Podcasts about first thessalonians

Today we come to three of the shortest verses in the NewTestament. But although they are short, they contain enough truth to challengeus for a lifetime. First Thessalonians 5:16–18 says: “Rejoice always, praywithout ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God inChrist Jesus for you.” Three commands: Rejoice always. Pray withoutceasing. In everything give thanks. Let's look at them one at a time. First:“Rejoice always.” Paul does not say rejoice only when everything isgoing well. He says always. How is that possible? Because Christian joy is notbased primarily upon our circumstances. It is based upon the Lord. Paul wrotefrom prison in Philippians 4:4: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I willsay, rejoice!” Circumstances change. Our health changes. Our financeschange. Relationships change. But Jesus Christ does not change. Hebrews 13:8says: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.” So evenwhen we cannot rejoice in what is happening, we can rejoice in the Lord. We canrejoice that our sins are forgiven. We can rejoice that God loves us. We canrejoice that He will never leave us. We can rejoice that heaven is our home. ThenPaul says: “Pray without ceasing.” Does that mean we should spend everywaking moment on our knees? Obviously not. Paul himself worked, preached,traveled, and ministered. The idea is that prayer should be the continuingattitude of our hearts. Our communication with God should never be permanentlydisconnected. We can pray while driving. We can pray while walking. We can praywhile working. We can whisper a prayer before a difficult conversation. We canthank God when something good happens. We can ask for wisdom the moment we needit. Prayer should become as natural to the Christian as breathing. ThenPaul says: “In everything give thanks.” Notice he does not necessarilysay for everything. There are painful things in life for which we do notnaturally give thanks. We do not call evil good. But in everything, we canstill find reasons to thank God. Why? Because we know God is still with us. Weknow He still loves us. We know He can work even through difficultcircumstances. Romans 8:28 says: “And we know that all things work togetherfor good to those who love God.” It does not say all things are good. ButGod can work through all things for our ultimate good and His glory. Andthen Paul makes a statement we should not overlook: “For this is the will ofGod in Christ Jesus for you.” People often ask: “What is God's will for mylife?” Here is part of the answer. God wants you to be a rejoicing Christian. Apraying Christian. And a thankful Christian. That doesn't require discoveringsome hidden secret. God has clearly revealed it in His Word. Sometimesgratitude changes our entire perspective. We can become so focused on what wedon't have that we forget what God has already given us. Perhaps today weshould stop and count some blessings. The gift of life. Family. Friends. Oursalvation. God's Word. The privilege of prayer. The promise of heaven. Andabove everything else: Jesus Christ. Nomatter what today holds, if we belong to Christ, we have reasons to rejoice,reasons to pray, and reasons to give thanks. So maybe we can carry these threeshort commands with us all day: Rejoice always. Pray without ceasing. Ineverything give thanks. Let'spray. Heavenly Father, thank You for these simple but powerful instructions.Teach us to rejoice not merely in favorable circumstances but in You. Help usto develop a continual attitude of prayer so that throughout the day our heartsremain in fellowship with You. And Lord, make us thankful people. Even indifficult circumstances, open our eyes to Your goodness, faithfulness, andpresence. Help us to live today according to Your will—rejoicing, praying, andgiving thanks through Jesus Christ our Lord. In His name, we pray. Amen. Godbless, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!

Sometimes we think the Christian life is demonstrated only in the big moments. Preaching a sermon. Going on a mission trip. Leading someone to Christ. Making some great sacrifice for God. But today Paul reminds us that some of the strongest testimonies for Jesus Christ are found in the ordinary routines of everyday life. First Thessalonians 4:11–12 says: “That you also aspire to lead a quiet life, to mind your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you, that you may walk properly toward those who are outside, and that you may lack nothing.” Paul gives these believers some very practical instructions. First, he says: “Aspire to lead a quiet life.” Interestingly, the idea is almost, “Make it your ambition not to be ambitious for attention.” We live in a culture where people often want to be noticed. Social media can tempt us to think everything we do needs to be seen, liked, shared, or applauded. But there is something beautiful about a quiet, faithful Christian life. A person who loves God. Loves their family. Goes to work. Keeps their word. Helps their neighbor. Serves faithfully. And doesn't need recognition. Then Paul says: “Mind your own business.” That's still pretty good advice! It is easy to become overly concerned about what everyone else is doing. Jesus addressed something similar with Peter in John 21. After Jesus told Peter something about his future, Peter looked at John and asked, “Lord, and what shall this man do?” Jesus essentially replied, “What is that to you? follow Me.” Sometimes we spend too much time examining someone else's walk and not enough time examining our own. Paul says, in effect: Take care of the responsibilities God has given you. Then he says: “Work with your own hands.” Paul believed in the dignity of work. Remember, Paul himself worked as a tentmaker. He was not ashamed of manual labor. Work existed before the fall. God gave Adam responsibility in the Garden of Eden. Work is part of God's design for our lives. Certainly, there are times when illness, age, disability, or circumstances prevent someone from working as they once did. This passage isn't condemning people who genuinely cannot work. Paul is addressing the attitude of someone who can work but refuses responsibility. Then verse 12 tells us why this matters: “That you may walk properly toward those who are outside.” “Those who are outside” refers to unbelievers. In other words: The world is watching us. People may never read the Bible, but they are reading our lives. They notice whether Christians work honestly. They notice whether we pay our bills. They notice whether we keep our promises. They notice how we treat coworkers. They notice whether our Christianity works on Monday as well as Sunday. Our everyday conduct can either strengthen or weaken our testimony for Christ. Paul then says: “That you may lack nothing.” God desires that, as we are able, we take responsibility for ourselves rather than unnecessarily depending upon others. There is dignity in responsibility. So today's passage may not sound as dramatic as some others, but it is tremendously practical. Live quietly. Mind your responsibilities. Work faithfully. Walk honestly. And remember that people are watching. Sometimes the most powerful sermon you will ever preach is simply a faithful Christian life lived consistently before others. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, thank You for reminding us that our everyday lives matter to You. Help us to live quietly and faithfully, to take care of the responsibilities You have given us, and to do our work as unto You. Guard us from becoming unnecessarily involved in the affairs of others while neglecting our own responsibilities. And Lord, help us remember that unbelievers are watching our lives. May our honesty, faithfulness, work ethic, kindness, and integrity make Jesus attractive to those around us. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen. God bless, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!

Welcometo Pastor's Chat. Today we move from Paul's teaching about holiness to anothergreat mark of the Christian life—love. First Thessalonians 4:9 says: “Butconcerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for youyourselves are taught by God to love one another.” The word translated“brotherly love” is philadelphia—the affectionate love that should existbetween brothers and sisters. Paul uses it to describe the relationshipbelievers should have with one another because, through Jesus Christ, we havebecome part of the same family. When we trusted Christ, God became our Father. JesusChrist became our Savior and Lord. And every other believer became our brotheror sister in Christ. The church isn't merely an organization we join. It is afamily into which we have been born. ButI especially love Paul's statement: “You yourselves are taught by God tolove one another.” How does God teach us to love? First, He teaches us byHis own example. First John 4:19 says: “We love Him, because He first lovedus.” We learn love by looking at the cross. God didn't simply tell us thatHe loved us. He demonstrated it. Romans 5:8 says: “But God commended Hislove toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.” Ifyou ever wonder what love looks like, look at Jesus. Love gives. Lovesacrifices. Love forgives. Love serves. Love seeks the good of another. ThenGod teaches us to love through His Spirit living within us. Galatians 5:22says: “The fruit of the Spirit is love.” Love isn't something wemanufacture by trying harder. As we yield ourselves to the Holy Spirit, Heproduces the love of Christ through us. And apparently these Thessalonianbelievers had learned that lesson well. Paul says in verse 10: “And indeedyou do so toward all the brethren who are in all Macedonia.” Their lovewasn't confined to their own congregation. It had spread throughout Macedonia. OtherChristians were experiencing their love. What a testimony! Wouldn't it bewonderful if our churches were known primarily for how deeply we love oneanother? Jesus said in John 13:35: “By this shall all men know that you areMy disciples, if you have love one to another.” Butthen Paul adds something very important: “But we urge you, brethren, that youincrease more and more.” There is that expression again! “More and more.” Paulsays, “You are already loving people—but don't stop there.” There is alwaysroom for our love to grow. Maybe we love those who love us. Can we learn tolove those who irritate us? Maybe we love people who agree with us. Can we lovethose who disagree with us? Maybe we love people who have treated us well. Canwe forgive and love someone who has hurt us? That's where God's supernaturallove becomes evident. Yousee, Christian maturity isn't simply measured by how much Bible knowledge wehave. It is also measured by how much we love. First Corinthians 13 reminds usthat we can speak with eloquence, possess knowledge, exercise faith, and evenmake great sacrifices, but without love we are nothing. So perhaps our prayertoday should be very simple: “Lord, teach me to love.” Teach me to love myfamily better. Teach me to love my church family better. Teach me to lovedifficult people. Teach me to love the lost. Teach me to love the way Jesusloves. And even if we are already doing well, Paul's challenge remains: “Increasemore and more.” Let'spray. Heavenly Father, thank You for loving us when we were unlovely and fordemonstrating Your love through Jesus Christ on the cross. Thank You forplacing us into Your family. Teach us to love one another as You have loved us.Forgive us for the times we have been impatient, critical, bitter, orunforgiving. Fill us with Your Holy Spirit and produce the love of Christ inour hearts. And Lord, even where love is already present in our lives, help usto increase more and more. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Have you ever wondered, “What is God's will for my life?” Christiansoften ask that question when facing major decisions. “Lord, whom should Imarry?” “Where should I live?” “What job should I take?” “What ministry shouldI pursue?” Certainly, we should seek God's guidance concerning those things. Buttoday Paul tells us something that is unmistakably God's will for everybeliever. First Thessalonians 4:3 says: “For this is the will of God, yoursanctification.” You don't have to wonder about this part of God's will. God'swill is that you and I become holy. The word sanctification means being setapart unto God. When we trusted Jesus Christ as our Savior, we belonged to Him.Now God is working in us so that our daily lives increasingly reflect thecharacter of Jesus Christ. Sanctification is both a position and a process. Wehave been set apart as God's people, and now throughout our lives He is makingus more like His Son. ThenPaul immediately applies sanctification to a very practical area. He says: “Thatyou should abstain from sexual immorality.” Thessalonica was part of theGreco-Roman world, where sexual immorality was common and often sociallyaccepted. These new believers had come out of that culture. Paul reminds themthat following Jesus meant they could no longer allow the culture around themto determine their standards. And that certainly speaks to us today. Ourculture may redefine morality. Society may call something acceptable that God'sWord calls sin. But God's standard has not changed. God created human sexualityas something beautiful and good within the boundaries He established for it. Theproblem isn't sexuality. The problem is taking God's gift outside of God'sdesign. ThenPaul says in verses 4 and 5: “That each of you should know how to possesshis own vessel in sanctification and honor, not in passion of lust, like theGentiles who do not know God.” Whatever interpretive nuance we give theword “vessel,” Paul's central message is clear: A believer should exerciseself-control and live in holiness and honor. The world says, “If you desiresomething, pursue it.” Hallmark say, “Follow your heart.” The Bible says thatthrough God's grace and the power of the Holy Spirit, we don't have to becontrolled by our desires. FirstCorinthians 6:19 reminds us that our body is “the temple of the Holy Ghost.”Our bodies belong to God. Our minds belong to God. Our eyes belong to God. Ourrelationships belong to God. Everything about us should be surrendered to Him. Andnotice how Paul describes those who live only according to uncontrolledpassions: “The Gentiles who do not know God.” That is the difference. Weknow God. Because we know Him, we should live differently. Holinessisn't simply following a list of rules. Holiness grows out of a relationshipwith God. We love Him. We belong to Him. We want to honor Him. And therefore wedesire purity in our lives. Maybe someone listening today is struggling in thisarea. Remember, temptation itself is not defeat. Jesus Himself was tempted, yetwithout sin. When temptation comes, we can turn to God's Word, flee fromcompromising situations, guard what enters our minds, and depend upon the HolySpirit. And when we fail, we can confess our sin and receive God's cleansing. FirstJohn 1:9 promises: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just toforgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Sowhat is God's will for you today? Certainly, He has individual plans for yourlife. But one thing we know for sure: “This is the will of God, yoursanctification.” God wants us to become more like Jesus. Godbless, and may you have a wonderful, wonderful day!

