Feeding through Thessalonians . . .

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1 Thessalonians 1:1 starts with "Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy" > so, three people were involved in sending this letter - - however this worked, for inspiration. Paul was not by himself, and he well understood that he needed his brothers and sisters. We also need each other; what we do is in connection with the love and prayer and example of our others who help and support us.

So, this has been good for me to realize, since I have been a more obviously abusive person as a kid and then a loner and a loser even while I was religious. So, I have needed much correction, not only of basic moral sinning but anti-social ways. Now I have example people whom I so appreciate and love, who are examples for me of how to love, how to be real with God

So, when I read this, my attention can be more to how the word feeds me to love, correcting me, encouraging me to be more personal and intimate with God and feeling for others and sharing, instead of just doing sacrificial things but not personally caring.

And not only trying to impress people.

So, please share, however is good for you

 

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Also in 1 Thessalonians 1:1 >

"Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ."

Before saying all that he does in this letter, Paul starts by ministering God's own grace and peace, here. So, instead of just jumping into the letter and looking for insights and information, it is good to first stop, here, and submit to how God gives us His grace and peace of His love. This grace and peace gives us the living meaning of the words, deeper than the words . . . the love meaning which is in God's grace. I understand that grace, here, includes how God's love effects us in our character >

"Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17)

The grace of God's love cures our nature so that we grow to be "as He is" "in this world."

And in His grace and peace we have His personal ruling in each of our "hearts" >

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

And Paul has the apostolic authority and power to minister this to us, deeper than the words of this letter.

"Therefore submit to God." (in James 4:7)

 

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"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers," (1 Thessalonians 1:2)

The "thanks" is to God.

Ones might give themselves credit that they chose Jesus and obey Him.

"But God be thanked that though you were slaves to sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered." (Romans 6:17)

It says the thanks is to God, that we have obeyed "from the heart". My heart was evil, "desperately wicked", God's word says, in Jeremiah 17:9, and "deceitful above all things". The thanks is to God, how I changed to trust in Jesus (Ephesians 1:12). His grace changed my heart so I trusted in Jesus.

And now His grace includes the effect of His love in me, to correct me (Hebrews 12:6-11) and transform me so I am more how His love is (1 John 4:17). His grace has me become better than I can try to make myself become and "choose" to become. So, I don't think "free will" or "predestination" go "far enough". Every moment, we need how God's grace of His love effects us and has us becoming better than we can try to make ourselves be. And His grace has us doing better than we could know to choose to do, I keep finding, as we flow with Him > "according to His working which works in me mightily." (in Colossians 1:29)

"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

 

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"For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance, as you know what kind of men we were among you for your sake." (1 Thessalonians 1:5)

From this, I see that the Holy Spirit demonstrated what God means by His message. We get His word, and in us He does what He means.

And Paul says they knew "what kind of men we were among you for your sake."

So, it looks like they knew Paul and Silvanus and Timothy personally. They were examples of all they were preaching >

"nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3)

I would say an example leader is someone you know personally, so you can feed on his or her real-life example. So, it is so important to find whom God trusts to lead us, and obey howsoever He has an approved leader rule us > Hebrews 13:17.

So, the Holy Spirit used Paul and others to demonstrate how a person becomes as a child of God and loving.

And the ones giving this message talk about how "we were among you for your sake."

So, they were there for the sake of the Thessalonians, for their good, not only for religious purposes and for what they could use the Thessalonians to get for themselves. They were not promoters of business trying to get money.

And this is how I need to love . . . not to try to use anyone just for what I want. If I love my lady friend, I need to do things for her sake, her good. But to me it looks like some number of Christians, even, seek someone to marry for their own sakes, and not really first for the sake of pleasing our Father and with attention to the good of whoever they marry. And so ones could be trying to use someone, and I now understand that loving does not have us using people.

 

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"you became examples" (in 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7)

The Thessalonians became "examples" because of the ministering of Paul and whoever was ministering with him. They did not just get saved for themselves, but became examples of how to get with God and submit to Him and how He has us loving as family and in our outreach to any and all people who do not have Jesus. As examples, they could be cups running over to help others to become the way they were with God.

