1 Thessalonians: chapter 5:1-11 (Part 7)

Now, brothers, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,
for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.
While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, and they will not escape
But you, brothers, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief.
You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.
So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.
For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.


Ok, so last post I was talking about Paul's mentioning of people being asleep to Christ. These verses are talking about being asleep to Christ as well. So don't fall asleep, but do awake. And paul will tell you more on being awake.


But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.
For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.
He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.


Both this chapter and the previous chapter of 1 Thessalonians  where talking about the coming of the lord. (The last more so than this one.)
Part 1
Part 8

1 Thessalonians chapter 4 (Part 6)

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.
For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
It is God's will that you should be sanctified
that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable,
not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God;
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.
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.
Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit.
Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.
And in fact, you do love all the brothers throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers, to do so more and more.
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,
so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.
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.
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.


Fallen asleep in him? Is this referring to death or to quenching the holy spirit? Possibly both. I have already read further in this, so it seems logic to assume that Paul was talking about death, but at the same time, since that is in a different verse, he could mean that if we are asleep in him (we have quenched the holy spirit, which means that we are not listening to God.) So, if we are asleep in him, then we might be out of Gods will. So back to the scripture (you'll see what I mean by he could be talking about death.)


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.
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.


I know that now you are wondering why I put the previous text in because now it's obvious that Paul was talking about dead people. Well, that is because while it may be true that Paul is talking about the end days, other books in the bible talk about being dead to the spirit, but alive in Christ. 


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.
Therefore encourage each other with these words.


I know I'm stating the obvious, but Paul is always mentioning that the Thessalonians should encourage each other. And so we should encourage each other "encourage each other"
Part 1
Part 7

Thessalonians: Chapter 4: 9;11-12 (Part 5)

After I read the bible, I write about what I read in a notebook. As I look at the book, it says, "Words to remember: 1 Thessalonians 4:9;11-12"
 So I am going to start by writing that verse down.


Now about brotherly love we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 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, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.


I want to point out why I noted that, It is because " you have been taught by God to love each other." You know how to love each other, you don't need any but God's help to love others because "those who fear the lord lack no good thing." (Psalm 34:10)
I am going to spend this whole post on these verses, so they must be important. You see, if I go in depth in these three simple verses a few verses come to mind, I already wrote down part of Psalm 34:10, but it goes like this:


The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.


So the moral of this verse is you can do anything good. The moral of the first verse I wrote is almost the same, it says that you only need God's help to love each other because if God has the power to say it in his word, he's got the power to do it and trust me, if you ask God to help you not sin, he'll by all means say yes, but be careful, because Satan will discourage you from any good and pure goal you have. And no matter how hard it is "Those who fear the Lord lack no good thing." I wrote on the Psalm verse a while back, so if you can find that post, it will tell you more on that verse.
Part 1
Part 6

Thessalonians: Chapter 3 (Part 4)

So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens. 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, so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. You know quite well that we were destined for them. 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.

So, Paul is telling the Thessalonians that they will be persecuted (This is also a reminder to us that God sends us through trails.) And this is also a good time to point out that God uses trials to bring us closer to himself. If we are in sin (even if we're not) God will bring us trial and so those times are a good place to examine yourself.

For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent 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. 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. Therefore, brothers, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith. For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord. 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? Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith. 

So here Paul is telling them that he longs to see them and he is also encouraging the Thessalonians. Paul must be making a point, he has spent three entire chapters encouraging the Thessalonians. He must think christians need encouragement and I agree with him. For now, let's get back to the scripture. 

Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you. May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. 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. 
Part 1
Part 5