Book of 1 Thessalonians

Are You Ready to Meet the Lord

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Ready for the Day of the Lord

Book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 5

Our last lesson was about the return of the Lord Jesus so we know for sure that He will return.

So, we should ask ourselves, are we ready for the return of the Lord?

We must not be confused about death and the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus died in our place so, in a real sense we will never die.

A true death is, to live forever without God in our lives, in suffering and despair.

Luk 13:28 There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when ye shall see Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, and all the prophets, in the kingdom of God, and you yourselves thrust out.

This place of suffering is the same place where the Devil will spend his eternity.

Rev 20:10 And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.

It is a fact there will be degrees of punishment in Hell.

Luk 12:46 The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
Luk 12:47 And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
Luk 12:48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

In Hell there will be a total absence of favor with God.
In Hell there will be an endless disturbance of life as a result of the complete domination of sin.
In Hell there will be endless pain and suffering in body and soul.
In Hell there will be pangs of conscience, there will be anguish, there will be despair, there will be weeping, and there will be gnashing of teeth.

A true life is living throughout eternity with God in our lives.

Believers will enjoy an eternal fellowship in the company of Jesus Christ.

Believers will live in fellowship, relaxation, joy, and happiness throughout eternity.

There will be a New Heaven and a New Earth!

Heb 12:22 But ye are come unto mount Sion, and unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable company of angels,
Heb 12:23 To the general assembly and church of the firstborn, which are written in heaven, and to God the Judge of all, and to the spirits of just men made perfect,
Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

The New Jerusalem will be a literal city because God has given us the measurements.

It is in the New Jerusalem where God will dwell in fellowship with mankind forever and ever!

How could anyone choose a place called Hell over a place called Heaven?

*1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

We will never know the exact day or the exact time of the return of the Lord but the Lord told us Himself that we should be able to tell when that time gets close.

Mat_16:2 He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red.
Mat_16:3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

The signs point to the soon return of the Lord Jesus Christ!

The day and the time of the return of Christ is not up for discussion the Lord has already said.

Those that set dates on the return of Jesus Christ cannot know what they are talking about!

Times can extend over many years but the seasons, the things that happen in critical periods of time can be looked at and observed such as Israel returning to the Promised Land and the things that are happening today, in Israel and all over the world.

Only God knows when the details of His return will be fulfilled!

The Lord is coming just as a thief in the night has planned his dirty deed. Suddenly and unexpectedly!

We know that the Lord Jesus will first come to meet His Church in the clouds.

Then at least seven days later, this “Day of the Lord” is that period of time in which the Lord will return to deal with wicked men directly and dramatically in judgment.

There is a day coming when God will punish those who have followed the ways of Satan, the Devil.

Every soul will come under judgment.

We can know that this will be the day when the earth has reached such a depraved condition that it is hopefully lost forever and sits ripe for the “judgment” of God!

Isa 13:9 Behold, the day of the LORD cometh, cruel both with wrath and fierce anger, to lay the land desolate: and he shall destroy the sinners thereof out of it.
Isa 13:10 For the stars of heaven and the constellations thereof shall not give their light: the sun shall be darkened in his going forth, and the moon shall not cause her light to shine.
Isa 13:11 And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogancy of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible.

The day of the Lord will be on that day when the world of unbelievers feel that they are so secure that even a God cannot stop them.

Suddenly out of nowhere God will strike this earth!

It will be on a scale as it was in the days of Noah and the time of Lot.

Luk 17:26 And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
Luk 17:27 They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Luk 17:28 Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded;
Luk 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Luk 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

The “day of the Lord” will be a day of catastrophic destruction.

The “day of the Lord” will be a day of no escape for all those who have always been above the law and ignored the Word of God.

Rom 2:3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?

The “day of the Lord” will be a dark and miserable day for all those who are left upon this earth.

*1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.

A believers we live in the Light of Jesus Christ now, just as we will when we get to Heaven!

Rev_22:5 And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.

The “day of the Lord” will not be a surprise to the Church because we know the Lord does not ever break a promise.

That word “overtake” means the Lord will return to this earth when He is least expected.

2Pe_3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

The true Church will not be caught off guard.

1) By studying the Word of God we are not in spiritual darkness of ignorance.

Rom 13:11 And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed.
Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.
Rom 13:13 Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying.

Joh 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Col 1:13 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

What we do know is that we will welcome the “day of the Lord” as we would welcome the morning hours of a beautiful day full of light and full of joy.

To the unbeliever it will be a terrible day!

Amo 5:18 Woe unto you that desire the day of the LORD! to what end is it for you? the day of the LORD is darkness, and not light.
Amo 5:19 As if a man did flee from a lion, and a bear met him; or went into the house, and leaned his hand on the wall, and a serpent bit him.
Amo 5:20 Shall not the day of the LORD be darkness, and not light? even very dark, and no brightness in it?

2) Being a child of God is being a child of the Light.

Joh_8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.

Joh_11:9 Jesus answered, Are there not twelve hours in the day? If any man walk in the day, he stumbleth not, because he seeth the light of this world.

As the Lord Jesus returned to Heaven, the Church has now become the light of this world.

Mat_5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

We are not only the children of the Light.

3) We are the children of the Day.

We will escape the Judgment of God!

We are the receivers of God’s glorious salvation and His deliverance.

We are looking forward to the return of our Savior to take us home to be with Him.

We should be always praying and thinking about the things of God and our responsibility to reach people for Christ.

The “Day of the Lord” is so close that we can almost see it.

*1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
1Th 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

In this verse this sleep refers to spiritual sleep. When we are asleep, we are not aware of what is going on around us. When we are asleep spiritually, we are not alert to the things of God and are not aware of what God is doing.

When we are asleep spiritually, we will be caught off guard when the Lord returns to take us home.

We must be alert to the things of God.
We must continue to worship.

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

We must anticipate the return of the Lord Jesus Christ!

Mat_16:3 And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowring. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times?

We are to live sober lives with discipline and control in righteousness and godliness.

It is certainly not time to quit on God!

We all know that the night refers to evil behavior.

We just need to stay away from those who are asleep to the truth of God other than to witness to them and this should be done in the daytime when no one should be sleeping.

We must stay away from those who indulge in sin and immorality and those who are worldly in their ways.

If a person carouses around in the darkness of the night, then he shows himself to be of the night.

When the Lord Jesus warns us of these things then we need pay attention to Him.

Rev 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

*1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

We must remain mentally awake to the truth of God to protect ourselves from this deceitful world.

We must put on the armor of God because we are certainly involved in the war for our souls!

There is the breast plate of faith and love. The breastplate protects the heart of each soldier.

We must focus upon Jesus and His cause with all our heart.

Our faith will protect our heart when we really believe that it is the Lord Jesus who saves us from sin!

Love also protects our heart when we can see the love that Christ Jesus has for us!

We must focus on the truth of Jesus that we never have to die because Jesus died in our place on that cross.
We must know that we will never bear the punishment for our sin because Jesus took our punishment for us.

That helmet is the hope of our salvation.

Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Without the Lord Jesus Christ there is no hope in the world!

Eph 2:12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:
Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

The fact that Jesus Christ died in our place is the reason we can now have that hope that we will never die!

The reality of this hope is:

1) God has not appointed us to see His wrath on this unbelieving world!
2) God has appointed us to receive salvation from sin, death, and the judgment that is coming to this world!

There is now no excuse for us to fall asleep and return to this world of darkness when we have been saved out of it!

*1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

If we have received the Word of God as the truth then how can we deny what the Lord is saying here in these passages.

One of the greatest jobs of each believer is to comfort one another.

To edify is to build upon and not to pull down!

To edify is to preserve the unity of the Church.

Eph 4:15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
Eph 4:16 From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

Every part of the Church and every ministry of the Church must work together to become One Body of Christ!

What is the greatest problem in the Church today? The Church refuses to unite together around the truth of God, the complete truth.

Today, much of the church has descended into rules and religion that have nothing to do to the truth of a Holy God and have forgotten about faith and love!

*1Th 5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
1Th 5:13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

We have seen many times that our own Pastor comes to us completely worn out from his labors and yet he still does his very best to give us the message that God has given him for us.

This is what that word labor means.

It means to labor to the point of exhaustion, then to keep laboring even if we have become weary.

It means to work beyond what we are capable of doing.

When we are doing a work for the Lord Jesus, this is the labor that is expected from God.

When we are doing a work for the Church, this is the labor that it takes to succeed in this world of today.

We are to know our church leaders, which means we are to acknowledge and appreciate each and every one of them and show them respect.

We have seen the evidence that few people labor as much as our Pastor and our church leaders especially our Pastor.

At the end of a tiresome day our Pastor still has to handle the business side of the church.

This is also the way of the Apostle Paul and I am sure the other apostles worked as hard to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ by word and by example.

1Ti 5:17 Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine.
1Ti 5:18 For the scripture saith, Thou shalt not muzzle the ox that treadeth out the corn. And, The labourer is worthy of his reward.
1Ti 5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.

In order for us to acknowledge our church elders we must be at peace with ourselves.

We should not criticize, murmur, grumble, envy and nor oppose our church leaders who are following the will of God.

We may at times have differences of opinion, but we are not to dispute those among ourselves as the Word of God will settle all disputes.

Leaders are not to act as lords over God’s children as we already have the perfect Lord who is Jesus Christ!

But we are to question anyone that acts contrary to Scripture!

Our Church only works when each believer is at peace with themselves and both that leader and that member are at peace with each other all according to the truth of the Gospel.

How did the early Church thrive and succeed?

Act 2:46 And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,
Act 2:47 Praising God, and having favour with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved.

We are to warn those that are in the Church but are against the truth of the Gospel yet, we are to help those babes in Christ to understand.

*1Th 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
1Th 5:15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

We are never to allow unruly church members to destroy the peace of the church family!

We must warn those who are out of line in their disturbances of the church.

Anyone who is causing damage to their own soul must be warned just as any unbeliever.

The Lord will not tolerate unruly behavior in the Church!

Those who come to the church but who leave, going out into the world to do their own thing, should also be warned.

At the same time we are to comfort and assure those who are babes in Christ until they come to the knowledge of the truth.

We need to try to help all those who yield so easily to temptation, and are easily discouraged or defeated.

We need to cling to them as we cling to Jesus never turning loose of either one.

We are to be patient with babes in Christ and patient with each other as the coming of the Lord draws nearer.

It is certainly not a time to quit on the Lord!

We must never render evil for evil to anyone.

When we mistreat someone our testimony with that person is over!

With these things under control there are important things that every church member needs to be doing to make our church a true Church for Jesus Christ.

*1Th 5:16 Rejoice evermore.
1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
1Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
1Th 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.
1Th 5:20 Despise not prophesyings.
1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

We need to be always rejoicing because our names are written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life.

Our prayers are the main way for us to receive things from God. We need to live our lives so that we can always know that God will hear our prayers for if he hears them, He will certainly answer them in one way or another.

We should wake each day giving thanks to God for another day to serve Him.

If we are having a wonderful day then we need to thank God for it.

If we are having a dreadful day then we need to thank Him for helping us through that day.

We need to thank God for His presence and His power as we walk through our trials and tribulations.

All these things are in the will of God for our lives.

If we quench the Holy Spirit then we have lost the power of God in our lives.

If we ignore the Holy Spirit and go our own way then we have neglected Him.

If we allow sinful things into our lives, we will quench the Holy Spirit.

If we behave immorally, we quench the Holy Spirit.

If we do anything contrary to the Holy Spirit, we will quench the Spirit.

We certainly should not ever lie to the Holy Spirit!

If we quench the Holy Spirit, it is a sin that requires God’s forgiveness!

We must never despise the preaching of the truth of God.

This is what the world does and we are to come out from the world.

Neither are we to just blindly accept any preacher or what they say.

Every person is to be tested and proven by measuring the things they say by the Scriptures.

The Scriptures, the Received Text of the early Church are never wrong but some translations can contain errors unintentionally or intentionally.

We must know the Scriptures ourselves to know if we are hearing the truth of God.

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

When we know we are hearing the truth of God, then we need to latch on to that person and keep that person as part of the Church of Jesus Christ.

We are also to abstain from all appearances of doing evil!

If we are near anything that has the appearance of evil, we need to flee from it!

If there is even the smallest suggestion that what we are doing could be seen as wrong then we are to flee from it!

Being a Christian has its own responsibilities!

Amen

The Second Coming of Jesus

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Confidence in the Coming of Jesus

Book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4

The Apostle continues with these things of the coming of the Lord from Chapter three verse thirteen.

As Christians we must be encouraged to know that all saints who have gone before us are resting in the presence of the Lord and we are confident that we will see them again at the coming of the Lord.

There may be differences in the many denominations of Christianity, but the return of Jesus Christ is not one of them.

The return of our Lord Jesus is mentioned more than three hundred times in the New Testament.

There are entire chapters given to the discussion of the return of Christ.

In the Book of Matthew Chapters 13, 24 and 25.
In the Book of Mark Chapter 13
In the Book of Luke Chapter 21

In this Book of Thessalonians we are studying now, along with Book two, the majority of these Scriptures deal with the return of the Lord.

Much of the Book of Revelation deals with the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ taught us that His return would be a literal, physical event.

Jesus said He would return just as His disciples seen Him depart.

Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

Jesus Christ is returning to take those who love Him back home to His Father’s house, which is now our home.

Our mortal bodies will be changed to glorified bodies just as His body.

1Jn_3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

The truth is, we must always be prepared for the coming of our Lord as it could happen at any moment now.

We are approaching the end of the Church Age which means the destruction of this world is very near.

There will be a New Heaven and a New earth because it is sin that has marred both places, both caused by that person known as Satan who is soon to be bound in Hell which is the place God has designed for him.

2Pe 3:11 Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness,
2Pe 3:12 Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat?
2Pe 3:13 Nevertheless we, “according to his promise”, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.

*1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
1Th 4:2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

This is what the Church calls today, “The Believer’s Walk”.

Once we are saved, we are to walk to please God!

We are to live as God tells us how to live by keeping God’s commandments.

We are to walk in the will of God for our lives.

We are to walk to please God.

We cannot please God without faith in the truth of His Words.

Heb 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

If we cannot believe God is who He says He is as described in the Word of God, then we cannot please Him.

If we cannot please Him then He cannot accept us!

*1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1Th 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
1Th 4:5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

Paul first mentions sanctification of the body.

What is sanctification? It is God’s will that we give ourselves to the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Christianity is a walk with the Lord Jesus Christ!

To be a Christian is not an ornament that we wear, it is a life always progressing in the will of God for our lives.

The love of God is the mightiest power in the life of each Christian.

We know that God is holy and we must strive to be holy to be more like Him.

Sanctification means we are to resist the passion of lust.

Sanctification means that we know how to control our body.

When we begin to lust, then we will soon become enslaved to lust.

The passion of lust is the way of our world today.

This is why there is such a battle for abortion!

People cannot contain their lust so they need to be able to stop the consequences of that lust.

This is why there is such battle for LGBT movement because people cannot contain their lust.

This is not the way of God!

It is the lifestyle of those who do not know God!

Fornication is any sexual act outside the bonds of a marriage between one man and one woman!

1Pe 4:2 That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God.
1Pe 4:3 For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

Concupiscence is intense desire always in a bad sense, the passion for sexual lust.

*1Th 4:6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
1Th 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.
1Th 4:8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit.

There are many reasons we are to live pure lives:

1) Immorality defrauds and cheats a brother or sister in Christ.

It either takes a wife from her husband or it takes a husband from his wife.

We know that most of the time that the trust and affection that were once in that marriage cannot be completely recovered.

That marriage and bond of trust is gone forever!

This same thing effects those who are unmarried when fornication takes place.

2) God shall revenge immorality.

Immorality is accepted and even encouraged in our society today.

How can we say it is encouraged? Look at television and films. Look at advertisements and promotions. Look at the way the world dresses. Listen to suggestive words and actions that are acceptable today.

God is going to judge immoral behavior and we have the example of Sodom and Gomorrah.

3) God did not call us to immorality, God called us to holiness!

God would never call a person to do such things. Immorality may be the greatest destructive force in our world today!

Immorality has destroyed the family model that makes societies prosper.

4) Immorality is a sin against God!

When God despises something, it means He rejects it.

The world says the commandments of God are old fashioned and unacceptable in an intellectual and enlightened society.

It is obvious that our societies have crumbled till they do not exist accept in the minds of the wicked.

The world may not be able to do anything to us if we break the commandments of God, but it is a fact unless we repent, we will receive the full vengeance of a Holy God!

Each true Christian is the home of the Holy Spirit and we must not defile the Holy Spirit, we must keep our bodies holy.

It must be our ambition to please God!

*1Th 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.
1Th 4:10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

As we arise every morning the first thought we should have is to please God in our actions each day.

The word used for brotherly love in the Greek is “Philadelphia”.

We now that there is a city in America named Philadelphia which was at one time known as the city of “brotherly love”.

But brotherly love is the love that is required in the Church just as it is in our families.

Brotherly love is that love of Christians to Christians all around this world.

We cannot allow this world to divide us and it cannot if we all have that same message that comes by the Word of God.

There is only “One Word of God” and it is not to be altered!

Brotherly love is that love that shows this wicked world the love we have within the Church of the Living God!

This is a love that cannot fail because it is a love that should be growing within each of us!

This love “Philadelphia” comes from God to each Christian but our preachers still need to remind us of this love because we need each other to make it through this life we have now before we go home to be with the Lord.

Heaven will be a place of brotherly love.

It is not always easy to show brotherly love in this corrupt world we live in where love is interpreted as “lust”.

As Christians we need that strong bond of brotherly love in order to stand against the temptations and our walk through the sufferings of this life.