And, of course, we all need to grow more and get more correction and maturing, always needing this more. So, part of our example is how we show people how God is changing us, correcting us, maturing us into even more and better intimacy with God, obedience in His peace (Colossians 3:15), being beautiful in His love's "incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (in 1 Peter 3:4) We are about pleasing our Father, by being pleasing in His love's "gentle and quiet spirit".

And we are examples of how to relate as family in Jesus while also reaching in caring and adoptive love to any and all people who have not trusted in Jesus.

So, Christian ministry produces example-samples of how a person becomes because of Jesus and God's love changing our hearts.

 

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So, yes God's word is good, but we need examples who are the meaning of His word, showing what God's word means that God does with us.

 

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"we do not need to say anything" (in 1 Thessalonians 1:8)

After Paul and others had ministered to the Thessalonians, God blessed them so they could speak the word so well, I can see here, that "even" Paul and his companions in ministry did not need to clarify or add to all the Thessalonians could share. This is because God is the One who brings real results of ministering, no need for us to possess and babysit people into what we can look for, for "results" and our church records!! >

"nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3)

But someone might say, oh I am shy and I don't know the Bible. Well, my lady friend says things like this, but whenever she says some little thing . . . it has the wisdom of love which is better than intellectual ability and knowledge from study.

"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment." (Philippians 1:9)

God's love gives any child of His not only Bible bookworm knowledge, but deeper "knowledge and all discernment" > possibly this includes knowledge plus the wisdom to know what to do with it Plus, in God's love we have His light to have us seeing people and things the way love has us seeing.

 

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1 Thessalonians 1:10 >

"and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come."

> "and to wait for His Son from heaven,"

So, yes, we are waiting for Jesus 'from heaven'".

Our Father has given us His own Son Jesus. He does not desire to give us any less than Jesus His own Son; because "God is love" (in 1 John 4:8&16). I see, from this, how if we really love, we are ready to give all our best and to share all as family with any person, at all, like how our Heavenly Father has given His own Son and desires for each of us to so share with Him as family. So we need how You change us into Your own love's character, and this so we discover Your way of loving.

Also, if people don't want the very best who is Jesus and His way of loving, there is no second-best blessing > there is only hell; so I see that hell is included in how God is love; because it shows that God won't have what is second-best for us His children. It's Jesus or nothing.

Also - - Jesus says, "if you love those who love you, what reward have you?" in Matthew 5:46. But, of course, there are a lot of people who do not desire to share with us as family in Jesus; yet, in God's love we stay ready for any person, at all, to become adopted to join us, how God is able to change any person, at all. So, it is important that in prayer we get prepared by God so we are ready to love any person, at all, in case He adopts any evil and impossible person.

> "whom He raised from the dead,"

Our Father raised His own Son Jesus "from the dead".

> "even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come."

So, Jesus Himself "delivers us from the wrath to come." We are not delivered by anything or anyone else; and we certainly are not delivered by our own efforts, but Jesus Himself "delivers us".

So, this verse says we are waiting for Jesus, and that God raised Jesus from the dead, and Jesus "delivers us from the wrath to come." I would say these are things the Thessalonians already knew. After all, this letter says the Thessalonians have been speaking this message of God so that "we do not need to say anything." (1 Thessalonians 1:8)

The Thessalonians were even "examples" (1 Thessalonians 1:7); yet, these things were written to them who were already giving God's message to others. So, why would God have "Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy" write things to example Christian people like the Thessalonians who already knew these things?

Good to see you God bless you

Bill

 

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So, why would God have "Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy" write things to example Christian people like the Thessalonians who already knew these things?

Because God's word is food; we do not just know it, but feed on it

And we grow in how we do it.

"'So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
. It shall not return to Me void,
. But it shall accomplish what I please,
. And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.'"
. . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . . . (Isaiah 55:11)

His word is now accomplishing all He pleases . . . how He understands His word. So, we feed on the same words, and discover what His word does with us . . . as we grow and discover.

"And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment." (Philippians 1:9)

As we grow in His love, we more and better discover all His word means to Him.

 

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"But even after we had suffered before and were spitefully treated at Philippi, as you know, we were bold in our God to speak to you the gospel of God in much conflict." (1 Thessalonians 2:2)

So, even though they were treated badly for preaching God's word, they kept on. They did not let evil decide what they did.