In “Perfected Under Pressure,” we continue through 1 Thessalonians with a message about remaining faithful when following Jesus becomes difficult. First Thessalonians 3 reminds us that hardship does not mean God has abandoned us. God can use trials to deepen our faith, increase our love, strengthen our obedience, and establish our hearts in holiness. How should we respond when life puts our faith under pressure? Expect suffering without being surprised by it. Endure it without allowing it to shake your faith. Let God use it to mature you and make you more like Jesus. Whatever you are facing, stand firm and keep running after Christ. Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 3:1–13

Welcome back to another episode of Chit & Chat; Encouraging One Another, where we believe every story matters and that a little encouragement can go a long way.Today, I'm excited to share my conversation with Julian “The Budget Nerd” Kohlbrand, host of the Debt Rebel Podcast. We're talking about finances, debt, budgeting, and some of the challenges that can come with trying to get your financial life headed in the right direction.My hope is that wherever you are in your financial journey—whether you're feeling overwhelmed, trying to climb out of debt, learning how to budget, or simply wanting to make some better choices—something from today's conversation will encourage you and remind you that you can take that next step.And, of course, I've got some incredible music lined up for you today from Andrew Dean, Bernadette Kathryn, Dust and Grace, and Meghanne Pulles.One of the things I absolutely love about this podcast is having the opportunity to share music from independent artists who put hours and hours of their hearts, creativity, and hard work into their craft. I'm grateful to be able to help share the gifts God has given them and hopefully introduce you to some music you may not have heard before.At the heart of every episode, though, is one simple goal: encouragement.Maybe you're listening today and life is going great. Or maybe you're walking through a difficult season that nobody else knows about. Wherever you are today, I hope something you hear—a conversation, a story, a song, or simply a few words—reminds you that you're not alone and encourages you to keep moving forward.This podcast has never been about the likes, the shares, or the number of followers. It's about people. It's about stories. And most importantly, it's about encouraging one another.First Thessalonians 5:11 reminds us:“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up.”That's what I hope we can continue doing together, one conversation and one story at a time.So thank you for being here. Thank you for listening, and thank you for allowing me to be a small part of your day.Now, let's get into today's episode of Chit & Chat; Encouraging One Another.Thank you to my amazing sponsors to the podcast:Taquiza, Taquiza Street and their brand new truck Taquiza Street 2, located in Silverdale and now off the Brownsville Highway,Lone Star Donuts, with 2 locations Silverdale & Port Orchard Washington, The Kitsap Great Escape with 4 escape rooms to challenge yourself in Silverdale, Wine About It, A great place to "wine" down have some fun, located in Port Orchard. Check out their Facebook pages for all the events going on, address and contact info. Until next time, thank you for being here.

by Jim Hetherington https://cpcchurchimages.s3.amazonaws.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/14105937/August-9-Sermon.mp3 Romans 8:31-39(MSG) 31-39 So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God's chosen? Who would dare even to point a finger? The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ's love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture: They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.We're sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one. None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I'm absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God's love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us. 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12(NIV) 9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all of God's family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more, 11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody. Transcript (Transcribed by TurboScribe) All right, that means it’s official. Kevin’s lit the candle. It’s on now. It’s on. So I had to, you know, Aubrey jokes about the stool of repentance. I had to do that this morning. I had to go up and confess that I didn’t send all the scripture verses in through the week. I was so proud of myself, getting everything ahead. Like three weeks ago, I got everything into the office. And yesterday, when I was reviewing my notes, I realised that I put in Romans 8.31. I’m looking around going, where are the rest of those verses? There was supposed to be a dash to 39. And I realised that I didn’t do that. So I had to go up and confess that, you know, that we need to take that slide out. So in looking back at it, it’s going to work out much better. Because I want to read, you know, I should have just said, that was the plan all along was just not to have it up on screen. But no, we’re going to have one up on screen that we’re going to read together. But the other one I want to read is a story because I’m going to read it out of the message. How many have ever read the message version of the Bible? Yeah, it’s not one that you would want to read and do studies from and stuff like that. But it just expands and it just kind of creates the Bible and reads like a story, almost like a novel, if you will. And so it’s really good. And I think this particular verse that we’re going to look at will be encouraging. Is that outside? Is that inside? Is that outside? Okay. All of a sudden, I thought I was going to get run over by something. I thought, what are they doing to me? So let’s start with First Thessalonians chapter four, verses nine to 12. We’ll read this one together. Now about your love for one another, you do not need to write to you. For you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you brothers and sisters to do so more and more and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life. You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as you were told, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders. And so that you will not be dependent on anyone. And if you were with us last week, we talked a little bit about that, about just how we’re to live such lives that those outside of us would look and say, wow, they really walk the talk, right? We know that old expression, walking the talk. Some people talk a good game, but they don’t show up with fruit. There’s no evidence that they’re really doing it. Others talk the talk and they’re walking it, they’re doing it. And I challenged us to look at two questions that I’ve been reading through a book by Jeff Henderson, Know What You’re For, F-O-R. And in that there was two questions. One was, what do you want to be known for? And what do others know you for? Right? So it’s both sides of the coin, because I, you know, it’s kind of like branding, right? An industry, a product can say all kinds of amazing things about themselves, right? You and I may say all kinds of amazing things about ourselves, but it’s what other people are saying that really counts. That’s brand, right? Like McDonald’s can say wonderful things about their burgers and how great they are and how fantastic they are and so on. But if nobody is saying the same thing, that’s not a brand. That’s just them bragging, thinking they’re the best at something, right? So I challenged us to look at that, and especially as the church, we need to look at it and say, what do we want to be known for? You know, we’re in a strategic time right now with new leadership. We’re looking at new options, but we really need to look at what we want to be known for. And it’s a question that we need to look at personally. I had a conversation with a friend just yesterday. I’ve known him for many, many years, and we were talking about this, and he said, well, what do you want to be known for? And so I shared with him what, you know, what I want to be known for. At my final days, at my eulogy, people getting up to say these are the things that I want them to say, and we started talking about it. He said, can I tell you what I see? And so he took those two questions, right? And he threw it back at me, and he said, let me tell you what I think you’re for. And he started to share some of the most deepest complimentary things that anybody’s ever said to me. And I didn’t have to pay him for it. I didn’t have to buy lunch. I didn’t have to do nothing for it. He just gave it to me. But that, you know, it spoke volumes to me. But that’s what you want is what people are seeing from the outside looking in. We can think we’re self-righteous. We can think we got it all together. We can think, you know, highly of ourselves, which is wonderful, but we need to walk it out in such a way that others are looking back and saying, I see that in you. And we can look through the history of the church, and it hasn’t always been the way, has it? Right? The church has stumbled and has, you know, kind of tripped up on some of the stuff and hasn’t got the best reputation on the outside. And this is what Paul is encouraging Thessalonians with, is to live such good lives that those looking out, those non-believers, unbelievers, those unchurched, those on the outside are looking in going, there’s something different about them. Because when we look at the whole of scripture, what does the whole of scripture say? We should be known for our fruit, yes, love. We should be known for our love, the demonstration of love. Right? Because that’s one of those things in culture that kind of weaves and goes up and down. Right? Somebody might love someone today and not love them tomorrow, and then love them the next day and not love them tomorrow. The problem is we can’t differentiate like and love. We’re called to love, doesn’t mean we have to like everything that everybody does all the time. Right? That’s discipleship. That’s building relationship and speaking into that stuff. But if we don’t have a relationship with them, if we don’t love them, we can’t speak into their lives. That’s called nagging. Nobody wants a nag. Right? Nobody wants to hear unwanted criticism. Nobody wants to hear that stuff. It’s only in relationship that we can really speak into people’s lives. So that’s loving consistently, which Paul is saying that you’re doing that well, continue to do it even more. Right? There’s no law, there’s no limit to the love that God will give us. There’s no law limit that we can walk out in love. Is it a challenge? Absolutely. Right? I get cut off in traffic. I get butted in front of just the same, you know, and I want to lose my sanctity some days. But, you know, we have to step back and say, do I need to be, you know, do I want to be known for that or do I want to be known for one that just expresses and shares love? So that’s what Paul is encouraging the church with. The Romans 8, I want to read and I want to hear it like a story. So I’m actually glad that it wasn’t up on the screen. So in Romans 8, in the message, we read this. Well, let me give you a little backstory first. Paul is talking in Romans 8, 28, God can use all things together for good. Right? We know all that stuff. So he’s talking to the believers and saying, look, we know that things are struggling. We know that there’s a challenge. We know that stuff is going on. You’ve come a long way in your faith. You’ve come a long way in your journey. And you may not have had all the words. You may not have had all the stuff together all the time, but the Holy Spirit has empowered you. The Holy Spirit has come along to speak and give you the words and give you the answers. You know, it’s those moments when you have those conversations with somebody, you don’t know what to say. And then all of a sudden the words just come into your mind. They come into your mouth. You go, where did that come from? Right? That’s the kind of stuff that Paul is talking about here. They’re witnessing the expression of the Holy Spirit. So in, in verse 31, he starts with this. So he says, so what do you think with God on our side like this being with us, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even point a finger? The one who died for us, who was raised to life for us, is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There’s no way. Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in scripture. The scripture says they, they kill us in cold blood because they hate you. We’re sitting ducks. They pick us off one by one, but none of this phases us because Jesus loved for us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing, nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable, absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our master has embraced us. Doesn’t that paint a great picture of how God stands up for us? How he’s with us? And I love that part where he talks about a wedge, right? We, we all know what a wedge is. Well, maybe you don’t. I brought a couple with me just for for demonstration. Because you know me, I like to have visual aids. So this is a small wedge. Seems tiny and innocent, doesn’t it? Doesn’t look like it do much. But this one particularly is designed to go in an axe head. So the axe handle goes into the head, the big large metal head, and at the top of the axe handle is a split. And this is to go in there and is hammered down so it splits the top of the axe head, the handle rather, so that it holds the axe head from coming loose. Which is a good thing, right? You don’t know the, you know, the dynamics of an axe. It’s a good thing that it’s held in place. But that’s the proper use of a wedge. Now you can take a bigger wedge and you could take a log, for example. I could take a log and take this and hammer it down into the log. And this would slowly push down and begin to force that log apart. Just by hammering this down inside it would force it apart. That’s the idea of a wedge. And so what Paul is painting a picture of is, is can anything wedge its way in there and cause division between God’s love for us? There’s a story. You know the enemy’s a schemer, likes to brag, likes to show off. The enemy had a museum and in this museum he displayed all the ways that he has caused man to falter and fall and sin and be broken and all that stuff. And he was showing someone through this museum one time. And all the things were on display. Signs and all the different things that ways that he has caused people to trip up. And at the end of this one corridor was this glass case with a couple of shining lights coming down on it. And the man turned the corner. He said, well, what’s that? And the devil says, oh, he says, that’s my prized possession. He says, well, what is it? And he says, come with me. So they walked down and they stood in front of the case. And that’s what was inside of it. He said, it’s a wedge. The guy says, well, what good can a wedge do? He says, oh, he says, I can take a wedge and I can put it between a husband and a wife and I can cause them to separate. I can take it and wedge it down in between the pews of a church, in between leadership in a church, and I can cause division. I can set it down in between nations and cause division amongst nations with a small wedge. It was his prized possession. And so Paul is painting a real vivid picture here of how God’s love for us is so tight. He’s so committed to us that nothing can wedge its way in between us, but that doesn’t stop the enemy from trying to wedge his way in to cause us to move away. God isn’t going to pull away from us regardless of what we do, regardless of how bad our week was, regardless of what we’re going through. God isn’t going to pull away from us. It’s us that pull away from him. And the enemy works strategically, endlessly, tirelessly, trying to force a wedge between God’s people and what he truly has for you. And it’s amazing how this can come up. Three days ago, I was at Shopper’s Drug Mart. Seems innocent enough, doesn’t it? I was purchasing just a few things and I gathered them and I walked up to the cash register. Well, there was no humans around anywhere. So I looked and all there was was the self-checkout. So I started to proceed to the self-checkout and I put the first one up there and, you know, I looked at the thing that said start. So I hit start and then it said scan. So I scanned my first thing and it went from red to green. So I thought that meant go. So I put it over into the part where the bags are. Now I looked up at the screen to scan my next thing and it was asking me all kinds of things. Do you want to donate? Do you have an optimum card? Do you have all these other things? I go, no, no, no, no, no. Just let me finish my order. So I went back and I scanned the next thing. So it went from red to green. I thought that was go. So I put it over on the other side. I look back up and there’s all those prompts again. I go, what is going on? And so I went over and I put the third thing through. The fourth thing had a coupon on it and I said, well, how am I going to scan that? There’s no barcode on it. How am I going to scan this? And it says, need cashier assistance. Great. I need a human. So I started to walk around looking for a human after going through all this. Found a human. This human couldn’t help me. So they found another human that could help me. They came up to the cash register. And so we’re standing there and we grabbed this one. She entered in the little code, put that over. I grabbed the last item and put that over there. But I noticed that the first one, even though it went from red to green, it didn’t show on the list. And I thought, oh, that one didn’t show up. This little voice popped up in my head and said, that’s okay. Just let it go. I thought, where did that come from? I haven’t thought about ever taking that. I wasn’t trying to steal hair gel. I was just like, where did that come from? I said, no. And I pulled it over and I said to the girl, I said, did this make the list? I said, I scanned it, but it didn’t show. She said, no, it’s not on there. So I put it on there and finished it off. But that’s how the enemy wants to wedge its way in to our lives. Just small little things, right? Because when we think back at some of the things that we excuse, where’s that dividing line? Where is it okay? Is it okay to take a, you know, $9 hair gel, but it’s not okay to take a $90, you know, piece of jewellery? Is it okay to tell a little white lie, but it’s not okay to tell the bigger white lies? It’s okay to hold something back from a partner or a friend or a loved one, but it’s not okay to hold back other things. Where’s the dividing line? And I’m not here today to try to, you know, talk about righteousness and being, you know, no, but it’s just deciding in ourselves, if we’ve allowed these wedges to come in, to pull us away from integrity, to pull us away from truth, to pull us away from what God really has for us. One of the things that I noticed is that as we go through these times where we’re looking at different things and these different things have, it gets a little bit more difficult to look at ourselves sometimes in the mirror. If we allow these little things to slide, like if I would allow that little $9 bottle of hair gel to slide, you know, at nighttime, when I was brushing my teeth, I would go, and you stole that $9 bottle of hair gel, right? I would be remembering, and I’m rehearsing that. And so oftentimes, those are the wedges that come between us and our self-esteem, our self-confidence. We look at it and go, oh, well, God can’t really love me because I did take that $9 bottle of hair gel. I did say that about Susie. I didn’t stand up for so-and-so, and I allowed that to come in. But spending time and just saying, look it, we don’t have to be perfect. We don’t have to be, you know, godly saints with our shiny halos going all the time, right? Because none of us can do that. But we have to recognise what this scripture is really saying. There’s nothing that can separate us from the love of God. But yet, things come up in our lives, and sometimes we say, well, God can’t love me because this is happening, right? It goes back to the like and love thing. Just because bad things are happening, just because unforeseen circumstances are happening in your life, doesn’t mean that God doesn’t love you. It could be the process that God has taken to deepen that love. When we look at what the disciples went through, we look at what the early church went through, it wasn’t because God didn’t love them. It was just because the outward circumstances were trying to destroy that love, were trying to sever that love, were trying to get in there to continue to pull it apart. But when we step back and we say, okay, is this really true? That’s where it really hits. We have to look at scripture and just say, is this truth? Is this true about me? Is this true about my situation? Is it really that simple that God’s love can’t be separated from me, even though I’m going through some crazy circumstances, crazy situations? One of the most challenging things that we’ll ever do, I think, is being able to look at ourselves in the mirror and say that we like ourselves, say that we have confidence in ourselves, say that we love ourselves, right? We can tell all kinds of people on the outside world. We can tell people that we work with, tell people that we live with, tell people all around us that we love them, we support them, we care for them. But when we look at ourselves in the mirror, what do we see? We see the old stories, don’t we? We look at those times where we allowed things to slip. And sometimes it’s ourselves that talk us out of the love that God really has for us. We allow those wedges to come in because of our past experiences, because of the past things that we’ve gone through. Rather than recognising that we have freedom to come and stand in His presence and ask for forgiveness. And He’s faithful and just to forgive us. And that we can pick up and move on, knowing that anything that we’ve done, nothing that we’ve done, nothing that we’ve thought of can separate us from the love He has for us. He’s so deeply committed and so deeply woven to us that nothing can separate us. And I love that part, especially about the wedge. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us in Christ’s love for us? We need to understand that nothing can. But we can give ourselves, we can cause ourselves not to accept it. When we think about some of the language and some of the terms and some of the things that we say to ourselves, we would be slapped if we said it to somebody else. Right? Like, I’ve called myself stupid. I wouldn’t dare call anybody else stupid. But we use that kind of language with ourselves. We can fall short in our attitudes towards ourselves. And that’s what causes that separation. What I want to do is I want to reread Romans 8, but I want to read it in a personal voice. So rather than saying us, say me. Rather than saying them, say me. Make it personal. And as we read this, I want you to really reflect and just say, does God’s love really exist that deep for me? We’ve heard this expression a number of times, likely, that, you know, if we were the only person on the planet, God still would have sent his son to redeem us. Right? We’ve heard those expressions. But it’s not until we start to personalise scripture that we can actually begin to get the picture. So let’s reread it. And when I say let’s reread it, I mean let me reread it. And what I want you to do is just imagine that it’s you saying it to you. And if it’s helpful, close your eyes. If you doze off, that’s okay. Somebody will wake you up. But just close your eyes and just imagine those words and just let them wash over you. So if we read it in a personal way, it would be this. So what do you think? With God on your side like this, how can you lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for you, embracing my condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own son, is there nothing that he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for me? And who would dare tangle with God by messing with one of God’s chosen? Who would dare even point a finger? The one who died for me, who was raised to life for me, is in the presence of God at this very moment, sticking up for me. Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between me and Christ’s love for me? There’s no way. Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in scripture. Scriptures that say they kill us in cold blood because they hate me. I’m a sitting duck. They pick me off one by one. None of this fazes me because Jesus loved for me. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing, nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable, absolutely nothing can get between me and God’s love because of the way that Jesus, my master, has embraced me. It takes on a whole new meaning, doesn’t it, when you begin to read it and say, me? But that’s how personal this passage is, that it’s meant for you and I to recognise that God’s love cannot be separated from the things that we do through the week, the things that we’ve done through the month, the things that we’ve done through our past, the things that we’ve done over and over and over again. We can beat ourselves up saying, why can’t I ever get this right? Why do I keep tripping over the same thing? You know, as Paul said, the very thing I don’t want to do, I end up doing. Every time I turn around, that thing is there. Same as me at that checkout. I had never thought about stealing anything forever and all of a sudden it’s like, let that slide. Just take that. It’s not your fault. I had another experience like that where we were travelling up north to go and see our son and daughter-in-law up there. And we were at a town about eight, nine hours away. We stopped into the dollar store. And as usual, we’ve got into the dollar store and we’re looking for little things to take up for the girls, our granddaughters. And we gathered a basket full of things. And as typical, we left all the recyclable, reusable bags out in the truck. Been there, done that. Yeah, I know we all got a collection of a hundred of them at home and none of them seem to be where you want them to be. So the dollar store knows that these things are going to happen. So they keep stacks of them right beside the checkout. And so we grabbed one and started to, we scanned it. Again, I thought it was scanned. And we started to put everything through. We proceeded. And as we’re walking out, out of the mall with all of our goodies in our brand new purchased bag, I recognised that 99 cent bag did not get on the list. So what did Jim do? He didn’t just let it slide. He said, I got to go back. I said, I took this bag. I said, I can’t. Mary’s like, it’s okay. You know, they expect that. That’s why they put them. No, they put them there with a scanner to scan through to pay for them. So I went out to the truck, emptied everything into the truck, took the bag back in and said to her, I said, this is what happened. I explained what happened. She said, oh, I don’t know how to fix that. Nobody’s ever come back and said that they took a bag that didn’t pay for. So I have to scan the bag, charge you for the bag, then refund you for the bag. I said, well, that’s a lot of work for 99 cents. And so she found, finished, found a way to get around it. And we were able to scan it and I could pay for them. And off we went. The point is that those things are going to continue to come up. But if we remember that everything written in scripture was for us personally, that it takes on a whole new meaning as we go through it. That it’s not something, a passage that we just read over lightly and just say, oh, that’s really cute. That’s really nice. That would be good to, you know, put on my list and work on that. But no, it’s one of those things that we’re encouraged to continue to do, to continue to look at. So I want to encourage us through this week to continue to look at ways that you can not only personalise scriptures, you’re reading through scripture, put I, me, mine, put those words in there as you’re reading through scripture and allow it to take on a whole new meaning. But I want to encourage us not to be afraid to look in the mirror. None of us is ever going to get it right. None of us is ever going to be perfect 100% of the time. As much as we try, as much as we want to put on that persona, we know that we’re going to slip. We know we’re going to trip. We know we’re going to fall. We know we’re going to stumble. We’re going to know we’re going to get back up again. But nothing that we do today, tomorrow, or in the future can separate us from the love that God has for us. No situation, no circumstance, no illness, no sickness, no obstacle, no challenge, no struggle, no struggle in a family, no struggle anywhere can separate us from the love that God has for us. And as we step into understanding that and having confidence in that, it will change the whole dynamic of the situation. We look at some of the underground churches that are happening around the world, in Russia, in China, and other places, India. They’re thriving because they get it. They get that the love that God has for them has nothing to do with the circumstances going on politically, economically, structurally, anything around them has nothing to do with that. But as a North American church, sometimes we forget about that. Sometimes we think, you know, if it’s too hot, oh, God doesn’t love us. The carpet’s starting to fade in the kitchen. All right, God just doesn’t care about me anymore, right? We don’t have enough bank account at the end of the month. Oh, God just doesn’t love me anymore. None of those things has anything to do with the love that he has for us. But we can allow them to be the wedge and the thing that separates us because the enemy would like nothing more than for you and I to sit back and say, see, told you, God doesn’t love me because my family’s falling apart. God doesn’t love me because I lost my job. God doesn’t love me because this situation’s happening in our country. God doesn’t love me because XYZ. But recognising that that has nothing to do with the love that he has for us. Let’s pray. Father, we thank you for reminders, just simple reminders that your love never fails. There’s nothing that can separate us from that love, even though some days we just don’t feel that love. Sometimes we just don’t want to express that love. Nothing separates us. Nothing can separate us from the love that you have for us. I ask that you would help that to register in each one of our hearts today.

