Living to Please God
1 Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
9 Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.
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.
The Coming of the Lord
13 Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. 14 We believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord's own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage each other with these words.
I think the most practical verses here are verses 11 and 12. It tells the reader to live a quiet life and mind your own business so anyone watching how you live might learn to respect you. I think often Christians feel that they have to always be telling others about Jesus. Evangelism does has it's place, but according to these verses you have just as great of an impact by just being quiet and making sure you are living in an upstanding way. I do think how we live our lives daily says a lot about who we are. I try to be consistent in how I live. I try to be caring and giving. I really do try to take a genuine interest in everyone that I come across. I hope that I am approachable and pray the way I live my life will lead others to Christ. I do not want to be guilty of saying one thing while doing the opposite.
Great verses!
Saturday, September 8, 2007
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Encouragement, 1 Thessalonians 3
1 So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and God's fellow worker in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3 so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. 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. 5 For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent Timothy to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter might have tempted you and our efforts might have been useless.
Timothy's Encouraging Report
6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
Really what stands out here to me is how much we love to receive encouraging news about someone else who has struggled. At times this news can breathe fresh life into us. If you read most of Paul's letters he is constantly validating other people and he often reminds them that he is praying for them and that he is encouraged by them.
Paul often mentions that he is being persecuted or in some type of pain, but he is never a burden to other people.
I encourage you to validate someone within the next 24 hours whether it be a face to face encounter or even better go out of your way and contact someone you have not talked to for a while.
Timothy's Encouraging Report
6 But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you. 7 Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. 8 For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 9 How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you? 10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.
11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. 12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 13 May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.
Really what stands out here to me is how much we love to receive encouraging news about someone else who has struggled. At times this news can breathe fresh life into us. If you read most of Paul's letters he is constantly validating other people and he often reminds them that he is praying for them and that he is encouraged by them.
Paul often mentions that he is being persecuted or in some type of pain, but he is never a burden to other people.
I encourage you to validate someone within the next 24 hours whether it be a face to face encounter or even better go out of your way and contact someone you have not talked to for a while.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Holy, Righteous and Blameless, 1 Thessalonians 2
Paul's Ministry in Thessalonica
1 You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2 We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 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. 9 Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 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.
13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
Paul's Longing to See the Thessalonians
17 But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us. 19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
I think I am impacted the most by verse 10 when Paul says he lived a life that was holy, righteous and blameless when he lived among the Thessalonian believers. I think Paul implies here that a spiritual leader or teacher needs to be really careful how he/she lives, especially when they are trying to impact other believers. This past Sunday I started teaching a bible class again and know that the church has expectations for my behaviors as well as me having my own raised expectations. One issue in point is the desire to go to a sports bar to watch baseball or football games or just to sit around and socialize. I think I have a responsibility to guard my credibility and character when I am teaching how much Christ can impact or change someone's life. It weighs on my mind that by seeing me at a sports bar possibly having an adult drink or even a diet Pepsi that I could possibly turn someone away from Christ.
1 You know, brothers, that our visit to you was not a failure. 2 We had previously suffered and been insulted in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in spite of strong opposition. 3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as men approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please men but God, who tests our hearts. 5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from men, not from you or anyone else. As apostles of Christ we could have been a burden to you, 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. 9 Surely you remember, brothers, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.
10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 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.
13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is at work in you who believe. 14 For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.
Paul's Longing to See the Thessalonians
17 But, brothers, when we were torn away from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan stopped us. 19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.
I think I am impacted the most by verse 10 when Paul says he lived a life that was holy, righteous and blameless when he lived among the Thessalonian believers. I think Paul implies here that a spiritual leader or teacher needs to be really careful how he/she lives, especially when they are trying to impact other believers. This past Sunday I started teaching a bible class again and know that the church has expectations for my behaviors as well as me having my own raised expectations. One issue in point is the desire to go to a sports bar to watch baseball or football games or just to sit around and socialize. I think I have a responsibility to guard my credibility and character when I am teaching how much Christ can impact or change someone's life. It weighs on my mind that by seeing me at a sports bar possibly having an adult drink or even a diet Pepsi that I could possibly turn someone away from Christ.
I love how Paul genuinely longs for other believers when he is away from them. I think I have that personality also and become a bit burden when people from church are out or decide to be away from the church for a while. I'm not bothered that they aren't coming to my church, I just pray and hope that they are plugged in somewhere.
Holy: dedicated to the service of God
Blameless: free from or not deserving blame; guiltless
Righteous: acting in a moral, upright way
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