1 Thessalonians 1
1I, Paul, together here with Silas and Timothy, send greetings to the church at Thessalonica, Christians assembled by God the Father and by the Master, Jesus Christ. God's amazing grace be with you! God's robust peace!
Convictions of Steel
2Every time we think of you, we thank God for you. Day and night you're in our prayers 3as we call to mind your work of faith, your labor of love, and your patience of hope in following our Master, Jesus Christ, before God our Father. 4It is clear to us, friends, that God not only loves you very much but also has put his hand on you for something special. 5When 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, 6and determined to live that way yourselves. In imitating us, you imitated the Master. Although great trouble accompanied the Word, you were able to take great joy from the Holy Spirit!-taking the trouble with the joy, the joy with the trouble.
7Do you know that all over the provinces of both Macedonia and Achaia believers look up to you? 8The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master's Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out. We don't even have to say anything anymore--you're the message! 9People come up and tell us how you received us with open arms, how you deserted the dead idols of your old life so you could embrace and serve God, the true God. 10They marvel at how expectantly you await the arrival of his Son, whom he raised from the dead--Jesus, who rescued us from certain doom.
1 Thessalonians 2
1So, friends, it's obvious that our visit to you was no waste of time. 2We had just been given rough treatment in Philippi, as you know, but that didn't slow us down. We were sure of ourselves in God, and went right ahead and said our piece, presenting God's Message to you, defiant of the opposition.
No Hidden Agendas
3God tested us thoroughly to make sure we were qualified to be trusted with this Message. 4Be assured that when we speak to you we're not after crowd approval--only God approval. Since we've been put through that battery of tests, you're guaranteed that both we and the Message are free of error, mixed motives, or hidden agendas. 5We never used words to butter you up. No one knows that better than you. And God knows we never used words as a smoke screen to take advantage of you.
6Even though we had some standing as Christ's apostles, we never threw our weight around or tried to come across as important, with you or anyone else. 7We weren't aloof with you. We took you just as you were. We were never patronizing, never condescending, but we cared for you the way a mother cares for her children. 8We loved you dearly. Not content to just pass on the Message, we wanted to give you our hearts. And we did.
9You remember us in those days, friends, working our fingers to the bone, up half the night, moonlighting so you wouldn't have the burden of supporting us while we proclaimed God's Message to you. 10You saw with your own eyes how discreet and courteous we were among you, with keen sensitivity to you as fellow believers. And God knows we weren't freeloaders! 11You experienced it all firsthand. With each of you we were like a father with his child, 12holding your hand, whispering encouragement, showing you step-by-step how to live well before God, who called us into his own kingdom, into this delightful life.
13And now we look back on all this and thank God, an artesian well of thanks! When you got the Message of God we preached, you didn't pass it off as just one more human opinion, but you took it to heart as God's true word to you, which it is, God himself at work in you believers!
14Friends, do you realize that you followed in the exact footsteps of the churches of God in Judea, those who were the first to follow in the footsteps of Jesus Christ? You got the same bad treatment from your countrymen as they did from theirs, the Jews 15who killed the Master Jesus (to say nothing of the prophets) and followed it up by running us out of town. They make themselves offensive to God and everyone else 16by trying to keep us from telling people who've never heard of our God how to be saved. They've made a career of opposing God, and have gotten mighty good at it. But God is fed up, ready to put an end to it. 17Do you have any idea how very homesick we became for you, dear friends? Even though it hadn't been that long and it was only our bodies that were separated from you, not our hearts, we tried our very best to get back to see you. 18You can't imagine how much we missed you! I, Paul, tried over and over to get back, but Satan stymied us each time. 19Who do you think we're going to be proud of when our Master Jesus appears if it's not you? 20You're our pride and joy!
1 Thessalonians 3
1So when we couldn't stand being separated from you any longer and could find no way to visit you ourselves, we stayed in Athens 2and sent Timothy to get you up and about, cheering you on so you wouldn't be discouraged by these hard times. He's a brother and companion in the faith, God's man in spreading the Message, preaching Christ.
3Not that the troubles should come as any surprise to you. You've always known that we're in for this kind of thing. It's part of our calling. 4When we were with you, we made it quite clear that there was trouble ahead. And now that it's happened, you know what it's like. 5That's why I couldn't quit worrying; I had to know for myself how you were doing in the faith. I didn't want the Tempter getting to you and tearing down everything we had built up together.
6But now that Timothy is back, bringing this terrific report on your faith and love, we feel a lot better. It's especially gratifying to know that you continue to think well of us, and that you want to see us as much as we want to see you! 7In the middle of our trouble and hard times here, just knowing how you're doing keeps us going. 8Knowing that your faith is alive keeps us alive.
9What would be an adequate thanksgiving to offer God for all the joy we experience before him because of you? 10We do what we can, praying away, night and day, asking for the bonus of seeing your faces again and doing what we can to help when your faith falters.
11May God our Father himself and our Master Jesus clear the road to you! 12And may the Master pour on the love so it fills your lives and splashes over on everyone around you, just as it does from us to you. 13May you be infused with strength and purity, filled with confidence in the presence of God our Father when our Master Jesus arrives with all his followers.
1 Thessalonians 4
You're God-Taught 1One final word, friends. We ask you--urge is more like it--that you keep on doing what we told you to do to please God, not in a dogged religious plod, but in a living, spirited dance. 2You know the guidelines we laid out for you from the Master Jesus. 3God wants you to live a pure life.
Keep yourselves from sexual promiscuity.
4Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body, 5not abusing it, as is so common among those who know nothing of God.
6Don't run roughshod over the concerns of your brothers and sisters. Their concerns are God's concerns, and he will take care of them. We've warned you about this before. 7God hasn't invited us into a disorderly, unkempt life but into something holy and beautiful--as beautiful on the inside as the outside.
