God' Guidance for His Church

 Guidance for Church Life

Book of 2 Thessalonians Chapter 3

In the end Paul knew that the prayers from each church were more important than all other things.

It is the same today. Prayer is the power behind the Church!

Prayer is very different from preaching, and yet a moment’s reflection will show how they work together. 

Prayer speaks to God for man; preaching speaks to man for God. 

Prayer seeks to bring God to man; preaching aims to bring man to God. 

Prayer moves God towards man; preaching persuades man to seek after God. 

Prayer makes known unto God man’s request; preaching reveals to man God’s mind and will. 

Preaching casts in the seed; prayer brings the rain and the sunshine.

Preaching deposits the leaven; prayer secures the hand which adds to it working. 

Preaching utters the good tidings; prayer carries the sound to the ear and makes that all sensitive. 

Preaching is doing the practical work which man can do; prayer asks for what God only can do, and for that which is necessary to the success of that which the man can do. 

Now the Apostle Paul switches to a subject that we all already know, "work and employment".

Preacher Sam says it all the time, the Holy Spirit was not just given to us for our enjoyment but was given to us more importantly for our employment!

*****2Th 3:5  And the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God, and into the patient waiting for Christ. 

2Th 3:6  Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye "withdraw" yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. 

It is extremely hard to be patient in this wicked world we live in, but the Lord Jesus Christ directs each of us to be patient while we wait upon His return.

It helps us to stay away from unbelievers unless we are witnessing to them.

Here we see it is very important to get away from so-called brothers and sisters in Christ who walk against the truth of the Word of God.

We also see in this verse that God commands us to stay away from those who refuse to work and provide for themselves.

As our lesson states, we are to withdraw our fellowship and remove them from church membership.

If you have worked for any amount of time, you have seen workers who slack off and do as little as possible.

These are the same ones who work only when they see the boss coming.

There are also far too many today who just refuse to work and want someone, even the church to provide for them.

Why are there so many recalls in every industry today? Why? Because the work forces of America do not have pride in their work.

They are just in it for the money.

Now I certainly believe in a fair wage and there are many who are just not paid enough, but there are many who depend on the unions to cause an increase in wages when they maybe taking that company into closing the doors.

The Bible commands us to walk away from such people who walk disorderly, that is who do not work.

In the early days of the church, the Thessalonians became so excited about the return of the Lord Jesus Christ they began to sacrifice all their possessions to meet the needs of the Church people but they went too far.

They ignored the Word of God that only God knows when He will return to this earth.

They even began to project the dates of the Lord's return.

Some even quit their jobs to have more time to witness for the Lord.

When these things did not take place as they thought, they depended upon the Church to support them.

These things caused many problems for this new church.

The Bible teaches each of us to live our lives as if we will live long lives.

In fact, God promises us long lives!

Eph 6:1  Children, obey your parents in the Lord: for this is right. 

Eph 6:2  Honour thy father and mother; (which is the first commandment with promise;) 

Eph 6:3  That it may be well with thee, and thou mayest live long on the earth. 

Deu 4:40  Thou shalt keep therefore his statutes, and his commandments, which I command thee this day, that it may go well with thee, and with thy children after thee, and that thou mayest prolong thy days upon the earth, which the LORD thy God giveth thee, for ever. 

We are to be the example to the world as the very best workmen possible in everything we do but especially in the work the Lord has given us to do.

Not working is disorderly behavior and the church is not to support such people.

Obviously, there will be times when a member in good standing may need the help of the church, this is not what the Word of God is referring to, but we are not to support those outside the Church who refuse to work.

We are to stay away from the idle worker which is the meaning of the word withdraw as used in this passage.

The Apostle Paul was their example of a hard worker to support himself without church support.

The Church is not to be identified with members to come only for church support.

We are not to run the risk of being associated with idle workers. This will give us a bad testimony as we witness for Jesus Christ!

*****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.

2Th 3:10  For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. 

2Th 3:11  For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies.

According to the Word of God we are to be industrious beings and not lazy Christians.

The Bible commands us to do good for all people, but we are not to support those who refuse to support themselves.

A slothful person will be a slothful Christian!

Laziness can be looked upon as sin!

There is absolutely no excuse for a Christian to be a lazy employee, it is a command of God that we not be lazy!

