1 Thes 5:14-18 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them
that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient
toward all men. See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever
follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men. Rejoice
evermore. Pray without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the
will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
The apostle Paul's epistle to the Thessalonians contains
clear and powerful exhortations concerning the will of God for believers.
These exhortations express the specific will of God in relationships with
others, with ourselves, and with the Lord. Packed into these short verses
are patterns of life and behavior which receive His blessing in all these
relationships.
"Warn them that are unruly"
; people who are idle,
undisciplined, pleasure seeking, need to know the danger they are in.
"Comfort the feebleminded"
; comfort
people who are disheartened; come alongside them with brotherly affection
and encouraging words, and pray for them.
"Support the weak"
; our natural
tendency is to despise and neglect weaker people, to stay away from them
since they have nothing to offer us, and can damage our reputation. Yeshua
(Jesus) says no, find them, and lift them up however you can.
"Be patient toward all men";
realizing how patient God is
with you, and that "patient" is the first thing that love is, [1 Cor.
13:4]. It means waiting in love and hope, with prayer, for people to see
what they need to see, do what they need to do, change how they need to
change.
"See that none render evil for evil;"
do not allow evil men in this world to corrupt your own behavior and
character. This is a constant temptation throughout life because evil
people are everywhere, including the church.
"Follow that which is good"
; being and doing good of every
kind is our lifelong mandate as believers; there are millions of ways to
obey it. This is God's will for us toward all men – even those who don't
deserve it!
"Rejoice evermore"
; Yeshua has
rescued your eternity from unspeakable misery and pain to everlasting joy
and pleasure. The constant reality of your life is undergirded by an
ecstatic future forever. You can afford to be quite happy about it.
"Pray without ceasing"
; 'impossible',
you say. Given the fact that your relationship with the Lord is wide open
to communication with Him 24/7, why not continually include Him in your
words and thoughts?
"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of
God in Christ Jesus concerning you"
; gratitude is a life
saver, apart from being the most appropriate response to having been
created, redeemed, and blessed by our loving Lord. Thankfulness in all
things turns you into the beautiful soul your were intended to be.
Gratitude in the midst of suffering is a special perfume for the
Lord.
The will of God is not so hard to
figure out when we read these simple statements. Just obeying these
exhortations is enough to do for a lifetime. Wherever the Lord calls you,
He calls you to this lifestyle. God's Holy Spirit inspired these words, and
He alone gives the power to carry them out. Our part is to believe and act,
He will fill us as we do.(George, Baht Rivka, Elianna & Obadiah)
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