The greatest threat to the Church is the internal strife that comes as we allow the world to come into the Church and dictate a false narrative.

The Church is sinking today because of worldly philosophies that cause confusion.

Our world is not billions of years old.
Humans have not evolved from monkeys or any other species.
Our climate has been changing from day one.

Why will all these great scientist not tell you that if all pollution is removed from our atmosphere, it will be so hot that we will not be able to live outdoors?

There is always a need to grow increasingly in the Lord and grow more and more in His love for us that we can show to each other.

This great church of the Thessalonians were noted for the love they showed throughout all of Macedonia.

*1Th 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
1Th 4:12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

What is it to study to be quiet?

We are to put forth the effort to live quiet and peaceable lives.

At the same time, we inflict a real loss to society if we do not speak for the truth, but allow those to say too much who need to say very little or say nothing at all.

This is why there is so much filth in our world today because the Church has been too quiet.

The wicked voices of immorality are speaking the loudest today and they have bent the ears of our liberal government.

We must certainly put forth the effort to live quiet and peaceable lives, but there are times we must take a stand.

Eph 6:10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, “that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day”, and having done all, “to stand”.

It is our duty to mind our own business, but it is also our duty to take care of our families.

We are not to be busybodies nor meddle in the affairs of others nor try to change the direction of this world.

Our job remains to be witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ and take a stand on the truth of God.

If we do this, the Holy Spirit will certainly do what He came upon this earth to do.

If we cannot keep our own affairs straight, then how could we ever change the affairs of others.

We must avoid looking like we are everybody’s judge!

If we commit our lives to the truth of the Word of God, we will not have time to meddle in the affairs of others.

We need to work with our own hands to supply the needs of our families so we do not become a burden to the Church.

Very few people have any respect for those who are able to work, but refuse to do so, insisting that someone else should be providing for them.

God has no patience for those who will not work!

Eph 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

2Th_3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

As Christians, we must set the example for working to provide our own needs being able then, to help others who are unable to provide for themselves, but not for those who have the ability to provide for themselves and refuse to do so.

We have far too many things to consider in our lives than to worry about our fellow brothers and sisters and family who have gone on before us.

*1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

Paul continues with the subject of the return of Jesus Christ.

The same Bible that tells us how to be saved, also teaches us how live throughout eternity with our Savior.

This same Bible that teaches us how we are to live in this life and be good Christians.

This is also the same Bible that tells us of the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord Jesus will return to this earth to claim all believers to Himself!

Most of the world rejects that there will be an afterlife upon our death, but the world is wrong again.

At the moment of our death, our soul returns to be with our Savior.

2Co_5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

How do we know this?

2Co_4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise up us also by Jesus, and shall present us with you.

The Lord Jesus has resurrection power!

When that soul gets to Heaven there will also be given a temporary body.

Rev_6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellowservants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

You cannot put a robe upon a soul or a spirit.

We should understand that every Christian alive, and all those who have already gone to Heaven, will gather together with the Lord Jesus when we meet Him in the clouds.

We must not be ignorant of the power of the resurrection of Christ!

The fact of the Lord’s return should arouse concern in us for our family members who are not saved, some friends that are not saved, and for the lost in general.

There is absolutely no hope for those who reject the Lord Jesus Christ, but for the believer, our hope is in the Lord.

*1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

No doubt that everyone who goes down by the graveyard a loved one will grieve for them because someone we love is no longer with us.

Our grief will be easier to take, when we know that we will see them again and we will live together throughout eternity in a place where even paradise is not a good enough word to describe it.

All our brothers and sisters in Christ will return with Him when He returns.

This passage is proof that all departed believers are already with Jesus in Heaven.

We do not have to wonder where they are!

To be asleep in Jesus, is not some semi-conscious state or some form of deep sleep as some believe.

Sleep is only a soft word used by believers to describe our departure from this world.

It could be said that while we are asleep in Jesus, then we are no longer suffering from the persecutions of this world.

Joh 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
Joh 11:26 And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?

If we have trusted the Lord in our life time, we can certainly trust in the Lord when we leave this world behind!

We can never die because our Lord Jesus has already died in our place!

This is one of the reasons that there had to be cross in the life of Our Savior.

The body of each believer will first be raised before those who are alive and remain are called to meet the Lord in the air.

1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

How can we have doubt in the return of Jesus Christ, when He has said so many times that He will certainly return to take us all home to be with Him in the New Heaven.

*1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be “caught up together” with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

When we deny the return of Jesus Christ we are calling Him a liar.

The Lord Jesus Christ in all His glory will descend from Heaven in that same glorified human body that He ascended back to Heaven.

Act 1:11 Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.

The Lord Jesus is not returning as a lowly shepherd, but in the Majesty and in Divine power that He alone possesses.

We need only remember that day when our Lord called Lazarus from his tomb.

Joh_11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

When the Lord shouts this time, He will just shout come forth “My” people.

Or if we remember the Hebrew weddings in that day and the parable of the ten virgins. “Mat 25:6 And at midnight there was a cry made, Behold, the bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet him.

We can be sure that every child of God will hear this shout even those in the grave.

There will be no unbeliever who will be resurrected at this time for that resurrection occurs on the day of “judgment”.

This is what we know of as the White Throne Judgment.

Even the remnants of that believer that has been in the grave for many years will be reunited with that part that has been in Heaven for many years.

1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Every believer will hear the shout of our Lord because He is the Captain of our salvation!

Those believers who are alive at the moment of His arrival will then be changed.

1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.

If we are to live with God in His realm, then we must have a body fashioned after His body as no flesh can live in the New Heaven.

2Co 5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

That phrase “caught up together” gives us the meaning of the Rapture.

That word “caught” implies, “seized, snatched up by an irresistible force” to be with our Savior amid the clouds such as happened on the day of the transfiguration of our Lord.

Mat 17:5 While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.

So shall we ever be with the Lord!

It is on this wonderful day that we will finally reach perfection!

We will meet all the saints of God who had gone on before us.
We will be reunited with our loved ones and friends who have gone before us.
We will see the Lord Jesus face to face.
We will meet the God of all creation who had this masterful plan of our salvation.

Joh 8:51 Verily, verily, I say unto you, If a man keep my saying, he shall never see death.

We will never see death because the Lord Jesus Himself died in our place.

Amen

The Persecuted Church

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Appointed to Affliction

Book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 3

The Bible is clear concerning the fact that God’s people will suffer persecution!

We may not like it but it is a fact and we need to be prepared for it.

The persecution of Christians takes place all around this world we live in.

It is not that God causes our suffering, but God does have a purpose in our suffering.

In fact, the suffering of the Christian is another way that actually proves that the Bible is true.

The suffering of each Christian is a test of faith!

The one main thing that is needed in the Church today is a strong faith!

The is a faith that honestly knows the Lord Jesus Christ and knows what it is to be walking with Him day by day, trusting Him.

Walking means we are not to be standing still but growing in our faith.

Chapter three verse one.

*1Th 3:1 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
1Th 3:2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

Paul only spent three weeks in Thessalonica before he had to leave because his life was threatened.

It was a group of unbelieving Jews who were trying to stop the growth of Christianity so, Paul was anxious to know how this Church was doing and he sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to confirm this new church full of babes in Christ.

Paul was now alone in Athens Greece.

Sometimes the Holy Spirit can do His greatest work in us when we are alone.

It is a sad thing that this world is determined to stamp out and destroy the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

What is this world so afraid of?

Paul may have been in Athens but his heart was still in Thessalonica.

Timothy was like a son to Paul, but at the same time a brother in Christ and a great man of God.

Every true preacher is concerned about the establishment of believers not because of the truth of God, but simply because this world is so full of hate for the Lord Jesus Christ.

This new church was standing its ground against the Devil.

We can see that it is a must that we stand by our faith, or this world will try to walk all over us.

The one thing true in Athens was that Paul saw the whole city given to idolatry.

It is this thing that stirred up the Apostle Paul.

Then, Paul went into the Jewish Synagogues and preached at the market where there were many philosophers speaking on all types of subjects.

It is always a good time to get busy serving the Lord!

Timothy had the same concerns for the church in Thessalonica as did Paul.

Before the Lord Jesus Christ, this world had nothing firm to base their lives upon. This world had no solid foundation to place their faith.

Many of them had good intentions, but these intentions could not prosper in a land full of lies and deceit.

The “Gospel” gives us a sound foundation for a moral life where we can grow in the “Grace of God”.

We all need encouragement from time to time and this is what Timothy gave to that church in Thessalonica.

Persecution is not going away, in fact it will get worse, but our faith will carry us through it all.

No amount of persecution can change the fact that our souls are saved and will be in Heaven in the end.

*1Th 3:3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

We should be able to see that the same afflictions that make us better Christians will harden the heart of a sinner.

An example in the Bible are the plagues of Egypt every plague caused the heart of Pharaoh’s to harden even more.

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.

When we are recognized as someone trying to be like Jesus Christ, then this should make us feel good and even bring joy to us because this is should be our goal until the day we die, to be more like Jesus.

As our faith endures such afflictions, it will make us to be stronger and purer Christians!

God may give riches to some in this world, but the stores of Heavenly treasures are far greater than anything on this earth and are set aside for God’s children when they go home.

2Ti 4:18 And the Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Mat 5:11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
Mat 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

Every Christian will suffer some from the afflictions that come from this world, because this world hates the Lord Jesus Christ even though there is no reason to do so.

The only things Jesus ever did was all good things. Jesus never did one bad thing!

*1Th 3:4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.
1Th 3:5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

There was a direct attack upon the Apostle Paul to destroy him.

It began with rumors and lies. These people felt if they could destroy the reputation of the Apostle Paul that they could destroy the early Church.

This is impossible!

They forgot what Jesus said: “and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it”, referring to the Church.

It is impossible for this world to destroy God’s Church!

The shameful treatment of God’s people will only stir up the wrath of God.

There may come a time that the Church will speak with martyrdom but it has not yet.

The truth is that we should not be moved by these afflictions.

We must understand that we are not of this world and this is the way this world will treat all aliens.

Joh 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

The Christian is hated because we point out the sin and the lies and the immoralities of this world!

The Christian is hated because we live in world where everyone wants to be their own god.

The world believes that a true God should fulfill all their desires no matter their own personal behavior.

The truth is God is love, but God is also “just” and God “demands righteous behavior”!

This is what the world rebels against the most.

As Christians, we must keep in mind that it is Satan who is behind all afflictions aimed at believers.

The truth is, that Jesus Christ died for our sins so that we would not perish in a sinner’s hell.

It is Jesus Christ who gives us the privilege to live with Him in Heaven.

We must not give in to the temptations of this world!

Our faith is the key to life everlasting in a place that the word paradise cannot describe sufficiently.

*1Th 3:6 But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:

A wise man once said, “As cold water is to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country.”

A strong faith is a faith that gives an excellent testimony!

Timothy brought relief to the Apostle Paul. Those believers were standing fast in their faith in Jesus Christ.

They were continuing to study the Word of God, and to pray and to worship together.

They were witnessing for Christ as the opportunity arose and His promise of eternal life.

Joh 6:28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Joh 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

They were meeting the needs of those in the Church who had a need.

They remembered the one who had set them on the path of righteousness, the Apostle Paul and had a longing to see him again.

What is the message of our Church?

We have faith that will stand fast in the face of opposition.
We have a faith that demonstrates the love of God.
We have a faith that longs for the fellowship with our Pastor.
We have a strong faith in the truth of God.

*1Th 3:7 Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:
1Th 3:8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

What is the greatest motivation we can give to our Pastors?

Our own faith in the truth of God that he preaches!

The Apostle Paul was in Corinth at this time and he was facing fierce persecution against him and the new church in Corinth.

Again, it was that group of Jewish religionists that had stirred up much trouble for Paul and early Christians especially those Jews who had converted to Christianity and were excommunicated.

They had dragged Paul before a Roman court.

Many believe that some threat or some savagery happened to Paul at this time that is not recorded, and it brought great affliction to the Apostle Paul.

This good news of the faith of the Thessalonians had brought great comfort to Paul, the comfort he desperately needed.

The strong faith of the Thessalonians stirred renewed life and purpose to the ministry of the Apostle Paul and those with him.

Paul had been discouraged but not defeated!

Paul was stirred to share Jesus Christ as never before.

This church of the Thessalonians were a testimony to the Apostle Paul.

They were suffering persecution and they were remaining steadfast to the Lord.

They were a great example of the true Church.

As we go about serving the Lord we never know when our own faith and our own strength in the Lord are needed to help some other believer.

We must always stand fast in our faith in the truth of the Gospel and in all the Word of God.

Our faith will certainly help our Pastor as he goes about answering his own calling to serve the Lord.

If we stand fast in our faith we will grow more to be like our Savior!

Php 1:27 Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the gospel;

The heart of Paul was touched by the actions of these Thessalonians.

*1Th 3:9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;
1Th 3:10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

Paul’s grief had turned to joy.

A wise man wrote: Of all the emotions and affections of the soul, love is the only one we can interchange with God.

We can try to love Him like He loves us!

God has that perfect love a love that we need to seek and show to Him.

This is love that comes from the heart.

We can show our joy to God by fervent thanksgiving.

There is never a day that we should not be thanking the Lord for what He has done in our lives!

Paul prayed earnestly that he could return to this Church and preach to them the meat of the Gospel.

We never have so much knowledge in the Word of God that we cannot learn more!

We never have so much faith that we cannot increase our faith.

We never have so much love that we cannot increase our love.

We can also pray continuously for our brothers and sisters in Christ and for the men of God who carry God’s message to the world.

The more we get busy serving the Lord the more joy we will see in our Pastor!

The more we get busy serving the Lord the more joy we will see in our Church.

The more people who get saved in our community the more joy we will see in our community.

It is a joyous feeling to know you have missed out on Hell.

I know it was for me.

You just want to be around people like that.

This is one of the greatest testimonies of the true Church.

Why would anyone want to be around a bunch of sad sacks?

A sad church is a miserable church!

Like my Pastor says, “who wants to be around a bunch of people who are mad because they are saved”?

The relationship of the Pastor to his people is so close and vital, that they have within their power to make his life happy or they can make his life miserable.

A good Pastor will not stay in a miserable church!

The church in Corinth was at that time full of problems and it was telling upon the Apostle Paul so of course he had a great yearning to be with a people who had joy in their salvation.

It took some time, but the church at Corinth did become a good church.

A true church will have sympathy for the lost, a faith that is rock solid, a steadfastness to the Word of God, and a spirit of joy for missing out on Hell.

Another thing every church needs is to grow in the Spirit and Grace of the Lord.

A church that is standing still is losing ground and may stumble and fall at any time.

Php 1:25 And having this confidence, I know that I shall abide and continue with you all for your furtherance and joy of faith;
Php 1:26 That your rejoicing may be more abundant in Jesus Christ for me by my coming to you again.

Paul had a great goal of making every Christian perfect for the Lord Jesus Christ!

Paul had a Pastor’s heart but God called him to be an evangelist and church planter.

The goal for the Christian Church is for every Christian to come to a unity of the faith in Jesus Christ!

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
Eph 4:13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

In some churches the Lord Jesus Christ is no longer present so they have no Holy Ghost power!

*1Th 3:11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

For the true Church to be stronger then, we must be sure about God and know who Jesus Christ is!

It is God alone who can fill the desires of His servants!

How do you see God?

God is the Supreme and Matchless being in our universe, the Supreme Intelligence, the Creator and Maker of all things, the Giver and the Sustainer of Life and of everything else. The person who dwells everywhere in Perfect and Supreme Power, Knowledge, and Being.

Some people only think of God as someone who lives in Heaven, in outer space somewhere, and does not really care what is going on in the world.

In fact God is much, much more!

God is intimately involved in our lives.

God is actively involved in our lives!

God is not only in Heaven, but He is also right here with us!

God is our Heavenly Father!

How do you see the Lord Jesus Christ?

The Lord Jesus Christ has existed eternally in Heaven and loves us enough to become our Lord.

The Lord Jesus Christ who loved us enough to come to this earth in the person of Jesus, the Jewish Carpenter from Nazareth.

The Lord Jesus Christ who is the promised Messiah and the Savior of this world.

It is this God who Paul prayed to and it is this same God who we are to pray to.

If this not your God then you are wasting your time praying!

It is only this God who can direct our ways!

He is also the Lord of love!

*1Th 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

Love is what this world needs and not that lustful existence that is in our world today.

Every believer needs love!

Every believer needs to show love!

Every believer needs to grow in love!

We need to grow in love toward all mankind and not just love for each other.

In the Bible it is called “agape” love.

The English language has only one word for love to describe affectionate experiences whereas the Greek language has four.

1) There is “eros”, a passionate love. This physical love between the sexes, the patriotic love a person has for his nation, or the ambition of a person for power or wealth. Eros can be a good love or a bad love.

2) There “storge” love or affectionate love. This is the love that exists between a parent and a child and between a loyal citizens and a trustworthy ruler.

3) There is “phileo” love or endearing love. Phileo love is the love between a husband and a wife for each other. Of brothers and sisters, and sometime close friends.

4) Then there is “agape” love. A selfless and sacrificial love. Agape love is a love of the mind, of reason and of will.
Agape love loves a person who is undeserving of that love. Agape love is love for a person who is unworthy of that love.

Agape love is the love God has for us. Agape love is the love Christ Jesus demonstrated on the cross.

Rom 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.

It is the love for unworthy sinners.

Rom 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

It is the love of God for undeserving enemies.

Rom 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

Selfless agape love is a gift of God.

