“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT
11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
keep building each other and yourselves up. why would you tear down something God spent his time hand building? we love to respect and look in awe at the moon, the stars, the flowers, the oceans, the mountains, and the beaches, but we are so quick to judge something that God built just as he built those things. we are made in his image. and we are fearfully and wonderfully made!
4But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
I really appreciated this word today it brought me back to mind that we have to love one another because we don’t know when TMH is coming back and to be examples for the body of Christ and try to gain as many souls as we can while we still have his breath in us.❤️
I read some commentary on Numbers 7, and I love what it said: “Clearly this was generous giving. God must show Promised-Land people how to be givers- one of the best measures of one who has moved from a slave mind-set to a Promised Land mind-set. The slave by nature is a taker, because he is often unsure of provision. Promised Land people are generous, because they trust in a God who promises to meet all their needs.” —David Guzik
Let us demonstrate the love of the Lord to those around us by trusting in the Lord’s provision and giving generously in a time of uncertainty for so many. ❤️
I love this so much. Because it pertains to now. Slaves to anything. But most recently. Slaves to fear. Are we trust God to provide, or are we scrambling and hoarding and anxious about tomorrow. Such a great picture. Thanks for sharing!
I love when I see the phrase “this is the will of God”. When we are unsure about His will for our lives, let us remember that He desires for us to rejoice, to pray, and to give thanks! (And from yesterday’s reading: our sanctification —1 Thes. 4:3)
Pray constantly and give thanks in everything. He who calls you is faithful, will also do it. Stand firm and strong on your faith and you will receive what he has in store for you. ❤️
“Jesus died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.” He didn’t need us to be perfect to give his life for us, so we don’t have to be perfect now either! That’s so comforting
Wondering what God’s will for your life is? Paul spells it out: Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Wow! 1 Thess. 5 has enough in it to keep me busy forever, I think! Respect spiritual leaders, warn the lazy, encourage the timid, care for the weak, be patient with everyone, do good to all, always be joyful, never stop praying, be thankful in all circumstances, do not stifle the Spirit or scoff at prophecies, hold on to what is good, avoid evil!
1-3 Thessalonians
How many times over time do we see people trying to predict the end of the world. So clearly no one knows. I’m ready and it’s my job to about my business being and bringing others to Christ. The peace part is so important to.
I am so very grateful for what Jesus Christ has done for me! I I don’t have to have anyone go in Gods presence for me! Through the blood of Jesus Christ he has granted me access to go on my own! Praise you Jesus, Praise you My Father!
What struck me from the passage in Numbers this morning was how freely, and how quickly they were to offer up so much, and on their own accord! like thinking back, there was a lot of earthly value in those silver and gold plates, grain and oils, the blemish free animals. And without hesitation, they give them to the Lord. Am I in a place with the Lord that I freely offer up the use of my every earthly possession?
That everything I use, I use to bring Him glory? It’s so important to hold ourselves accountable in making sure we don’t have aspects of our life that we try to “rope” off from our relationship with Christ. He wants it all, and what a joy it is to be able to offer up what little we have, and know that He is pleased, despite the fact no amount could ever do justice in even beginning to compensate Him for everything He has already given us. What a generous Father we have!!! Let’s remember to seek Him first in, and with ALL our earthly things, and situations. He lives, and He is good. Oh, how He deserves our every praise!!
Amen! This also reminds me that I am so privileged with the homie of Jesus’ sacrifice. I don’t have to bring all of these things to God in order to access or meet with or receive from Him. Jesus paid the cost! HE IS THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE!
So glad to read verse 10, “Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with him.” I’ll admit this week I’ve been sleepy through the reading, tired in my prayers, long week at work. But then as I’m dozing off in the Numbers chapter today I noticed something — every tribe brought SEVENTEEN livestock for a peace offering to God. More than any other type of offering. So cool to see how important peace must be to our God! This is why I tell my 8 year old to “live at peace with everyone she meets”, because I know this is important — until today I just didn’t realize HOW important it us to God!
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.
I’m so thankful for the people God has put in my life to lead me and help me through times of strife. I don’t know where I would be in my faith without them!
