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In Christ, Mark
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The scriptures. May God bless the reading of His holy word.
As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
1 Thessalonians 4:1-2
This ends this reading from God's holy word. Thanks be to God.
Paul was concerned about the Thessalonian Christian believers and made it known in chapter 3 of his first letter to them. We read where the Apostle was greatly encouraged by the positive report he received from Timothy informing that his brothers and sisters in Thessalonica were standing firm in the Lord with their faith and sharing love with one another. At the end of the chapter, Paul exhorts the Christians to allow the Lord to increase their love to overflow and to strengthen their hearts so to be found holy and blameless at Jesus’ return.
As we look at the opening two verses of chapter 4, we find Paul building on the latter exhortation. Look again at his words here:
As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
When Paul had visited Thessalonica and planted the church, not only did he preach and teach the Gospel but he “instructed” the new believers on “how to live in order to please God”. We read where the Thessalonian Christians were encouraged by the Apostle to “do this more and more”.
Or in other words, Paul didn’t want them to get comfortable in what they had accomplished already in the way of godly living. Instead, he urged them to continue to grow more and more in the Lord, pleasing him by using the “instructions” they had been provided before “by the authority” of Jesus.
Friends, this advice from Paul equally applies to us today. For we have the full Bible at our disposal, far more than what the Thessalonians had to work with and our bibles provide us instruction provided by the authority of God and His Son. It contains all we need to do in order to live in a way that is pleasing to God, a way that is found by conforming ourselves to Jesus who was, is, and will always be THE Way (John 14:6).
Let us receive this message today with a sense of commitment to allow the Lord, through His Word and Holy Spirit, to continue shaping us into the people that He wants us to be, a people who serve Him and others fully for His cause and the cause of His Son.
Amen.
In Christ,
Mark
PS: Feel free to leave a comment and please share this with anyone you feel might be blessed by it. Send any prayer requests to Gods4all@aol.com
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