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1 Thessalonians 5 - Warning, Warning!

I remember growing up watching the TV show Lost in Space. Much to my mother's chagrin I was continually making Jupiter II Saucers from two glued-together paper plates. In addition to trying to launch my space-craft, I was continually attempting to design the perfect robot. Of course he was based on the Model B-9 Environmental-Control Robot from the TV series. He had no other name, so they simply called him the Robot.

I would anxiously watch the exploits of the Robinson family as Robot would inevitably intone, "Warning, Warning!" or "Danger Will Robinson, Danger!"

Of of entire cast, he was the one that seemed to make the most sense. He knew his mission - to warn and protect the Robinson family - and he did it faithfully without fail. Even though he was a tireless servant to all of the humans, it was the Robot that often saved the day, leading the charge or covering their retreat.

Whether the show writers knew it or not, he was a servant leader.

1 Thessalonians 5:12 Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord's work. They work hard among you and warn you against all that is wrong.

I find that I myself am now in servant leadership on many fronts, family, Wildmen, and at times on my job. However, I wonder, am I doing what Paul said? Am I warning against all that is wrong? Or do I take the easy route all too often and hope someone else will deal with an issue? I suspect the latter is true. I must do better, but I must do it properly.

1 Thessalonians 5:14-15 Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone.

See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to everyone else.

Yes, I need to urge, warn, and encourage. In addition I must be tender, patient, and always try to do good. And it isn't easy at times. That is why he also told us to do the following.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

In doing the above, all else will fall into place in its proper time.

Lord, please help me to do the job that You have for me to do. May I bravely speak Your truths in a way that pleases You, in the way Jesus would. In His name, Amen.

Danger Jan Broucinek, Danger!
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1 - Thessalonians 5 - Blameless

I had to comment on the following verses. They are too powerful to ignore.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until that day when our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God, who calls you, is faithful; he will do this.

Paul is saying that our spirit, soul, and body are blameless, and God will keep them that way! Do you understand that? Do you truly comprehend the meaning of those words? It is not by our strength, or our power, but God's, that we are kept blameless. Wow!

Lord, thank You for Your power working in me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

You are blameless, Jan
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1 Thessalonians 4 - Bullhorn Man

Rob Bell of Mars Hill Bible Church stars in a series of videos called Noomas. They are vignettes about Christian life; what is, was, and should be. One video is entitled Bullhorn Man.

In it, a man is shown preparing tri-fold leaflets to hand out to passers-by. He then proceeds to a busy location, pulls out a bullhorn and begins loudly proclaiming his message. How does that square with the following scripture?

1 Thessalonians 4:11-12 This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business and working with your hands, just as we commanded you before. As a result, people who are not Christians will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others to meet your financial needs.

Bullhorn Man's not very quiet, is he? And he certainly isn't minding his own business.

Yet we are clearly told by Jesus to tell others about Him.

Matthew 28:19-20 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.

As with all things, there must be a balance. We are not to appear so strange that we repel people. The only people that Jesus repelled were the self-righteous. The lost and hurting came to Him in droves. If we truly embody the character of Christ, they will likewise be drawn to us.

Father, thank You for the truth of Your word. May I live in a way that reflects my Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Put down the bullhorn. Jan
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1 Thessalonians 3 - A Result

What happens when you add the proper nutrients and environment to any living organism? It grows. The same goes for a spiritual organism. Good nutrients and environment results in growth.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 And may the Lord make your love grow and overflow to each other and to everyone else, just as our love overflows toward you.

The environment is the Christian heart. The nutrient is love - overflowing. What is the result?

1 Thessalonians 3:13 As a result, Christ will make your hearts strong, blameless, and holy when you stand before God our Father on that day when our Lord Jesus comes with all those who belong to him.

The result is that Christ Himself will see to it that our hearts are strong, blameless, and holy.

Lord, may I love even those that are unlovable. May I express the tender touch and compassion that You showed to me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Show results. Jan
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1 Thessalonians 2 - As a father treats...

Paul makes an interesting statement in this chapter. It is interesting because most biblical scholars believe that Paul never married and never had biological children.

1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 And you know that we treated each of you as a father treats his own children. We pleaded with you, encouraged you, and urged you to live your lives in a way that God would consider worthy. For he called you into his Kingdom to share his glory.

Let's look at his list of how a father treats his children.

• Pleads with them.
• Encourages them.
• Urges them.

What is it that he's pleading, encouraging, and urging? He wants them to live right. Just as an earthly father will say, "A member of our family behaves thusly.", or "A member of our family doesn't do that."; meaning that there are expected behaviors from one of his lineage. Our Heavenly Father also wants us to resemble, to act like, one of His lineage. Our lives should show which family we belong to. We are to live worthy of the name Christian.

1 Thessalonians 2:19-20 After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what is our proud reward and crown? It is you! Yes, you will bring us much joy as we stand together before our Lord Jesus when he comes back again. For you are our pride and joy.

When we do live that way, we are the earthly reward of our earthly fathers, a legacy to a pass on to our children and they to theirs. When we live our lives acting rightly as a member of the family Christian, we bring pride, joy, and a reward to our spiritual fathers and joy to our Heavenly Father.

Lord, may I live my life in a way that pleases You. Help me to do so. In Jesus' name, Amen.

What's your family lineage? Jan
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1 Thessalonians 1 - Be the Message

I love how the following translation worded the scripture below.

1 Thessalonians 1:8 The word has gotten around. Your lives are echoing the Master's Word, not only in the provinces but all over the place. The news of your faith in God is out. We don't even have to say anything anymore - you're the message!

What message is my life sending? Do people know about my faith? Is it something that they can see? Am I living my life in a way that they are pointed to Christ? How about you?

Father, please help me to be the message. I want to draw so close to Jesus that all that is visible is Him. In Jesus' name, Amen.

What is your life saying? Jan
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