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I don’t know about you ladies but these two key points are so hard to do “Live in peace with each other…be patient with everyone.” I think I can easily check them off my “not possible list” from the moment I open my eyes! I have been broken enough to relate to so many, yet I forget to be patient so often…especially to certain family members!! I will master this for sure when my earthly body gets changed to the new, but until then, it is not an easy road…
My Bible’s note on Numbers 7 made it so much easier to read today! And really challenged me to appreciate the rituals I do to draw near to God and what I can add on to my daily life…
“Numbers 7 emphasizes the importance of ceremony through its detailed descriptions of the leaders’ repetitive offering. Though Moses could have sacred time, efforts and paper by describing just once the offering given by all twelve leaders, he lets the entire account unfold, one piece at a time- demonstrating the importance of sacred tradition.
What rituals or traditions in your life allow you to more fully experience the sacred? What small, simple rituals can you add to your life that will feed your spirit and soul?”
Just some thoughts on the Numbers passage….the carts were NOT for the Levites, they were specifically given to the other two groups to be used for carrying the pieces/parts of the tabernacle when it was moved. The Levites didn’t need carts for moving anything. The overall dimensions of the tabernacle were not huge as we would think of it, so if they had to carry parts of sacrificed animals it wasn’t very far, and when the tabernacle was moved from place to place, they carried all the furnishings on poles on their shoulders.
Hey Suzanne! Actually, my translation (NASB) says the carts were given to the Levites, just not the Kohathites. The Gershonites, Merarites, and Kohathites were all clans within the Levite tribe that had the duties of carrying the pieces of the tabernacle – but the Kohathites weren’t given carts because the carried the ark and other most holy things, and they were supposed to use poles. I’m getting all this from Numbers 3 and Exodus 25. :-)
When I’m tempted to justify my sin due to my circumstances or emotions, I need to read 1 Thes 5:23 and thank God that He WILL answer! “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I love this last chapter in Thessalonians. All of it encourages and inspires me. VS 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
That, to me, is how we need to walk with our coworkers, friends, Christian brothers and sisters. It seems so simple, but I think we often forget to do this. I’ve noticed that when I do intentionally follow this, I feel better too..because I find myself in a giving spirit.
5:24 “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass”. Like the saying, “What He calls you to, He enables you to do”. Yes, He will call me to do things that I cannot do in my own strength. But if I depend on Him, He will give grace to accomplish it.
From Thessalonians today “the one who calls you in faithful!” Seven simple words with so much impact – He is FAITHFUL! He has not left us orphans, He has not called us and left us to fight alone! He is faithful to complete His work in and through us! I forget this so often – working away in full time ministry forgetting the one who called me here, the one who has a plan and purpose for my life that is deeper and higher than the day to day tasks that fill my mind and time! Remember that old song “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face…” I need to do this more often. I need to raise my eyes from the work and look into the face of the one who has called me and chosen me and who loves me literally to death! He is faithful, always!
Rebecca I just love that song and have been meditating on it a lot lately. I love the second part of the chorus, “…and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Thank you for the reminder!
Yes! I often need this reminder! I also am often quick to try to and do things on my own, and need the reminder that He is faithful to help me if I’ll just shut up and let Him
Raise your hand if you asked the Lord to show you why He included the details of chapter 7!
*Raises hand!*
I came to the end of it, and knew I had to quickly Google a commentary as to the significance of it all.
What I was struck with was this: the presents that the princes of Israel gave in chapter 7 were not mandated by God, and yet when they were put to use, they basically made the Tabernacle work (especially thinking of the wagons that were given). The wagons would be used by the Levites to tote the sacrifices back and forth throughout the area!
Their gifts made the Tabernacle WORK!
Were they in God’s original plans for the Tabernacle? Nope.
God uses what’s in our hands.
If we are willing, He can use our laid down gifts for His glory. He didn’t mandate them, but the people’s willing offerings changed everything.
Without the gifts, the service of the Tabernacle would have looked very different.
Would the Tabernacle have failed?
Who knows.
What we do know is this: the Lord graciously used what the people offered to make one of the glorious institutions of the Old Testament work.
yes! the leaders brought their gifts by their own initiative. what a long description of their generosity too! the detailed accounting is dull, but bears witness to it’s importance. Listen up! The day to day working of the church requires resources. let’s not give our leftovers – let’s give our best, and generously.
Thank you for posting this!! Totally a hand raiser on this one, which was hard for me..I don’t like to skim God’s word, but this was a hard one for me!
