars, to meat to even Mangas. The problem of being desensitized to the problem even comes to rest in this room with what we allow into our own lives. Centers of learning have taken the forward step as to mold our students into a mindset where all is OK.

Tolerance is the name of the game. Our authority becomes our own thirst for lust. Standards change over time and after a few years, what used to be NOT spoken of in private, is now being shown on a 40 inch HD screen and it is supported by the society’s standards which always change.

A moral compass is missing. What’s the point of a moral compass if there is no True North? I believe there is a True North. One would say this is OK to allow while another would go even further and offer the sky as the limit. Who is to say who is right and who is wrong? The one with the biggest support? The one who is cute? The person who can say it in five languages? Or the lady who gives away $100,000,000 every forth Tuesday? There HAS to be someone who is in charge and who is right! I’d say that would be Jesus. But some would disagree! Still the fact remains that Jesus is The Authority. The sole authority-or should I say soul authority?

Jesus transcends culture. He transcends time. Economic status and color and personalities. He is above them all!

The Bible sets up the standard. Paul and others in the New Testament time taught His teachings. They continue today and the questions still come up.

2. Don’t reject these instructions.

If you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ and He is your Lord than your life is not your own to live out. It matters what you say and how you say it! It matters what you do with your body and with your mind & eyes. It belongs to Jesus and you need to put it under His control. That means that any form of sexual misconduct is wrong. Don’t be mad at me!

1 Thess. 4:8 says he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you His Holy Spirit.

You know, God is most interested and concerned with how we walk the Christian walk. He came to us (incarnation) not just to make us God s children and to get us into heaven, but also to engage us to live as Children of God in a dark and perverted world as people who walk in the Light. In this world, there are many who do not know Him. By our walking in the light as He is in the Light, the world will know He lives and that He restores broken people like us and like them.

How is that done? Paul seems to feel that those people in Thess. already know. Do we know? By loving one another. And to love more and more.

1 Thess 4:18 Therefore, encourage each other with these words!

3. That we should control our OWN body-in a holy and honorable way &not in pagan or heathen ways.

Now this is the most active concern of them all for Paul. The society Paul was addressing was as active in sin as we are today. We got the Internet and world travel added to our list of ways to exploit people. When it comes down to it, YOU are to watch after yourself. You are the one who will be judged and you alone are in trouble IF you have not controlled your body. Paul, in effect, is declaring; control our tongue, your attitude, your words, your temper, your lust, and your expressions of the heart. And in doing so, we are to follow 3 or 4 more directives, which is found in verses 11-12.

11 Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business and to work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

Don‘t be a loud person. Rom 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. Keep your nose out of people's business! Don’t be a busy body. Be active in the support of yourself and your family. Don t have a lot of idle time. Work with your body and mind. Work with your hands does not mean only be involved in manual labor. It means if you expect to eat, work. No free lunches.

The reason for this kind of lifestyle is clear. As people watch your life and they do and they will your daily life may win the respect of those outside the Faith. We are not to be dependent on anyone. We live interdependently with the Body but, again, not trying for a free handout.

So, what to do with this information? Number One: Take it seriously. Don't mess around with sin. Keep yourself PURE before the Lord. Seek out a clean and unsoiled mind. Be active in keeping yourself set apart to the Lord.

Sanctified. Set apart. No longer part of the old way of life. No longer addressing issues with the old mindset but now, with the renewing of the mind, pressing on to be more and more like Jesus. Allowing Him enter into the inner parts of our lives. In the inner parts of our homes. Into the inner most parts of our relationships. Then you will be living a life that is pleasing to the Lord.

__Next week is the FIRST SUNDAY in SEPTEMBER__

That means COMMUNION SUNDAY!

You are our Glory and JOY!

Paul was glad for these people!

What do you find joy in?

Is it worthy of joy? Is it a passing feeling or a strong reality in your life?

Can you lose your JOY? Who takes it away from you.

• John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

Romans 15: 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 16:33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family. Paul saw JOY as families came to KNOW Jesus!

• • John 15:10 If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father's commands and remain in His love. 11 I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Luke 8:12-15 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.

There is real joy in that kind of life! Growing never felt so right!

Be the right seed on the truth of the Gospel.

Allow His Word to take root in you!

