Today’s Podcast
Today’s Scriptures
Today’s Bible reading plans include:
Ready – 1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
Set – 1 Thessalonians 4; 2 Thessalonians 3
Go! – 1 Thessalonians 4-5; 2 Thessalonians 1-3
1 Thessalonians 4:1-12
1So finally, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus, we ask you, we beg you to remember what we have taught you: live a life that is pleasing to God as you are already doing. Yes, we urge you to keep living and thriving in that life! 2 For you know the instructions we gave you, instructions that came through the Lord Jesus. 3 Now this is God’s will for you: set yourselves apart and live holy lives; avoid polluting yourselves with sexual defilement. 4 Learn how to take charge over your own body, maintaining purity and honor. 5 Don’t let the swells of lustful passion run your life as they do the outsiders who don’t know God. 6 Don’t violate or take advantage of a fellow believer in such matters. As we told you before and warned you: the Lord will settle the score with anyone who does these things. 7 Here’s why: God does not call us to live impure, adulterous, scandalous lives, but to seek holiness and purity. 8 If you ignore this message, then you’re not only rejecting us but you’re rejecting God, the One who has given His Holy Spirit to live in you.
9 Now there’s no need for us to send you instructions on caring for your faith family because God Himself has already taught you how to love outside yourselves. 10 And it’s evident you learned that lesson well by the way you love all the people of Macedonia. Brothers and sisters, we urge you to love even more 11 and make it your goal to lead a peaceful life, mind your own business, and keep your hands busy in your work, as we have instructed you. 12 That way you will live peacefully with those on the outside, and all your needs will be met without depending on others.
Today’s Devotional
From today’s background scripture God might say:
Paul summed up his teaching with a good motto you should remember. Live a life that is pleasing to Me. He goes on to tell give you a few examples of what that means, but the bottom line rests in that simple motto. Live a life that is pleasing to Me. Too many times I see people trying to live their lives to please other people instead of pleasing Me. They look to make other people happy.
The problem is that it doesn’t work. You can make a few people happy, but when you make one person happy you make others mad. You can never please everyone. People are too fickle in their emotions, wants, and wishes. No matter what you do to please them, it will never be enough. People will always want something more. So you cannot please people. You’ll find yourself disappointed and frustrated in your efforts.
Pleasing people won’t matter in the end, anyway. It’s not people who will judge your actions when you give an account of yourself at the end of time. I will be the one to judge you, not them. People cannot judge fairly. Only I can. So you will give an account of yourself to Me and Me alone. So if that is true, then why would you want to please people instead of pleasing Me. Wouldn’t you want to please the one who will judge your performance in the end?
So, there we are. Paul’s summation. He got it absolutely right. Please Me and your life will be on the right path. You will love others if you live to please Me. You will live a holy life if you please Me. You will live a moral life to please Me. To please Me, you will live generously and care for the needs of others. You will avoid sexual immorality and learn how to take charge of your own body. You will do all those things Paul talks about if you live a life to please Me.
In doing all those things, though, you’ll find it won’t be a burden to you, because in pleasing Me you’ll find you do it because of love, not duty. You’ll find love the driving factor in your life as you love Me and others. It’s a life of love that pleases Me, you see, not a life of rules and duty. So as you do the things I’ve talked about, you’ll love unconditionally. You’ll love Me and you’ll love others. You’ll love more than you can dream you can. You’ll please Me in doing so because I am love. And that’s it. Love to please Me.
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