So good Lydia! I got stuck on the magnificient and very costly platters, thinking why? Not because God does not deserve it, after all He is the Creator of it all, therefore it belongs to Him! I got stuck because we are told these things should never have high value… Amazing though, when placed with your shared perspective Lydia, it makes so much sense (light bulb moment for sure!). Funny how we can get lost in a small point, but if you search for the overall perspective, aligning it with GOD, it takes a different outlook all together. Even to the minute details of the Tabernacle! Amazing. Always something new revealed, to learn…
Angie, I looked it up and it means “do not live like a pagan, don’t live in a sexually immoral lifestyle, don’t live in a way that your living like the rest of the world (I.e purposefully engaged in sinful things). ”
Essentially it’s an exhortation to live righteously, to choose to do good, etc.
For example, I can quench the Spirit by choosing to watch a movie that has a sex scene in it, when I know that the sex scene is considered sexually immoral and sinful. I would be quenching the Spirit. I know it’s wrong but I do it anyways.
Anyone else wanna chime in? I don’t want to sound legalistic- that’s just my understanding/ research on that verse!
my view is that instead of forming a list of rules for ourselves or others…we should allow the Holy Spirit to do His work…and we will know what is in alignment with what our Heavenly Father desires for us.
I actually like David Guzik’s commentary (enduring word.com) on this phrase…
a. Do not quench the Spirit: We can quench the fire of the Spirit by our doubt, our indifference, our rejection of Him, or by the distraction of others. When people start to draw attention to themselves, it is a sure quench to the Spirit.
i. ” ‘Quench’ properly applies to the putting out of a flame of some sort, as that of a fire (Mark 9:48), or a lamp (Matthew 25:8). This is the only place in the New Testament where it is used in a metaphorical sense.” (Morris) Thomas says that the phrase could be more literally translated, “Stop putting out the Spirit’s fire.”
ii. Therefore, this command is based on the familiar image of the Holy Spirit as a fire or a flame. Though there is a sense in which fire cannot be created, we can provide the environment in which it can burn brightly. Yet a flame can be extinguished when it is ignored and no longer tended, or when the flame is overwhelmed by something else.
iii. “And there is a quenching of the Spirit in others as well as ourselves; people may quench it in their ministers by discouraging them, and in one another by bad examples, or reproaching the zeal and forwardness that they see in them.” (Poole)
When the Spirit tells you something is wrong and you do it anyway. Then you do it again. After a while you no longer feel the Holy Spirit leading you at all.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Since I began studying His word it is so much easier to do as this verse directs. I always prayed, but I didn’t always rejoice and I certainly did not give thanks in all circumstances! Now I can rejoice even in strife because I understand more deeply how very much our Father loves and protects us. We are so very blessed!
Life is so much easier with God as the focal point! Our shepherd in the wilderness, our compass is the storm, our light in the darkness, our GPS when we are lost.
Studying His word gives my prayers direction and my life peace.
You are so right! As I’ve gotten closer to Him, this verse is easier and easier to accomplish. I’m still not perfect at rejoicing during hardships, but I am taking your words to heart!
Amen
❤️
Rejoice always; pray without ceasing. Dear God, help me to do that! I love you!
“Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 NLT
“So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:11 NLT
9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, – 1 Thessalonians 5:9
11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
keep building each other and yourselves up. why would you tear down something God spent his time hand building? we love to respect and look in awe at the moon, the stars, the flowers, the oceans, the mountains, and the beaches, but we are so quick to judge something that God built just as he built those things. we are made in his image. and we are fearfully and wonderfully made!
11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11
1 Thes. 5:15-22 is such a good reminder of how to walk the Christian walk!
❤️
Always be thankful;
❤️
❤️
❤️
4But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness.
For God has not destined us for wrath but for salvation through Christ! What reassurance ♥️
“Admonish the idle, encourage the faint hearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” — love this
All of these scriptures were comforting today! ❤️
✔️
I really appreciated this word today it brought me back to mind that we have to love one another because we don’t know when TMH is coming back and to be examples for the body of Christ and try to gain as many souls as we can while we still have his breath in us.❤️
✅
I read some commentary on Numbers 7, and I love what it said: “Clearly this was generous giving. God must show Promised-Land people how to be givers- one of the best measures of one who has moved from a slave mind-set to a Promised Land mind-set. The slave by nature is a taker, because he is often unsure of provision. Promised Land people are generous, because they trust in a God who promises to meet all their needs.” —David Guzik
Let us demonstrate the love of the Lord to those around us by trusting in the Lord’s provision and giving generously in a time of uncertainty for so many. ❤️
I love this so much. Because it pertains to now. Slaves to anything. But most recently. Slaves to fear. Are we trust God to provide, or are we scrambling and hoarding and anxious about tomorrow. Such a great picture. Thanks for sharing!