Today we begin a brand-new journey through two wonderfulbooks of the New Testament—First and Second Thessalonians. We have justcompleted our study through Philippians, and now we are going to follow theApostle Paul a little farther down the road on his second missionary journey. Iwould like to give our new series this theme: "Living in Light of HisComing." You will understand why as we move through these two letters. Thereturn of Jesus Christ is one of their great themes. In fact, every chapter ofFirst Thessalonians ends with some reference to the coming of the Lord. ButPaul does not teach prophecy merely to satisfy our curiosity about the future. Heteaches us about the coming of Christ because what we believe about tomorrowshould change the way we live today. Sobefore we begin with First Thessalonians 1:1, let's go back to Acts 16 and 17and remember how this church was born. Paul was on his second missionaryjourney with Silas and Timothy. He had intended to preach in certain areas ofAsia Minor, but the Holy Spirit closed those doors.  After Paul heard the "Macedoniancall." Paul immediately recognized that God was directing them into Europeand went to Philippi. And we know what happened there. After the salvation ofLydia, a demonic girl, and the jailer's and his household, A church had beenborn. But Paul's journey continued. Acts 17:1 says, "Now when they hadpassed through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where was asynagogue of the Jews." Thessalonicawas about one hundred miles from Philippi and was one of the great cities ofMacedonia. It was located on the Via Egnatia, one of the major highways of theRoman Empire. People, merchandise, soldiers, government officials, andtravelers continually passed through this important city. Paul understoodsomething very important about missions. If you can reach a strategic city withthe Gospel, the people in that city can carry the Gospel far beyond it. So Paulwent into the synagogue, as was his custom. Acts 17:2 tells us, "AndPaul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasonedwith them out of the scriptures." I love that expression: "Reasonedwith them out of the scriptures." Paul did not give them his opinions.He opened the Word of God. Verse3 says he was, "Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs havesuffered, and risen again from the dead." And then Paul declared, "ThisJesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ." That was his message. Jesusdied. Jesus rose again. Jesus is the Christ. And people believed. Some Jewsbelieved, but Acts tells us that a great multitude of devout Greeks and anumber of prominent women also received the message. In a remarkably shortperiod of time, another church was born. But almost immediately, oppositioncame. Unbelieving Jews stirred up trouble. A mob attacked the house of a mannamed Jason, where Paul and his companions had apparently been staying. Whenthey could not find Paul, they dragged Jason and some of the other believersbefore the rulers of the city. Andlisten to the accusation they made in Acts 17:6: "These that haveturned the world upside down are come here also." What a testimony! Theseearly Christians were accused of turning the world upside down. Actually, theworld was already upside down because of sin. The Gospel was turning it rightside up! Because of the danger, the believers sent Paul and Silas away by nightto Berea. Imagine how Paul must have felt. He had only been with these newbelievers for a short time. They were young Christians living in a paganculture.Theywere already experiencing persecution. Paul loved them and was deeply concernedabout them. Eventually Timothy was sent back to see how they were doing. Later,when Timothy brought Paul the wonderful news that their faith was standingstrong, Paul wrote the letter that we call First Thessalonians. 