Strengthen and Encourage you in your Faith from v2

How can you be Strengthened? What goes into such an event? Can you tell us when you have been strengthened in the Faith? Was it a time of testing? Hardship? Of being alone or were you with others? How did you feel AFTER the event? Tired? Worn out? Defeated? Questioning? Were you feeling alone? With retrospection or hindsight, were you aware of the growth going on? Maybe not. But now? Yes, you can see His Hand in your life. Moving you—strengthening you all along the way.

Through hard times/pain/joy/disappointment/silence/etc.Bible reading

How can you be Encouraged? What does that look like? What goes into being such a person? Last year, we spoke about maybe having the Spiritual gift of encouragement. Who among you have such a gift? How did knowing that help you this past year? Do you ever wonder if others have this gift and use it to the Glory of God, what would happen to the Church in Japan? Get out and encourage each other in the Lord. Via Prayer/words of comfort, visit, reading the Word of God-allowing it to take over our hearts.

Home work: Take some time today and or Monday and ask these questions and search for an answer. Don’t wait until Tuesday—it will not happen! Be practical! Call, write, double-up with a friend.

Q: How can you be THAT for others? Why do we feel it is only a one-way street? Why can’t we Strengthen others? What is holding us back from being an Encouragement to others? What needs to change in our thinking? Is our God too small? Can He not work in us to be an Encourager for others? To Strengthen them in the Faith? A: YES!

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“We were encouraged about you because of your Faith”

Send a letter to someone this week who has encouraged your Faith. Let them know of how thankful you are for their working in your life, for that word of encouragement that pushed you to excellence; that moved you to a deeper faith. For being that example of how a Believer should walk. Send it soon or it will not happen. Could be email, letter, phone call, FAX, face to face, but thank them. Give it some thought!

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Paul was overjoyed because of what the Lord was doing in the lives of the people of this church. If he’d come to our church, how would he feel about us? Mixed response, maybe? Maybe for others but not too happy about my faith? Again, what is holding you back from being a Faithful follower of the Lord and to have our Faith strengthened? Are we afraid of what the Lord will call us to do—to be? Has He driven you into places that was harmful for you in the past? Is that in His Nature? Just what do we believe about Him? Is He distant? Is He able to see us? Blind? Able to know what we are thinking and doing? Do we feel His ways are way too hard for us to follow? Too deep that we could never be good enough for Him to be pleased with our life?

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If that is how you live out your Christian life, I feel sorry for you. That is not the way we should live. We are Children of Creator God. We have been brought into the Family of God—not by our good actions but by the Blood of Jesus. His payment on the Cross-not only provided us with a way to know Him, it guarantees His love and forgiveness. If we feel we need to DO more, than we re-crucify Jesus again on the Cross. He has set us free/be free!

••Yet, Paul was deeply concerned—how human he is! The man who wrote great trust passages still worried and was concerned. I (& YOU) have something in common with Paul! He’s not perfect!

May our God…clear the way so we can come to you.

May the Lord...make your LOVE increase and OVERFLOW. Rom 15:13

May He strengthen your hearts—to be Blameless and Holy when He returns. Get ready now for His return. Get right with Him NOW!

"More on the Knowing..." 1 Thess 2:1-16

When we face issues in life in light of the impact of the Word, what is our usual response? Is it one of obedience or reading the small print looking for a way out? Do we doubt that we can really live the way the Bible teaches us? Do we feel we are not worthy of this task—of this life and therefore, may tend to soften the message a little to fit our life style? Maybe if I were more spiritual, then it would work for me. But I know I am not spiritual—would like to be—but not me. I am more of a sinner today than I ever was! I am more fallen today than I ever had been.

Is that true? Is that the way the Lord has called us to be? I think not!

As Paul remembers his time with these people, [and he knows human nature,] he was encouraged to learn of their spiritual growth. He was really excited to hear of their turning to God from idols: that they serve the Living God. This was big! Very big, indeed! People evey where lived far from God’s plan for their lives. Very few knew of the God of the Bible. And more and more non-Jewish people—without a Biblical background—were coming to know this Savior. Their lifestyle would be so changed from what they used to live. Way different. The whole society was pagan. Not just non-Jewish, it was really wild. Open sin in the streets. A completely corrupted society. Evil in every form was everywhere! The political leaders were corrupt. The religious leaders were corrupt. The man on the street was corrupt. The women at the market were corrupt. The kids at play were dishonest. There just was not a person anywhere in this society that was not corrupt. And in the middle of this wild and depraved society, a Church was born. Church leaders were found and the Church grew to please God in every way!