That’s good!
16Rejoice always, 18give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 17pray without ceasing,
I love when I see the phrase “this is the will of God”. When we are unsure about His will for our lives, let us remember that He desires for us to rejoice, to pray, and to give thanks! (And from yesterday’s reading: our sanctification —1 Thes. 4:3)
❤️
Pray constantly and give thanks in everything. He who calls you is faithful, will also do it. Stand firm and strong on your faith and you will receive what he has in store for you. ❤️
“Jesus died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.” He didn’t need us to be perfect to give his life for us, so we don’t have to be perfect now either! That’s so comforting
11Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. -ellie
God who calls us is sure to sanctify us. Praise God for that as we pursue His will in rejoicing and thanksgiving.
This was really encouraging reading in Thessalonians today!!
Wondering what God’s will for your life is? Paul spells it out: Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Yes! ❤️❤️❤️
❤️
Wow! 1 Thess. 5 has enough in it to keep me busy forever, I think! Respect spiritual leaders, warn the lazy, encourage the timid, care for the weak, be patient with everyone, do good to all, always be joyful, never stop praying, be thankful in all circumstances, do not stifle the Spirit or scoff at prophecies, hold on to what is good, avoid evil!
1-3 Thessalonians
How many times over time do we see people trying to predict the end of the world. So clearly no one knows. I’m ready and it’s my job to about my business being and bringing others to Christ. The peace part is so important to.
I am so very grateful for what Jesus Christ has done for me! I I don’t have to have anyone go in Gods presence for me! Through the blood of Jesus Christ he has granted me access to go on my own! Praise you Jesus, Praise you My Father!
I still don’t understand these Old Testament chapters but it’s delightful to read the New Testament.
What struck me from the passage in Numbers this morning was how freely, and how quickly they were to offer up so much, and on their own accord! like thinking back, there was a lot of earthly value in those silver and gold plates, grain and oils, the blemish free animals. And without hesitation, they give them to the Lord. Am I in a place with the Lord that I freely offer up the use of my every earthly possession?
That everything I use, I use to bring Him glory? It’s so important to hold ourselves accountable in making sure we don’t have aspects of our life that we try to “rope” off from our relationship with Christ. He wants it all, and what a joy it is to be able to offer up what little we have, and know that He is pleased, despite the fact no amount could ever do justice in even beginning to compensate Him for everything He has already given us. What a generous Father we have!!! Let’s remember to seek Him first in, and with ALL our earthly things, and situations. He lives, and He is good. Oh, how He deserves our every praise!!
Amen!!!
Amazing Points Thank U for Those! AMEN!!!
Amen! This also reminds me that I am so privileged with the homie of Jesus’ sacrifice. I don’t have to bring all of these things to God in order to access or meet with or receive from Him. Jesus paid the cost! HE IS THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE!
Whoops. Not homie but honour lol
So glad to read verse 10, “Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep, we might live with him.” I’ll admit this week I’ve been sleepy through the reading, tired in my prayers, long week at work. But then as I’m dozing off in the Numbers chapter today I noticed something — every tribe brought SEVENTEEN livestock for a peace offering to God. More than any other type of offering. So cool to see how important peace must be to our God! This is why I tell my 8 year old to “live at peace with everyone she meets”, because I know this is important — until today I just didn’t realize HOW important it us to God!
Numbers
Lift each other up. Powerful!
12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.
I’m so thankful for the people God has put in my life to lead me and help me through times of strife. I don’t know where I would be in my faith without them!
Amen. 1 thess 5.23
“Children of the light” it’s nice to be reminded that I am a child of His and I belong to He who is light!
1 thess 5:5
23 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This was my favorite part too!