First Thessalonians closes with Paul pressing very practical faith into everyday church life. Paul had only been with the Thessalonians for a short time, about three weeks, and yet God had made that young church rock solid in the middle of horrible persecution. The Thessalonian church had become a model church, not because life was easy, but because its eyes were not settled on this life alone. Eternity was the bigger picture, and that made the suffering of this world lose its power to steal ultimate hope.Paul begins with social attitudes in the body of Christ. The church is to recognize those who labor, lead, and admonish, and to esteem them highly in love for their work's sake. Paul does not make leadership a matter of status, but of service, labor, and spiritual responsibility. The church is also called to be at peace, not merely sitting together on Sunday morning, but being one in spirit and love.Paul then turns to the way believers treat one another. The unruly are to be warned, like soldiers who have stepped out of rank and weakened the whole army. The fainthearted are to be comforted, the weak upheld, and all are to be treated with patience. God gives gifts, talents, money, and responsibilities not so that a person can “get all he can and can all he gets,” but so that the church may serve, help, and strengthen one another.Paul's short commands come like a staccato list. “Rejoice always” does not mean painful circumstances are easy or enjoyable. It means the believer's heart is fixed beyond the rain cloud of this life, toward eternity in the presence of God. “Pray without ceasing” means more than muttering words. Prayer is communion with God, an attitude of surrender and communication throughout the day.Paul also commands thankfulness in everything. The Charlie Brown rain cloud may hang over a person in dark seasons, but gratitude turns the heart toward God even there. Paul then warns, “Do not quench the Spirit.” The Holy Spirit speaks, guides, strengthens, and convicts, and the believer must not keep resisting until the heart grows dull.Paul finally says to test all things, hold fast to what is good, and abstain from every form of evil. The Word of God becomes the measure for prophecies, impressions, counsel, conscience, and conduct. Paul leaves no room for bitterness, unforgiveness, selfishness, or careless living. The church's relationships, thankfulness, discernment, and moral conduct reflect directly on Jesus Christ before a watching world.

In this message from Crossroads Church, Pastor Todd concludes the study of First Thessalonians by examining what makes a healthy, gospel-centered community. Drawing from First Thessalonians chapter five, he highlights the necessity of shared responsibility, comparing a thriving church to an Amish barn raising where every hand plays a part. A true community carries each other's burdens, respects leadership, and actively pursues good for everyone.How can you cultivate a supportive and active role in your own local community? Watch to discover practical ways to serve, encourage the faint-hearted, and live out a distinct, faith-filled life that impacts the world around you.

Every fall, the witchcraft calendar peaks — and most believers feel it without knowing why. A strange heaviness. A lid on your prayers. A fog over your thinking. Lance Wallnau says that pressure isn't random, and it isn't weakness. It's a signal to fight. This is how you fight back. In this episode, Lance breaks down exactly how to stir up the warrior anointing inside you when spiritual suppression feels heaviest — why you need to pray out loud, pray strong, and refuse to let your feelings mute your spirit. He unpacks the biblical pattern behind October's spiritual warfare, why the angelic realm is actually more active during this season, and how to use the enemy's resistance like a gymnasium to get spiritually stronger. In this episode: * Why October/November is one of the most spiritually charged seasons on the calendar * The Timothy principle: how to stir up dormant anointing you've stopped using * Why praying out loud changes the atmosphere — not just your mood * How to break the "lid" of suppression over your mind, body, and bloodline * Isaiah 60 + First Thessalonians 5: the prophetic blueprint for warriors in dark seasons * The breastplate of faith and love — why your prayer life collapses without both * "Occupy till I come" — what that word means in the Greek and why it changes everything The enemy peaks his activity in specific seasons. So does God. You're not called to survive this one — you're called to take territory in it. Podcast Episode 2148: How to Pray Like a Warrior When the Witchcraft Season Hits | don't miss this! Listen to more episodes of the Lance Wallnau Show at lancewallnau.com/podcast

Return Of The King Part #2 of Series: Heaven Changes Everything Pastor Kerry Shook 2 Phases of Christ's Return The Rapture The Reign WHAT WILL HAPPEN WHEN CHRIST RETURNS? JESUS CHRIST HIMSELF WILL COME BACK IN THE CLOUDS IT WILL HAPPEN INSTANTLY AND UNEXPECTEDLY THE DEAD IN CHRIST WILL RISE FIRST WE WILL MEET CHRIST IN THE AIR WHAT WILL HAPPEN AFTER CHRIST'S RETURN? WHAT ARE THE SIGNS OF CHRIST'S RETURN? HOW SHOULD I LIVE BECAUSE OF CHRIST'S RETURN? RELEASE YOUR FEARS RENEW YOUR FAITH REFOCUS YOUR PRIORITIES Scriptures: First Corinthians 15:51-58, First Thessalonians 4:16-18, First Thessalonians 4:16a, First Thessalonians 4:16b, First Corinthians 15:52, First Thessalonians 4:16c, First Thessalonians 4:17, Matthew 24:21, Revelation 3:10, Matthew 24:5-8, Matthew 24:14, Second Timothy 3:1-5, First Corinthians 15:54-55, First Corinthians 15:57, First Corinthians 15:58b, Revelation 16:15, Revelation 1:3, Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 22:16, First Corinthians 15:58 Topics: Heaven, Love, Hope

Heaven Changes Everything Part #1 of Series: Heaven Changes Everything Pastor Kerry Shook Heaven Is A Place Of SO MUCH MORE Heaven Is A Place Of NO MORE Heaven Is A Place Of ONE WAY Scriptures: First Corinthians 2:9, Matthew 6:9-13, First Corinthians 2:7-10, Colossians 3:1, Second Corinthians 5:1, First Corinthians 13:12, Revelation 21:4, Revelation 21:5a, John 14:6, Ephesians 2:8-9, John 1:12, First Thessalonians 1:8-9, Second Peter 3:9, Matthew 28:19, Luke 9:26 Topics: Heaven, Love, Hope

“Am I really becoming the man I want to be?” Summer is the perfect time to slow down and honestly reassess the direction of our lives. Are your priorities leading you toward the life, faith, marriage, and legacy you actually want… or are you just staying busy? This week on the Known Legacy Podcast, Bill and Travis sit down with author Ryan Tinetti to talk about his powerful book, The Quiet Ambition. Ryan shares the importance of pursuing the right priorities, finding purpose beyond achievement, and building a life that truly matters. If you've been feeling stretched thin, distracted, or wondering if success is costing you what matters most, this episode is for you. Get Ryan's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Quiet-Ambition-Scriptures-Surprising-Antidote/dp/1514011891 Get your own Wake up Guide and seven day reset: https://mailchi.mp/knownlegacy/the-wake-up-guide Join our weekly mens study - Adrenaline Shot - every Thursday morning at 6:45 am Central. https://soldiersforfaith.com/bible_study/soldiers-adrenaline-shot/ Join the Brotherhood on Facebook! https://www.facebook.com/share/g/1EZL78qtya/ Pick up your own copy of More Than You at www.morethanyoubook.com Chapters (00:00:01) - Known Legacy Podcast(00:01:37) - Known Legacy: Kicking Start Your Journey(00:03:35) - Question of the Day(00:07:26) - Bill's Trauma(00:08:08) - Ryan Tonetti(00:09:54) - Ryan O'Brien on Becoming a Pastor(00:12:41) - Ambition in the Book(00:15:26) - Pastors on the Panic Attack(00:19:45) - Am I Doing Enough?: A Personal Challenge(00:21:09) - A Little Verse from First Thessalonians(00:24:46) - One Square Inch of Silence(00:27:18) - How to carve out a moment of quiet in your life(00:29:46) - Treaty: To Tend Your Own Business(00:33:27) - My Calendar Won't Allow It(00:37:48) - Wendell Berry on Think Little(00:39:37) - Fast 5: Donor's Money(00:40:51) - Legacy and Stewardship(00:41:38) - Ryan Anthony on Working With Your Hands

