Our aim . ( 1 John 1 v 8 - 10 )

As you read the exhortations from 1 Thessalonians 5, what did you think  ?,because they are very challenging,we may think its impossible,they are to much.Yes if you yourself sought to practice those words , but the good news is God can help, He has given us His Spirit,not just a favoured few,that is if you are a true Christian, And so we read in Galatians  5 v 16, ''So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful flesh.So we have a choice,the flesh, given into our sinful nature,or submitting to Gods Holy Spirit. We will not always make the right choice, when we make the wrong choice,confess and repent, God will forgive and restore. ( 1 John 1 v 9 )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                Yield not to temptation for yielding is sin,                                                                                                Each victory will help you some other to win;                                                                                          Fight manfully onward, dark passions subdue,                                                                                          Look ever to Jesus,He'll carry you through.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  Shun evil companions, bad language disdain,                                                                                          God's name hold in reverence,nor take in vain;                                                                                        Be thoughtful and earnest, kind hearted and true;                                                                                      Look ever to Jesus, He'll carry you through.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  To him that o'ercometh God giveth a crown;                                                                                            Through faith we shall conquer, though often cast down;                                                                        He who is our Saviour our strength will renew;                                                                                        Look ever to Jesus, He'll carry you through.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Ask the Saviour to help you ,                                                                                                                    Comfort, strengthen, and keep you;                                                                                                          He is willing to aid you,                                                                                                                            He will carry you through.                                                                                                                             (Words/  H.R Palmer )                                               
                                                                                                                                                                             

Avoid. ( 1 Thessalonians 5 v 22 )

Now we come to the last of the exhortations in 1 Thessalonians 5 .                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              ''Avoid every kind of evil '' v 22.                                                                This must be one of the shortest   verses in the Bible,but all its shortness, it brings with it  words that we need to hear,constantly.Take the entertainment world,the movie industry, now from a child I loved movies,nothing pleased me more to go to the cinema,movies in those where censored  and  in contrast to today's movies were relevantly innocent. So after watching a modern movie ,I would hear myself saying ,why was I sucked in to watch it. Now the problem has been resolved as I can watch old movies on U Tube,that does not leaving feeling guilty. Now the question is this, for me it was movies, what do you need to avoid?

We have let slip. ( Genesis 6 v 1 - 8 )

Lets continue on looking at another exhortation from  1 Thessalonians 5.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  ''Hold on to the good'' ( v 21 )                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         We all know the saying ,'the good old days', where they good?  they where good but not totally,my memory   of the past was that the so called old days  where  not always good..We need to ask the question what is the writer of scripture telling us?.The  value of life, be it the elderly, or the child in the mothers womb,could it be moral standards, as opposed to so much that is immoral. As I watch sport I observe so much cheating, win at any cost mentality.Reject casual sex, oh no sex is not dirty,    its what we have made it,we must have sex at all cost,and for many there is a cost.Again we use to hear people speak of the good  book, the Bible, yet as a nation , it is ,the forgotten book.For in that old book we are reminded of something we don't want to hear about ,sin, hell,the need of a Saviour       we have let slip from our grasp that good book, full of  good news, the result is we wander around like lost sheep, for that's what we are,but let me remind you of Jesus, who came to rescue lost sheep.

Test everything. (Proverbs 3 v 5 )

We are coming near the end of the exhortations in 1 Thessalonians  5 v 13 ff.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        ''Test  everything '' v 21                                                                    I have a set of New Testament ,daily study helps,I  considered them highly,because of the help I received in my sermon preparation. The author appeared to indicate that he held to the deity of Christ,so I purchased  the authors ,' Spiritual Autobiography ' and in there he clearly declares  that Christ is not God, that everyone is going to be saved, and death of  Christ was not a sacrifice for sin.He himself said that he was no theologian , you would in light of this ,think he would have had the humility to look to them, for guidance,but not so. So take heed to those words, ''Test Everything'', hold fast to what scripture clearly teaches.

No picking and choosing . ( 2 Timothy 3 v 16 )

Lets continue  considering the exhortations in 1 Thessalonians 5 v 13 ff.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    ''Do not put out the Spirits fire'' ( v 19 )                                                                                                                                                                                                                         The context of these words, is how we respond to God speaking to us, especially as John Stott writes the apostolic documents ,the so called letters sent by the different apostles,and others.These are to be seen as Gods word on a level with the Old Testament Scriptures.There are people who do not like Pauls writing,as there  are people who don't like the OT. We cannot pick and choose ,for all scripture   is Gods word,and must be accepted as such,when we refuse to listen to it,we  are guilty of putting out the Spirits fire.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         

Give thanks in all circumstances. ( Habakkuk 3 v 16 - 19 )

Continuing  looking at the exhortations in 1 Thessalonians 5 v 13 ff.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         ''Give thanks in all circumstances , for this is                                                                                             God's will for you in Christ Jesus.''  ( v  18 )                                                                                                                                                                                                                          Now it does say,give thanks for all circumstances, but in all circumstances,there is a difference, I  . appreciate some terrible things happen to Gods children , but I believe that in the darkest   hour the hidden hand of Gods providence is at work, and working all things out for the good of His children.  ( Romans 8 v 28 )                                                                                                                                                                                 .                                                                                                                                                                     Dear loving Heavenly Father ,grant us grace                                                                                            to praise you ,irrespective of our circumstances                                                                                        in Jesus name Amen.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Pray. ( Luke 18 v 1 )

Lets continue to consider 1 Thessalonians 5 v 14 ff.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          '' Pray continually ''(v 17)                                                                     I want to share what I read in one of my devotional readings,it  uses the KJV ,                                                                                              ''Pray  without ceasing''                                                                        ''It means start your day with prayer,and continue praying off and on throughout the day. Pray as you drive.Pray at work. Pray before your lunch break. Pray when you get that difficult phone call. Pray when you're disappointed by something . Pray when surprises come  . Pray when you triumph. Pray in the midst of painful news. Pray without ceasing''                                                                                                                                   ( Word for today by Bob and Debby Gass )