I don’t know about you ladies but these two key points are so hard to do “Live in peace with each other…be patient with everyone.” I think I can easily check them off my “not possible list” from the moment I open my eyes! I have been broken enough to relate to so many, yet I forget to be patient so often…especially to certain family members!! I will master this for sure when my earthly body gets changed to the new, but until then, it is not an easy road…
I didn’t either Sara! I love it!
My Bible’s note on Numbers 7 made it so much easier to read today! And really challenged me to appreciate the rituals I do to draw near to God and what I can add on to my daily life…
“Numbers 7 emphasizes the importance of ceremony through its detailed descriptions of the leaders’ repetitive offering. Though Moses could have sacred time, efforts and paper by describing just once the offering given by all twelve leaders, he lets the entire account unfold, one piece at a time- demonstrating the importance of sacred tradition.
What rituals or traditions in your life allow you to more fully experience the sacred? What small, simple rituals can you add to your life that will feed your spirit and soul?”
Great note! This really helped me understand it more! Thanks for sharing!
Just some thoughts on the Numbers passage….the carts were NOT for the Levites, they were specifically given to the other two groups to be used for carrying the pieces/parts of the tabernacle when it was moved. The Levites didn’t need carts for moving anything. The overall dimensions of the tabernacle were not huge as we would think of it, so if they had to carry parts of sacrificed animals it wasn’t very far, and when the tabernacle was moved from place to place, they carried all the furnishings on poles on their shoulders.
Hey Suzanne! Actually, my translation (NASB) says the carts were given to the Levites, just not the Kohathites. The Gershonites, Merarites, and Kohathites were all clans within the Levite tribe that had the duties of carrying the pieces of the tabernacle – but the Kohathites weren’t given carts because the carried the ark and other most holy things, and they were supposed to use poles. I’m getting all this from Numbers 3 and Exodus 25. :-)
you’re right, just in my mind Levites is the priestly group. sometimes I forget it’s the other two clans also!
When I’m tempted to justify my sin due to my circumstances or emotions, I need to read 1 Thes 5:23 and thank God that He WILL answer! “Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Amen Katie! What an encouraging verse…thank you for pointing that out. I needed to see it today!
I love this last chapter in Thessalonians. All of it encourages and inspires me. VS 5:11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
That, to me, is how we need to walk with our coworkers, friends, Christian brothers and sisters. It seems so simple, but I think we often forget to do this. I’ve noticed that when I do intentionally follow this, I feel better too..because I find myself in a giving spirit.
I never realized how much encouragement was in Thessalonians! I love the truth and direction that we find here <3
5:24 “Faithful is He who calls you, and He also will bring it to pass”. Like the saying, “What He calls you to, He enables you to do”. Yes, He will call me to do things that I cannot do in my own strength. But if I depend on Him, He will give grace to accomplish it.
From Thessalonians today “the one who calls you in faithful!” Seven simple words with so much impact – He is FAITHFUL! He has not left us orphans, He has not called us and left us to fight alone! He is faithful to complete His work in and through us! I forget this so often – working away in full time ministry forgetting the one who called me here, the one who has a plan and purpose for my life that is deeper and higher than the day to day tasks that fill my mind and time! Remember that old song “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in His wonderful face…” I need to do this more often. I need to raise my eyes from the work and look into the face of the one who has called me and chosen me and who loves me literally to death! He is faithful, always!
Rebecca I just love that song and have been meditating on it a lot lately. I love the second part of the chorus, “…and the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of His glory and grace.” Thank you for the reminder!
Yes! I often need this reminder! I also am often quick to try to and do things on my own, and need the reminder that He is faithful to help me if I’ll just shut up and let Him
Raise your hand if you asked the Lord to show you why He included the details of chapter 7!
*Raises hand!*
I came to the end of it, and knew I had to quickly Google a commentary as to the significance of it all.
What I was struck with was this: the presents that the princes of Israel gave in chapter 7 were not mandated by God, and yet when they were put to use, they basically made the Tabernacle work (especially thinking of the wagons that were given). The wagons would be used by the Levites to tote the sacrifices back and forth throughout the area!
Their gifts made the Tabernacle WORK!
Were they in God’s original plans for the Tabernacle? Nope.
God uses what’s in our hands.
If we are willing, He can use our laid down gifts for His glory. He didn’t mandate them, but the people’s willing offerings changed everything.
Without the gifts, the service of the Tabernacle would have looked very different.
Would the Tabernacle have failed?
Who knows.