There is no agape love without a relationship with Jesus Christ because this is the love that comes to us by the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit will not come into us without a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

After our salvation and prayer, the next greatest gift we get from the Lord is agape love.

Without the love of God, He would certainly be that distant God who would not care what we are doing at any time but He loved us before we even knew Him.

1Jn_4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1Jn_4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.

The result of this love is that we will be presented unblameable before God when the Lord Jesus returns to take us home.

*1Th 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

The great result of God’s love is that the Lord Jesus will present His Church unblameable before God His Father when we meet Him in the clouds.

The Lord Jesus as our Advocate will stand before His Father and say, “these are the ones I have been telling you about”.

The Lord Jesus will confirm our relationship with Him!

No one else has the power nor the right to present us before God, than our Redeemer.

That word unblameable means that we will be without a blemish and without a spot, free from fault and free from blame.

We will be free from all the charges that Satan has brought against us.

If it our Savior who is the only One who can make us unblameable before God!

If Jesus Christ, the Son of God, does not have the power nor the desire to present us before God, then we are all doomed.

Jesus is the only One who has ever risen from the dead to live for evermore.

Yes, the Lord raised some from the dead when He was upon this earth, but they later had to die again.

He will present all those who died in Christ.
He will present all those who lived until the Rapture of the Church.

We will one day not too far into the future be presented face to face to the Almighty Living God.

This is the promise of God Himself.

Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

We know our Lord does not ever break His promises!

Amen

The Marks of the True Preacher

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Marks of Paul’s Ministry

Book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 2

What seems to be the problem with the Church today, is the fact that there are not enough strong preachers who preach the Word of God as the truth that it is.

It seems that far too many have their own concept of what the Word of God is teaching.

Many of them just tickle the ears of those in the pews so they can pad their pockets and keep their job.

God teaches us that we are not to have our own interpretation of the Word of God!

2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.

Not one of the prophets of God came by their own interpretation of what God was saying.

They wrote down exactly what God was telling them to write and they were guided by the Holy Spirit to make sure what they wrote was the message that God intended for us to have.

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

It is not the preacher’s job to interpret what God is saying, it is the preacher’s job to explain what God is saying.

Neh_8:8 So they read in the book in the law of God distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused them to understand the reading.

Too many so-called preachers are just preaching their own version of the Bible when God said not to do that.

What were some of the marks of the ministry of the Apostle Paul?

*1Th 2:1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
1Th 2:2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

If we look at the city of Thessalonica, we can see the same things happening then are still happening in our own nation today.

Those that reject the Word of God were trying to convince the general public that the preaching of Jesus Christ would destroy their freedoms and affect their jobs and businesses, when the fact is that this is far from the truth.

We know that Paul had to flee from Thessalonica to save his life.

The Word of God did not flee, so the attacks upon the Church and its believers continued.

Since the persecutors could not get to Paul, they then attempted to destroy his reputation.

In America today we see that there is an attempt to destroy the Church.

In fact, these people have become so bold they attempt to destroy anyone and everyone who stands against their wicked and immoral ways.

Not much has changed in this sinful world as we approach the same sinful ways the days before the flood and the days of Lot.

Again the Word of God did not flee and the Church at Thessalonica prospered for many years.

The Word of God cannot be destroyed nor can the true Church with the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

When Paul could not go to Thessalonica, he wrote the two books to this church that bear their name.

We also know that the writings of Paul were also shared with every church.

The Holy Spirit included these letters in what is known as the New Testament today.

Paul knew how the unbelievers liked to exaggerate the lies that they proposed, and stirred up as many problems for the Church as they could and we still see these same tactics today.

The tactics of the Devil do not have to change because most people want to do as they please rather than live righteously.

People are only concerned about themselves and not anyone else.

The Lord Jesus is our example in how to live righteously.

The Apostle Paul can be our example in how to serve in the ministry of God.

The Apostle Paul was good Church Planter because the Word of God is true and the cause of Christ is real.

The faith of the true Church is valid!

We are truly saved and our names are truly written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life in Heaven!

Heaven is a real place just as Hell is a real place.

These things are real because they are true!

The message of the Apostle Paul was not empty, ineffective, or fruitless, because the message of the Lord Jesus Christ is a real message because it is a true message.

When we live for Jesus Christ were are living in reality!

The “fruit” of the “Gospel” is permanent and cannot be changed by this world.

The “Tempter” the Devil, may ruin our testimony if we succumb to his tricks, but he cannot change our outcome.

A good preacher will preach boldly the truth of God because he knows it is the truth.

A good preacher will preach boldly the truth of God even when he is opposed by those in the pews.

Thank God for our Pastor!

The Apostle Paul was opposed in every city he went to, but it did not change his message.

Those who change their message because of opposition to it, are then liars and no longer have the truth.

Bold preaching is one proof of a strong preacher.

Bold preaching is to preach the truth of God and not to concentrate on those who oppose his message because there will always be those who oppose it.

Those that oppose the Gospel of Jesus Christ will also break the laws of the land to do so.

Act 16:37 But Paul said unto them, They have beaten us openly uncondemned, being Romans, and have cast us into prison; and now do they thrust us out privily? nay verily; but let them come themselves and fetch us out.
Act 16:38 And the serjeants told these words unto the magistrates: and they feared, when they heard that they were Romans.

It was not an easy task to bring the Gospel to the Gentiles in Europe.

The secret of the bold preacher is that they always preach the message that the Holy Spirit has given to them!

Without the power of the Holy Spirit there are no true preachers!

*1Th 2:3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:
1Th 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

When we speak the message of the Lord Jesus Christ, we know we are speaking the truth!

The Word of God is free from all that is false and impure.

It is true Christians that make brave Christians.

To exhort, is to incite which is good and that which is commendable according to the dictionary.

Listen to Jeremiah: Jer 4:14 O Jerusalem, wash thine heart from wickedness, that thou mayest be saved. How long shall thy vain thoughts lodge within thee?

Paul wrote to the Colossian Church: Col 1:3 We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
Col 1:4 Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus, and of the love which ye have to all the saints,
Col 1:5 For the hope which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is one of the few truths that is left in this wicked world that is so full of deceit.

No one even expects to hear the truth anymore, especially from our politicians.

We do not get the truth from our news sources, or from our government, nor is the truth taught in our schools anymore.

The truth is being erased from all documents because the truth will upset too many people and change the narrative of our government which strives on deceit!

The Gospel stands out as the eternal truth of the Living Unchanging God!

The bold Preacher preaches a pure “Gospel”, and lives a clean life, and certainly does not deceive the people of God!

The bold preacher does not follow the latest theological fashion in order to appear up to date with some so-called modern “Gospel”.

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is pure and needs to be preached as pure.

No preacher has the right to change the message of God!

Every wicked rumor about the Apostle Paul proved to be false.

I can assure you, if we hear an immoral rumor about our own Pastor, you can bet it is a false rumor and should be ignored and our Pastor defended.

The Apostle Paul was sincere and genuine and he preached the truth so that people could be truly saved and their names written down in Heaven.

Paul preached for the glory of God and not for any personal glory which none of us have.

If we are not trying to please God then we are not who we say we are!

Most people do not want to hear about sin and judgment, but these are facts.
Most people do not want to hear that the Lord Jesus is the only path to Heaven, but it is a fact.
Most people do not want to hear that we are to commit ourselves to the Lord Jesus Christ, but it is the truth.

Preaching the truth is not very popular, but a bold preacher will not tone down his message to appease those before him.

It is God’s “Gospel” and it will be God who will judge that one He has called to preach that Gospel”!

Those that reject the truth of God are already doomed to Hell!

Every child of God will give an account of the ministry God has given to us, even that bold preacher.

It is God which tries our hearts to see if we have deviated from the truth of the Gospel!

This should frighten those who preach a false gospel, but they are not believers themselves and most of them are just in it for the money and the true Judge will eventually get them in His court and their judgment will be terrible.

*1Th 2:5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
1Th 2:6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

That word “flattery” used in this Scripture implies compliments that are given in order to get something out of people.

Paul refused to flatter people in order to secure their friendship or their following, or their support!

Paul’s message was that “we are all sinners”.

Paul did commend many people and we read about those things in every epistle that he has written.

Paul said God was his witness to this truth.

The Apostle Paul was accused of being in the ministry of the Lord because of His greed, so Paul supported himself all his days by menial work.

Every church that Paul established in the Lord knew this to be true.

We should understand that there is much in the word of God that is distasteful to the unbeliever, and it is because they do not understand God’s purpose for including these things in the Scriptures.

Even if the Word of God was considered to be perfect in the world, there would be many who would find fault in what God has said to us.

The Word of God exposes our depraved sin nature and our helplessness against the Devil.

The Word of God exposes us to some mysteries that the world says God should explain.

The Word of God has only one “judgment” for sin, when the world sees minor sin and major sin.

The Word of God says it is the truth of our world, yet earthly science rejects this truth because they reject the Divine God.

Just because the world objects to the truth of the Lord Jesus, our God, it does not make it any less true!

The strong Pastor and preacher does not minister for glory, nor for prestige, nor for authority.

They seek only to please the God that called them into His service.

This should be true of every child of God!

It is only the false preacher that has a selfish ambition.

The “Gospel” belongs to the Lord Jesus!

He is indeed the Author of our salvation!

There is no other “gospel” for mankind!

As a wise man once said, “The Gospel is that Star by which we can navigate through the Sea of Life and land upon the Shores of Eternity”.

Those that preach the true “Gospel” are not angels nor can they ever be!

An angel knows nothing of the passions and the feelings of being a human.
Angels cannot understand the trials and temptations that we go through.

The “Gospel” must be preached by men such as Paul and Silas and James and the others called of God.

Men cannot be preachers who become Christians.

Preachers must first be Christians who have been called of God to preach the Gospel.

They must be sincere and bold because they preach the only truth of this world.

The Gospel contains no false theories, no wild imaginations, and no empty speculations!

The “Gospel” is the truth of our Creator and His message of truth for our eternal salvation!

*1Th 2:7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
1Th 2:8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

This word nurse as used here means a nursing mother and not some baby sitter.

Most every mother are like a nurse to their children, especially that new born babe.

Paul said this is the same way he was around those who were at that time babes in Christ.

This is the same way the Lord Jesus is around all His children.

This is the same thought of our Heavenly Father as He looks down upon us from Heaven!

There is no better way to describe the love that the Lord has for us.

The Apostle Paul had a mother-like affection for all those babes in Christ in Thessalonica because this is the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mat_23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

That hen is a fitting example of a nursing mother who will shield her babies from all the evils of this world.

This was the way of Paul and all the Apostles and more important this is the way of our Heavenly Father who sent His Son, the Messiah, Jesus to provide us with Heaven’s Security.

The Apostle Paul sacrificed all his personal goals and any private life to be that “mother hen” to the Churches he planted.

Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.

This is the same gentleness and patient endurance that comes from our Lord Jesus Christ!

A good Christian is that person who uses utmost gentleness to have utmost strength in serving in that place where the Lord has placed us.

These are things we must consider if we are going to serve in the will of God for our lives!

This is the love that is the power of the good preacher.

I thank God for the Pastor God has placed in my life who expresses the love of God to all he meets.

*1Th 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.

The strong and true pastor preaches and ministers, laboring night and day.

Such was the Apostle Paul!

Paul was the servant of Christ Jesus trying to meet the desperate needs of this world and reach men and woman with the truth of the Gospel.

Paul only slept and rested only as he needed.

What did Paul mean when he said he would not be chargeable to any man?

Paul meant that every true called man of God has the blood of the world upon his hands, and will be held accountable for getting the message of Christ out to them.

That message was that they can be saved from death and receive eternal life.

Eze 33:8 When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shalt surely die; if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.
Eze 33:9 Nevertheless, if thou warn the wicked of his way to turn from it; if he do not turn from his way, he shall die in his iniquity; but thou hast delivered thy soul.

The Gospel is the greatest “Good News” that has even been conceived but the Gospel is also “a warning” to all those who would reject the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

To the Apostle Paul the work he was doing was a labor of love.

2Th 3:8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
2Th 3:9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.
2Th 3:10 For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat.

These things took a toll on the Apostle Paul but he never quit on God.

2Co 11:27 In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.
2Co 11:28 Beside those things that are without, that which cometh upon me daily, the care of all the churches.

Paul was a tent maker by trade and this work was most always available.

By supporting himself, Paul was free to direct his own movements and raised himself above evil suspicions.

It was sometimes a telling thing when Paul would raise his hands in worship of the Lord showing the hands of tentmaker blackened from that work.

Act 20:34 Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me.

No one could accuse the Apostle Paul of preaching for money.

It is also true that the preacher must lead an impeccable life.

*1Th 2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:
1Th 2:11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
1Th 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

Paul lived a holy life before God after his conversion. A life separated from the world and set apart totally to God.
Paul lived a just and righteous life before men. A life that loved and treated men just as God said and just as he wanted to be treated himself.
Paul lived a blameless life before both God and man!

Paul told these Thessalonians that they were his witnesses to these truths.

It was not just Paul but those with Him, which would include Silas and Timothy and we know that Luke traveled with Paul much of the time and there were others.

We should understand that even in the day of Paul the world just did not want to hear the truth.

As Christians it is important that we walk worthy of God and this is a very high standard.

We must walk in harmony with the Word of God.

In today’s world the Word of God has not changed, but those who will walk in harmony with the Word of God are not as many.

It is the same reason; the world just does not want to hear the truth.

They foolishly believe that they have no purpose, but to sin and they reject that there is life after death.

The best witness tool we have as Christians is the lifestyle we live!

The governments of today insists that parents of today do not know how to raise their children.

I submit to you that those governments do not want our children to know the truth and they certainly do not know how to raise our children.

It takes a good father to lead his family and our Heavenly Father gives us the example that we need to follow through His Son and His Word.

The Bible is about the family and it only works when we are in the family of God our Father.

We are invited to enter into God’s Kingdom while we are on this earth and we can participate in its blessing, but we also know that we will one day live in God’s Heavenly World.

The world teaches that society is made by groups when the Lord Jesus teaches that society is made by each loving individual.

As a father who earnestly gives his children the right guidance and the right instructions, this was the way of the Apostle Paul because this is the way of our Heavenly Father.

“Walking” should mean that we are on the path of the Lord and making steady progress in serving the Lord.

What did God tell Abraham?

Gen_17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; “walk before me, and be thou perfect”.

This has never changed and as the children of God our Father we are to follow this same path!

We must continue to press forward in the name of the Lord!

Php_3:14 I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

We seem to sometimes forget that we already have a place reserved for us in Heaven!

Jesus Christ requires that we live a Christian life.
Jesus Christ requires that we live as He did.
Jesus Christ enables us if we truly follow Him to live.

Without Jesus we cannot live a Christian life!

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

We must understand that the Word of God is the ultimate truth of this world.

*1Th 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

A strong people will receive the Word of God as the Word of God!

It takes people to proclaim the Word of God.

No one can get the Word of God without someone else having a part in taking that Word of God to them.

This is the function of the Church.
This is the reason for giving away Bibles.
This is the reason for our tract ministry.
This is why we witness!

This Church in Thessalonica believed it.

The Apostle Paul believed it.

Those that traveled with Paul believed it.

I believe it.

Do you believe it?

Most of this world only believe that the Scriptures were all given by some man and they cannot be further from the truth.

Most of this world believe that the Old Testament is nothing but a book of fables, yet they will believe the lies writings such as those of Karl Marx.

Most believe that the New Testament just tells us what the Apostles believed about Jesus, when much of it is written by eyewitnesses to His existence.

The Bible proclaims it is the Word of God.

The fact of the unity of the Scriptures, written by so many different men over such a vast amount of time could not have been completed unless it came from one mind.

These Scriptures have change millions of lives for God.

God can speak only the truth and it is the truth we need, not a pack of lies by our own government and a reckless society.

We must understand that the Supreme Authority for accepting the Word of God is the Lord Jesus Christ.

Joh 5:39 Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.
Joh 5:40 And ye will not come to me, that ye might have life.

Jesus Christ was a historical person.
Jesus Christ is the Son of God.

The Bible is the Word of God!

The Bible is what we are to base our faith upon.

1Co 2:12 Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.
1Co 2:13 Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.
1Co 2:14 But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.

It is time we based our life on the truth and not the lies of this world!

Amen

Understanding the Truth of God

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Receivers and Responders

Book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 1

We go from the Books of James written by James the half-brother of the Lord to the writings of the Apostle Paul but Paul assured us that we know that it was the Holy Spirit who directed all the Scriptures.

Every chapter, every verse, every word given to us by the Holy Spirit are to make the Church to be strong.

The world will claim every building with a steeple is a church but we know only those groups of true believers make up the true Church.

The Church is not a building, the Church is all those who are trying to follow in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ and His truths!

The true Church has Preachers and Pastors who are faithful to the true Church by remaining faithful to the truth of the Word of God.

A strong church is a church that has accepted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, the true Messiah, the same Messiah who will return to first take His children home and then deal with this wicked world and complete the promises He has made to Israel.

The true church is founded on the Oneness of God in His three persons, God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

There is no true church if that congregation does not accept the trinity of God!

*1Th 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

If we cannot understand the truth of this scripture then we do not understand the Love of God!

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Joh 3:17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.
Joh 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

All other places that gather together are not part of the true Church unless they accept this truth!

They are only a man-created gathering, no matter what they call themselves!

The Lord was discussing this with His disciples before He was crucified.

Mat 16:15 He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
Mat 16:17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 16:18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

Now the Church is not built upon Peter but the fact that the Lord Jesus is indeed the Messiah, the Son of the Living God!

The true Church possesses God gifts of “Grace” and “Peace”.