Even the Lord Jesus Christ had a reputation as a carpenter. This would not have been said of Him if it were not true!

We can believe that Jesus was the best carpenter in Nazareth.

We know the Apostle Paul was a tent maker and we can believe he was a good tent maker making quality tents.

According to the Word of God, when we refuse to work, we lose our right to eat.

In other words we become so useless to society that society would be better off without us.

This message does not go over well today, but it is still the truth of God!

Those who refuse to work tend to get into everybody else business and not their own.

One of the greatest gifts God gave to humans is our minds.

The mind is always active, even in our sleep.

It is either thinking positive thoughts or negative, evil thoughts.

It is true that the idle mind is the Devil's playground!

This is why so many lazy people are always getting into trouble!

The world has pity upon such people when the world should insist that they work or starve.

Sounds harsh but still the truth of God.

We must not forget that Paul is speaking to the Church, in fact to a church that started out on the right tract.

They just got confused about the return of Jesus Christ.

It is a sin to poke our noses into the affairs of others unless they have asked for our help.

It is a sin to gossip.

It is a sin to spread rumors.

It is a sin to tattle on others when we do not know the whole story.

All we need to do is to look around at nature and we will see that the law of labor is rigidly enforced.

Every animal except domesticated animals have to work for their food.

The Bible speaks of the ant.

Pro 6:6  Go to the ant, thou sluggard; consider her ways, and be wise: 

The Bible speaks of other creations.

Pro 30:24  There be four things which are little upon the earth, but they are exceeding wise: 

Pro 30:25  The ants are a people not strong, yet they prepare their meat in the summer; 

Pro 30:26  The conies are but a feeble folk, yet make they their houses in the rocks; 

Pro 30:27  The locusts have no king, yet go they forth all of them by bands; 

Pro 30:28  The spider taketh hold with her hands, and is in kings' palaces. 

The Bible speaks of the birds.

God feeds the birds but they have to go look for it.

We had better get one thing straight!

We are not saved by our own works, but by God's free and unmerited mercy.

How are the people of God described?

We are called soldiers.

We are called pilgrims.

We are called husbandmen.

We are called fishermen.

All these things imply some form of work.

In fact all these things require demanding work.

2Pe_3:14  Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.

Work was the law in the Garden of Eden.

It only became arduous work after sin entered in!

There is probably no greater feeling than to sit down and partake of those things that come by honest work!

*****2Th 3:12  Now them that are such we command and exhort by our Lord Jesus Christ, that with quietness they work, and eat their own bread. 

2Th 3:13  But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing.

There can be no doubt that we are commanded to work to provide for ourselves.

Notice this commands comes directly from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Luk 11:3  Give us day by day our daily bread. 

Notice not only is this a command straight from our Lord Jesus, but He also uses this passage as a way to train us in the proper way to act in the Church.

As believers we are prone to make mistakes and we can even make mistakes about how we are to work.

If we have been slack in our work the Lord will forgive us and teach us the proper ways.

We must still confess our wrong and repent.

We are to work with a quiet spirit and mind our own business.

Our brothers and sisters will come to us if they require our help.

We are never to be weary in well doing.

We must not allow idle busybodies to discourage us but stick to the work the Lord had given us to do.

We must not forget we are to be examples of Jesus Christ and not examples of other Church members unless they are wholly following the Lord themselves.

It is obvious that many in this church were doing things right and Paul does not want them to change their effective ways.

There are most always those in the Church that do need some help.

Some who are working and doing the best they can but maybe fell on challenging times.

These are those who we need to help if we are able to do so and continue to help until they are recovered.

Paul also informs these who live and work according to the Word of God that there are things they can do to discourage those that are not following the Word of God.

*****2Th 3:14  And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. 

2Th 3:15  Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.

We must understand that the epistles of the Apostle Paul are to be considered Church Doctrine along with all the Books of the New Testament!

If there are those who reject the truth of the New Testament in the blood of Jesus Christ then we are to make a mental note of that person and refuse to be associated with that person.

The Church is a place we are to be in one accord, one mind, one fellowship one bride of Christ!

Note, this is not an excommunication but simply an avoidance.

This discipline is meant to shame that person.

This goes back to where we began our lesson today.

