Children of the Day - 1 Thessalonians 5:8-24

Grace and peace to you, dear sisters!

The past several days, I've been reading 1 Thessalonians 5 and can’t seem to move from this whole passage. While it is talking about the Day of the Lord, I believe the message contains important instructions for us right now, too…

“But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

“We ask you, brothers [and sisters], to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

“Be at peace among yourselves. And we urge you, brothers [and sisters], admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast to what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.”

1 Thessalonians 5:8-24

We are children of God – children of the day – and should not be taken by fear and surprise (as the children of darkness are) when this world does not function in the ways we’ve come to expect. God has warned us things like this will happen and we are told to be ready – ready to encourage one another, build each other up, just as we are already doing – thinking rightly about our circumstances as Philippians 4 instructs us, walking in faith towards God and love towards others, immersed and overflowing with the hope of salvation in Christ.

So my exhortation to you is this… Pray for our leaders and those who are impacted by their decisions, have the attitude of Christ who came to serve. Remember the promises of God who is the Shepherd of our souls. Refuse to bow to the gods of the culture - self, individualism, and creature comforts. Stand with the men of Daniel's time to say, "Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us... but if not, be it known... we will not serve your gods..." (For a great message on Daniel 3, check out this link from March 22, 2020: http://www.parksidebible.com/teachings/video, "But If Not")

WANT TO DIG IN MORE? Read all of 1 Thessalonians 5... In fact, read the whole book over the next few days and ask some questions of the text!

·        What does it mean to "be sober"?

·        What specific instructions are believers given in 1 Thessalonians 5:8-24?

·        How do you put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of salvation?

·        What does it mean to “rejoice always”?

·        How will you obey what you have learned?

You'll find these answers and more as you read the book! Be steadfast, sister, and commit your way to the Lord! Please comment with what the Lord teaches you through this!

"But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like His glorious body, by the power that enables Him even to subject all things to Himself. Therefore,my [sisters], whom I love and long for, my joy and crown, stand firm thus in the Lord, my beloved." Philippians 3:20-4:1