We know that “Grace” is the sum of all the blessings that God the father bestows on us through Jesus Christ. Grace is God’s love and favor to us who are certainly undeserving of it!

We know that our Lord Jesus by God’s “grace” is the death of His Son for all believers, in fact for all sinners.

We should know that peace is more than the absence of hostility and disorder: it also denotes good health and harmony with nature, and inward wellbeing.
This peace came through the blood of the cross.

Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;
Eph 2:15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;
Eph 2:16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby:
Eph 2:17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh.
Eph 2:18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

The peace comes only by God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit gives us these words of truth.

Paul as a Church builder never departed from this truth about our Savior but built upon it, just as we are to do today.

Silas and Timothy were with Paul when the Church at Thessalonica was established and the Holy Spirit always showed that Paul was not alone and that he traveled with others who had the same faith that he had.

Again we will see that prayers are the strength of the Church.

*1Th 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
1Th 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

A strong Church is a praying church!

Mat 21:22 And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

It is our duty to be thankful for the personal benefits we receive from God but notice it is better to be thankful for the good of others.

Paul knew his own strength came because of all those churches praying for his success.

We need to pray for all the missions of our church because they need those prayers and we will still receive those benefits from God.

Our prayers must be a work of our faith or they are useless!

Remember what we learned from James, “faith without works is a dead faith”.

We show our love to Christ by what we do for Him willingly!

We must take prayer seriously because it is the power behind the true Church!

Our faith in Jesus Christ will stir us up to do a work for God.

The stronger our faith, the more we can accomplish in the name of our Lord Jesus!

We must never get over the fact that we have been saved from a burning Hell!

Just as faith stirs the Church to do a work of God, “love” stirs the Church to labor, or we would say to get busy serving the Lord.

We know this work can be tiring but when we do get to rest, we will rest satisfied that we are working in the name of our Savior.

One day that true rest will come and our labor on this earth will be over.

Our faith works, our love labors, our hope patiently suffers all things!

We should remember our rewards come from the labor we have done in this life.

*1Th 1:4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

What does this election mean?

1) Election means that we as believers are elected and chosen by God to be His beloved people.

God has called each of us out of this world and away from our old life of sin and eternal death.

Being in the will of God means we are now separate and set apart for God’s use!

2) Election means we as Christians are all in the same family because we have the same Father.

We are all brothers and sisters in Christ and we are to hold each believer close to our hearts.

We are family because of our faith.

1Jn 3:1 Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

When we look upon another Christian, we must see them as an object of God’s love!

We are all brethren because we are all the object of God’s “Grace”.

When visitors come into our Church, they should be able to see that our members act like the beloved of God.

They should see clearly that each member treats each other member as the beloved brethren of God.

The “Gospel” is not just a bunch of words written down on paper!

*1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.
1Th 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

What is the greatest trait of the Christian? We believe the Word of God and it is this language that we speak. It is the language of Heaven!

The “Gospel” came in power! Not miraculously but persuasively because it came from the heart of God.

The “Gospel” came to us by the Holy Ghost, the Spirit of Truth.

When Paul preached, he was not concerned if he were a good preacher or not.

When Paul preached his only concern was sharing the “Gospel” of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is only in these terms that the Holy Spirit can do His work of conviction.

God honors His Word and His Word only!

If we do not believe the Word of God is from Heaven, then we cannot stand before any group in the power of God!

Even as teachers we have no power unless the Holy Spirit is with us and He will not be with us if we have no faith in God’s truth!

Those that believe that our creation came in the process of evolution, have no power.
Those that believe that we are not to teach against sin as described in the Bible, have no power.
Those that believe that the Word of God is not the complete truth, have no power.
Those that say the Jesus is not the Messiah who is coming again, have no power.

The truth of God must be taught by example!

Those that are chosen of God are the same ones who have accepted the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The “Gospel” cannot be received without joy!

Our afflictions come by some man, but our joy comes by the Holy Spirit!

The “Gospel” will always bear fruit!

We must all guard our lives to be sure we are following in the ways of the Lord Jesus Christ.

*1Th 1:7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.
1Th 1:8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

How were these Thessalonians examples of the Apostle Paul?

In their faith.
In their hope.
In their brotherly love.
In their good works.

We must not get caught up in what will people think of us!

It is not a terrible thing to be seen as a peculiar people!

The Church at Thessalonica became an example to other believers.

The new established church was so committed to the Lord Jesus Christ that their testimony spread all over Greece and then all over the known world.

This shows us that the Lord will use us if we just given Him control through the Holy Spirit.

This church was not afraid to show their faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

We must understand that if we do not have the Spirit of Jesus Christ in us, then we do not belong to Christ!

Rom_8:9 But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.

Having the Spirit of Christ in us will show up in our daily life.

This is one of the greatest testimonies of witnessing in all the Bible.

Our greatest work we can show to those around us is that work for Jesus Christ.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Rom 10:18 But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world.

When we speak with the voice of the Lord, His message will spread everywhere.

Psa 29:4 The voice of the LORD is powerful; the voice of the LORD is full of majesty.

When we do not speak with the voice of the Lord then we are not in the will of God!

When our church does not speak with the voice of the Lord, then we need to close the doors of the church and go home because we are not who we say we are!

*1Th 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God;

The world sees the Bible as just a book of fables as they serve their idols of this world.

The Christian sees the Bible as the revelations of the True and Living God who lives in Heaven.

Jer 10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
Jer 10:11 Thus shall ye say unto them, The gods that have not made the heavens and the earth, even they shall perish from the earth, and from under these heavens.

Exo 3:14 And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you.

Once we have accepted the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ, then we have turned from the idols of the world to the True and Living God.

This is the time we begin standing on the truth of the “Gospel”.

We might try to clean our lives up by ourselves but we will find this is impossible. We cannot reform ourselves!

We cannot turn away from idols and seek God.

We must turn to God first and then with God’s help and God’s strength we can repent and turn away from idols.

It is after we accept the truth of the Gospel that we can repent and be baptized.

Idols are dead images of some imaginary beings, but my Savior, My God is alive and will never die!

Conversion means we have turned completely around.

We begin to hate the things we loved and love the things we hated.

Conversion is to turn to God distinctly by an act and deed of our mind and our will because we see the truth of creation.

We begin to see that there is a purpose to our being on this earth.

This lost world will worship anything and those who say this is not true worship themselves and this is the worst of all false worship.

Every person has an opinion of what God is and what God is like and what God allows and what God does not allow.

The lost world will take these ideas and make themselves an imaginary god out of wood, or silver, or gold, or some other object of this world.

Others just have a picture in their minds of what a god should be.

Some have made this planet to be their god.

Others have made the stars or some alien to be their god.

So an idol is any image created in the mind of man other than the God who gave us the Scriptures that reveal the truth.

Rom 1:21 Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.

Many of those in Greece had heard of the man Jesus and knew the truth of His crucifixion but were acceptable of His resurrection, but when they heard of His return they sought Him out for the truth.

You see, it is God’s Son who is returning to earth, the One who died for us all.

We that know the Lord want to be acceptable to Him and live with Him forever.

This is the reason we are waiting upon the return of Jesus Christ so we can go home and leave this wicked world behind.

Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
Joh 14:4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.

*1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

How do we know that the Lord Jesus is coming to take us home?

Because God raised Him up from the dead.

By resurrecting Christ Jesus God proved he is the God of all power and not some imaginary God.
God proved He has the power to raise all the dead in Christ.
God proved that He is going to do everything that the Lord Jesus has taught us.

The truth; God will raise some to eternal life but some will be raised to eternal death.

Eternal death is to be separated from the Living God for eternity, which is what they wanted and strived for, but it will be a terrible thing.

By turning to the Living God we will escape the wrath of God that is coming to this world.

Since all the world has now turned against Israel, including my own nation we can see that this day of God’s wrath is very close.

Gen_12:3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.

The USA has just come under the curse of God by the works of administration that is in office today.

God will reward those who are in rebellion to His Word with eternal death!

The world is already condemned but all those who turn to God in any nation from idols that are all imaginary can still be saved.

I can assure you that you do not want to see the wrath of an angry God toward those who reject His Son!

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

Amen

Are You Watching For The Return of Christ Jesus

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Watching Consistently

1 Thessalonians 5

Last week in chapter 4, Paul gave us great comforting words about the “Rapture” of the Church and our reuniting with our loved ones who have gone on before us.

Paul described the never ending day when we will see Jesus.

So what are we to do up until that time?

We are to concentrate on our walk with the Lord!

The saints of God are to live by a certain standard that is laid out before us in the Word of God.

We are to study to be quiet and keep to our own affairs.

We are to study the Word of God and be ready to give anyone an answer from the word of truth, God’s Word.

We are to be busy about the things that Jesus Christ commanded us to do.

And we are to watch!

We are to watch for the return of Christ Jesus to get His Church!

But that word watch means more than to keep a keen eye for the return of Christ.

**We are to watch what comes out of our mouths.
**We are to watch how we walk as Christians.
**We are to be on watch, as a guard would, for the things of the Church and the things of the Word of God, as protectors.
**We are to watch, or be alert to the evil of this world we live in.
**We are to watch because we are commanded to do so!

Mar 13:37 And what I say unto you I say unto all, Watch.

**Watch also means to be prepared!

We must be prepared because we do not know the time of Christ’s return.

Let’s Begin:

*****1Th 5:1 But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
1Th 5:2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.

The Apostle Paul ended last weeks lesson telling us that we should find great comfort knowing that when the Lord returns to get His Church, we would be reunited with our loved ones who have gone on before us and also that our souls would be reunited with a glorified body that would allow us to be known in person as we were known while we lived in our flesh, but in perfection.

What is called death in this world is only sleep to the Christian because when the Lord Jesus arose from His own grave He robbed death of it’s terror.

1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

That loved one in Jesus that has gone on before us is as full of vitality right now on that side as we are on this side and can never die again. They already live in eternity while we still live day by day.

But whether here or there with our love ones, true life is only in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The closer we live to Him the closer we are to them!

That phrase “times and seasons” is only seen one other time and in the Book of Acts.

Act 1:7 And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power.

These are words that Jesus used to answer the disciples who asked this question.

The “times” are periods and points in the future.

Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;
Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

The “seasons” are specific points in those time periods.

So when, will these things take place?

The Apostle Paul said there was no need for him to add to what the Lord Jesus had already said about these things.

These things will happen suddenly!

Suddenly means in an unexpected manner. The Lord Jesus already knows exactly what He will do.

The Lord Jesus does not have to prepare for His own coming, He knows exactly when He will return!

Jesus does not have to meditate on His coming.

For those that do not know the Lord their calamity will come suddenly!

Pro 6:15 Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

The world truly spends it’s days in carelessness and drunkenness.

But the theme of our lesson is “watching”!

We as believers are to spend our days “watching” and Not in carelessness and drunkenness.

The “Day of the Lord” is not just one day.

The “Day of the Lord” can be said to be that period of time after the Rapture of the Church, just described to us in Chapter 4, when God again begins to deal with Israel, beginning with the Tribulation Period and extending through the Second Coming of Christ Jesus to this Earth and His Millennial Reign and even on unto the creation of the New Heaven and the New Earth.

Joe 2:18 Then will the LORD be jealous for his land, and pity his people.

Joe 2:32 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.

Joe 3:1 For, behold, in those days, and in that time, when I shall bring again the captivity of Judah and Jerusalem,
Joe 3:2 I will also gather all nations, and will bring them down into the valley of Jehoshaphat, and will plead with them there for my people and for my heritage Israel, whom they have scattered among the nations, and parted my land.

Joe 3:16 The LORD also shall roar out of Zion, and utter his voice from Jerusalem; and the heavens and the earth shall shake: but the LORD will be the hope of his people, and the strength of the children of Israel.

Joe 3:20 But Judah shall dwell for ever, and Jerusalem from generation to generation.
Joe 3:21 For I will cleanse their blood that I have not cleansed: for the LORD dwelleth in Zion.

How suddenly will this take place?

Jesus said.

Mat 24:38 For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark,
Mat 24:39 And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be.

Mat 24:43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up.

Luk 17:29 But the same day that Lot went out of Sodom it rained fire and brimstone from heaven, and destroyed them all.
Luk 17:30 Even thus shall it be in the day when the Son of man is revealed.

The day of Israel’s blessing is also the same day of destruction of Israel’s enemies!

We already know that a thief does not announce when he will come but actually takes great precaution to keep that day a secret that only he knows.

The Lord will do the same!

Rev 16:15 Behold, I come as a thief. Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.

There are no signs to watch for the Rapture of the Church but there are many signs that will be observed before the Lord comes as a thief.

Mat 24:32 Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh:
Mat 24:33 So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors.
Mat 24:34 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.
Mat 24:35 Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.
Mat 24:36 But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only.

Luk 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Luk 21:26 Men’s hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
Luk 21:27 And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
Luk 21:28 And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.
Luk 21:29 And he spake to them a parable; Behold the fig tree, and all the trees;
Luk 21:30 When they now shoot forth, ye see and know of your own selves that summer is now nigh at hand.
Luk 21:31 So likewise ye, when ye see these things come to pass, know ye that the kingdom of God is nigh at hand.
Luk 21:32 Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass away, till all be fulfilled.

Peter said this:

2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

We already know that many in the world strive for peace.

*****1Th 5:3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.

“Safety” means “security”.

The “Day of the Lord” will burst suddenly on an unsuspecting world at the very time when there is great worldwide concern for peace and security.

We live in such a time right now!

We can see much turmoil in our world today as we approach this time period.

The Bible says there will come “one” who will bring the look of peace but not real peace.

Psa 55:21 The words of his mouth were smoother than butter, but war was in his heart: his words were softer than oil, yet were they drawn swords.

This man may even be on the scenes today.

Though the world will be fooled, the Lord will not be fooled.

This is the developing plan promoted by the many New Age cults and movements pushing toward a New World order.

This not a sign for the Rapture of the Church because the Church could be removed at any moment!

This is a sign of the coming “Day of the Lord”!

Paul uses the phrase “for when they shall say” meaning it is not the Word of God, nor the Church that says these things but “those of this lost world”.

The phrase “travail upon a woman” means the “day of the Lord” will be as an unexpected thief, but once it begins, it’s destruction is as inevitable as the birth of a child is to that woman in travail.

Not one unbeliever will escape the wrath of God!

*****1Th 5:4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.

This darkness is “Spiritual Ignorance” and the state of living in sin!

How do we avoid living in the darkness of this world?

Heb 10:25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.

This is the command we have of God as we see the “Day of the Lord ” approaching.

We need more of the Word of God and not less of it.

We need more comfort and fellowship with all believers and not less of it!

Our hope is in the Lord!

It is the Word of God that will bring us comfort in these last days!

*****1Th 5:5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
1Th 5:6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.

Children of the light are those “Born Again” children of God and then filled with the Holy Spirit.

Eph 5:8 For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
Eph 5:9 (For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth;)
Eph 5:10 Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord.

There are times that we all know that we become careless in this world and be asleep to the things of this world when we should be watching for the return of Christ Jesus to get His church.

Paul exhorts us all to watch and be sober that we not be ashamed at His coming!

We should all keep in mind, whay will the Lord find us doing when He returns suddenly.

We must abide in the Lord at all times!

1Jn 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.

*****1Th 5:7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.

If we take this verse literal and we should, we will understand that night is the time when sleepers sleep.

Night is also the time when drinking men are usually found to be drunk.

To sleep in the day time would be idle, lazy, and searching for the easy life.

To be drunken by day usually brings with it great shame.

To the Christian, who are to be people of the day, therefore our work should be done openly in daytime time and not secretly in the nighttime.

We cannot be witnesses for Jesus unless we can be seen!

Our conduct and our lifestyle must be open for the world to see!

We must not be ashamed of the “Gospel of Jesus Christ”!

*****1Th 5:8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.

What are the signs of the true Christian?

Faith and Love!

Col 1:4 Since we heard of your “faith” in Christ Jesus, and of the “love” which ye have to all the saints,
Col 1:5 For the “hope” which is laid up for you in heaven, whereof ye heard before in the word of the truth of the gospel;
There should be no doubt in our minds that we are in a “spiritual warfare”!

The breastplate and the helmet are the clothing of the soldier in the army of God!

Rom 13:12 The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.

2Co 6:7 By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left,

The breastplate and the helmet defend the two most vital parts of the Christian. The head and the heart.

When our head and heart are right with God then our entire body can be right with God and we can become a weapon in the army of God.

Why?

*****1Th 5:9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
1Th 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.

The Apostle Paul has been discussing the “Day of the Lord” throughout this passage.

The “Day of the Lord” will also be the great “Day of God’s Wrath”.

Rev 6:17 For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?

Paul has told us about the Rapture which will take place “before this day of wrath”.

In the Book of Revelation, this verse in Chapter 6 was only written after the Church was in Heaven.

Rev 4:1 After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.

The “day of wrath” will be upon the ungodly world that is left behind “after” the Rapture of the Church and has been rejected.

The world rejects the standards of God.

The world rejects the Word of God.

The world rejects the work of the Lord Jesus on Calvary’s Cross.

The world rejects the forgiveness of God!

To reject God, is then ungodly.

This “Wrath” will not be a time of chastisement and purification of believers!

This “Wrath” will be a judgment and a great tribulation on the ungodly, non-believers!

These are those who remain in bondage to Satan.

2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

God will reclaim His creation but all those that follow Satan must be purged from it!

God has not appointed His Church to wrath but to “deliverance”.

The Church will be “Raptured” out of this world before the wrath of God begins!

Previous generations of Christians were also delivered just as stated in last weeks lesson.

Jesus Christ died for believers and “all” believers from the past up until the day of the Rapture will not be appointed to this day of wrath!