2Th 3:6  Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us. 

There should be no excuse for not accepting the truth of the New Testament.

For Paul, it was his intention to read this epistle to read out loud while the entire church was gathered together so there could be no misunderstanding of his intent.

Paul knew that many of them would acknowledge their faults and it would be the end of this matter.

As usual there will be those who still reject the truth and it is these, after they have understood the exact words of the Apostle Paul from whom the Church must withdraw.

2Th 2:15  Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle. 

There must not be any unkind feelings towards this person as the intent is to shame that person.

If this shaming does not work then there might have to be other steps taken but these things will work or this would not have been the truth of the Scriptures.

We must never allow a false doctrine into the Church to take holt.

*****2Th 3:16  Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all. 

1) We must remember that peace in our lives can come only by the Lord Jesus Christ.

2) The Lord Jesus Christ seeks a close personal relationship with each of us.

3) It is only by the "Grace of God", the undeserved favor and strength in Jesus Christ, that any of us can be saved.

We are not put into the Church to be the judge of any other person!

We are all to obey the truth of the Gospel and help each other understand it as best we can.

This is why the Lord will not allow any deviation in the Words He has given to us.

We are all judged by the same Word of God!

Amen.

The Word of God is True

 The Coming of That Day

Book of 2 Thessalonians Chapter 2

We must understand that the best approach to what the Bible says is, to take every passage as its literal meaning, compare Scripture to Scripture and refuse to make claims that the Bible does not make.

There are some things that the Bible says that cannot for certain be understood. 

It is these places and all the rest of the Bible we are to accept by faith!

It is like the Holy Trinity; I cannot explain and the Bible does not try to, but I know it is real.

I know there is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost, and they are all one person, one God.

I know a virgin named Mary found favor with God and had a child named Jesus. 

Isa_7:14  Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.

I cannot explain it but I know it is the truth.

I know that the Lord Jesus Christ is that One sent down from Heaven to save us. (Immanuel)

I know that eye witnesses saw the Lord Jesus ascend back to Heaven.

I cannot explain it but I know it is the truth.

I know when the Bible speaks of the "Day of the Lord" it does not mean one single day in history.

The "Day of the Lord" covers a long span of time and some significant events that will take place.

There is a terrible time of trouble coming to this world we live in!

There is a day when the wrath of God will fall upon all the wickedness, all the meanness, and all the filthiness of mankind.

This day is not that far off because we are seeing the signs, but as Christians we are not to fear the "Day of the Lord".

Our hopes are for the future and not in the present!

*****2Th 2:1  Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him, 

2Th 2:2  That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand.

We know that the Lord Jesus Christ will return to this world.

1) To gather His Church.

2) To bring the wrath of God to all unbelievers.

But we are not to think of wild and unreasonable notions concerning His return.

We must not be troubled by the return of Jesus Christ. To the Church this is the best thing that can happen to us. We will be going home!

These saints of Thessalonica were being persecuted so badly that they thought the "Day of the Lord" was taking place at that time.

Many thought that the tribulation years had already begun.

There were some who claimed that some spirit or some angel had revealed to them that the "day of the Lord" had begun already.

They were listening to some false preacher calming to be the Messiah.

He claimed that he had received some special word that no one else had.

He claimed that that he had heard in a letter from Paul that the "Day of the Lord" was taking place.

Many believers became shaken in mind and troubled by all these things as they strived to believe in the Apostle Paul.

The important thing for all believers is, to look forward to the day the Lord gathers His Church and not to the judgment that comes later because the Church will not be a part of that judgment.

It is far more pleasant to focus on the day we go home to Heaven than the "day of judgment" that does not concern the Church.

Heaven is a beautiful place where we can rest from the persecutions of this world!

It is those who have rejected the Lord Jesus Christ who should be shaken in their minds and troubled.

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 be careful not to get caught up in false teaching, and anyone who says they have a special revelation from God, because God will never go against His Word that He has given to the Church.

There will not be any prophecy in the Church Age other than the Word of God that we now have!

We are not appointed to the wrath of God, but to the salvation that God has presented to us!

We must not be deceive by some false prophet or some false preacher at any time.

*****2Th 2:3  Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 

There are two events listed here from the Apostle Paul.

1)The first event to launch the day of the Lord will be a great falling away of believers from God.

