February 25, 2025 CALLED TO BE PROACTIVE
1 THESSALONIANS 5:14-15 “ And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with all men. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Let’s face it. Sometimes, believers get out of line-they do things, say things, and have attitudes that are unlike Christ. The apostle Paul was quick to deal with and correct those who were living contrary to the gospel. The early believers lived in community where issues of the brothers and sisters were addressed. In our culture, we live more separated lives-and that is to our detriment in many ways. Also, in our culture, we are hesitant to intrude into the life of another; we are private; even though there are times we should speak into someone’s life, we are hesitant or even choose not to because of our privacy mindset. Anyway, even in our culture, may we learn how to admonish the unruly in a God-loving way; AND let us be willing to be corrected or admonished when we need it. As we read through this passage, we see that as believers, we are called to action. We must remember that life in the kingdom of God has it’s own ‘ways and means;’ it is unlike life lived according to the ways of the world. Life in the kingdom of God is a proactive life and it’s a life that reflects the character and nature of God. From these verse we learn that we are to be helpers-helping those who are having a difficult time-the fainthearted and those who are weak. Jesus ‘went about doing good;’ His love and compassion for all led Him to action. Just as Jesus was patient, we are to be patient with all people. We should discourage anyone (including ourselves) from repaying another with evil for evil. Instead, we should be seeking that which is good for others. When we have the heart of God leading us, we can and we will rejoice because of what He is doing in and through us. We should live with an attitude of prayer-presenting our request to Him and asking Him use us to bless others. This passage is not an exhaustive list of things we are to be about, but it does give us some clear understanding of the kind of things we should be proactive in; to be inactive in the things of God is something we must not be guilty of.
Matthew 7:24 “Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
John 13:17 “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
Blessing, Buddy
1 THESSALONIANS 5:14-15 “ And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with all men. See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all men. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”
Let’s face it. Sometimes, believers get out of line-they do things, say things, and have attitudes that are unlike Christ. The apostle Paul was quick to deal with and correct those who were living contrary to the gospel. The early believers lived in community where issues of the brothers and sisters were addressed. In our culture, we live more separated lives-and that is to our detriment in many ways. Also, in our culture, we are hesitant to intrude into the life of another; we are private; even though there are times we should speak into someone’s life, we are hesitant or even choose not to because of our privacy mindset. Anyway, even in our culture, may we learn how to admonish the unruly in a God-loving way; AND let us be willing to be corrected or admonished when we need it. As we read through this passage, we see that as believers, we are called to action. We must remember that life in the kingdom of God has it’s own ‘ways and means;’ it is unlike life lived according to the ways of the world. Life in the kingdom of God is a proactive life and it’s a life that reflects the character and nature of God. From these verse we learn that we are to be helpers-helping those who are having a difficult time-the fainthearted and those who are weak. Jesus ‘went about doing good;’ His love and compassion for all led Him to action. Just as Jesus was patient, we are to be patient with all people. We should discourage anyone (including ourselves) from repaying another with evil for evil. Instead, we should be seeking that which is good for others. When we have the heart of God leading us, we can and we will rejoice because of what He is doing in and through us. We should live with an attitude of prayer-presenting our request to Him and asking Him use us to bless others. This passage is not an exhaustive list of things we are to be about, but it does give us some clear understanding of the kind of things we should be proactive in; to be inactive in the things of God is something we must not be guilty of.
Matthew 7:24 “Everyone then who hears these words of Mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock.”
John 13:17 “If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.”
Blessing, Buddy
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