We are to find comfort in knowing that we will be reunited with our loved ones and also with Jesus.

But we are also to find comfort in knowing that we will miss out on this time of the wrath of God!

*****1Th 5:11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

We would not find much comfort if we were watching for the coming wrath and tribulation rather than watching for Christ to come get His Church!

We cannot allow others to twist all these things around to mean something else.

The Lord will return to get His Church before He returns in His wrath to restore His Kingdom.

John wrote:

1Jn 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; “that ye may know” that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

God tells us all these things that we may know!

We may not know the exact day, nor the exact time but we do know that the Lord is coming and we will be going with Him.

We must be thankful to all those that teach the truth of the Word of God and who do not yield to the things of this world!

*****1Th 5:12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
1Th 5:13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.

To “beseech” is to implore or to exhort.

These Thessalonians had come to love the Apostle Paul and to beseech would like saying, “as a personal favor”.

To “know” is to recognize them for what they are. To have regard for and respect.

Paul was asking these Thessalonians to respect their pastor and their teachers “as a personal favor to him”.

After all this was a newly formed church and these men would also be “Babes in Christ”.

Jesus said:

Mar 6:4 But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, but in his own country, and among his own kin, and in his own house.

The Apostle Paul ordained elders in every Church soon after it was established and this still seems to be the best method of evangelism even today.

After all Jesus also did this as He sent that “Born Again” demoniac back home to witness to his old friends and family.

Mar 5:19 Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, “Go home to thy friends”, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee.

It is that “change in the way we live” that is our best witnessing tool and those that know us the best will notice that change the most.

We should remember “those that labor” were not called of Paul to do so, they were called of God!

What are the gifts of the Holy Spirit?

Eph 4:11 And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
Eph 4:12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

Notice these called of God, were to labor for this new church but also “to be over” and “to admonish”, which means to warn, instruct and direct.

These were the God called shepherds “who were appointed and ordained of God”, to watch over the flock of God!

These are the God called ministers “who labor in the work of the Lord”.

What is the work of the Lord?

1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;
1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and “to come unto the knowledge of the truth”.

We must keep the main thing, the main thing and “salvation” of the lost is the main thing!

Since Christ is the head of the Church then those called to do His work are to treated with respect and as the head of the Church until Christ returns to His rightful place.

We should look at this as the command of God and not a suggestion!

But we must not be fooled. Unless that person is teaching the ways of Jesus Christ and His Gospel, then that person has not been called and should not be followed!

Some men have disgraced the office of Pastor and teacher in the Church.

How must the true Pastor labor?

There is physical labor in preaching the “Gospel”.
There is intellectual labor in studying God’s Word.
There is moral labor in keeping himself right with God.

That man called of God that does these things and fulfills the office of Pastor, should be over the people and esteemed in love.

Why?

Not for their own sake but for the “work’s sake”.

What else is the church to do?

We are to be at peace among ourselves!

Col 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
Col 3:14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.
Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful.
Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

When the flock of God does what it is supposed to do, then that group of believers will also be involved in the work of God!

It is so easy to allow little things to set one Christian against another and bring strife into the Church where Satan will take advantage of it and the work of the Church will always suffer.

The work of the Church is the same work of Jesus Christ!

*****1Th 5:14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.

Here again Paul is speaking to the Church, the assembly and not the Pastor.

It is the Church, the Body of Christ, that is to police itself.

There are always those in the Church who will want to run things to suit themselves. Some people are wonderful as long as they can have things their own way but when crossed their old nature seems to always return to them.

These people are to be warned by the Body of Christ because they will hinder the work of the Church.

Those that are feebleminded or “faint-hearted” are not courageous and will not want to act quickly but strife simply cannot be allowed to fester into more problems.

And we must always be supportive of all those who lack confidence and boldness and who are weak in the Word of God.

We are to be patient toward all men especially God’s babes!

*****1Th 5:15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.

A Christian will never retaliate for an evil that has been done to him!

What did Jesus do?

Jesus did nothing but good and suffered because of the good He did.

Rom 12:17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.
Rom 12:18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.

It should be a rare thing for this to be impossible to do.

*****1Th 5:16 Rejoice evermore.

How can we rejoice evermore?

We have been saved!
We are Born Again into a new life and into the family of God.
We are saved from eternal damnation.
There are great benefits in serving the Lord, including our home in Heaven.
We will meet Jesus, face to face.
We have hope when we had no hope.
We will be reunited with all our loved ones who also knew Jesus.
We can rejoice in the faith, the hope and the love of God.

But our joy can only begin with our prayers.

*****1Th 5:17 Pray without ceasing.
1Th 5:18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

We can only have joy when we realize that all things that happen to us are for the best.

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

When did the Apostles rejoice the most?

Act 5:41 And they departed from the presence of the council, “rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name”.

We cannot always be on our knees but we should always be in a state of prayer. We must have a daily prayer life. To be honest we should begin each day with prayer.

How can we face this world if we have not put on our armour.

A soldier puts on his armour before he enters the war zone.

A football player puts on his protective equipment before he enters the game.

Remember God already knows what we need, prayer is more about having a conversation with our Father in Heaven than anything else.

Prayer shows the Lord that we know it is only He who can meet our needs!

Prayer says to God, “I love you”!

And there is something else we must not do.

*****1Th 5:19 Quench not the Spirit.

The Greek word used in this verse for the English word “quench” is used 8 times in the New Testament and it every case it refers to fire.

When the Holy Spirit is clearly using a Christian in a ministry to which he is called, he should be encouraged and assisted, not criticized and hindered.

We know this when they speak according to God’s Word.

Isa 8:20 To the law and to the testimony: “if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them”.

The lost can resist the Holy Spirit but only the saved can “quench” the Holy Spirit who can also be “grieved” by those who are saved.

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

We “grieve” the Holy Spirit when we are careless in our walk with the Lord!

We “quench” the Holy Spirit when we water down the Word of God by adding to or taking away it’s true meaning.

Rev 22:18 For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
Rev 22:19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

*****1Th 5:20 Despise not prophesyings.

What is the job of the Pastor?

To exhort, to instruct and to warn.

Col 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:
Col 1:29 Whereunto I also labour, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.

To despise is to have a low opinion of the Word of God or to hate the Word of God.

The world is filled with those that hate the Word of God because God has set standards that do never change!

When we as Christians say we love God and then despise His Word, then we do not love the God we say we do!

At the time Paul wrote this epistle there was no New Testament, the early Church only had the Old Testament and those that God had called to preach the “Gospel of Jesus Christ”.

To despise the “prophesyings” was to despise the “Gospel” and this is still what the world does today!

But we must insist on the truth of the scriptures.

*****1Th 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

What is the first test of any man of God?

1Jn 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
1Jn 4:2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
1Jn 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.

The Lord Jesus Christ was truly the Messiah to deny this is to deny the true living God!

What else did Paul write?

Gal 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

How do we hold fast that which is good?

*****1Th 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

Our testimonies maybe our greatest asset for it may well affect the eternal destiny of those around us!

When we behave like the world or even have the appearance that we are behaving like the world, “we are in the wrong” and living in sin!

Heb 2:1 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.

Why are these things so important as we walk the Christian life?

*****1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Every believer is sanctified by the Holy Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit of God working within us that has shown us our need for a Savior.

It is that need of a Savior that led us to Jesus Christ.

Then the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in us and continues the work of sanctification.

We are sanctified.
We are being sanctified.
We will be sanctified to perfection.

Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Christ Jesus is our sanctification and we are complete in Him!

We are sanctified by the truth!

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: “thy word is truth”.

The Word of God will open up the the truth of God!

It is God that forms us to be like Jesus.

It is God who created us in His image!

Man is a trinity within himself.

The spirit is the highest part of man.
The soul is the seat of all emotions.
Our bodies will be glorified the day we meet Jesus.

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

It is God who causes these things to happen and our God is faithful to continue in every work that He starts until it is complete!

*****1Th 5:24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

God is faithful to all His promises but especially to each individual believer!

Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:

To love God is to have that close personal relationship with Him!

Once we answered the call of God to salvation, God will not fall short of completing His design for each of us!

Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Our God is faithful!

1Co 1:9 God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.

What else should we all do?

*****1Th 5:25 Brethren, pray for us.
1Th 5:26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
1Th 5:27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
1Th 5:28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

We must pray for all those that serve God.

We should be able to greet each and every child of God with the joy of seeing family. After all, we are all brothers and sisters in Christ because we have the same Father in Heaven.

Our attitudes toward each other must be a holy attitude!

We must all read and study the Word of God.

Without the “Grace” of God we would have all perished in a fiery Hell.

God’s Grace bring with it God’s peace!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

Walking Honestly With The Lord

/ Bobby Mayfield / 1 Comment

Walking Honestly

1 Thessalonians 4

What is the greatest challenge we face after we have accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as our Savior?

Our greatest challenge is walking with the God we say we love!

Paul has been teaching us how we should proclaim the “Gospel” and this should begin with our own testimony.

Paul has been teaching us that we must witness for Jesus and this begins with the way we live.

Paul has been teaching us that we must take our stand on the Word of God and the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ.

Today Paul will teach us more about our own walk with God.

The goal of Paul’s ministry was to start churches in which those saved of God would walk worthy of God.

What did God tell Abraham?

Gen 17:1 And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; “walk before me, and be thou perfect”.

This command given to Abraham is the same command given to each one that depends on the Lord Jesus.

How does this walk begin?

The same way that Abraham’s walk with God began!

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

God would never ask us to do things that are impossible to do!

God will provide the things we need in our daily walk with Him!

There are only two ways to walk in this world. We can walk in darkness or we can walk in light!

Until we walk with God we are all walking in darkness!

1Jn 1:5 This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.
1Jn 1:6 If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:
1Jn 1:7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin

Once we have been saved from the wrath of God, we should immediately begin our walk with God!

Psa 56:13 For thou hast delivered my soul from death: wilt not thou deliver my feet from falling, that I may walk before God in the light of the living?

So what is the walk that pleases God?

Let’s begin:

*****1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.

That word “furthermore” means “besides” having learned all the things in Chapters 1-3 then we must add to that these things in chapter 4 in order to walk in this life pleasing God.

To walk is to continue reaching for that goal of perfection.

We will never reach perfection in this life but that should still be our goal because in the eyes of the Lord we have already been justified in the perfection that we will have after we die once we know Jesus as our Savior.

Christianity is a walk and not just a name!

Christianity is not a badge to wear, not a luxury to own, nor a ceremony to take part in.

Christianity is life on this Earth while walking toward that eternal life that will be in Heaven with the Lord.

Christianity is life modeled after other Christians who are also following the Lord Jesus in their own daily walk.

Jesus Christ is our greatest example of walking as a Christian should walk!

The love of God is then the greatest power that a Christian can have.

We cannot please God unless our daily walk pleases God!

God will give us everything we need in our daily walk so that “we abound more and more”.

As long as we are in this body of flesh, we need to be reaching higher toward the goals of God!

As long as we are in this body of flesh, we need to reach deeper into the depths of the scripture.

As long as we are in this body of flesh there will be sins to over come in which we can claim victory if we trust in the Lord and not in ourselves!

As long as we are in this body of flesh, prayer will remain our greatest weapon until we stand before Jesus at the “Judgment Seat of Christ”.

It is at this moment when we can receive any rewards for our walk in this life after salvation.

Our walk begins when when we accept that the Word of God does not give us “suggestions” on how to live but “commandments” on how to live!

All the world and many Christians treat the Word of God as “suggestions” when they are in reality “commandments”!

How are all these things accomplished in this life? By living a life that is expecting the Lord to return at any moment.

What will you be doing at that very moment when the Lord calls us home?

Until that great day, and it will be a great day, we are to press on in patience, we are to put away every known sin, and we are to avoid the filthiness of this world!

These are not suggestions but commandments!

*****1Th 4:2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.

In the Old Testament Ezekiel was called of God to be a watchman for the nation of Israel.

Eze 3:17 Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me.

Ezekiel was to take the words that God gave him and warn Israel.

We should be able to see that the Apostle Paul was appointed as watchman to the New Testament Church.

Paul took the words that God gave him and gave them to the Church.

These are not suggestions from the Apostle Paul but they are commandments from a Holy and Perfect God!

The Lord Jesus will use such men as Paul and as our own Pastor, to do this until He returns.

Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

Why? Because it is the will of God for our lives, while in this flesh, to resemble the life of Jesus Christ!

*****1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:

Everyone is always asking, “what is the will of God for my life”.

The will of God begins with us striving to be perfect while we live in this flesh!

What is sanctification? Sanctification is the act of making holy.

Sanctification is first a separation from this world and linking to God.

2Th 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, “because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth”:

Sanctification is then living a holy lifestyle, a complete change in what we once were.

Rom 6:19 I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; “even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness”.

When we are searching for the will of God, we need to realize that God’s will centers first of all on the total dedication of our lives to Him and His Words.

After all, we have been redeemed and belong to the Lord!

Psa 107:2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the enemy;

We say so, more by the way we live, than by the words we speak!

Heb 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

According to the Bible there will always those weak in the faith and have doubts about some things.

Our job is to not be weak in the faith but be one who can help those that are weak!

Rom 14:1 Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations.

What we also see in this epistle from the Apostle Paul, “given to him by the Lord Jesus”, is that there should be no doubt that fornication is contrary to the will of God!

Fornication is any sexual relationship outside the biblical marriage of one man to one woman!

The home was instituted by God Himself, and the Christian Church must still uphold the Word of God and be custodians of the family and the home.

Gen 2:23 And “Adam said”, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh:”she shall be called Woman”, because she was taken out of Man.
Gen 2:24 Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

Marriage according to the Word of God is between one man and one woman!

God expects each of us to walk in separation from all that is vile and immoral!

We are to learn how to control this body of flesh we live in!

Believers are to walk in purity of heart, mind, body, and soul!

*****1Th 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
1Th 4:5 Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:

The world is on a mission to lower Christian standards in regard to immorality and uncleanness.

The world will not accept the Word of God, because the world will not accept God’s standards!

We need to constantly remind ourselves of the importance of living pure lives!

Our bodies are indeed a “vessel”.

2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

2Ti 2:20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
2Ti 2:21 If a man therefore purge himself from these, “he shall be a vessel unto honour”, sanctified, and meet for the master’s use, and prepared unto every good work.

To be sanctified is to set apart wholly consecrated to the Lord!

Jesus said:

Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him

This is the only way our vessel, our body, can become a vessel in sanctification and a vessel of honor!

Sanctification requires a new birth!

Again Jesus said:

Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Concupiscence is the unlawful or irregular desire of sexual pleasure.

This describes the so-called “gay lifestyle” but it is not limited just to this.

Concupiscence is coveting carnal things, an irregular appetite for worldly good and sinful enjoyments!

All we need do is turn on the TV to see that all these are happening increasingly in our world everyday.

Even secret concupiscence is sin!

We are not sinners because we sin. We sin because we are sinners!

Rom 5:12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:

Sin is anything that goes against the Word of God!
Sin is a failure to conform to the standard of God! “God’s standard is Jesus Christ”.
Sin is a principle within each of us!
Sin is rebellion against God!
Sin is wrongful acts against God but also against man!
Sin is the state into which we are all born!

Mankind is totally depraved. There is nothing in the natural man that can merit the favor of God!

Rom 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing:

Man has an innate sin nature and every part of man is affected.

Intellect:

2Co 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.

Conscience:

1Ti 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;

Will:

Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;

Heart:

Eph 4:18 Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

The total being:

Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.

The world is blinded toward sin!

And it is impossible to sin without it causing harm to someone else!

*****1Th 4:6 That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forewarned you and testified.
1Th 4:7 For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.

“To go beyond” is to not conform to any standard of righteousness according to the Word of God.
“To go beyond” is to not conform to any part of the truth of the Word of God and then think you are justified by your own actions.

This describes the world we live in today!

Our President, our congress, our judicial system, most Americans, and this world “go beyond” the truth of God and think they are justified in their actions while those who know the truth of God and try to live by God’s standards are considered to be the trouble makers.

They take advantage of those who have a set standard to live by and refuse to conform to their humanistic ways.

To defraud is to deprive a person of their rights, to cheat the innocent, and to deceive anyone who will not be a part of their views.

They have ignored the “Fear The Of Lord”.

Though they say they do know Him, God says they are all liars!

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; “for God hath shewed it unto them”.

These are not the ways of God nor of God’s people!

Our God is holy!

Our God is entirely set apart from all sin!

Our God is entirely set apart from all sinners!

The Spirit of God is called the Holy Spirit because holiness is an attribute of God!

To be holy is to be set apart. As Christians we are to separate ourselves from the ways of this world.

To be holy is to is to be perfect. Our God is perfect and every Christian should strive to live by the Word of God.

To be holy is to evoke awe. Awe is fear mingled in admiration and reverence toward our God.

To be holy is realize the awesome power of God. God spoke our world into existence. When God speaks things happen!

Jehovah God the Father is the source of holiness!
The Holy Spirit is agent of holiness!
Jesus Christ is our example of holiness!

Christians can be holy because of work of Jesus Christ and this is the only way!

*****1Th 4:8 He therefore that despiseth, despiseth not man, but God, who hath also given unto us his holy Spirit

When we are saved our vessels, our bodies become a temple for the Holy Spirit.

1Co 3:16 Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
1Co 3:17 If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.

The Holy Spirit is God Himself and it is insulting to God if we misuse our bodies in fornication or in any uncleanness.

1Co 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
1Co 6:20 For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God’s.

These are things that we need to be taught and a need to have a clear understanding of, but there some things we should already know.

*****1Th 4:9 But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another.

When we are saved we are filled with the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit then teaches us how to love.