In fact that phrase "falling away" means "apostasy", "revolt" "rebellion".

Many from all over the world will be rebelling and revolting against God.

Before the Lord returns there will be a great day of apostasy, a great day of deception.

Just yesterday I read where the United Methodist Church were meeting to see if they could reconcile their differences as more than half of those had given in to the LBGTQ agenda, even having some leaders who were prophesied to be part of the gay movement and welcomed them all.

Now it is true that the Church is to welcome all who come but they are to accept the Lord Jesus Christ as the Messiah and "Repent" to become part of the Church.

This may not be what the Apostle Paul was referring to but it is involved in this thing somewhere.

We simply cannot fall away from the truth of God.

For some man to decide he was really a woman. He is saying that my God made a mistake which is impossible.

For woman to say that she is really a man. She is saying that my God made a mistake and that is impossible.

For groups to give in to this they are calling God a liar and my God cannot lie!

Before the Lord Jesus will return to this earth there will be a great apostasy and I believe we are beginning to see this now in our lifetime.

What did Jesus teach us? Mat_24:34  Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled.

2) The second event that will launch the "Day of the Lord" will be the revelation of that man of sin, the son of perdition, the Antichrist himself.

This means that the Antichrist is on our planet somewhere today.

This Antichrist is a man of sin though he may first seem to be the savior of this world from climate change, war, and politics.

This means that the Antichrist will be that "son of perdition". He will be so evil he will actually be that son of doom! Doomed to destruction.

This means that the Antichrist will not just be another evil world leader that we see so often, but the Antichrist that has been prophesied.

He will come out into the open after hiding for such a long time, working his way through the politics of this world.

The evil that such men from our past that have caused, will not compare to the evil the Antichrist will bring.

Men such as Hitler, Stalin, and other dictators who themselves slaughtered millions of innocent people will be nothing compared to the Antichrist.

Those days will be like the days of Noah before the flood came.

Those will be like the days of Lot when the Lord destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.

Mar 13:14  But when ye shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing where it ought not, (let him that readeth understand,) then let them that be in Judaea flee to the mountains: 

What does this wicked man do?

*****2Th 2:4  Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God. 

What are the traits of the Antichrist?

1) He is the "man of sin". All he knows is sin and lawlessness. He idealizes sin. He is the ideal sinner. He will fulfill the dreams of Satan.

He will lead a revolt against our Holy God and the world will follow him.

2) He is the "son of perdition". Perdition means doom and destruction.

He is the son of the most violent doom and destruction this world will ever see.

He is the son who deserves his own doom more than anyone who has ever lived.

He is the son of the Devil himself, the father of all doom and destruction.

3) He is the "opposer" of all that is called God.

He is the opponent of Jesus Christ and all believers.

He will show no love, no mercy, no grace, and no justice, but especially to those who profess the name of Christ.

4) He is the one who "exalts himself" above everything that God stands for.

He will lift himself above everybody that is alive in his day, in an antagonistic way.

All people will be his subjects or they will be killed or suffer severe consequences.

5) He will claim to be God.

He exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped.

He will attempt to sit in the rebuilt Temple as God to be worshipped as God.

Many people worship science and technology today and the Antichrist will use this to his advantage with some great miracle within his power.

He will lead the governments of this world into war with God.

There will be a one world religion based upon the rule of the Antichrist by the False Prophet.

There will be a one world government.

There will be a false peace for a season.

Remember Rome brought peace through destruction and fear, the Antichrist will do the same.

We must teach these things in the Church!

*****2Th 2:5  Remember ye not, that, when I was yet with you, I told you these things? 

When a false preacher gets into to any church his message will always confuse some in the pews because people just refuse to study the Bible.

The Church must understand the truth of the Antichrist and it must be taught in the Pulpit and the Sunday Schools.

Just as Paul had to be careful what he said because he was a Roman citizen and Rome would silence those who spoke against it, it will be the same with those who speak against the Antichrist in his day.

So today is the day we must teach these things about the Antichrist.

The Lord Jesus will certainly return to gather His Church to Him. There will be a "Rapture" of the Church.

The Lord Jesus will return to this earth and that great and terrible day will come and it is sooner than most people want to believe.