Maranatha: Our Lord is Coming! The Rapture of the Church    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. 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. (John 14:1-3) The scene is etched forever in the sacred record of Scripture. It is the night of betrayal. The Passover supper has been eaten. The traitor has gone out into the darkness. The eleven remaining disciples sit in stunned silence as the weight of impending loss presses upon their souls.    Their Master has spoken plainly of His departure. He has washed their feet. He has given them the new commandment of love. And now, with the shadow of Gethsemane already falling across His face, the Lord Jesus Christ turns to address the deepest fear in their hearts. He does not offer vague religious platitudes. He does not speak in the language of uncertainty. Instead, He utters words that carry the full force of divine certainty, words that have echoed down through two thousand years of church history as the unbreakable promise of His personal return.   Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 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. 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.   These verses stand as the cornerstone of the doctrine of the Rapture of the church, the blessed hope that has sustained persecuted saints, comforted grieving families, and ignited holy urgency in every generation of believers. Yet the full power of this promise is often missed in English translation.    The blazing heart of the passage lies in the Greek construction of the words “I will come again,” and it is there that the exposition must linger with scholarly precision and devotional weight. The verb translated “I will come again” is the present indicative active of the Greek word erchomai—literally, “I am coming.” It is not the simple future tense that one might expect for a distant event.  It is the present tense employed in a manner called the futuristic present tense. This is no grammatical accident. It is a deliberate choice by the Holy Spirit through the pen of the apostle John.    In classical and Koine Greek, the present tense can be used to describe a future action when that action is viewed by the speaker as so certain, so inevitable, and so imminent that it is as good as already unfolding before the eyes. The futuristic present tense does not weaken the promise; it intensifies it. It lifts the event out of the realm of mere prediction and plants it squarely in the realm of divine declaration. Jesus does not say, “I might come someday if conditions allow.”  He declares with the full authority of the Son of God, “I am coming.” The present tense shouts certainty. It breathes imminence.    It carries the weight of a future so fixed in the eternal counsels of the Godhead that the Speaker can speak of it as already in motion.   This futuristic present is not unique to this verse, but its placement here is profound.    The same construction appears elsewhere in the Gospel of John when Jesus describes events that are absolutely assured in the divine plan. The grammar itself becomes a theological hammer, driving home the truth that the return of Christ for His own is not a distant possibility but a present reality in the mind of the Savior.    He is even now, from the vantage point of eternity, in the act of coming. The promise is so certain that the tense of the verb collapses the future into the present. This is the grammatical foundation upon which the entire doctrine of the Rapture rests. The Rapture is not an afterthought in the plan of God.        It is the next great event on the divine calendar for the church of Jesus Christ, an event so fixed and so near that the Lord Himself can announce it in the present tense: “I am coming.”   The Rapture of the church is the personal, visible, and audible return of the Lord Jesus Christ in the clouds to receive unto Himself every believer, both living and dead, and to take them to the place He has prepared in the Father's house. It is distinct from the Second Coming, which will occur at the end of the Tribulation when Christ returns to earth in power and great glory to judge the nations and establish His millennial kingdom.  The Rapture is the moment when the Bridegroom comes for His bride before the wrath of the Lamb is poured out upon a Christ-rejecting world. It is sudden. It is secret to the world but glorious to the saints.    It is the fulfillment of the promise given in the Upper Room, and it stands as the great hope of every blood-bought child of God.   No passage of Scripture unfolds this event with greater clarity and comfort than the words of the apostle Paul in First Thessalonians chapter four, verses thirteen through eighteen.    These verses were written by divine revelation to correct the ignorance of the Thessalonian believers concerning those who had died in Christ. The apostle writes: 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. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. 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. 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: 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. Wherefore comfort one another with these words.   Consider the weight of each phrase. The apostle begins by lifting the veil of ignorance. Death is not the end for the believer; it is merely sleep for the body while the spirit is present with the Lord.    The sorrow of the Thessalonian Christians is real, but it is not hopeless sorrow. It is sorrow anchored in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Because He died and rose, those who sleep in Jesus will God bring with Him. The dead in Christ are not left behind. They will not miss the Rapture.    Their spirits, already in the presence of the Lord, will be reunited with their resurrected bodies at this moment.   Then comes the heart of the revelation: “For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord.” This is not human speculation. This is not apostolic opinion. This is direct revelation from the ascended Christ Himself.  The Lord Himself shall descend from heaven. Notice the personal emphasis. It is not an angel. It is not a representative.    The Lord Himself— the same Jesus who walked the shores of Galilee, who hung upon the cross, who burst from the tomb, who ascended from the Mount of Olives—He Himself shall descend. And He shall descend with a shout.    The Greek word for “shout” is keleusma, a military command, a royal summons, a cry of authority that will pierce the heavens and shake the graves.    Accompanying that shout will be the voice of the archangel and the trump of God. The trumpet does not signal judgment here; it signals assembly. It is the signal for the final gathering of the redeemed.   The sequence is precise and powerful. The dead in Christ shall rise first. Their bodies, sown in corruption, will be raised in incorruption.    The graves will surrender their prey. Then—and only then—we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them. The word “caught up” is the Greek harpazo, a word that means to seize, to snatch away by force, to carry off suddenly. It is the same word used in Acts 8:39 when the Spirit caught away Philip, and in Revelation 12:5 when the man child is caught up to God.    It pictures a violent, irresistible removal from this earth. No believer will be left behind. No one who has trusted Christ will miss this moment. Living and resurrected saints will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. The meeting place is not on the earth. It is in the air, in the clouds, the very atmosphere where the Lord will receive His own unto Himself exactly as He promised in John 14:3.   And then the final, glorious declaration: “and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” Not for a thousand years. Not for a million years. Forever. The Rapture is not a temporary event.    It is the beginning of an eternal union. The bride will be taken to the place prepared in the Father's house, and there she will remain with her Bridegroom throughout the ages of ages. This is the comfort with which the apostle commands believers to comfort one another. It is not a doctrine for debate. It is a doctrine for consolation in the face of death and for courage in the face of life.   The same apostle who received this revelation also unfolds the mystery of the bodily change that will occur at the Rapture.      In First Corinthians chapter fifteen, verses fifty-one and fifty-two, he writes: Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.   This is the mystery that was hidden in ages past but is now revealed. Not every believer will die. There will be a generation of Christians alive at the moment of the Rapture. Those believers will not sleep; they will be changed.      The change will be instantaneous—“in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye.” The Greek word for “moment” is atomos, from which we derive the English word “atom.”    It means an indivisible unit of time, the smallest possible fragment of a second. Faster than the eye can blink, faster than the mind can comprehend, the transformation will occur.  The corruptible will put on incorruption. The mortal will put on immortality. The bodies that have groaned under the weight of sin and sickness will be glorified, conformed to the image of the risen Christ.    The trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised, and the living will be changed. This is the power of the Rapture. It is not a gradual process. It is a sudden, sovereign act of God that will leave the world stunned and the saints transported.   The early church lived in the constant expectation of this event. They faced persecution, imprisonment, and death with the cry of “Maranatha” upon their lips. That single Aramaic word, preserved for us in First Corinthians chapter sixteen, verse twenty-two, carries the heartbeat of New Testament Christianity: If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha.   “Maranatha” is not a curse. It is a prayer. It is a declaration. It means “Our Lord, come!” or more literally, “The Lord is coming!”    The persecuted believers of the first century did not merely believe in the return of Christ as a distant doctrine. They cried out for it as the solution to every trial. They lived every day with the expectation that before the sun set, the trumpet might sound and the Lord might appear. That same expectant cry has been the distinguishing mark of every faithful generation since. The futuristic present of John 14:3 fueled their hope. Jesus is not merely going to come.    He is coming. The present tense makes the future certain and the certain future near. Additional passages of Scripture reinforce this truth with unyielding clarity. The apostle Paul describes the Rapture as the believer's “blessed hope” in Titus chapter two, verse thirteen: Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. It is not the appearing of wrath. It is the appearing of the great God and our Savior. It is blessed because it delivers the church from the hour of trial that is coming upon the whole world.    It is glorious because it reveals Christ in His full majesty to those who love Him.   The apostle also writes in Philippians chapter three, verses twenty and twenty-one: For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.   The word “conversation” means citizenship.    The believer's true home is in heaven, and from that heavenly realm the Savior is expected at any moment. The transformation described here is the same as that in First Corinthians fifteen. The vile body—literally the body of humiliation—will be fashioned like unto His glorious body.  The power that will accomplish this is the same power that will one day subdue all things under His feet. Nothing is too hard for the One who spoke the universe into existence.   The doctrine of the Rapture is further confirmed in the closing words of the New Testament.    In Revelation chapter twenty-two, verse twenty, the ascended Lord Himself declares:   He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. And the response of the apostle is immediate and fervent: Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.   Once again the language of certainty and imminence rings out. “Surely I come quickly.”    The same Lord who used the futuristic present in the Upper Room now seals the entire canon of Scripture with the promise of His soon return.   This constellation of biblical texts forms an unbreakable chain of truth. The futuristic present of John 14:3 is the grammatical foundation.    The detailed revelation of First Thessalonians four is the doctrinal exposition. The mystery of First Corinthians fifteen is the physiological description. The cry of Maranatha is the devotional response. The blessed hope of Titus two is the purifying motivation. The citizenship of Philippians three is the practical orientation. And the final prayer of Revelation twenty-two is the expectant climax.   Taken together, these passages challenge every believer to live in the white-hot expectancy of the Lord's return. The Rapture is not a doctrine to be debated in academic halls while life drifts on in complacency. It is a command to holiness.  The apostle John makes this explicit in First John chapter three, verses two and three: 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. And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.   The hope of seeing Christ and being made like Him is not an abstract idea. It is a sanctifying force. The one who truly believes that Jesus may come at any moment will not toy with sin. He will not waste his days on the trivial and the temporal. He will purify his life with the same purity that characterizes the Lord Himself.    Expectancy produces urgency. It produces separation from the world. It produces devotion to the Word. It produces zeal for the gospel. It produces love for the brethren.  It produces a life lived with eyes fixed on the eastern sky.   The early church understood this. They did not build elaborate systems of prophecy to delay the return of Christ. They did not resign themselves to the idea that the Rapture was for some future generation. They lived as though today could be the day. That same spirit must characterize every generation of believers until the trumpet sounds.    The futuristic present tense in John 14:3 is not a curious footnote for Greek students.  It is a divine declaration that resounds through the corridors of time: “I am coming.” The Lord is coming. Maranatha.    The Bridegroom is on the way.   The Rapture will be a moment of indescribable glory. In one atom of time the graves of the righteous dead will burst open. Bodies long decayed will be reconstituted in splendor. The living saints will feel the sudden surge of immortal power coursing through their veins. Then, together, they will be caught up. The clouds will become their chariot. The air will become the meeting place.  The Lord Himself will receive them. No more sorrow. No more pain. No more death.    Only the eternal embrace of the One who loved them and gave Himself for them. The place prepared in the Father's house will at last be occupied by the redeemed of all ages.    The marriage supper of the Lamb will begin. The church will be presented faultless before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy.   Until that day, the Scriptures call every follower of Christ to live in the light of this imminence. The doctrine of the Rapture is not an escape clause for the lazy. It is a summons to vigilance. It is a call to watchfulness.    It is a mandate to occupy until He comes.    The believer who has fixed his hope on the appearing of Christ will order his life accordingly. He will speak the truth in love. He will labor while it is day. He will warn the wicked. He will strengthen the weak. He will lift up the hands that hang down. He will keep his garments unspotted from the world.  He will cry out with the saints of old, “Maranatha—Our Lord, come!”   The futuristic present tense of John 14:3 still echoes across the centuries. Jesus is not planning to come. He is coming.    The grammar itself testifies to the certainty. The supporting texts confirm the details. The early church embodied the expectancy. And the Holy Spirit today stirs the hearts of all who will listen with the same urgent cry: the Lord is coming. Maranatha. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.  The promise stands. The place is prepared. The trumpet is ready. The Bridegroom is at the door.   Let this truth sink deep into the soul. Let it shape every decision. Let it fuel every act of obedience. Let it purify every motive. The Lord Himself shall descend. The dead in Christ shall rise.    The living shall be changed. The redeemed shall be caught up. And so shall we ever be with the Lord. This is the Rapture. This is the blessed hope.    This is the promise of John 14:1-3, sealed by the futuristic present tense and proclaimed by the infallible Word of God.    Maranatha. Our Lord is coming. Amen.

