It is important that we keep watchful! For Jesus could come back at any moment. Am I anticipating that it could happen today? Unfortunately, I find too often that I'm wrapped up in the happenings of today and what's happening tomorrow and never even stop to consider that He could come back today. I wonder how different my life would be if I lived everyday with that kind of anticipation. Lord, help me to remember! Help me to seek to live as if you were coming back today!
Let us (Christians) watch and be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,
So what shall we do as we anticipate the Lord's coming? Put on the breastplate of faith and love and the helmet of hope of salvation. My faith is in His righteousness and the propitiation for my sins. My love is for the Lord Jesus and because of my love for Him, I should love others more and more. And my hope is in His promises that if I repent and trust in Him, I will be saved from the wrath of God and made an heir to the Kingdom of God.
Recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you (pastors). Esteem them very highly in love.
I thank God for our pastor! He has the heart of a true shepherd and I praise God for how we are all growing in the Lord! I can't imagine how difficult it is to be a pastor. But I know God's grace is there when you need it and for the calling that He's given.
Be at peace among yourselves:
Oh, how we tend to fuss and argue with one another over trivial things. Lord, help your children to get along. I'm reminded of my own children and how they fuss and argue over little things that they should overlook. I pray for my brothers and sisters at church that we would all be at peace among ourselves. I cherish the unity we share. But I know how wily the devil is. Protect us, dear Lord.
Words to live by:
Warn those who are unruly (Those who are out of line.)
Comfort the fainthearted (Those engulfed in worry/fear)
Uphold the weak
Be patient with all.
Don't render evil for evil to anyone
Always pursue what is good for yourself and for all
Rejoice always
Pray without ceasing (persistent and regularly)
Give thanks in everything
Do not quench the Spirit (sin)
Do not despise prophesies (MacArthur says scripture. But I'm not sure about that.)
Test all things
Hold fast what is good
Abstain from every form of evil.
I think I would do well to memorize this list. If I did all that, I know the Lord would be glorified. And that is my goal.
May God sanctify you completely. He who calls you is faithful and also will do it
Another verse on perseverance of the saints. It is God who sanctifies His elect, and because He is faithful, he will preserve them to the end.
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