The Antichrist will arise upon the world scene maybe just before the "Rapture of the Church" but certainly after the Church has been removed.

After the Church is removed by the Rapture, this world will turn into the most evil and wicked place that ever existed and the Antichrist will use this chaos to his advantage to make a false peace.

Remember the Church will be gone but Israel will remain and Israel will realize how wrong they had been about the Scriptures.

Rom_10:19  But I say, Did not Israel know? First Moses saith, I will provoke you to jealousy by them that are no people, and by a foolish nation I will anger you.

Rom_11:11  I say then, Have they stumbled that they should fall? God forbid: but rather through their fall salvation is come unto the Gentiles, for to provoke them to jealousy.

*****2Th 2:6  And now ye know what withholdeth that he might be revealed in his time. 

2Th 2:7  For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 

2Th 2:8  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming: 

It should be clear that there will be a historical appearance of the Antichrist. His time is set and he will appear before all the world.

Right now there is some power that holds back the appearance of the Antichrist.

Once this power is taken out of the way then the Antichrist will be revealed.

Notice it says, "taken out of the way" and not "taken away" there is a significant difference in these two statements.

If this power of restraint is completely removed there would be no power of good left in this world.

So this power will only step aside enough to allow the Antichrist to present himself to this world.

This power is so strong that He can control events in this world.

In fact, this person is so strong that He knows the exact day to step aside to allow the Antichrist to appear.

So, just what is this restraining power? In the early Church, those people thought that Rome was this restraining power but this cannot be true simply because Rome's dominance is long gone.

It is not the power of the law because every nation has different laws.

The restraining power can be nothing but the power of God, through the Spirit of God, who came to this earth when the Lord went back to Heaven.

Joh_16:7  Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

Joh_16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

That word mystery refers to the mystery of lawlessness that works secretly in our world but when the Holy Spirit is taken out of the way then this mystery of lawlessness will no longer be in secret.

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.

Those principalities, those rulers of darkness and that spiritual wickedness will finally be seen by this entire world.

Why do we do so many rotten things as we live and grow older?

That "mystery of iniquity" is that unseen, unknown power which is in our world dedicated to evil working against the will of God.

This is the thing that corrupts everything it touches causing misery in God's creation.

When did it begin?

Gen 3:17  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 

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: 

Who is this Antichrist?

Dan 11:36  And the king shall do according to his will; and he shall exalt himself, and magnify himself above every god, and shall speak marvellous things against the God of gods, and shall prosper till the indignation be accomplished: for that that is determined shall be done. 

Dan 11:37  Neither shall he regard the God of his fathers, nor the desire of women, nor regard any god: for he shall magnify himself above all. 

It is the Holy Spirit (Holy Ghost) who is the power behind the Church!

There should be no doubt that there is an Antichrist that is in this world, he has not revealed himself because the Holy Spirit will not allow it yet to happen just yet, but the Holy Spirit will take Himself out of the way of this Wicked man when the time is just right.

In the last days, when the time is just right for the Antichrist to rise, God is going to remove much of His restraint upon lawlessness and lawlessness will run rampant over this earth.

Men again will be allowed to do their own thing and live as they desire.

Men will get their wish and live without the influence of God.

Mat 24:10  And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. 

Mat 24:11  And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. 

Mat 24:12  And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. 

The Church will already be in Heaven, the Rapture having taken place, and the influence of the Church will be no more on this earth.

The Holy Spirit will still be within each believer in Heaven, but the Holy Spirit will begin another work here on earth.

The Lord will make quick work of the Antichrist!

The Lord will destroy the Antichrist with the brightness of His coming.

How will the Antichrist deceive so many?

*****2Th 2:9  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, 

The Antichrist will carry on the activities of Satan upon this earth.

He will be the embodiment of Satan.

He will carry on all the lying power and signs and wonders of Satan.

He will carry out the activity and work of Satan on this earth.

Satan will energize him.

He will be totally surrendered to Satan.

All the unbelievers will think they have reached heaven upon this earth, but even the wicked do not approve of all wickedness.

He will bring a false peace to this earth for three-and one-half years.

He may make a way for all to have food and adequate provisions.

Rev_13:18  Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.

He may solve the problems of health insurance, employment, homelessness, energy, and other problems, because Satan is the one who caused those problems to begin with.