And as we read from Chapter 2, Paul sees that his work among them was not a failure. Look at what he wrote: ² So, friends, it's obvious that our visit to you was no waste of time. Let’s look back to Acts 17:1-9 to find out about his visit.

We see that he was only there for a total of three Sabbaths: three weeks. He spent most of his time teaching at the synagogue. And what was he teaching? From verse 2-3: “… he reasoned with them from the Scriptures, explaining and proving that the Christ had to suffer and rise from the dead. "This Jesus I am proclaiming to you is the Christ," he said. It was the simple Gospel!

How was this received? Rather well, given what would happen soon there after. Verse 4 Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and not a few prominent women.

From this, we can gather that many more non-Jews followed and converted to the Faith as Paul stated, as we saw last week, 1:9-10 9 … They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Many of this new church were, to say the obvious, not of a Godly background. They worshiped idols. And as we saw last week, there was a transformation of their life that showed them as different, 1,000% different.

What does this mean? Paul saw that they NOW lived a life that matched the teaching of God. What his message was during his short time with them stayed with them and grew. It was not a waste of time for Paul. It was growing. People all over the place knew of their changed life … their transformed life was well noted. Transformed by The Word!

And certainly unlike the conduct of the people of Philippi, where they spent some painful time in a jail—after being beaten, and then cared for by the jailer who came to Faith in Jesus. Talk about a transformed life! He might have been the one who beat Paul and Silas! (Reference to the killings of aid workers in Afghanistan. See YouTube short clip under Pastor Charles Beckett's daughter Cheryl Beckett .

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“Pray for those who harm you…”

I believe that those new believers back in the early years of the Christian Faith, are very much like us in 2010. I believe the same could be said of us as we look at what our God has done in our lives. Sure there are times were we fail. There are times when we doubt. When we even fall away into sin! But we need to look at how Paul looked after them as see if the Spirit of God is very much like that today.

Verse 7-8 7 but we were gentle among you, like a mother caring for her little children. 8 We loved you so much that we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well, because you had become so dear to us.

And then again, a family picture: Verse 11-12 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into His kingdom and glory.

Paul is very much impressed in how these Believers held up during hard times. We need to do the same during our hard times—and I do not believe really hard times are here yet. (One promise Jesus makes to us that does not get a lot of press is this: We will be persecuted.)

· 1 Thessalonians 3:4 In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.

• 2 Timothy 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, • So be ready! He will be there with you—don’t fear! He is near!

To close, let’s look at this whole issue of hard times. What does the Bible say about when things fall apart around us? What is our response to be? We will need to look at 2 Cor 4:8-10 to learn more!

First, Paul was hard pressed on every side, but not crushed. The verb hard pressed means "to press in hard against" someone, or, as we say today, to squeeze the life out of a person, while the term “not crushed” indicates that the pressure never got to the point where there was no escape or way out. As in, squeezed by a snake…

Second, he was also perplexed but not in despair. There is a play on words here. To be aporoumenoi or perplexed is to be at a loss how to act, while to be exaporoumenoi or despair is to be utterly at a loss (i.e., in extreme despair). Although Paul may have been at a loss about how to move on, he never--as we say--went off the deep end.

Third, Paul was persecuted but not abandoned. The verb means "to pursue" and is commonly used of tracking a prey or enemy. Paul was pursued from city to city by hostile Jews. But through it all, God never abandoned him. The idea here is that God did not leave Paul behind for the enemy to pick up.

Finally, he was struck down by the enemy but not destroyed. Paul was not only pursued by hostile Jews, but when they caught up with him, they stirred up trouble whenever they could. He may also be thinking of the time he was stoned at Lystra and left outside the city for dead. Yet he lived.

Hard pressed, perplexed, persecuted and struck down . Do you ever feel that way? Join the Club. Paul did too. These words are summed up in the clause we always carry around in our body; that is the death of Jesus. “The death of Jesus” is actually an expression that stresses the ongoing nature of the process; the transforming process. We are being renewed! We are not yet what we will be but we are pretty far from what we used to be—by the Grace of God!

When we think of the "dying" of Jesus, we tend to think of the Cross. And it is this Cross we turn to now with a thankful heart for what He had done there. He took our punishment on Himself so we would be set free—that is how much He loves you. His life for yours. Freely given/freely offered. Yours now for the asking.

It is a matter again of knowing and in this case, it is the knowing of our Lord—alive in our lives or making His Will known to us, by His Grace. Undeserving Grace. Dumped on us to bring Him Glory so that our sins are forgiven. To the Glory of God, Amen!