What is desired in a man is kindness, and a poor man is better than a liar.
September 2016 - Page 2 of 3 - GraceAndWorks
Do all things without complaining and disputing, that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights of the world, holding fast the word of life, so that I may rejoice in the day of Christ that I have not run in vain or labored in vain.
“O Lord, I pray, please let Your ear be attentive to the prayer of Your servant, and to the prayer of Your servants who desire to fear Your name; and let Your servant prosper this day, I pray, and grant him mercy in the sight of this man.”
We have incentives in life that keep us going. Love for others so that we might have love from them. Money is almost always an incentive. Eating right so that we may have good health. God’s love for us and His written word so that we might gain a home in Heaven with Him. I want to take a look at incentives that Paul talks about in 1st and 2nd Thessalonians.
A) Incentive for Conversion.
For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you TURNED TO GOD from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from Heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivered us from the wrath to come. 1st Thessalonians 1:9-10
B) Incentive for Faithfulness.
For what is our hope, or joy, or Crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy. 1st Thessalonians 2:19-20
C) Incentive for Love.
And may the Lord make you increase and abound in LOVE to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints. 1st Thessalonians 3:12-13
D) Incentive for Holiness.
Finally then, brethren, we urge and exhort in the Lord Jesus that you should abound more and more, just as you received from us how you ought to walk and to please God; for you know what commandments we gave you through the Lord Jesus. 1st Thessalonians 4:1-2
E) Incentive for Comforting.
For the Lord Himself will descend from Heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore COMFORT one another with these words. 1st Thessalonians 4:16-18
F) Incentive for Watchfulness.
But you, brethren, are not in darkness, so that this Day should overtake you as a thief. You are all sons of light and sons of day. We are not of the night or darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as others do, but let us WATCH and be sober. 1st Thessalonians 5:4-6
G) Incentive for Confidence.
Now may the God of peace sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it. 1st Thessalonians 5:23-24
H) Incentive for Endurance.
Since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from Heaven with His mighty angels. in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, AND on those who do not obey the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. 2nd Thessalonians 1:6-8
I) Incentive for Victory.
And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming. 2nd Thessalonians 2:8
Whatever your incentives are, make sure your incentive to get to Heaven takes priority!!
Have a good week all–SMILE God loves YOU!!
Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.
Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days. There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the Lord’s counsel–that will stand.
If a wise man contends with a foolish man, whether the fool rages or laughs, there is no peace.
And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world. Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know we are in Him. He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.
While sitting in Bible class this morning (Sunday), there was a statement made about some who think that Baptism is a “Peculiar” story. I thought to myself, why is that? Is it because it isn’t needed? Is it because it is just a dunk in the water for for no reason? Is it because I don’t want to do “That”? Just why would it be a Peculiar story? So I got to thinking about a few other “Peculiar” stories that are in the Bible.
The story of Naaman, who had leprosy. God told him to go to the river Jordan and dip seven times. Naaman did what God said and was cured of his leprosy. What if he only dipped six times? Would he have been cured? We don’t know for sure, but I doubt he would have. A “Peculiar” story? Maybe, but God told Naaman what to do, he did it, and it worked.
The story of Moses when God told him to speak to the rock and there would be water. Moses struck the rock instead. Water still occurred, however, it cost Moses his place in the promised land. He hadn’t done what God told him. A “Peculiar” story? Maybe, but God told Moses what to do and he didn’t do it. Costly mistake on Moses’s part.
The story of Lot and his wife after God had destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for immorality (Homosexuality). He told them to leave and not look back. Lot’s wife looked back and was turned into a pillar of salt. She hadn’t done what God said to do. A “Peculiar” story? Maybe, but God told them what to do and she didn’t obey Him. Costly mistake on her part.
The story of Noah and the building of the Ark. God gave him specific plans on what to use as materials and the exact size of it. Noah built it exactly as God had told him. By doing what God said, Noah saved his family and all the animals. Others were told about the flood that was coming, but didn’t do what God had said. A “Peculiar” story? Maybe, but Noah did what God said and was saved. The others–a costly mistake.
Now back to baptism. God says to repent and be baptized every one of you for the forgiveness of sins. God also says to obey my commands and I will prepare for you a place. We can see by the other stories that those who did what God says were taken care of. Those who didn’t do what God said made costly mistakes. Baptism–A “Peculiar” story? Maybe, but it appears to me that those who do what God says will be taken care and those who don’t do what God says will be making a costly mistake.
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