Rom 5:5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

The two most used Greek words used for our English word “love” are “philia” and “agape”.

“Philia” love is a love of deep affection such as in true friendship and godly marriage between one man and one woman!

“Agape” love is the love that God shows to those that love Him.

“Agape” love is not based on feelings but in our will!

“Agape” love treats all others as God treats His children, regardless of feelings or even personal preferences.

All true Christians are in the same family because we have the same Father in Heaven and God has taught us to love one another.

1Jn 4:19 We love him, because he first loved us.
1Jn 4:20 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1Jn 4:21 And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.

This is the same thing that God the Son taught us.

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

These Thessalonians had “Agape” love and it showed.

*****1Th 4:10 And indeed ye do it toward all the brethren which are in all Macedonia: but we beseech you, brethren, that ye increase more and more;

We will never grow from “babes in Christ” to more “mature Christians” unless our “Agape Love” increases more and more.

Our “agape love” must begin in our homes, then show in our place of worship, and then extend out to our communities and on throughout our nation.

This is something that the lost world can see and once they see what we are, then they may listen to the message we have about Jesus Christ.

There are also other things we need to be doing as Christians.

*****1Th 4:11 And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you;
1Th 4:12 That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing.

1) As Christians we are to be ambitious to do our own business. We must “diligently strive” to be calm and quiet, except when speaking is necessary. Our speech should then be graceful and have a real purpose.

Col 4:6 Let your speech be alway with grace, seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer every man.

Jesus, Himself, warned against idle words.

Mat 12:36 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.

Idle words are all words that could lead someone away from God!

And Paul warns us against all foolish talking.

Eph 5:4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.

2) We are to do our own business.

We are to concentrate on our own affairs and not on the affairs of others.

1Pe 4:15 But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other man’s matters.

When we seek the will of God in our lives, we will find that God has a purpose for each one of us. It is in that purpose where we need to spend the most of our time!

Life in itself is a business and it takes a lot of time to straighten our own selves out before we can be much assistance to others and it is the trials of life that make us valuable enough to help others.

3) We are to work with our own hands. The Apostle Paul gives us an example of what he means.

2Th 3:7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
2Th 3:8 Neither did we eat any man’s bread for nought; but wrought with labour and travail night and day, that we might not be chargeable to any of you:
2Th 3:9 Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.

“Idlers” are out of place in the Christian ministry!

Ezekiel said this was the sin of Sodom:

Eze 16:49 Behold, this was the iniquity of thy sister Sodom, pride, fulness of bread, and abundance of idleness was in her and in her daughters, neither did she strengthen the hand of the poor and needy.

Idleness is the reluctance to be busy about the work of God!

Are you a lazy Christian? This shows God, that what He says is not very important to us.

4) We are to walk honestly. We have no right to ask or receive the product of someone elses labor when we are able to produce our own.

In America our government has caused this type of culture to exist.

From this type of culture we will always have beggars, loafers, gamblers and thieves and all these things will grow more violent and unusable in the work of the Lord.

An honest person will avoid this kind of behavior and will be decent and strive for purity and holiness, which things are useful in the Christian ministry.

Col 4:5 Walk in wisdom toward them that are without, redeeming the time.

What is the best reason to do this? That we lack nothing!

Eph 4:28 Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

We have our provider. He is the Lord!

Psa 147:11 The LORD taketh pleasure in them that fear him, in those that hope in his mercy.

It is the Lord Jesus Christ who will meet all our personal needs

*****1Th 4:13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.

The Jews had been taught many things in the Old Testament but the Apostle Paul is speaking of the Church in this verse. (notice the word brethren)

Daniel wrote it like this:

Dan 12:2 And many of them that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt.
Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Death for a Christian is considered as merely being asleep.

Joh 11:11 These things said he: and after that he saith unto them, Our friend Lazarus sleepeth; but I go, that I may awake him out of sleep.
Joh 11:12 Then said his disciples, Lord, if he sleep, he shall do well.
Joh 11:13 Howbeit Jesus spake of his death: but they thought that he had spoken of taking of rest in sleep.
Joh 11:14 Then said Jesus unto them plainly, Lazarus is dead.

Death is the calm and holy sleep of the body.

This sleep only applies to the body, because the soul and spirit are already with the Lord!

Ecc 12:7 Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.

2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.

The hope of the Church is not in this calm and peaceful sleep but is bound up in the fact of the Lord’s coming so that we all can be glorified together!

Those that are asleep and those that are alive and well at His coming!

Those that have gone on before us will not miss out on Heaven or of a “Glorified Body”!

In false religions somethings are mentioned about the soul but only to the Christian is the hope of the glorified body!

1Co 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:
1Co 15:43 It is sown in dishonour; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power:
1Co 15:44 It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body.

How can these things be true?

*****1Th 4:14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.

Our hope rest on our faith!

If we have faith that the Lord Jesus died and rose again, then we can be saved.

Act 17:3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.

As sure as the Lord Jesus died and rose again, so also will all those souls that the Lord brings with Him when He returns in the clouds.

Believers are laid to sleep by Jesus and so all believers will be brought back from that sleep by Jesus!

The sting of death has been taken away from the believer!

1Co 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
1Co 15:54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.
1Co 15:55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?
1Co 15:56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.
1Co 15:57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

It is the Word of God that teaches this and this is not some fable of the Apostle Paul!

We can be certain of these things!

All “born-again” Christians, having real faith in the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ will be “caught up” (raptured) to be with Jesus when He returns just as will all believers who have died in this same faith!

It is OK to sorrow at the death of our loved ones who know the Lord but we are not to loose hope in their salvation and that great reunion some day!

The lost have no such hope as this nor does false religion!

*****1Th 4:15 For this we say unto you “by the word of the Lord”, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.

In reality even the Apostle Paul felt like he might even live to see the return of the Lord.

In other words the “rapture” has always been imminent just as it is today.

Jesus said to be watchful for His return.

Mat 24:44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

We should remember this. When the Lord returns to set up His kingdom He will bring with Him all His Saints.

Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

This verse could not be true if the Lord did not have all His Saints with Him so the “rapture” of the Church makes this possible!

The “Rapture” has always been a single part of scripture and not linked to any other part of any other event!

That word “prevent” means the “rapture” must come before the Second Coming of Christ!

And it is the Lord Himself who will handle this event personally!

*****1Th 4:16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

It is the Lord Himself who will return to get His Bride, the Church!

Not some spirit.
Not some angel.
Not some saint already in Heaven.
Not some human on this Earth.

But the Lord in person, in his human nature, in soul and body and in the Majesty of His presence!

1Jn 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.

This is not some new doctrine because even Job knew this and Job was the first of the written Word of God.

Job 19:26 And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Job 19:27 Whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another; though my reins be consumed within me.

It is the Lord who will give that command, “the shout”, just as The Lord gave to Lazarus.

Joh 11:43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth.

And John said marvel not at this.

Joh 5:28 Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice,
Joh 5:29 And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation.

The “Rapture” of the Church are the “they that have done good”.

And more than a 1000 years later, the “they that have done evil” at the White Throne judgment.

There will not only be a shout from the Lord but there will certainly be the sound of the trumpet.

1Co 15:52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

And what is the order of the “Rapture”?

The dead in Christ shall rise first!

The Bible mentions more than one resurrection but this is not what this verse is referring to.

This verse states that those in the grave “asleep in Jesus” will rise before “those that are alive” are changed.

Those that are alive will witness the resurrection of the sleeping saints!

To any others that may witness these things, it should be noted the time period, “the twinkling of an eye” is the shortest actual time period of today’s time.

To the saints, time will already have ended and the saints will now be in eternity, where time is not relevant!

It will be a glorious last day that will never end, for the saints of God!

*****1Th 4:17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

That phrase “caught up” gives us the meaning of the Latin word “rapto” or we say “Rapture”.

Rapture means “to seize” and “to carry off”.

Those bodies that were in the grave reunited with their spirits and souls that were in Heaven, brought back by the Lord will then met together with those that are alive and remain and together, you and I and all others “born again” to the Lord will meet Him in the air!

And we will forever be with the Lord:

Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

It is at this time when there will be the “Judgment Seat of Christ”.

Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

Only believers will be there.

Any rewards for service will be awarded at that time.

We will then be reunited with all our believing friends and family, “together with them”.

It is very possible at this time, that it will Jesus who will reunite all the broken families and friendships and then wipe away all their tears.

We will know each other just as we do now because we will all have the mind of Christ.

1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

1Co 2:16 For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.

Death is a fact of life but we can escape death by being alive in Jesus Christ!

That’s why there is no other way to get to Heaven!

We should have a clear under standing.

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

The choice we make while we are alive is to choose which judgment where we will stand.

The “Judgment Seat of Christ”.

Or the White Throne Judgment!

*****1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

When we choose Jesus, we can have comfort in these words.

Comfort equals “strength”.

Strength in the Lord brings hope when our loved ones die!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

Standing For The Gospel

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Standing Staunchly

1 Thessalonians 3

The goal of the Word of God is salvation but God’s Word goes much further by teaching us all how to walk worthy of Him.

God has a specific purpose for His Word and a specific purpose for each of us.

The rewards for serving the Lord go far beyond anything we can see on this Earth.

We should also clearly understand, Satan does not rest, and the next trouble we see will not be an “if” it will be a “when”.

We must take our stand on the Word of God and then stand unmovable!

Before any human child can walk they must learn to stand!

It is usually the mother and the father of the child that teaches the child these things.

The Apostle Paul is like a spiritual parent to all believers!

But Paul can only be with us at this time by the Inspired Word of God!

God said we need all of His Words in order to stand in this world we live in.

Eph 6:13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, “to stand”.

“To stand” is to be established!

The entire ministry of the Apostle Paul was first to get people saved and then, to make Christians who could stand, out of “Babes in Christ” who struggle to take a stand!

What is wrong in America today?

The Christians are not taking a stand on the unchanging Word of God!

People try to modernize the commandments of God into something they have never meant.

As Americans, we brag about the freedoms we have in this nation but our own freedoms are disappearing at a fantastic rate and the freedom of religion is under constant attack, especially on those who call Jesus Christ their Savior!

Christian persecution is on the rise throughout this world we live in!

It is not time to fail as a Christian, it is time to stand!

One of the greatest needs of the Church is to stay encouraged in these latter days and “to stand” on the Word of God.

The Lord said these days would come:

Jer 23:20 The anger of the LORD shall not return, until he have executed, and till he have performed the thoughts of his heart: “in the latter days ye shall consider it perfectly”.

God’s plan is going just as He has decided for it to go!

It’s God’s plan and not for us to try to change. God does not need our help!

Our hope lies in the return of Jesus Christ as did these Thessalonians.

And we are fools if we think we are not in the last days.

What other proof exist of this?

Rev 11:9 And they of the people and kindreds and tongues and nations shall see their dead bodies three days and an half, and shall not suffer their dead bodies to be put in graves.
Rev 11:10 And they that dwell upon the earth shall rejoice over them, and make merry, and shall send gifts one to another; because these two prophets tormented them that dwelt on the earth.
Rev 11:11 And after three days and an half the Spirit of life from God entered into them, and they stood upon their feet; and great fear fell upon them which saw them.

In just this week we have seen again that there is nothing that happens on this Earth that cannot be seen by the entire world while it is taking place.

Smoke from a plane shot out of the sky, bodies that laid on the ground for three days, while the world went about it’s business.

Wars in Europe, wars in the Middle East, wars in other places and even a greater threat of major war while men strive to make weapons of mass murder.

There is no other time in history when these two men mentioned in the Book of Revelation could lie dead in the streets and be seen by the entire world.

This a prophesy that can only be fulfilled in our time and forward.

If we are to take a stand, we need to do it now, the time of the church is running out!

Let’s begin.

*****1Th 3:1 Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone;
1Th 3:2 And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith:

Here again in this chapter it will be hard to miss the love Paul had for this newly formed church.

Paul was beginning his ministry in Athens but he still had a deep concern for those young converts in Thessalonica.

Paul, Silas, and Timothy were a missionary team but Paul sent Timothy back to Thessalonica to establish this new church.

“Wherefore” means because of our earnest love.

“Forbear” means that Paul could not endure the suspense in knowing the welfare of these early Christians.

Athens was the most celebrated city in the ancient world at that time.

Athens was the home of Greek literature.
Athens was the home of the Greek civilization.
Athens was named after the goddess Athena, sometimes called Minerva and home to her temple.
Athens was home of the Temple of Zeus, sometimes called Jupiter.
Athens was home to the Acropolis, which was at the time of Paul, the center of architectural splendor in this city.
Athens was the place where it was said, “it was easier to find a God in Athens, then to find a real man”.

Almost everyone that lived in Athens worshipped a different god.

Sounds a whole lot like America today!

Paul was left alone in this great city of sin.

**Paul describes Timothy as a brother in Christ.

In other places Paul says Timothy is his dearly beloved son but to these Thessalonians, Paul wanted them to know Timothy was his equal.

**Paul describes Timothy as a “Minister of God”.

Timothy was called of God and not called by Paul to preach the “Gospel”.

**Paul describes Timothy as his fellow laborer.

Timothy, just as Paul, had a specific purpose in the work of the Lord.

Timothy even at this young age, was uniquely qualified to establish and comfort this group of new believers.

Timothy was Greek and familiar with the ways of these people.

Timothy spoke their language and could relate to their way of living.

Act 16:1 Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek:
Act 16:2 Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium.

Timothy had a special gift from God for these type situations.

1Ti 4:14 Neglect not “the gift that is in thee”, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.
1Ti 4:15 Meditate upon these things; give thyself wholly to them; that thy profiting may appear to all.

Paul could trust Timothy to be obedient to the Word of God!

This new church was forming in in the midst of a godless, pagan world and they needed someone such a Timothy to calm their afflictions.

We all need a Timothy!

*****1Th 3:3 That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto.

Those afflictions are the same trials and temptations we all go through!

Without going through these things we will never appreciate the “Grace” of God!

We should keep in mind, the same afflictions that make a child of God better will harden the heart of that lost sinner.

The Apostle Peter said it like this:

1Pe 4:12 Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you:
1Pe 4:13 But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.
1Pe 4:14 If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

The Bible is very clear, we should expect these things to happen.

It is in these things that we must have victory but that victory can only come by Jesus Christ!

Rom 8:35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
Rom 8:36 As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.
Rom 8:37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.

*****1Th 3:4 For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.

It is important for every preacher to preach “all the truth” of the Bible!

Those that preach a prosperity gospel only are not helping God’s people because they are not preaching all the truth of God.

God has said that all His saints will suffer distress in this world!

God has said that all His saints will make it to Heaven. Not one will be left out.

God has also said every Saint will suffer hardships and heaviness and not one will be left out.

Those Jews had had to travel that wilderness road to their Promised Land for 40 years.

What did Jesus say?

Luk 24:25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
Luk 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

If the Lord Jesus Christ had to suffer to enter into His Glory, what makes us think we will not have to?

It is the afflictions we suffer in this life that prove we are who we say we are, the true Saints of God!

Remember what James said:

Jas 1:2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
Jas 1:3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

It is an absolute fact that no soldier can prove his true worth until he has been on the battlefield!

And no child of God has a testimony until they have been through some tribulation.

God will send prosperity, but in order for us to learn to praise Him.

God will also send affliction, but in order to build our worthiness.

We should not forget, Noah and his family had to sail through some mighty stormy waters before escaped the flood into salvation but it was those same stormy waters that raised the ark into safety!

1Pe 3:20 Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Those that are lost will also struggle in affliction but most just get hard in their hearts.

Remember Pharaoh became much more hardened by the plagues of Egypt because he would not yield to God and he saw the same Word of God be true and the same miracles, as did the Jews.

Again Jesus had these words:

Luk 9:23 And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luk 9:24 For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.

It is under our own cross where we can expect God to be with us!

It is because our Savior also suffered that we can have hope in our suffering!

It is because our Savior suffered that we belong to Our Lord Jesus!

Isa 43:4 Since thou wast precious in my sight, thou hast been honourable, and I have loved thee: “therefore will I give men for thee, and people for thy life”.

If we never suffer in our walk with the Lord, then we can only look upon those that have and wonder, if we can have that same strength that they show by their actions.

The Apostle Paul knew that these Thessalonians were suffering great tribulation and because he could not be with them to help them go through these things, Paul sent Timothy.

*****1Th 3:5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in vain.

The Apostle Paul could relate to these saints of God in their suffering because he had suffered tribulation in every place he had preached and had actually been the cause of tribulation to many of the saints before his own salvation and repentance.

Paul said, “I can no longer endure the suspense”.

Timothy was sent by the Apostle Paul to these Thessalonians to be steadfast in the midst of their persecution!

Why? Paul also knew the works of Satan.

That “Tempter” is Satan, the Devil.

This is the same creature that went after the Lord Jesus and failed.

Mat 4:3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
Mat 4:4 But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
Mat 4:5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,

Satan is at work 24 hours a day seven days a week. Satan never rests from his evil!

We should realize that as the “Born Again” children of God, Satan will come with all his temptations but God has already given us the power to resist.

If you want to see a smile in Heaven, resist the devil and make him flee.

Jas 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and “he will” flee from you.

We can only blame ourselves when we give in to Satan’s temptations!

I can see this same smile on the face of our own Pastor, when someone of our brothers and sisters have gone through the fire and have returned to the House of God stronger than they were before.

The news, that Timothy returned with, brought great comfort to the Apostle Paul.

The “Good News” of the “Gospel” is never preached in vain but sometimes it seems that the labor that is wasted on those that do not believe could have been better used on others.