Audio Transcript Today. And I’m going to be preaching a message from the Bible in order that we would hear God speak to us. So the passage that we’re going to be studying is First Thessalonians. So if you have a Bible, go ahead and open up to the Burke, the book of first Thessalonians. It’s like right in the middle of the New Testament. So there’s Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and there’s first and second Philistines, Thessalonians. And if you don’t have a Bible, there should be some blue Bibles in, around on the chairs. You can grab one of those and open up. Because I’m just going to be reading through this passage verse by verse as I preach through it. So first Thessalonians, chapter 5. I’ll be reading verses 1 through 11. Here’s what the word of the Lord has for us today. Says now, concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, you have no need to have anything written to you. For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying there is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman. And they will not escape. But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. For you are all children of light, children of the day. And we are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night. 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. Please pray with me and we’ll get started. God, thank you that you speak through your word, even through the folly of man like me. God, I pray. Please keep me from error and help. Help me to speak what you have for us this morning. And I pray, Lord, that you would give each person here a heart to receive your word and ears to hear what you are saying. And so God meet with us here as we look at your word and study it together. In Jesus name we all pray. Amen. Okay, so before I jump into this passage, on the day of the Lord, I’M going to read to you two different poems that are written in the 1800s concerning the return of Christ. And each of these are from two different perspectives of when Christ returns. So just listen to these poems. This first one is called the Advent by Christina Rossetti. It says, watchmen, what of the night? The stars are dim and the morning is at hand and we must watch for him. Watchman, what of the night? The night is long Wait till the day star arise with shout and song. Where are the lamps? They are trimmed and burning bright. Where is the bridegroom? He cometh in the night. Is there a cry? Yes, there is a sudden cry the bridegroom is at hand, his hour is nigh the bridegroom comes, he comes to claim his own. The winter is quite past and the flowers are blown the time of singing birds is come at last the night is wearing out and the day is past. It’s the first poem. Here’s the second poem. That’s called the Food. Foolish Virgins by Alfred Tennyson. Here’s what it Late, late, so late and dark the night and chill Late, late, so late but we can enter still Too late, too late, ye cannot enter now, no light had we for that we do repent and learning this the pride groom should Surely we’ll relent Too late, too late, ye cannot enter now no light so late and dark and chill the night O let us in, that we may find the light. Too late, too late, ye cannot enter now have we not heard? The bridegroom is so sweet O let us in. Though late to kiss his feet no, no, too late, ye cannot enter now now both of these poems speak of the sobering event that is the day of the Lord. Some will be found awake in the light with their lamps burning bright, but others will be found asleep in the dark. And these poems reflect the somber reality of the parable of the Ten virgins that Jesus. Jesus teaches concerning his coming. And it also reflects what our passage is speaking about today. And when the Son of Man comes, what will he find? Which will you be? When the Lord returns and when we have to give an account for our souls, will you be sober and awake in the light, or will you be drunk and asleep in the dark? My hope is that studying this passage this morning will give you the answer as we study this passage. So that being said, look with me at First Thessalonians, and before I do that, I’m going to give you a little bit of context concerning this passage. So First Thessalonians was written to the new believers in Thessalonica, only a few months after Paul and Timothy had to leave due to persecution. The church at Thessalonica was very young and they were without any leaders. And therefore Paul wrote this letter to encourage the Thessalonian church, to remind them that sanctification in the midst of persecution was God’s will for their lives. And he desired to clear up any confusion about the Lord’s second coming. So about a month ago, I preached on 1 Thessalonians 4, 4 verses 13 through 18, concerning the state of those who die in the Lord, and about Jesus’s second coming, when he will bring his people to himself. The Thessalonian believers at the time were confused about what was happening when a believer died and if they would experience the Lord’s second coming or not. And so in our last passage, Paul affirmed the Thessalonians that, yes, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep, and those who are alive will not precede those who have fallen asleep at the coming of Christ. Rather, the Lord himself will descend with a shout and with a sound of the trumpet. The dead in Christ will be raised first, and then those who are alive will be caught up together with them to always be with the Lord. And so, after clearing up this confusion, Paul now has more to say in chapter five concerning the day of the Lord. And so, before I get into this, I’m just going to mention that some Christians view this passage as a separate event from the gathering of God’s people that is talked about in chapter four, which is known as the Rapture. And so those that view this as two separate events, this is called dispensational premillennialism. And other Christians view the gathering of God’s people in chapter four. And then what we’re about to read here in chapter five as the same event. And this view would be called historical premillennialism. Or there’s also other views that take these two events to be the same one. And so all of these views, both of these arguments that are made from historical premillennialism and dispensational premillennialism, they both have reliable theologians that back behind them with strong biblical arguments. I personally tend to think that this is the same event when Christ returns, based on what Paul describes in 2nd Thessalonians chapter 2. But I also find myself going back and forth at times. So regardless of your eschatological view, your end time view on this, the main point is that Jesus will return on the day of The Lord, which is what our passage is looking at here. So look with me at verses one through two. God’s word says now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers, which side note, brothers here is referring to brothers and sisters in Christ at Thessalonica. Brothers and sisters, you have no need to have anything written to you, for you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. The day of the Lord mentioned here is referring to the great day of God’s judgment upon all mankind. And this will be after the tribulation, when all the earth will be judged and God will melt the elements of the earth in his wrath in order to wipe it clean of all of its evil and make all things new. Second Peter 3:10 says this. But the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and on that day the heavens will pass away with a loud noise and the elements will burn and be dissolved, and the earth and the works on it will be disclosed for the wicked and the ungodly. This will be a terrifying day, for God is holy and he is a consuming fire against all unrighteousness. But for the righteous who have faith in Christ, the day of the Lord will come with rejoicing and praise to God as justice is established on the earth once and forevermore. And so concerning the times and seasons, that our passage begins with the day of the Lord, Paul says he has nothing more to write to these Thessalonians about this. And this is likely because Paul already taught the Thessalonians that no one knows the times or the seasons when the day of the Lord will occur. Not even the Son of God knows. Only the Father knows when Christ will return and when finality will come to the earth. And so Paul had also taught the Thessalonians that when the day of the Lord comes, it would be like a thief in the night. And so these are chilling words meant to wake up everybody who hears them. And so Jesus himself said that he would come like a thief in the night in the Gospels. And so Matthew 24:40,44 says this. Then two men will be in the field, one will be taken and one left. Two women will be grinding at the mill, one will be taken and one left. Therefore stay awake, for you do not know on the day that the Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known in what part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready for The Son of man is coming at an hour that you do not expect. So Jesus compares his second coming to that of a thief breaking into a home in the middle of the night. When a person least excited, and this is how the majority of the world will experience the second coming of Christ. It will be sudden and completely unexpected and it will leave each person empty handed before the judgment seat of God. And just as the poem I read to you at the end, there will be a sober reflection that it is too late to now enter in to God’s kingdom with Christ when He comes. And so verse three gives us more insight onto this saying. While people are saying there is peace and security, then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman and they will not escape. Here we learn that there will be a false sense of peace and security before the day of the Lord’s coming. And this sense of peace and security, it will not come from the Lord, but it will be found in the world through one’s possessions or through a trust in the government, or trust in a world leader. It will be a misplaced peace and security. And Jesus taught that just as people were eating and drinking and marrying in the days of Noah, on the day when the flood came and swept them away, so will be when the Christ returns on the night the thief arrives. The world’s false sense of peace and security will not be able to keep them from the hour that their souls must give account to the living God. Our passage says sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains. Just as labor is inevitable once labor has begun, so the sudden judgment of God will inevitably come upon the earth and there will be no escape. These words are terrifying to hear. Just as the words in the poem that I read a couple weeks ago. We had a major storm that rolled through in the area with warnings of severe hail and multiple destructive tornadoes that could roll through the area. And at one point as this storm was going over all of Dane county and all throughout the Midwest, in the middle of the dark clouds and the continuous booming thunder which I think many of you here experienced, there was sirens that began to sound in the middle of the storm and echo across the Madison area, warning that a tornado has been sighted and to seek shelter immediately. Immediately. These verses and others like it that we’re reading here, it’s like the sound of tornado sirens. They are warning all who will listen that impending destruction is coming like a thief in the night, and if one is not prepared and ready for his coming, there will be no escape which is Deeply chilling and sober words in this passage. But to take a shift from this heaviness, we get to verse four. In verse four, we get to some very much so needed Good news. Verse 4 says, but you believers in Thessalonica, you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief, for you are all children of the light, children of the day. We’re not of the night or of the darkness. So here Paul brings some much needed clarification. The day of the Lord is not going to surprise believers as it will surprise the rest of the world. And this is because the Thessalonian brothers and sisters are not in darkness, but instead they are children of the light. Now, what exactly is Paul saying here? 2Nd Corinthians 4, 6, I think gives us a pretty clear understanding of what Paul is saying. And here’s what it says. For God, who said, let light shine out of darkness, he has shown in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. So what Paul is saying is the same God who said, let there be light has now brought light into man through faith in him, and Jesus himself is the light of the world. When a person places their faith in Jesus, the light of Christ is made manifest within them as God gives them a new heart and new desires to follow God’s word. Through faith, God’s people become children of the light that they may walk in good works, that the Holy Spirit enables them to do, works that reflect Christ and bring spiritual light upon the earth. And in contrast, the world is described as living in darkness, and this represents spiritual darkness. As people live in rebellion against God and unable to walk in godliness and unable to understand the truth of God’s word. In the darkness, the world rejects God and seeks pleasure without him by living for their passions of the flesh, which results in sin and death. But children of the light, they do not live this way because they have seen Christ and they have come to the knowledge that Jesus is the Lord. And they devote their lives to following Christ and from putting away darkness and putting away sin. Sin hides itself in the dark, but righteousness shines brightly in the light of day. God’s people are not of the night or of the darkness any longer. They have turned from darkness and now live in Christ’s glorious light. And because God’s people live in the light, they know Christ and they know Jesus is going to return. Therefore, God’s children will not be surprised or caught off guard when Christ arrives. They will be ready with lamps burning in the night, and they’ll be ready to meet their groom and be brought to his side. Those living in darkness, they ignore the warnings and do not expect or desire the day of the Lord to come, which is why it surprises them. But God’s people, they hear the tornado sirens and they turn to Jesus for shelter by the grace of God. So children of the light live in the day where they expect their Savior to return, and their hearts long for his coming to make all things new, where darkness and sin will rule no longer. And so, that being said, my first application from this passage for believers here is, live as children of the light. If you have faith in Christ, the light switch, the spiritual light switch in your life has been flipped on. No longer do you live in darkness where sin is your master, Jesus is your master, Jesus is your guide in this day. His Word is a lamp to your feet that you may walk in a different way from how the world walks and stumbles in darkness. Because you are children of the light, you’re gonna look different. And that is actually okay. Jesus wants us to live differently and to shine our light bright so that others may see our good works and glorify our God who is in heaven. The time for dwelling in darkness is over for the believer, and the time for living for Christ in the light has just now begun. So, so, fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, just like the Thessalonians, live as children of the light, for you no longer live in darkness. You are free to walk in the light of Christ and good works that glorify him. Moving on to verse 6, it says so then 6 and 7 says so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us keep awake and sober. For those who sleep, they sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. And so if anybody here is already starting to fall asleep a little bit, this is to you, go ahead and wake up, be sober. Don’t let my sermon put you to sleep. No. So Paul here, he’s like, further emphasizing the difference between believers who are children of the light and then non believers who are living in darkness. Paul says that those who are living in the dark spend their time sleeping at night and getting drunk at night. What’s important here is that Paul isn’t talking about what physical sleeping and drunkenness does. He’s actually using these as metaphors to communicate that unbelievers are spiritually asleep and drunk. And as they live in darkness, so those living in the darkness without God and without the light of Christ, spend their time spiritually asleep at the wheel. Sleep and drunkenness are both states where reality is distorted and one is not able to fully understand what is going on around them. Unbelievers are oblivious to spiritual truth that is found in God’s word through faith in Christ. They have no awareness of what God’s will is for their lives or any true understanding of that Jesus is going to return and demand an account for their soul. Instead, they live in sin and drown out God’s truth through being intoxicated with what the world has to offer. But Paul, as already pointed out, that’s not who we are referring to. Believers. We are not of the night or spiritually asleep at the wheel. Rather, God’s people are alive and are awake. Therefore, let us not hit snooze on the things of God and sleep spiritually as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. Highlight underline Circle this in your Bibles because I think this is the most important application in our passage today. Keep awake and be sober Because God’s people are children of the day and understand the will of God and they understand the will of God and that Jesus is going to demand an account for the way that we live. So we must keep spiritually awake and remain spiritually sober. As I said before, the day of the Lord being related to a thief in the night is meant to sound the alarm in our minds and nudge God’s people to stay awake and to be alert. Time and history is moving towards one end and that is the day of the Lord. Today, if you find yourself distracted by things of the world or just like kind of living on autopilot going from day to day, then hear the word of the Lord to you this morning. Keep awake and be sober. God has work for you to do today to honor him and to point others to Christ so that they may turn from darkness into light. Be aware of God’s will for your life and be ready for Christ to return so that when he does, you may hear him say these good words that are well done, my good and faithful servant. And when I say understand God’s will, I mean his revealed will through His Word applied to each day. So what Christ asks us to do and the ways he calls us to love one another and to love God. If the day of the Lord changes nothing about how you live day by day, you may be spiritually asleep at the wheel and drunk on the world. While I was working at a collegiate ministry in New Mexico called the Christian Challenge, back when I was a young Buck. Shortly after I’d graduated, there was a staff meeting where I was working at this collegiate ministry, and we had to make some big decisions on where we were going to send college students on summer mission trips with our partner missionaries. And one of the partner missionaries actually got kicked out of the country only months before the trips are going to happen. And so, as this happened, there were some other providential opportunities that had presented themselves, but were certainly a large pivot from what the ministry had originally planned for. And so in the middle of our meeting, the director named David, who was sort of a mentor to me, he said something that I will not forget. He said, what is God doing through all this? He didn’t say it out of anger or out of doubt, but he said it in, like, curiosity and in wonder, like, what is it that the Lord is doing among us? In this unforeseen pivot is the Lord closing one door, one partnership, and now opening another to proclaim the Gospel to another nation? And as David asked these questions to all of us in our staff meeting, it kind of just like snapped me out of my narrow focus where I was just thinking, how do we fix this? Where do we send students? But David, he was thinking, what is the will of God in this circumstance? And what is it that God is doing today in my life? What is it the Lord is doing here that we may keep in step with him and his plans so that he would be glorified? Therefore, just as David was awake and sober of the situation, we too should keep awake and be sober and pondering, what is it that the Lord is doing in my life today? For the Lord is among us, and he is preparing to come on that great and mighty day. Do we perceive it or are we asleep? Moving on to verse eight, it says, 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. Here Paul gives some practical applications for us on how God’s people are to remain sober before the day of the Lord. They do this by putting on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet that is the hope of salvation. Here Paul attaches these virtues to pieces of armor similar to the armor of God that’s found in the book of Ephesians. And so faith and love are to be central to a believer’s life, like a breastplate and hope of salvation protects one’s mind from fears or doubts, knowing for certain that they are saved in Christ. And so Paul communicates that these pieces of armor keep a believer soberly aware of God’s will and his truth in their lives. These three virtues are mentioned together in other letters as vital virtues that work together in one’s life as they walk with Christ. For one’s faith angers oneself to Christ, bringing salvation and sanctification that results in good works. One’s love grows their affection for God and for their neighbor to fulfill the greatest commandment. And one’s hope of salvation spurs them on towards what lies ahead, knowing salvation is guaranteed through the finished work of Christ on the cross. Each of these virtues are a gift from God, and each of them keep a believer soberly fixed on Christ and on his return. So moving to verses 9 through 10, God’s word gives us an incredible truth to end on. So verse nine look with me in your Bibles it says, 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. Now, talking about God’s wrath is generally an uncomfortable topic. Therefore, the day of the Lord is not an easy day to process, and this passage is not easy to process. For the day of the Lord is when God’s wrath is poured out on all ungodliness and wickedness on the earth. But throughout this passage, Paul again and again affirms God’s people that the day of the Lord will be different. For those who have found in Christ, the day of the Lord won’t surprise them like a thief in the night. You are not children of darkness or of the night. You are not asleep or drunk on the world. You are alive, awake and sober. Children of the light. Why? Verse answer gives us why. For God has not destined his children of wrath. Sorry, his children of the light for wrath, but he has destined us for salvation through Jesus Christ who died for us and now is alive. This is such a sweet assurance to hold onto. It is a verse that you could memorize and really meditate on day by day because its promise is so sweet to God’s people. And it is my last application from this passage Christian remember, you are not destined for wrath, but for salvation through your Lord Jesus Christ. Even when life is difficult or you’re enduring something that is really heavy or difficult in your life. Hear God tell you this morning I have not destined you for wrath, but for salvation in Jesus Christ. For God’s people who believe in Jesus as their Lord and Savior, judgment and wrath are not what God has in store. Instead, a beautiful inheritance awaits God’s people, forgiveness of sin, new hearts that beat for God, new lives that are restored and made whole, a new glorified body, joy in the presence of Christ, peace that endures, love that never fails, and eternal life with God and with his people that will never end. That, Christian, is what you are destined for through faith in Christ. Verse 10 also affirms what Paul had previously said in chapter 4, that those who are asleep, which Paul is now no longer talking about, the same sleep as those in darkness, but those who have died with faith in Christ, those who have died and are now asleep as believers, they are also destined for salvation. This means that whether you are awake with faith in Christ or asleep from death with faith in Christ, you will live with Christ in His presence. Death cannot change what God has done for his people. Whether awake or asleep, you are destined to live with Christ in the end when he returns. And if you’re here and you know you are walking in darkness apart from God, then I have some really, really good news for you. All people are born into this world, living in darkness, asleep to the things of God and drunk on the distractions and pleasures of the world. All of us here in this room begin this way. We are separated from God and deserving God’s just wrath that deals with evil, evil that is within us. Yet a light has dawned on the earth in the form of a man. And this man was God himself. He performed many signs and wonders in fulfillment of the scriptures. And he lived a perfect life without sin and with his pure and righteous life. This God man willingly love. He laid down his life for you and for me on the cross. He endured the wrath of God so that all who believe in him by faith could be brought from darkness into light. He bore our sins. He paid our penalties on the cross so that man could be reunited with a holy God and become children of of the light. This God man, this is Jesus the Christ who has died for us. And if anyone, including today, anyone here, turns away from their sin and believes in Jesus as the Lord of their life for the forgiveness of their sins, they will be forgiven and new life will begin in the the light. That’s what happened to the Thessalonian believers when they turned from idols to serve the living God. And it can happen for you if you will believe. For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. Our passage then ends on verse 11 that says, Therefore encourage one another and build one another up just as you are doing so. My final encouragement to you from this passage is the exact same thing. Red Village Church Continue to encourage one another here that the day of the Lord is coming near and keep encouraging one another to stay awake and to be sober. Keep building one another up through faith and love and hope that is found in the salvation we have in Christ. Remind one another that God has not destined us for wrath, but for salvation in Christ. Keep sharing the gospel, keep gathering as the family of God at church. Keep reading your Bible and keep praying to the Lord about all things. Live as children of the light together that God’s kindness and love may be put on display so that many who put their faith in him may be ready for the day of the Lord when he returns. That being said, please pray with me, Lord, this passage is sobering and thinking about your coming. And yet there is great hope that is found in Christ through your finished work on the cross, offering forgiveness and a place of shelter from the wrath that we poured out on the great day of the Lord. And so I pray for everyone here. God, help us to be ready to be awake, to be sober. Help us Lord, to continue in doing the things you call us to for your will and for your glory. And God, if any here do not know you, I pray that today would be the day that they would turn from their sin and put their faith in Jesus as their only hope of salvation and as a means of new life to walk in your marvelous light. And God, I pray, be glorified with the rest of our time as we gather here this morning. In Jesus name we all pray. Amen. The post The Day of the Lord – 1 Thessalonians 5: 1-11 appeared first on Red Village Church.