So, like this, it is good to not allow evil to decide how we see things and what we do.

By the way, our own bad track record is evil which we need to not let decide what we do and what we think we can do; even if you are sure you can't do some thing . . . God is able to have you do that thing better than you think you can try to do it!

"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:21)

So, with God we can overcome any evil, at all. We as Jesus people are not on the defense, but in love's offense. Even while Jesus was suffering and dying for us, He kept on doing loving things, always succeeding in loving. He prayed forgiveness to people (Luke 23:34) and then He received one of those criminals who were hanging right next to Him. Also, Jesus took care of His mother > John 19:25-27 > so, Jesus took care of family loving things, right while all the evil was being done to Him ! ! !

And if you read Genesis 37-50, you can see how Joseph had such evil done to him; yet, he did loving things, including family caring and sharing with those brothers who had sold him into slavery in Egypt, and had so betrayed their own father by keeping him thinking and feeling that his son was dead . . . for years suffering like that; yet, Joseph did things to help many people to live, plus he did things in God's family way of loving with those brothers.

About how evil can effect our emotions and feelings > we need to not let wrong people and things have power over us to decide how we are and if we keep suffering and what we do. We need to not be victims of our problem things, but with God use our things to bring us to loving . . . like how Joseph used his situation to bring himself and his brothers into family loving. Even if others refuse this, be ready, in prayer, because God will not have our love go to waste > He will bring us together with the ones He pleases to trust us with, people who with Him we can adopt for our family loving in Jesus.

But I am not perfect about this; but when I do give in to how wrong people and my past can effect me, I pray for God to correct me so I am in the character of His love which has almighty power against cruel and sin-sick stuff in me.

"There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love." (1 John 4:18)

Paul and Silvanus and Timothy did not let fear decide if they kept on.

 

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"But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts." (1 Thessalonians 2:4)

Paul and Silvanus and Timothy knew God approved them, and He trusted them with preaching the gospel.

Each of us has what God would approve us to do. So, we can pray and submit to God so we discover what He has us do. This would go for everything . . . every moment; why do anything without our Father and His personal leading and guiding, in His love where we have Him personally sharing with us and guiding us?

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

In the ruling of God's own peace, we "continually" (Isaiah 58:11) have His guiding to do what He really wants us to do. And this is a "we" thing, all of us together "in one body". What goes for Paul and Silvanus and Timothy is our example of what goes for all of us. We are all together, helping one another. So, even if we might not be perfect at this and might not know for sure what God wants us to do, He does want us to so share with Him and He is able to change us so we are more and more constantly submissive to Him in His peace ruling us in our "hearts" > this is so very personal, right in our "hearts" to be ruled by God all the time, for everything.

For me personally, if I do not know what God wants me to do, at any moment, I can be still and trust God to get me into His peace . . . correct me and adjust me and tune me so I am in His peace . . . then discover what He has me doing . . . flowing with Him. Paul says "striving according to His working which works in me mightily," in Colossians 1:29.

And we also, like Paul and Silvanus and Timothy, will discover how God trusts us. Basically, God is trusting each of us to submit to Him, seek His correction, so we are each personally ruled by His own peace. And He is trusting us with each and every person in our lives, to love any and all people, doing the good which He has us doing to love every person. He trusts us to take personal interest in every one, seeking for however He will adopt anyone to become our Jesus brother or sister and share and care as family with one another.

This is how Paul and Silvanus and Timothy related with the Thessalonians . . . as our example; I think that in the next verses we will be able to see this. Thank You so much, God our Father, how You have so much more for us than we as humans would ever think up and desire. You are so better than we are; and so You expect so much better; plus, You so superior are easily able to change us and have us loving with You the way You desire. So . . . amen ! ! !

Yes, we now may not be "spiritual enough" to get ourselves to do this, but God is spiritual enough and powerful enough to so win in us and make Himself at home in us

 

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"not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts." (in 1 Thessalonians 2:4)

So, Paul and Silvanus and Timothy were not trying to please people. They were not trying to bribe and charm people, in order to use them for what they wanted. Love does not have us trying to use people. But first we are interested in people being saved, adopted to become our own Jesus family in personal and intimate caring and sharing with us; as much as we are living God's love, we are like this.