He will then claim supernatural power for himself, his government, and his science and the last three-and one-half years will begin.

He will cause the world to worship him as god.

Mat 24:15  When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 

No man can be god because that grave will make him to be a liar!

When the Antichrist insist that he is god many will rebel against him because they do not want any sort of god to worship.

This world will live in a lie for only a brief time because it has rejected the truth of God.

*****2Th 2:10  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. 

We should understand that any follower of the Antichrist has rejected the truth already.

To receive is to welcome and no one at that time will welcome the truth, they will not want to hear any truth and we are almost there today.

This truth is the "Gospel of Jesus Christ".

They do not want a way to be saved.

They do not want a way to escape death.

They do not want a way to live forever and ever.

They do not want a way to live a victorious life.

They have chosen to suffer at the hands of the Antichrist and Satan the Deceiver.

Joh 8:23  And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 

Joh 8:24  I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. 

God will cause them to believe every lie of the Antichrist.

*****2Th 2:11  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: 

We live today in a nation where there has been a persistent rejection of truth.

This behavior destroys the sense of the truth so much that it results in a fatal error.

The lies against the truth become the truth to those who reject the truth.

In other words they believe the lies are the truth.

This is the America we live in today!

Does this mean that God misleads unbelievers? 

That God deceives people?

That answer is no and a thousand times no.

No person is deceived apart from their own will.

No person is deceived against his will.

A person is only deceived because he chooses to reject the truth of God.

We need only to look at the lies of evolution to see how lies have changed our world.

Unbelief is governed by the laws of sowing and reaping.

If a person sows’ unbelief and deception, he will reap unbelief and deception.

Gal 6:7  Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. 

Gal 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. 

It is because people reject the truth of the Gospel that they will suffer strong delusion because of their actions, and they will believe the lies of the Antichrist.

Those who reject the Word of God will go further and further astray as we see in our own nation today.

So, God will use Satan as the means to punish them!

The Lord Jesus said to just leave them alone: Mat 15:14  Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

All the followers of the Antichrist will be those who are deceived about the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

The tragedy of this situation is that a person cannot reject Jesus Christ and expect things to stay as they are.

The truth will always prevail in the end!

God loves His Son too much to see Him rejected because of what He has done for the salvation of this entire world.

The "judgment" of the unbeliever is also drawing closer each and every day!

*****2Th 2:12  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. 

All the followers of the Antichrist will be damned to Hell.

All those without the love for the truth will naturally believe a lie when it comes because there is no other choice for them!

People love their sin so much that will hold on to it even if it means they will spend eternity in Hell.

Go back and look at the sin of Adam.

Gen 3:17  And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; 

Gen 3:18  Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; 

Gen 3:19  In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.

It is the instinct of sinful man to flee from God and His truth!

When the wickedness of sinners is known of God, they will attempt to hide from the truth.

The Lord Jesus came to this earth for this reason.

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.

This world cannot expect God to overlook its sin, especially those who take pleasure in unrighteousness.

Any person who rejects the work that our Savior has done for our salvation cannot expect God to overlook the dishonor done to His Son!

The world is full of sin!

1Jn_2:16  For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.

These are the things that Satan has used since the time of Adam and Satan has never had to change his ways.

When the Antichrist shows up the world can expect for him to use these things to become its new world leader.

Man loves himself and himself alone and refuses to show true love to anything else but himself and this is the downfall of mankind.

Job 15:16  How much more abominable and filthy is man, which drinketh iniquity like water?

Psa 52:3  Thou lovest evil more than good; and lying rather than to speak righteousness. Selah. 

Psa 52:4  Thou lovest all devouring words, O thou deceitful tongue. 

Psa 52:5  God shall likewise destroy thee for ever, he shall take thee away, and pluck thee out of thy dwelling place, and root thee out of the land of the living. Selah

These are the same ones who will cling to the Antichrist like he is some sort of god when he is nothing.

God will allow the Antichrist to lead this world for seven years and it will be a terrible time to live upon this earth, but Hell is even worse.

Amen

Ready For the Day of the Lord

 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 Return of Christ

 Confidence in the Coming of Jesus

Book of 1 Thessalonians Chapter 4

The Apostle Paul 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

A Test of Our Faith

 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