*****1Th 3:6 But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:

**These Thessalonians had not only accepted the “Gospel” but they had believed on the work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

**These Thessalonians had not only believed but it showed in the way they lived for Jesus and before God.

**These Thessalonians had a giving love, (charity) for the work of God and toward each other.

**These Thessalonians had a clear understanding of salvation and repentance and the commandments of God!

1Jn 3:23 And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
1Jn 3:24 And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.

When faith is our guide, our love will always lead us to God, because God is love!

*****1Th 3:7 Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction and distress by your faith:

Therefore always means “for this reason”.

The Apostle Paul was still suffering persecution in every place he preached.

The Apostle Paul was still making tents when he could and still preaching at every opportunity.

So this news brought great comfort to all this band of missionaries but especially to Paul.

This great news made the Apostle Paul work even harder for his own people, the Jews!

Act 18:5 And when Silas and Timotheus were come from Macedonia, Paul was pressed in the spirit, and testified to the Jews that Jesus was Christ.

And this good news was also the turning point for the Apostle Paul to be the missionary to the Gentiles.

Act 18:6 And when they opposed themselves, and blasphemed, he shook his raiment, and said unto them, Your blood be upon your own heads; I am clean: from henceforth I will go unto the Gentiles.

*****1Th 3:8 For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.

The Apostle Paul was broken hearted over the Jews but got great joy from seeing the “Gospel” do it’s work on the Gentiles.

When Paul wrote to the Corinthians, he had these words.

1Co 15:31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

As Paul was writing to these Thessalonians, he was saying that it was the good news from the saints who remained steadfast that kept him alive.

Many a pastor has given up because they could not see the results of the “Gospel”.

We can only imagine how Noah felt after preaching 120 years with no results but if Noah had not remained faithful then we would not be here today.

Through all tribulation we must all remain steadfast in the Lord!

Noah was steadfast.
Paul was steadfast.
But no one, is more steadfast than the Lord Jesus!

We must take a stand and then stand on the Lord!

**The truth is that the “Gospel” will always tells what is right.
Tribulation will show us what is not right.
Conviction will teach us how to get right.
The Word of God will teach us how to stay right.

And there are not enough words in any language to show our thanks to God for what He has done!

*****1Th 3:9 For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy wherewith we joy for your sake before our God;

The “gift” of the Lord Jesus Christ and the “Gospel” are the two greatest gifts that God has given to us because these brought with it “our salvation”.

There are no gifts that we could manufacture that could come close in repayment for these wonderful things of God!

Psa 116:12 What shall I render unto the LORD for all his benefits toward me?
Psa 116:13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.

That cup of salvation was filled with the blood of Jesus Christ.

Luk 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

The only thing we have to offer that is pleasing to the Lord, is our selves.

Rom 12:1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
Rom 12:2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

And we should be very glad, and filled with joy at this opportunity that the Lord has given to us!

Psa 68:3 But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

And then we are to stay in touch with our God!

What father does not like to hear from his children?

*****1Th 3:10 Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?

Preaching the “Gospel” was not a profession with the Apostle Paul.

Paul did not go from town to town holding meetings and then pass on and forget those that believed.

Paul carried every believer in his heart and always hoped he would get back to them to give them further instructions from the Word of God but no matter what, Paul remembered them in prayer day and night.

It is sin not to pray for the church to succeed!

1Sa 12:22 For the LORD will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake: because it hath pleased the LORD to make you his people.
1Sa 12:23 Moreover as for me, God forbid that I should sin against the LORD in ceasing to pray for you: but I will teach you the good and the right way:
1Sa 12:24 Only fear the LORD, and serve him in truth with all your heart: for consider how great things he hath done for you.

Peter prayed:

Act 6:4 But we will give ourselves continually to prayer, and to the ministry of the word.

Paul prayed:

Act 20:32 And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them which are sanctified.

Jesus prayed:

Joh 17:15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil.

Joh 17:20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
Joh 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

But our prayers must have a purpose:

Paul prayed that God would “perfect” their faith of the church.

That word perfect means to adjust, to equip, and to furnish.

While in this body of flesh our faith will never reach perfection.

There will always be a need to adjust and always room to grow our faith!

1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:

The bottom line, it is God Himself who directs the Church!

It is when we do not yield to God’s calling and God’s direction that causes problems and the Church to fail!

*****1Th 3:11 Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way unto you.

We should not miss how Paul has written this passage.

Our God, Our Father, and Our Lord Jesus are all written as One.

The Lord Jesus Said these words:

Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.

God the Father is a distinct person.
God the Son is a distinct person.
God the Holy Spirit is a distinct person.

But together they are One God.

Jesus Christ is both Son of God, and Son of man.

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

The Lord Jesus is distinguished from the Father in personality but is “One” with Him in the Godhead!

Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

This is our God who will direct our ways!

Psa 37:23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way.

Have you ever crossed a street and not know why?

The Apostle Paul knew he had to follow the path that the Holy Spirit had laid out before him.

Paul could only return to these Thessalonians if it was in the plan of God!

This is also our task!

When we have lost our way, it is only God who can direct our path!

Paul prayed earnestly that he might see these Thessalonians again but he was also conscious of his own inability to overcome the hindrances of Satan.

As Paul prayed he gave that matter into the hands of the Lord.

The Apostle Paul knew to pray to the One True God. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost but Paul also knew that the Church belongs to the Lord Jesus Christ who died and gave His own blood for it.

God must direct our steps because salvation is still God’s plan!

We must keep the main thing the main thing!

*****1Th 3:12 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:

What life does to us depends on our relationship with the Lord!

Some people will build walls and shut themselves out but those that trust in the Lord will build bridges and draw closer to God and God’s people.

True Christian love must be shown not only to believers but also to all mankind!

Abounding love must not be bound but be freely given to all.

The Lord Jesus will not only direct our paths but He will also increase our love and with these things we can be established.

*****1Th 3:13 To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

It is by the will of God and our prayers that we can shall continually progress in our steps toward glorification while we live on this Earth and in these bodies.

Here again we see that as we keep our thoughts on the return of the Lord Jesus, this will encourage us to be busy about the work that the Lord has given to us.

“Stablish” means to be fixed. To have things settled. To be permanent in our beliefs.

To “blame” is to find fault with and to accuse and have no reason to praise.

God says we are to be unblameable!

Holiness is the state of living in integrity, and solid moral character.

1Pe 1:15 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;
1Pe 1:16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

And again we a reference to the coming of Our Lord.

The Lord did not stay dead and the Lord will not stay gone from us!

**In chapter 1 we learned that the return of the Lord is linked to our salvation.

1Th 1:10 And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

**In chapter 2 we learned that the return of the Lord is linked to our service.

1Th 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

**Today we have learned that the return of the Lord is linked to our sanctification.

**In chapter 4 we will learn that the return of the Lord is linked to our comfort and joy.

1Th 4:18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.

**And in chapter 5 we will learn that the return of the Lord is linked to our separation.

1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Lord is coming and it could be in the next moment!

Start your stand for the Lord today and then stand until He returns!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

Witnessing For Jesus

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Witnessing Authentically

1 Thessalonians 2

As we go through these lessons of the early church, we get an opportunity to meet the Apostle Paul on a new level. The Apostle Paul had a great love for the lost and was very passionate in his desire for all men to be saved.

This is what is expected from each of us. The “Gospel of Jesus Christ” is the message given to us from God but it is for the benefit of every man, woman, and child on this Earth!

A great question we can ask ourselves is this, “Is God pleased with us in the way we are handling His Word”?

As we see Paul in his words, we can see the heart of a Pastor but Paul was called by the Lord to be the Pastor to all the early church and not just one church.

**Paul was a Church planter. Paul was a Minister of Christ, and it was God’s purpose for Paul to deliver the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ to all who would hear him!

**Paul was a Pastor to the infant Church. God uses people to bring the “Gospel” to this lost world but God also uses people to feed, educate, and train those who He has saved.

**Paul was not to remain and be the full time Pastor. Paul was a Missionary. A Missionary is one who has been sent of God!

Today Paul will show us how he preached and how he felt about the Church.

The Apostle Paul had a “Christlike” ministry and it showed!

The theme of our lessons this quarter is “practical Christian living” James taught us much and we can learn much more as we follow the life of the Apostle Paul.

We are all to be faithful ministers of Jesus Christ. This is what sets the children of God apart from the World.

The entire world is trying to remove Jesus Christ.

It is the Christian that brings the pure message of Jesus Christ!

The truth is still the truth even when it is not believed and God’s Word will never come back void!

Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

We can only be the messenger sent of God, it is God who controls the results!

Rain may seem lost when it falls on desert or in the oceans but God has a purpose for each drop of rain, no matter where it falls.

So, the “Gospel” has it’s purpose no matter where it falls!

At the very least it will leave the lost without an excuse at the time of “judgment”!

What is the pure fact of the “Gospel of Jesus Christ”?

Psa 127:1 Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.

There is no hope for success of the “Gospel” unless we are founded on the Lord Jesus Christ!

*****1Th 2:1 For yourselves, brethren, know our entrance in unto you, that it was not in vain:
1Th 2:2 But even after that we had suffered before, and were shamefully entreated, as ye know, at Philippi, we were bold in our God to speak unto you the gospel of God with much contention.

Paul and Silas had been unjustly arrested in Philippi. They were then beaten and thrown into the dungeon of the local prison.

When most of us would have given up, Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises to the Lord:

Act 16:23 And when they had laid many stripes upon them, they cast them into prison, charging the jailor to keep them safely:
Act 16:24 Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks.
Act 16:25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.

Some say that this was the first “Gospel Concert” in Europe.

When Paul was released after many were saved, Paul refused to sneak out of town but forced the same government that locked him up to return and release him.

The Apostle Paul had no shame for preaching the “Gospel”.

Most of the world will not like the “Gospel message” but this should encourage us more than defeat us!

Paul had moved on to Thessalonica and many were saved, but Paul and Silas were again sent away for their own personal safety.

Act 17:10 And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews.

Paul wrote this epistle from Corinth so the Church in Thessalonica was well aware of all these things that had happened to Paul!

This is why Paul was so bold, because the “Gospel is still the truth”, even when it is rejected!

*****1Th 2:3 For our exhortation was not of deceit, nor of uncleanness, nor in guile:

What is the character to the true “Gospel” preacher.

Every preacher of the “Gospel” must live the “Gospel”!

Exhorting is giving advice in a way to incite the listener. Preaching is exhorting!

Exhorting the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ opens our eyes to our sinful ways.

Exhorting the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ teaches us to apply the Word of God to our daily lives.

The entire Book of James taught us how to apply the Word of God to our daily lives!

This is also the message of the Apostle Paul.

The preaching of the “Gospel” will turn evil to good, misery to happiness, from Satan to God, and from Hell to Heaven!

**The “Gospel” is not deceiving!

Paul was very careful not to live his life in deception. We cannot live our lives in deception and be counted as Christians!

**The “Gospel” is clean!

A clean person is one who who maintains a pattern of personal cleanliness while also taking care to insure that their personal environment is kept clean.

Cleanness refers to spiritual cleanness. We are all spiritually unclean because of the fall of Adam.

Human sin becomes a barrier between us and a Just, and Holy God!

The Apostle Paul had to live a life of cleanness, because the Word of God is clean.

Pro 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.

Those that take the Word of God into uncleanness usually live their lives in uncleanness and are not called of God!

**The “Gospel” is the truth!

Guile is to be crafty and cunning in deceit.

Paul had to live his life with great integrity and uprightness, without hypocrisy and deceit, either before God or before men!

There is no deceitful design in the ministry of the Word of God.

There is nothing false or impure in the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ!

The “Gospel” came from God and He has called certain men to preach the “Gospel”!

Not everyone that stands behind a pulpit has been called of God!

*****1Th 2:4 But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, which trieth our hearts.

You see that it was God’s choice for Paul to become a Missionary, Paul just had to submit to that calling.

It was by God’s permission that Paul preached the “Gospel”, and Paul considered it a privilege.

It is a privilege to study the Word of God!

Paul, Timothy, and Silas were allowed of God to be put in trust of the “Gospel” so their goal was to please God and not to please men.

When the “Gospel” is tailored to please men or for the betterment of mankind, then we have missed the point of the “Gospel”!

The “Gospel” must be preached to get men saved!

When that lost sinner gets right with God, then he will have no problem being a better person, and all mankind will be better for it.

Jas 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins.

Our job is to keep the main thing, the main thing, and that is getting people saved by leading them to the Lord!

It is God’s job to clean them up!

*****1Th 2:5 For neither at any time used we flattering words, as ye know, nor a cloke of covetousness; God is witness:
1Th 2:6 Nor of men sought we glory, neither of you, nor yet of others, when we might have been burdensome, as the apostles of Christ.

At no time did Paul praise these Thessalonians when he preached the “Gospel”.

Their beauty, their wealth, their talent, nor their accomplishments could hide their need for the truth of the “Gospel”!

Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Paul had carefully avoided all these things so he could be faithful to the command of God.

It is important for the lost to realize the sin in their lives and the “Gospel” preached according to the Word of God, will point these things out!

Jesus said:

Joh 15:22 If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin.

Paul, Silas, And Timothy had that “gift of faith”. They had no concern for their own welfare. They depended on God to supply all their needs.

Their concern was for the welfare of others and the Glory of God!

This is the right attitude for every Pastor and Preacher!

This is the right attitude for every Missionary!

And add to that these things.

*****1Th 2:7 But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:

A mother that is nursing a child will not give that child up to another.

A mother will not nurse the children of another, the same way they nurse their own children.

Paul looked upon these Thessalonians as his own children in the faith!

A nursing mother provides nourishment to her child.

The Apostle Paul was providing nourishment to these born again Thessalonians!

Luk 4:4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

To preach the “Gospel” and explain salvation, it must begin with the purpose and the love of God, as The Father.

God’s love shows His greatest power in the death of His Son Jesus.

Eph 2:4 But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,
Eph 2:5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

“Grace”===”God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense”!

*****1Th 2:8 So being affectionately desirous of you, we were willing to have imparted unto you, not the gospel of God only, but also our own souls, because ye were dear unto us.

There are many in the world who will actually lay down their own life for what they believe.

All of us who have placed our trust in Jesus should feel this way!

But Paul goes even farther saying he would have laid down his own life for these Thessalonians.

Some of us would probably lay down our lives for our own families, especially our own children, but not many of us would lay down our lives for strangers such as these Thessalonians.

Paul said: “you are your own witnesses”.

*****1Th 2:9 For ye remember, brethren, our labour and travail: for labouring night and day, because we would not be chargeable unto any of you, we preached unto you the gospel of God.
1Th 2:10 Ye are witnesses, and God also, how holily and justly and unblameably we behaved ourselves among you that believe:

It can never be said that the Apostle Paul ever made a living off the “Gospel”.

Sure, some of of the churches sent support but this was not enough to sustain Paul and those with him.

Paul and Silas did not preach the “Gospel” in order to secure money as some do today.

To Paul this was done in order to avoid any appearance of any self-serving in his ministry.

The Apostle Paul went through real agony to bring people to Jesus Christ.

As a nursing mother, Paul provided the spiritual nourishment to all who would listen to the “Gospel”.

As a father who works to support his family, Paul worked to provide his own way so he was not a burden on the babes in Christ.

As many Pastors have found out, it is not easy to work a full time job and be a full time minister of the “Gospel”.

We know the Apostle Paul was a tent maker and no matter where he traveled there was always a market for tents.

Act 18:3 And because he was of the same craft, he abode with them, and wrought: for by their occupation they were tent makers.

The tents of that day were made by sewing cloth that was frequently made from goat hair together and attaching ropes and loops.

Tent making was considered an honorable trade in those days!

Many times Paul was exhausted to the point of fatigue and the Thessalonians knew this to be true.

They had witnessed the hardships, they had seen the hard work, and they had heard the “Gospel” of the of the Lord Jesus Christ and they knew all these things came because of the love Paul had for lost.

Paul was truly an example of Jesus Christ to these new disciples of Jesus.

*****1Th 2:11 As ye know how we exhorted and comforted and charged every one of you, as a father doth his children,
1Th 2:12 That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom and glory.

Remember “exhorting” is the inciting to do good, by definition.

Exhorting leads to willingness of serving the Lord and the joy in serving God!

These things are comforting to everyone who realizes that they are a sinner in need of a Savior!

Paul served this new church as the minister of the “Gospel” but even more important Paul served this church as the Pastor and shepherd to the flock of God.

Paul served for the “Glory of God” and not for himself!

It is our only job after salvation to walk worthy of God!

We are to be an example of Christ to all those in this lost world. Why?

Rom 9:23 And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory,
Rom 9:24 Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles?

These things happen when we accept the truth.

*****1Th 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

These Thessalonians had witnessed the “Gospel” in the life of the Apostle Paul.

They saw such evidence of reality in Paul that they finally knew the life they had been seeking for themselves.

They knew they had actually heard the Word of God and they yielded to God’s Message, and it went home to their hearts!

They believed what God says!

The Apostle Paul always made sure to claim to preach the “Inspired Word Of God”.

Gal 1:11 But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
Gal 1:12 For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.

The “Gospel” is energized by the Holy Spirit and God’s Word will work effectively in the heart of those that will listen to it and believe.

1Pe 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

The Word of God is powerful!

Jesus said:

Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.

Those that hear the truth usually know they have heard it, and it then becomes the time to accept it or to reject it.

It is the plan of God to bring everyone to this point in their lives!

*****1Th 2:14 For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:
1Th 2:15 Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:

All those that were Jews by birth had to turn away from their loved ones.

They had to turn away from their closest friends to accept the Word of God.

They were persecuted simply because they accepted Jesus Christ.