8If you disregard this advice, you're not offending your neighbors; you're rejecting God, who is making you a gift of his Holy Spirit.
9Regarding life together and getting along with each other, you don't need me to tell you what to do. You're God-taught in these matters. Just love one another! 10You're already good at it; your friends all over the province of Macedonia are the evidence. Keep it up; get better and better at it.
11Stay calm; mind your own business; do your own job. You've heard all this from us before, but a reminder never hurts. 12We want you living in a way that will command the respect of outsiders, not lying around sponging off your friends.
The Master's Coming
13And regarding the question, friends, that has come up about what happens to those already dead and buried, we don't want you in the dark any longer. First off, you must not carry on over them like people who have nothing to look forward to, as if the grave were the last word. 14Since Jesus died and broke loose from the grave, God will most certainly bring back to life those who died in Jesus.
15And then this: We can tell you with complete confidence--we have the Master's word on it--that when the Master comes again to get us, those of us who are still alive will not get a jump on the dead and leave them behind. In actual fact, they'll be ahead of us. 16The Master himself will give the command. Archangel thunder! God's trumpet blast! He'll come down from heaven and the dead in Christ will rise--they'll go first. 17Then the rest of us who are still alive at the time will be caught up with them into the clouds to meet the Master. 18Oh, we'll be walking on air! And then there will be one huge family reunion with the Master. So reassure one another with these words.
1 Thessalonians 5
1I don't think, friends, that I need to deal with the question of when all this is going to happen. 2You 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. 3About 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.
4But friends, you're not in the dark, so how could you be taken off guard by any of this? 5You're sons of Light, daughters of Day. We live under wide open skies and know where we stand. 6So let's not sleepwalk through life like those others. Let's keep our eyes open and be smart. 7People sleep at night and get drunk at night. 8But 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.
9God didn't set us up for an angry rejection but for salvation by our Master, Jesus Christ. 10He 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! 11So 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.
The Way He Wants You to Live
12And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. 13Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!
Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. 14Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. 15And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.
16Be cheerful no matter what; 17pray all the time; 18thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
19Don't suppress the Spirit, 20and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. 21On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. 22Throw out anything tainted with evil.
23May God himself, the God who makes everything holy and whole, make you holy and whole, put you together--spirit, soul, and body--and keep you fit for the coming of our Master, Jesus Christ. 24The One who called you is completely dependable. If he said it, he'll do it!
25Friends, keep up your prayers for us. 26Greet all the Christians there with a holy embrace. 27And make sure this letter gets read to all the brothers and sisters. Don't leave anyone out.
28The amazing grace of Jesus Christ be with you!
What it means to me:
See my original excuse as to why I didn't post was because I couldn't think of anything good next to read and memorize. But then God hit me in the face with the fact that everything in the bible is worth memorizing, especially the genology of Jesus Christ, so don't bother bringing that up.
So Thessalonians. If only all body of believers were like this Church. But were not, and that's why we are all unique and such. But let me point out to you some of the things Paul states that this Church has that are essential for a good church to have.
Faithful, Patient for the Return of the Lord, Loving, Living a Christ like life, perservering through trials ( in this case, having joy), turned from their wicked old lives and much more.
I know I don't have all those qualities, and I know I need to definitly work on some of them.
Paul then talks about how God tests his apostles ( which includes us today) so that we speak the word of God with the truth of God. What that means is the words they taught were didn't have a motive of teaching behind it only a motive of truth. Even if the truth offended those they taught it had to be said, for it came right from God. Makes you want to persevere more trials eh?
Then Paul, whom in the Message translation, seems to lack humility, talks about how we as Christians shouldn't act superior, but rather serve the ones we teach, not to be lazy and act like kings. Well thats what it says to me, but then again this whole section is about that right?
Then in chapter four is where it really applies to me lately. Doing stuff to please God instead of doing it because you have to. God wants us to live a pure life for him, then Paul urges us not to abuse our bodies, which for one I haven't in the mind set of deformity but there are many other ways to abuse your body, like for example letting it control you via you eat when your hungry, go to bed when your tired. ( I won't forget to fast Cory, you can be sure of that).
Also Paul talks about Judging others, and how that matter is best left for God in verse six.
God has called us to live a holy life, so obey the teachings and live them out.
Love everyone, no matter what. For we have been forgiven so we can forgive.
Then we go into a little bit of the rapture which is always good.
We don't have to worry though is the whole point at the end, for we are already in God's family, now we just need to finish the work God has given us to prepare us for eternity.
"And now, friends, we ask you to honor those leaders who work so hard for you, who have been given the responsibility of urging and guiding you along in your obedience. 13Overwhelm them with appreciation and love!
Get along among yourselves, each of you doing your part. 14Our counsel is that you warn the freeloaders to get a move on. Gently encourage the stragglers, and reach out for the exhausted, pulling them to their feet. Be patient with each person, attentive to individual needs. 15And be careful that when you get on each other's nerves you don't snap at each other. Look for the best in each other, and always do your best to bring it out.
16Be cheerful no matter what; 17pray all the time; 18thank God no matter what happens. This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live.
19Don't suppress the Spirit, 20and don't stifle those who have a word from the Master. 21On the other hand, don't be gullible. Check out everything, and keep only what's good. 22Throw out anything tainted with evil."
Seriously such a great list there of what we need to do.
I don't know about you, but I'm sure as heck going to do what it takes to bring pleasure to my God.
Memory Verses:
"For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord."
1 Thessalonians 3:8(NIV)
"Learn to appreciate and give dignity to your body,"
1 Thessalonians 4:4(Msg)
"Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens."1 Thessalonians 4:16-18
"Throw out anything tainted with evil."
1 Thessalonians 4:22
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