First Thessalonians, Second Thessalonians, and Revelation frame a call for a spiritually vibrant remnant that endures until Christ gathers the alive and remaining. Scripture defines being alive as more than physical breathing; it describes those filled with light, engaged with the Holy Spirit, and resisting complacency. The New Testament warns that prophetic seasons will not surprise the vigilant. The mystery of lawlessness already works, yet a restraining presence holds the full reveal of the lawless one in check until the restrainer is taken out of the way. That restraint functions through the Holy Spirit dwelling in the spiritually alive, whose steadfast presence delays the full outbreak of deception.

Luke 21 situates the destruction of the temple as a fulfilled prophecy: the magnificent stones and overlay of gold once admired would be thrown down and scattered. Historical events—Titus surrounding Jerusalem, the siege, the burning of the temple and molten gold seeping into the stones—illustrate how prophetic words come to pass with precise, painful clarity. The Greek verb harpazo, translated rapture, carries the forceful meaning to seize or snatch away; Scripture records several precedents of being taken by God, including Enoch, Elijah, and the ascension of Jesus. First Thessalonians sharpens the focus by distinguishing between mere biological life and true spiritual aliveness: those who are alive and remain are described as vibrant, engaged, and a remnant rather than a mass.

“Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 NLT) In her remarkable book The Hiding Place, Corrie ten Boom relates an amazing story about the importance of being thankful. Corrie and her sister Betsie were held in a concentration camp known as Ravensbrück, where they lived in barracks that were plagued by fleas. Fleas were everywhere—in their hair and on their bodies. One day Betsie told Corrie they needed to give thanks for the fleas. Corrie thought Betsie had gone too far. She couldn’t imagine thanking God for fleas. But Betsie insisted, reminding her sister that 1 Thessalonians 5:18 says, “Be thankful in all circumstances” (NLT). Still, Corrie didn’t want to thank God for the fleas. But as it turned out, Corrie and Betsie were trying to reach the other women in their barracks with the message of the gospel, and they had been holding Bible studies. They found out later that because of the fleas, the guards would not go into those barracks, and therefore, the women were able to have their Bible studies. As a result, they had the freedom to minister to numerous women. So, God can use even fleas. If the Bible said, “Be thankful in some circumstances,” I would say, “No problem there!” But it says, “Be thankful in all circumstances.” And that’s not an easy thing to do. Yet it’s necessary because “this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” It’s also beneficial. Our attitude does, in fact, impact our circumstances. Being thankful won’t change events that have occurred, and it won’t prevent trials and suffering from coming our way. But when we lead with a spirit of thankfulness and joy, we change our relationship to our circumstances. We see them in a different light. We see them in the context of the big picture of God’s faithfulness. This isn’t simply a matter of choosing to be a “glass half full” person or to “always look on the bright side of life.” It’s a matter of choosing to see God at work in our lives, no matter how bad our circumstances get. It’s a matter of wrapping ourselves in His presence when life threatens to overwhelm us. It’s a matter of staying in constant contact with Him during trials and never losing sight of the awesome privilege of being able to do so. Maintaining a spirit of thankfulness will not only impact our lives, but it will also impact the lives of others in our orbit. Nothing speaks louder about the life-changing potential of the Christian faith than a believer who remains faithful and thankful when things go bad. First Thessalonians 5:18 doesn’t say we should be thankful for all circumstances, but rather in all circumstances. There are many things that happen that I’m not glad about. But I am glad that, despite the tragedies, God is still on the throne, and He is still in control of all circumstances that surround my life. Reflection question: What would being thankful in all circumstances look like in your life? Discuss Today's Devo in Harvest Discipleship! — The audio production of the podcast "Greg Laurie: Daily Devotions" utilizes Generative AI technology. This allows us to deliver consistent, high-quality content while preserving Harvest's mission to "know God and make Him known." All devotional content is written and owned by Pastor Greg Laurie. Listen to the Greg Laurie Podcast Become a Harvest PartnerSupport the show: https://harvest.org/supportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

1 Thessalonians 4:1–9 Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions. Join Pastor Chuck Swindoll in a look at God's will for our sexual lives. In a world bent on shouting a different message, listen to God's truth to find peace and purity. Press on toward holiness by following God's way. Experience the blessing that will follow!

1 Thessalonians 4:1-9 / March 17-19, 2026 Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions. From the Series: Contagious Christianity read more

Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions. Join Pastor Chuck Swindoll in a look at God's will for our sexual lives. In a world bent on shouting a different message, listen to God's truth to find peace and purity.Press on toward holiness by following God's way. Experience the blessing that will follow!

Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions.Join Pastor Chuck Swindoll in a look at God's will for our sexual lives. In a world bent on shouting a different message, listen to God's truth to find peace and purity.Press on toward holiness by following God's way. Experience the blessing that will follow! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/82/29?v=20251111

1 Thessalonians 4:1–9 Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions. Join Pastor Chuck Swindoll in a look at God's will for our sexual lives. In a world bent on shouting a different message, listen to God's truth to find peace and purity. Press on toward holiness by following God's way. Experience the blessing that will follow

1 Thessalonians 4:1-9 / March 17-19, 2026 Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions. From the Series: Contagious Christianity read more

Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions. Join Pastor Chuck Swindoll in a look at God's will for our sexual lives. In a world bent on shouting a different message, listen to God's truth to find peace and purity.Press on toward holiness by following God's way. Experience the blessing that will follow!

Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions.Join Pastor Chuck Swindoll in a look at God's will for our sexual lives. In a world bent on shouting a different message, listen to God's truth to find peace and purity.Press on toward holiness by following God's way. Experience the blessing that will follow! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/82/29?v=20251111

1 Thessalonians 4:1–9 Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions. Join Pastor Chuck Swindoll in a look at God's will for our sexual lives. In a world bent on shouting a different message, listen to God's truth to find peace and purity. Press on toward holiness by following God's way. Experience the blessing that will follow!

1 Thessalonians 4:1-9 / March 17-19, 2026 Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions. From the Series: Contagious Christianity read more

1 Thessalonians 4:1-9 / March 17-19, 2026 Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions. From the Series: Contagious Christianity read more

Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions. Join Pastor Chuck Swindoll in a look at God's will for our sexual lives. In a world bent on shouting a different message, listen to God's truth to find peace and purity.Press on toward holiness by following God's way. Experience the blessing that will follow!

Does the word holiness intimidate you? Have you ever wondered about the will of God? First Thessalonians 4:1–9 clarifies both questions.Join Pastor Chuck Swindoll in a look at God's will for our sexual lives. In a world bent on shouting a different message, listen to God's truth to find peace and purity.Press on toward holiness by following God's way. Experience the blessing that will follow! To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/82/29?v=20251111

You can read the whole text here: https://dougapple.blogspot.com/ +++++++ I'm Doug Apple...and my heart is on fire. (Luke 24:32) This is a great and terrible phrase: “fully involved.” It's terrible when you're talking about a fire. When a fire is fully involved, it means the entire structure is on fire, flames are visible in all areas. No one is going in. No one is getting rescued. All they can do is try to put out the fire and see what's left. But it's a great phrase when you're talking about someone's level of commitment. If you are dating someone and heading for marriage, you want them to be fully involved. When you hire someone, you want them to be fully involved in the success of the company. When your team spends millions of dollars for a new player or coach, you want them to be fully involved in making your team a winner. And when it comes to my walk with God, this is how I want to be: fully involved. Like a fully involved fire has completely engulfed the structure, I want my fire for God to completely engulf my life. A fully involved fire has spread to every room; every space is on fire. A fully involved fire is obvious to outsiders because they can see the flames through every window and door and even through the roof. In Mark 12:30 Jesus said, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” That's fully involved. Romans 12:11 tells us to be “fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” Jeremiah 29:13 talks about seeking God with all of our heart. In Revelation 3 Jesus warns against being lukewarm, or in other words, not fully involved. Hebrews 12:29 says, “Our God is a consuming fire.” In Matthew 3:11 John the Baptist said that Jesus would baptize people “with the Holy Spirit and fire.” When the Holy Spirit came in Acts chapter two, there was a fire that separated and rested on each of the disciples in the upper room. Revelation 4:5 describes a scene with seven lamps of fire which are the seven Spirits of God. I don't want to contain this fire. First Thessalonians 5:19 says, “Do not quench the Spirit.” I want the consuming fire of God to be fully involved. I want outsiders to see the evidence of the Spirit's fire in every space of my life. Not just one day a week. Not just when I'm doing something religious, but all the time, in every space…the fire of God is involved. FULLY involved. May God bless you today. I'm Doug Apple.