Those that were Gentiles had to turn away from their former friends and their relatives.

Those that reject the Word of God develop a prejudice toward anyone that believes upon Jesus Christ.

The Non-believers for some reason will do everything within their power to “hinder the Gospel”.

A point I have never understood, except to understand that it is the work of Satan!

God is going to deal with those who reject His Son and those that hinder those who believe on Him!

This is also the truth of the “Gospel”!

*****1Th 2:16 Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.

God is long-suffering toward all sinners but even God has a limit.

God warned those before the flood:

Gen 6:3 And the LORD said, “My spirit shall not always strive with man”, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

Regardless what the Evolutionist say, there is real proof of a world-wide flood!

God delayed giving the Promised Land to Israel until the sin of the Amorites was full.

Gen 15:16 But in the fourth generation they shall come hither again: for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet full.

But the command did come when God knew there would be no Amorite believers.

Deu 20:17 But thou shalt utterly destroy them; namely, the Hittites, and the Amorites, the Canaanites, and the Perizzites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites; as the LORD thy God hath commanded thee:

The Lord is long-suffering still today but the “Day of the Lord” will still come!

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
2Pe 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.

Those Jews of whom Paul was writing had slain their own prophets.

They had crucified the Lord Jesus Christ.

They were doing all they could to hinder the “Gospel”, not only from other Jews but also from the entire world.

Their iniquity was full in 70 AD and The Temple and Jerusalem was completely destroyed and those that were remained were scattered all over the world for near 1900 years, until May 1948.

We should also wonder how much longer will God be patient with America!

Satan is still busy hindering the Word of the One True God, Jehovah!

*****1Th 2:17 But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.
1Th 2:18 Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but Satan hindered us.

As Christians we know for a fact that one day in the not so distant future, we will get to see again all those that have gone on before us face to face.

Paul had this same desire to see those Thessalonians.

We should have that desire to see all our brothers and sisters in Christ at every opportunity, after all we will spend eternity with them and we will be known by them all.

1Co 13:12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

But Satan is a powerful creature.

Satan will do everything he can to hinder those that carry the “Gospel” to the lost.

Paul says that Satan hindered him at least on two occasions to get back to these Thessalonians, but God does what God does.

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

The Apostle Paul was forced to write this epistle to those Thessalonians and now the entire world can read the Inspired Word of God and know the work of the Apostle Paul.

God’s Word cannot be stopped by Satan nor this world we live in!

Isa 55:11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

Satan may cause us some problems but Satan is not a problem for God!

*****1Th 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
1Th 2:20 For ye are our glory and joy.

There are rewards for serving the Lord and furthering the “Gospel of Jesus Christ”.

There is a great joy from knowing that you were involved in some way in leading someone to the Lord!

Any reward will be given at the “Judgment Seat Of Christ”.

Rom 14:10 But why dost thou judge thy brother? or why dost thou set at nought thy brother? for we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

1Co 3:14 If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.

These are the crowns that are mentioned for believers:

1) The “incorruptible crown.

1Co 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

2) The crown of righteousness.

2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

3) The crown of life.

Jas 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

4) The crown of glory.

1Pe 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away

5) In our verse the crown of rejoicing.

We should notice that near the end of every chapter in this book the Apostle Paul makes a reference to the return of Jesus Christ.

The return of Christ is a prominent doctrine in the scriptures and is mentioned more than 300 times in the New Testament.

It is in Heaven where we can discuss these things without being hindered by anyone!

Php 3:20 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ:
Php 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

Questions?

Let’s Pray!

Proclaiming The Gospel Of Jesus Christ

/ Bobby Mayfield / Leave a comment

Proclaiming Diligently

1 Thessalonians 1

Last week we ended our study of the Book of James. We certainly did not spend enough time to learn all that is in this great Book of the Bible but we did learn many things about living like Christ.

If we are not living like Christ Jesus, the Messiah that has come, then how can we be known as Christians?

A Christian is not for us to decide but it is for others to see!

We should be very clear, God will never force any of us to trust Him!

God tells us what sin really is and how sin leads to eternal spiritual death.

God’s Word will convict us of our sin!

Once we realize that we are all sinners then we will also realize the need for a Savior!

This is the beginning of a life of prayer!

That first prayer for salvation is the beginning of our faith and the first step in drawing nigh to God!

Today we will leave the writings of James and begin a short study into the writings of the Apostle Paul to the Church at Thessalonica.

We already know that the Book of James was the earliest of the Church Epistles.

We already know that though the Book of James was written to Christians most of them were converted Jews at that time.

We already know that by the Apostle Peter, it had been established that God deals with “whosoever” will believe upon Him and salvation is for all believers, even the Gentiles.

Gal 3:26 For ye are all the children of God “by faith in Christ Jesus”.

1Co 12:13 “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body”, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

Today we will begin with the earliest of writings of the Apostle Paul to the Christian Church.

The city of Thessalonica still exist today simply called Salonika.

The theme of this first book to the Thessalonians is “the return of Jesus Christ”.

Thessalonica was at the time of Paul the principle city but also the Capitol city of Macedonia.

Thessalonica is named after the sister of Alexander the Great.

The city of Thessalonica was the crossroads of where the East met the West at the time of the Apostles.

Paul had been in the East when he received the call of God to spread the “Gospel” to Europe which eventually came to America.

Act 16:9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us.
Act 16:10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them.

The Apostle Paul wrote to the early church for many reasons.

Paul wrote to assure his new friends of his love and his concern for them.

Paul writes to all believers to ground us in the “Doctrines” of the Christian faith!

Paul writes to us all to assure us of the return of Jesus Christ to get His Church!

All the letters of Paul were inspired by the Holy Spirit to correct the weaknesses “that come from inside the Church” just as James had done!

Confusion about prophecy exist today because there are so many preachers and teachers who contradict each other upsetting the saints.

Many ask, is the coming of the Lord near?

Many ask, what are the signs of Christ coming soon?

Many ask, will God’s people go through the Tribulation Period?

The Apostle Paul answered these questions and much more in the two letters to the Thessalonians.

Above all the Apostle Paul teaches us how to live holy lives in this sin-filled world and respect the Church that Christ built with His own blood!

Faith, Hope and Charity are the best evidence of being Christians with Charity being the greatest.

1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.

So let’s begin:

*****1Th 1:1 Paul, and Silvanus, and Timotheus, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Because the preaching of the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ had stirred up a turmoil in Thessalonica, Paul had to leave and was now in the city of Corinth.

He had left Timothy and Silas behind and a Church had been established.

At the time of this letter both of them had rejoined Paul and had brought with them many questions from the believers.

In our area there are more churches per square mile than probably any other place on this earth but we always seem to have these same old questions!

We have questions because we refuse to study the Word of God as He commands us all to do!

2Ti 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
2Ti 2:16 But shun profane and vain babblings: for they will increase unto more ungodliness.

We may all accept that we need to study more but at the same time we always seem to seem to listen to vain teaching which causes confusion.

Babblings are fruitless discussions that lead to confusion!

Paul was deeply concerned with these young converts and knowing that he could not return to them at this time, he did the next best thing, he gave them the written Word of God.

We do not have the Apostles with us today!

We do not have the eyewitnesses of Jesus with us today!

We do not have as many great instructors of the “Gospel” with us today!

But we do have something much greater!

We have something that the early Church did not have, we have the Complete Holy Inspired Word of God!

2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
2Ti 3:17 That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

No matter how many so called prophets come.

No matter how many preachers come.

The most sure thing we can have in our possession is the complete, Holy Ghost Inspired Word of God!

2Pe 1:19 “We have also a more sure word of prophecy”; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

And according to the Holy Inspired Word of God, the Church is only a Church if it is established in God the Father, “through” the Lord Jesus Christ!

All other so-called religions are cults!

As we go through these letters to the Thessalonian Christians we will find that the Second Coming of Christ Jesus will be referred to in some way in every chapter.

The Apostle Paul realized that every believer needs clear and precise instructions because we all begin as babes in Christ!

Many today are taught that the Second Coming of Christ is not so important to the Church, because the Church will already be in Heaven because of the “Rapture” when Christ first returns in the clouds like a thief.

But, the Apostle Paul gives us much teaching on this subject and we need to know these things!

These new, mostly Gentile believers, were now linked to the infinite ‘Grace” of God and it was important for them to know that this “Grace” can come only through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Grace is the unmerited favor of God!

It is important for us all to have this same understanding!

The “Grace” that saves from judgment was already known to these new believers.

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, “to them who are the called according to his purpose”.

The “peace” that comes from salvation was already known to these new believers.

It was now time to learn of the “Grace” that sustains each of us from day to day!

Mat 5:45 That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.

It was time to learn of the “peace” that comes from a daily walk with the Lord Jesus Christ!

It was now time to pick up their own cross and walk with the Lord Jesus!

The Apostle Paul now introduces them to these things.

*****1Th 1:2 We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;

That “we” of course was Paul, Silas, and Timothy.

We should not forget, Paul was a Church Planting Missionary and was very busy about the work of God.

If Paul was not preaching, he was visiting house to house.

If Paul was not doing these things, he was busy as a “tent maker” to meet his personal needs.

But Paul always found the time to pray for the Body Of Christ, the New Testament Church.

As we saw in the Book of James, faith without works is dead faith!

Without men such as Paul, who interceded in behalf of the Church, the “Gospel” would not have spread very far.

Eze 22:30 And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none.

We will reach that point in our lives when we cannot be the feet and legs of the “Gospel” but until we reach the grave we need to always pray for the Church to succeed!

*****1Th 1:3 Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;

“Without ceasing” means continuously more than it does continually!

Faith, love and hope are the foundations of Christianity!

***What is the “work of faith”?

Our foundation must be set on the solid ground of “Faith”!

Faith is the only way man can approach God!

But that faith must be based upon the work of Jesus Christ!

We must remove faith in ourselves and fill that void with faith in Jesus Christ!

Then there is the “gift of faith”.

We cannot be Christians without “saving faith”!

This “saving faith” will sustain each of us through our daily walk with the Lord.

The “gift of faith” is not possessed by all believers. The “gift of faith” comes from the Holy Spirit and has the capacity to see something that needs to be done and the belief that God will provide all the things needed to accomplish that thing.

Our Pastor, Preacher Sam, had the “gift of faith” to begin this Church we now call Gethsemane.

This is stepping out in the call of God, knowing that God will provide!

In our study of the Book of James we learned that there is a work of faith after salvation.

This Church in Thessalonica had a true work of faith but they also had this “gift of faith” and it showed.

Faith is the key that opens the door to do the Work of the Lord!

Faith is the key to touching the Heart of God which leads to the labor of Love!

***What is the “labor of love”?

Out of “faith” rises love.

No one can love God unless they believe that God loves them!

God is love!

1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

When those times come when our “faith” seems to fail us, if we will continue because we love the Lord, we will find that God’s love will never fail us!

When we are saved we are filled with the Holy Spirit of God.

If God did not possess love then He could not produce love in each believer!

God has proved to us that He loves us and for this same reason we need to love one another.

1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.

To be “Born Again” is to be born of God and therefore to resemble God.

The Church in Thessalonica knew the love of God and had love for one another, and had a labor of love for the lost and it showed in their personal lives.

***What is “patience of hope”?

Patience of hope is the endurance of hope!

The is the persevering endurance of the trials that all Christians go through.

We can only have this patience when we look to the end of our faith and not just linger at the beginning of out faith!

Rom 8:24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?
Rom 8:25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.

Hope is looking to the future and not in the now!

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;

This Church in Thessalonica was looking forward to the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ and it showed!

Their faith, love, and hope was in the Lord Jesus Christ because they realized there was no other way to Heaven.

Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

They also realized that God is always watching because He truly cares!

When we realize that we are under the watchful eye of God while we yet live, we will not have to concern ourselves with appearing before God at the White Throne of Judgment.

Pro 5:21 For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.

*****1Th 1:4 Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.

When all our faith, all our love, and that love is in the Lord Jesus Christ then we can become the elect of God.

To believe on the “Gospel” of the Lord Jesus Christ is to be the chosen of God!

Jesus had these words:

Act 9:15 But the Lord said unto him, “Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me”, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:

Elected means God has elected each individual believer.

This does not mean that God has already preselected those that He will save as some teach!

The key to being the elect of God is being a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ!

This is the choice we all must make!

Every elect of God must accept the Lord Jesus Christ as the Messiah and the Savior!

*****1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake.

It is the job of each one of us, after we are saved, to proclaim the “Gospel” to this lost world we live in!

1Co 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
1Co 1:22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
1Co 1:23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
1Co 1:24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.

We should realize that without the Holy Spirit there would be no results from this preaching.

What did Jesus say to the Apostles?

Act 1:8 But ye shall receive power, “after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you”: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Without speaking in the power of the Holy Spirit there will be no results!

Paul did not mean that the “Gospel” originated with him, or Silas, or Timothy, but that it was they who had delivered to them the “Gospel” by the Holy Spirit.

***For the Word of God to be effective, it must be preached:

2Ti 4:2 Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

***The Word of God must be bathed with the power of God’s “Grace”:

Rom 1:17 For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

***The Word of God must be preached with the assistance of the Holy Ghost:

Tit 3:5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
Tit 3:6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
Tit 3:7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

***The Word of God must be preached in assurance:

It is a fact that that most preaching today does not give much assurance.

We are truly blessed here at Gethsemane.

But this is not the assurance of the speaker!

The “Gospel” must produce assurance in the believer!

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.
Heb 10:23 Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;)

Paul said: just as you know what manner of men we are by the way we conducted ourselves and we know what manner of people you are by the way you are conducting yourselves, after receiving the “Gospel”

Jesus said:

Mat 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

1Jn 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.

***The “Gospel” must be preached for only one purpose:

2Ti 2:10 Therefore I endure all things for the elect’s sakes, that they may also obtain the salvation which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

The salvation that is in Christ Jesus will not only save us from the wrath to come but brings with it the glory of being with the Lord Jesus Christ.

***Glorification is the fullest expansion of salvation:

Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

Knowing all these things will make followers of Christ.

A follower is therefore an imitator of Christ and therefore a Christian!

*****1Th 1:6 And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

It is truly important that we walk before God in holiness of life and righteousness before all others!

Righteousness means, to do all things right according to the Word of God.

Each believer then becomes a weapon that God can use in this sin-filled world!

Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;

More and more people in our world have never even heard of the “Gospel” nor Of Jesus Christ, but they see what the world looks like everyday.

If they cannot see Jesus in us, then our words will have no meaning to them!

Paul said if you see us(Paul, Silas, Timothy) you are seeing the ways of Jesus!

1Co 11:1 Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.

We will receive the Word of God in affliction because the Word of God cuts:

Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

The Word of God will reach deep into our flesh to separate us from the desires of this world and cause much affliction within us, until we feel the joy that comes from its freedom.

Joh 8:31 Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed;
Joh 8:32 And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.

Joh 8:36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

There is great joy in being free from the wages of sin!

This change was so great in these Thessalonians that most all others soon noticed.

*****1Th 1:7 So that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia and Achaia.

Shortly after 146 BC all Greece south of Macedonia was formed into a Roman province named Achaia.

There was then the province of Macedonia and the Province of Achaia.

The Church in Philippi had been established previous to this one in Thessalonica, both in Macedonia.

The Apostle Paul was in Corinth where a Church had been started in Achaia but those of Thessalonica were setting the example for all the Churches in Europe at this time.

*****1Th 1:8 For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad; so that we need not to speak any thing.

Thessalonica was a great commercial and political center but these saved of God, had no problem spreading the “Gospel” of the Lord Jesus Christ even to all the strangers that passed through this great city.

They not only witnessed in Achaia and Macedonia but to anyone who would listen no matter what part of the world they called home.

They lived in a nation of false gods and Greek folklore, but now their faith was directed toward the One True God!

They did not need for the Pastor to encourage them to go out on visitation.

They did these things on their own and allowed their Pastor to be about the business of the Lord.

These people evangelized!

2Ti 4:5 But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, “do the work of an evangelist”, make full proof of thy ministry.

It was evident by the change in their lives, that these of the Church of Thessalonica were in touch with God!

It was even more evident to the Apostle Paul who had endured much, to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

These people were evidence of the truth of the Word of God to the Apostle Paul and to the world around them.

*****1Th 1:9 For they themselves shew of us what manner of entering in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God from idols “to serve” the living and true God;
1Th 1:10 And “to wait” for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come.

What is the job of the Christian after salvation?

To serve the Lord Jesus Christ and to wait on His return!

To repent is a complete change of mind which leads to a complete change of ways!

All those in Thessalonica could noticeably see the change in these that were “Born Again” of God!

They had completely turned from idols to worship the True and Living God!

These people were busy about the Master’s Work, because they fully believed that the Lord Jesus Could return at any moment!

The more we believe this truth, the more we should telling others about the salvation that comes by the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ!

Surely we love our families this much!

This wrath that is coming, is not to those that love the Lord Jesus but to those that will not accept the Lord Jesus.

Col 3:6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:
Col 3:7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

This wrath is still in the future but the opportunity to miss this wrath of God, will run out when the Lord returns to get His Saints, which could happen at any moment!

When we are not looking for the Lord to return at any moment, we do not believe the truth of the “Gospel” and it will show up in our lack of “Good Works”!

Tit 2:13 Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
Tit 2:15 These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee.

This is our message to the world we live in!

Joh 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

We know that Hell was prepared for Satan and his angels.

But we also know that Heaven is prepared for the people of God!

Joh 14:2 In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. “I go to prepare a place for you”.

Joh 14:3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.

When we do not believe the Words of Jesus, how can we say we love Him!

Questions?

Let’s Pray!