What we do know is this: the Lord graciously used what the people offered to make one of the glorious institutions of the Old Testament work.
He is so good!
I definitely raised my hand!! I love what you found! Thanks for sharing :)
yes! the leaders brought their gifts by their own initiative. what a long description of their generosity too! the detailed accounting is dull, but bears witness to it’s importance. Listen up! The day to day working of the church requires resources. let’s not give our leftovers – let’s give our best, and generously.
Thank you for posting this!! Totally a hand raiser on this one, which was hard for me..I don’t like to skim God’s word, but this was a hard one for me!
Am I the only one who heard “The 12 Days of Christmas” music in my head as I read all the repeating gifts!?
I got stuck too ahead to create the funny visual, but your point made me smile…
YES lol I actually did!!!!
So good Lydia! I got stuck on the magnificient and very costly platters, thinking why? Not because God does not deserve it, after all He is the Creator of it all, therefore it belongs to Him! I got stuck because we are told these things should never have high value… Amazing though, when placed with your shared perspective Lydia, it makes so much sense (light bulb moment for sure!). Funny how we can get lost in a small point, but if you search for the overall perspective, aligning it with GOD, it takes a different outlook all together. Even to the minute details of the Tabernacle! Amazing. Always something new revealed, to learn…
Great point and reminder! God doesn’t need us, but He graciously gifts us what is needed so we can help in His plan
What did they mean when they said DO NOT QUENCH THE SPIRIT?
what I’m getting from my study…do not put out the light/flame of the holy spirit by doing what we know is wrong. v20 reject every kind of evil
someone correct me if I’m wrong lol new to studying the bible =)
Angie, I looked it up and it means “do not live like a pagan, don’t live in a sexually immoral lifestyle, don’t live in a way that your living like the rest of the world (I.e purposefully engaged in sinful things). ”
Essentially it’s an exhortation to live righteously, to choose to do good, etc.
For example, I can quench the Spirit by choosing to watch a movie that has a sex scene in it, when I know that the sex scene is considered sexually immoral and sinful. I would be quenching the Spirit. I know it’s wrong but I do it anyways.
Anyone else wanna chime in? I don’t want to sound legalistic- that’s just my understanding/ research on that verse!
my view is that instead of forming a list of rules for ourselves or others…we should allow the Holy Spirit to do His work…and we will know what is in alignment with what our Heavenly Father desires for us.
I actually like David Guzik’s commentary (enduring word.com) on this phrase…
a. Do not quench the Spirit: We can quench the fire of the Spirit by our doubt, our indifference, our rejection of Him, or by the distraction of others. When people start to draw attention to themselves, it is a sure quench to the Spirit.
i. ” ‘Quench’ properly applies to the putting out of a flame of some sort, as that of a fire (Mark 9:48), or a lamp (Matthew 25:8). This is the only place in the New Testament where it is used in a metaphorical sense.” (Morris) Thomas says that the phrase could be more literally translated, “Stop putting out the Spirit’s fire.”
ii. Therefore, this command is based on the familiar image of the Holy Spirit as a fire or a flame. Though there is a sense in which fire cannot be created, we can provide the environment in which it can burn brightly. Yet a flame can be extinguished when it is ignored and no longer tended, or when the flame is overwhelmed by something else.
iii. “And there is a quenching of the Spirit in others as well as ourselves; people may quench it in their ministers by discouraging them, and in one another by bad examples, or reproaching the zeal and forwardness that they see in them.” (Poole)
Thank you both for your response- it has given me clarity
When the Spirit tells you something is wrong and you do it anyway. Then you do it again. After a while you no longer feel the Holy Spirit leading you at all.
16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Since I began studying His word it is so much easier to do as this verse directs. I always prayed, but I didn’t always rejoice and I certainly did not give thanks in all circumstances! Now I can rejoice even in strife because I understand more deeply how very much our Father loves and protects us. We are so very blessed!
Life is so much easier with God as the focal point! Our shepherd in the wilderness, our compass is the storm, our light in the darkness, our GPS when we are lost.
Studying His word gives my prayers direction and my life peace.
You are so right! As I’ve gotten closer to Him, this verse is easier and easier to accomplish. I’m still not perfect at rejoicing during hardships, but I am taking your words to heart!
You literally just spoke the words right out of my mouth. It is so chilling because I know that THAT is God at work! Remain blessed!