Want to reach out to us? Want to leave a comment or review? Want to give us a suggestion or berate Anthony? Send us a text by clicking this link!A hard headline at dawn and a holy invitation at hand: we step into Ember Saturday with fasting, prayer, and a clear-eyed look at how grace meets a restless world. We keep the focus tight—covenant fidelity in Deuteronomy, the lived texture of Christian charity in First Thessalonians, and the mountain light of Matthew's Transfiguration—then move into a grounded guide on confession that trades clichés for clarity.We talk about why frequent confession should never become just a routine, how absolution is Christ acting in the soul, and why naming motives behind venial patterns exposes the roots of anger, pride, and acedia. You'll hear practical steps for a better examen, what to share when you're not confessing mortal sin, and when to book an appointment so those in crisis aren't left waiting. Along the way, we hold together two anchors of Lent: intimacy with God through honest repentance and solidarity with others through fasting and intercession.The thread tying it all together is simple and demanding: hear him. The Father's command on the mountain becomes the plan for the week—listen to Christ in Scripture, in conscience, and in the quiet of the confessional. Let the Precious Blood wash the past and brace the future. Make space for family, keep Ember Saturday with abstinence, and pray for peace, priests, and vocations while the world trembles. If you're ready for a Lent that actually reshapes your habits and steadies your heart, this conversation will give you both vision and tools.If this resonates, subscribe, share with a friend who needs hope, and leave a review so others can find the show. What one practice will you keep today to ground your heart in Christ?Support the showNeed seafood for Lent? Check out https://shoplobster.com/ and use code AB10 to get 10% from Maine's ONLY Catholic lobster company.Check out our new sponsor, Nic Nac, at www.nicnac.com and use code "AB25%" for 25% off of your first order!********************************************************Please subscribe! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKsxnv80ByFV4OGvt_kImjQ?sub_confirmation=1https://www.avoidingbabylon.comMerchandise: https://avoiding-babylon-shop.fourthwall.comLocals Community: https://avoidingbabylon.locals.comFull Premium/Locals Shows on Audio Podcast: https://www.buzzsprout.com/1987412/subscribeRSS Feed for Podcast Apps: https://feeds.buzzsprout.com/1987412.rss

For years, much of the end-times conversation has centered on the “imminent” economic collapse as the trigger for a unified digital currency. If a steady stream of urgent headlines and countdown-style warnings has kept you constantly on edge, it may be time to step back and reconsider the framework you've been handed.Episode 8 examines why routine financial stress and the latest economic headlines cannot produce the kind of global alignment so many keep predicting.It also looks closely at the tone Scripture uses when it speaks of the Rapture. First Thessalonians 4 doesn't say brace yourselves. It says comfort one another. The blessed hope was given to produce peace and endurance — not a steady diet of fear, anxiety or stress. If you've been worn down by urgency that keeps resetting, then this episode is a must for you.Grateful you're here.— Pablo------------------------------------------Subscribe to receive future broadcasts and articles at:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.serpentsndoves.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠-------------------------------------------Share.Forward this post, repost it, or pass it along to someone who might need it.Support.This broadcast is listener-supported. If you're in a position to help sustain it, you can do so here:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Buy Me a Coffee⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (one-time or monthly)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠PayPal⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ (direct donation)

If we want to be people God blesses, we must embrace and embody the characteristics described by Pail in First Thessalonians. Paul was writing to a church he had only spent about a month with, yet during that short time, he discipled them in a tremendous way. My prayer is that what we are studying will be more than information for you. It must become life-changing wisdom. Scripture tells us plainly how this church lived, what they believed, and what they were preparing for. So let's look at this passage together so we can learn from the church God loves.

First Thessalonians 4:3 declares, “God's will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.” How challenging it is to pursue holiness in our world.Tune in to hear Pastor Chuck Swindoll discuss the spiral toward sexual promiscuity, the consequences in the aftermath, and the steps toward freedom from bondage. God calls believers to pursue holiness because He has our good at heart. Renew your commitment to sexual purity today!

First Thessalonians 4:3 declares, “God's will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.” How challenging it is to pursue holiness in our world.Tune in to hear Pastor Chuck Swindoll discuss the spiral toward sexual promiscuity, the consequences in the aftermath, and the steps toward freedom from bondage. God calls believers to pursue holiness because He has our good at heart. Renew your commitment to sexual purity today!

First Thessalonians 4:3 declares, “God's will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin.” How challenging it is to pursue holiness in our world.Tune in to hear Pastor Chuck Swindoll discuss the spiral toward sexual promiscuity, the consequences in the aftermath, and the steps toward freedom from bondage. God calls believers to pursue holiness because He has our good at heart. Renew your commitment to sexual purity today!

In this session Steve introduces the apostle Paul's letters to the Thessalonians. - [28 minutes]

The sermon centers on the transformative power of surrendering one's life to God, rooted in the biblical principle that humility precedes divine blessing and pride leads to destruction. Drawing from First Thessalonians 5:16–18, it emphasizes that gratitude is not merely an emotion but a deliberate act of obedience, even in painful circumstances, as a response to God's sovereignty. The message deepens through a study of Proverbs and James, revealing pride as the root of all sin and the primary obstacle to spiritual vitality, while humility and submission to God's will open the door to His grace and protection. The preacher illustrates how pride manifests in self-reliance, resistance to God's direction, and relational strife, and calls listeners to examine their hearts, release control, and trust God with every area of life—including relationships, finances, and future plans. Ultimately, the sermon urges a life of dependence on God, where personal ambition yields to divine purpose, and true fulfillment is found not in self-fulfillment but in surrender to the Lord's will.

We explore Advent as "WAIT Training" - celebrating Jesus' first coming while anticipating His return. Living between two gardens, in the "now and not yet," presents unique challenges, especially when joy feels just out of reach.Joy is more than a feeling. Kay Warren defines it as "the settled assurance that God is in control of all the details of my life, the quiet confidence that ultimately everything is going to be all right, and the determined choice to praise God in all things."Scripture reveals Jesus as a man of great joy. People wanted Him at their parties. Children ran to Him. He came "feasting and drinking," fully engaged with life. We find joy by staying close to Jesus and abiding in His ways (John 15:10-11).We must also choose joy. James 1:2-4 calls us to "consider it pure joy" when facing trials. First Thessalonians 5:16-18 exhorts us to "rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances." Corrie Ten Boom gave thanks for fleas in a concentration camp, discovering later that those very fleas kept guards away, allowing Bible readings to continue.Sometimes we avoid joy because of its vulnerability. Nicole Zasowski reminds us that protecting ourselves through pessimism or cynicism doesn't remove the sting of potential loss - it only robs us of hope and delight. Gratitude spoken out loud helps us tolerate joy's vulnerability.We don't get exemptions from suffering, but God's grace meets us in every circumstance. As we practice this WAIT training, remember: our faithfulness in waiting matters less than God's faithfulness in coming. His Spirit offers joy right now, and our joy will be complete when Jesus returns.URF WEBSITE: ➤ http://www.urfellowship.comSOCIALS: ➤ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/urfellowship/➤ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/urfellowship

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: 1 Thess 4-5; 3 Tim 1-3 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to the Daily Radio Bible podcast for November 29th, 2025! In today's episode, Hunter invites us to journey together through 1 Thessalonians and 2 Timothy, unpacking themes of hope, resilience, and faithful living. As we continue our daily walk through Scripture, we're encouraged to let the Bible point us to the living Word—Jesus Christ—and to warm our hearts at the fire of His love. Hunter reflects on Paul's letters, urging us not to give in to spiritual escapism but to stay engaged in the work God has called us to do. You'll hear reminders about living quiet, purposeful lives, loving others well, and embracing the responsibilities we have as believers in a broken world. Today's episode closes with heartfelt prayers, a reaffirmation of our mission as God's people, and a gentle nudge to keep going—even when the journey gets tough. Whether you're seeking encouragement, practical wisdom, or simply a companion on your spiritual path, this episode offers a grounded space to reflect, pray, and remember: you are deeply loved. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Don't check out—engage with the work God has given you. Sometimes, when life gets challenging or overwhelming, we might be tempted to step back, to spiritually "check out," looking for an escape from the world's troubles. In today's reading from First Thessalonians and Second Timothy, we hear about believers in the early church who were being rattled by false teachers predicting an imminent end—telling them to abandon the daily work and wait passively for Jesus' return. History shows that this impulse toward apocalyptic escapism isn't new. But what does God actually call us to do in these moments? The apostle Paul urges us not to be idle, not to sell out or check out, but to roll up our sleeves and step forward into the calling God has placed on our lives. Yes, Jesus is coming back. Yes, the end is near. But until that day arrives, we have a purpose—a responsibility to proclaim the message of reconciliation, to invite the world to come back to God. There are people, all around us, waiting to hear, waiting to see, waiting to be set free. Paul encourages the Thessalonians, and us, to continue in love and acts of kindness, not just within the church, but as a witness in the world. He reminds us not to grow weary in doing good, not to seek justification for escapism, but to live fully the life God is calling us to. Whether it's through caring for those in need, showing respect to spiritual leaders, or living out the truth of Scripture, we are called to pursue righteousness, faithfulness, love, and peace—engaging, not withdrawing. Let the mark that distinguishes us be this: that we are people who engage. That we are a full expression of the love of God. That our lives, our families, and our communities are rooted in God's joy and strength, manifesting his kingdom here and now, even as we look ahead to his return. That's a prayer for my own soul. That's a prayer for my family, for my wife, my daughters, my son. And that's a prayer for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Click here for the DRB Daily Sign Up form! TODAY'S SCRIPTURE: Matthew 28; 1 Thess 1-3 Click HERE to give! Get Free App Here! One Year Bible Podcast: Join Hunter and Heather Barnes on 'The Daily Radio Bible' for a daily 20-minute spiritual journey. Engage with scripture readings, heartfelt devotionals, and collective prayers that draw you into the heart of God's love. Embark on this year-long voyage through the Bible, and let each day's passage uplift and inspire you. TODAY'S EPISODE: Welcome to another episode of the Daily Radio Bible! On this November 28th edition, Hunter warmly invites us to journey together through the Scriptures on day 333 of the Bible reading plan. In today's episode, we find encouragement in the powerful resurrection account from Matthew 28 and receive wisdom and comfort through the first three chapters of First Thessalonians. Hunter guides us through these impactful passages, highlighting the hope, love, and joy found in Christ, and closes with heartfelt prayers for overflowing love, strength, and gratitude. Whether you're gathering around God's Word for insight, comfort, or daily encouragement, this episode is a reminder that you are not alone—God is with you, and you are deeply loved. So grab your Bible, find a quiet spot, and join Hunter for a time of reflection, prayer, and gratitude on this beautiful day. TODAY'S DEVOTION: Grow and overflow in love. That's the prayer that is being prayed over us today in 1 Thessalonians. "May the Lord make your love for one another and for all people grow and overflow." That's the kind of heart God is seeking to cultivate in us: a heart blazing with his abundant love, pouring out not just for some but for all. And the result of this overflowing love is that we are made strong, blameless, and holy, able to stand before God our Father when our Lord Jesus comes again. But how do we get there? Hunter reminds us: it's only by our union with Christ. It is his life in us—the Living Word—who alone can grow that kind of heart. He alone can strengthen us, make us blameless and holy, because he is the source of such love and the one who holds the words of life. That's who you are now: strong, blameless, holy, because you are found in Christ. So live into that reality today. Agree with it. Say amen to it. Let your heart rise into his love. Let this prayer echo in your own soul, for your family, for your loved ones, and for all who cross your path: that God's love would grow and overflow, making hearts strong, blameless, and holy, all by the power and presence of Christ dwelling within us. Let's let this prayer shape the way we see ourselves and one another. May gratitude fill our days, may the joy of the Lord be our strength, and may we never forget this: you are loved. That's the prayer for my soul, for my family, and for you. May it be so. TODAY'S PRAYERS: Lord God Almighty and everlasting father you have brought us in safety to this new day preserve us with your Mighty power that we might not fall into sin or be overcome by adversity. And in all we do, direct us to the fulfilling of your purpose  through Jesus Christ Our Lord amen.   Oh God you have made of one blood all the peoples of the earth and sent your blessed son to preach peace to those who are far and those who are near. Grant that people everywhere may seek after you, and find you. Bring the nations into your fold, pour out your Spirit on all flesh, and hasten the coming of your kingdom through Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.   And now Lord,  make me an instrument of your peace.  Where there is hatred let me sow love. Where there is injury, pardon.  Where there is doubt, faith. Where there is despair, hope.  Where there is darkness, light.  And where there is sadness,  Joy.  Oh Lord grant that I might not seek to be consoled as to console. To be understood as to understand, to be loved as to love.  For it is in the giving that we receive, in the pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in the dying that we are born unto eternal life.  Amen And now as our Lord has taught us we are bold to pray... Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven, give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our tresspasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not unto temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen. Loving God, we give you thanks for restoring us in your image. And nourishing us with spiritual food, now send us forth as forgiven people, healed and renewed, that we may proclaim your love to the world, and continue in the risen life of Christ.  Amen.  OUR WEBSITE: www.dailyradiobible.com We are reading through the New Living Translation.   Leave us a voicemail HERE: https://www.speakpipe.com/dailyradiobible Subscribe to us at YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@Dailyradiobible/featured OTHER PODCASTS: Listen with Apple Podcast DAILY BIBLE FOR KIDS DAILY PSALMS DAILY PROVERBS DAILY LECTIONARY DAILY CHRONOLOGICAL  

Joel 1-4; Psalm 90; Proverbs 19:19-24; First Thessalonians 5

Joel 1-4; Psalm 90; Proverbs 19:19-24; First Thessalonians 5

Micah 5-7; Psalm 89; Proverbs 19:13-18; First Thessalonians 4

Micah 5-7; Psalm 89; Proverbs 19:13-18; First Thessalonians 4

Micah 1-4; Psalm 88:39-53; Proverbs 19:7-12; First Thessalonians 3