And we seek for all of us to grow in being in the image of Jesus. God in us has us laboring like this, like Paul our example says he did >

"Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus. To this end I also labor, striving according to His working which works in me mightily." (Colossians 1:28-29)

So, we stay busy with what God in us has us doing, not only trying to please and use and control people for what we want.

It can help us, as we go through things, to simply know we are not here to please people. We do not need to please people, in order to get all that is good for us; plus, we do not need to please evil and dangerous people, in order to be safe > we have God to care for us and protect us >

"casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." (1 Peter 5:7)

God our Father cares about us more than we care about ourselves. So, we can rest in trusting You and discover how You care for us and have things work out better than we could try to have things go - - including in dealing with impossible and even dangerous people > even "in the presence of my enemies" (in Psalm 23:5) I can have all You have prepared and share with us, of Your own table. But this comes especially in obeying how You rule us in Your peace >

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

This is how personally interested our Heavenly Father is, in each of us, that He desires to rule every one of us in our "hearts", with His very own peace.

And "God who tests our hearts" (1 Thessalonians 2:4) is constantly aware of if we are being humble and obedient in His peace, or if we are "elsewhere". If we get away in ego, "God resists the proud," we have in James 4:6 and also in 1 Peter 5:5. While we are not humble and obedient in His peace, He resists us personally, spiritually, I understand, plus He in His all-control can arrange for "things" to mess with what we are doing in pride and ego, in order to slow us down and even knock us off track . . . so we do not keep going in the direction Satan and his evil spirit (Ephesians 2:2) is taking us in our ego's self-willing.

And then, when we react by getting frustrated and hurt and bitter and unforgiving and nasty and angry reacting, this is proof of whose spirit is "behind" what we are doing not with God. Also, stress and burn-out and fear and worry can be signs of how we are not obeying how our Father would be ruling us in His own peace. We need to obey how God takes care of us; and if we prayerfully obey how God rules us and cares for us in our hearts, "the peace of God which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus." (in Philippians 4:6-7). Therefore, when we start getting negative inside of us, we need to stop and wait on God to correct us and restore us into sweet and sensitive and intimate sharing with Him in His love, and then discover what He has us doing with Him and each other.

 

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"For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness---God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ." (1 Thessalonians 2:5-6)

They did not use flattery; also, they knew God so they knew better than to seek glory from humans so less than God and who have so little to offer, in comparison with how God is blessing us. And they might have made demands, since they are apostles; but they know God gives us so much more than we could demand from people!!! So, why would we be looking to and demanding from people!

And, "of course", they were more about loving and caring for the Thessalonians, so they did not want to just use them >

"But we were gentle among you, just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children." (1 Thessalonians 2:7)

They say they did not flatter and they did not seek glory from people and did not make demands . . . but they were "gentle" instead of being covetous and controlling. So, this being "gentle" is the opposite of being covetous and controlling, and is our example of how to be with people . . . caring instead of wanting to use people.

It then says they were "gentle" by being like "a nursing mother who cherishes her own children." So, their being gentle is not only being easy in tone of voice and how carefully you physically touch a person or handle a thing, but being gentle has to do with how we are affectionate and cherishing in our Father's family love with one another. It's how we are, not just how we act > cherishing, "tenderhearted" >

"Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:31-32)

The rain is coming down, softly . . . gently . . . soaking in. Like this, we are softly and caringly loving, allowing our example to minister love to soak into others This we can not force, and this matters so much more than getting things we could want from each other.

 

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"So, affectionately longing for you, we were well pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God, but also our own lives, because you had become dear to us." (1 Thessalonians 2:8)

So, Paul and Silvanus and Timothy did not only preach the gospel to the Thessalonians, but they gave their own lives to them, because they so loved the Thessalonians. Christianity is not only about serving and preaching; but first, with our Father and our Groom Jesus, we share together in family love which makes us "tenderhearted" (Ephesians 4:32, 1 Peter 3:8-9) with each other while we worship and obey God.

Paul had been a Jew who looked down on Gentiles such as the Thessalonians. Yet, here he was, ministering to them and finding how he had become so he loved them. Because God had him loving, he was, I would say, discovering how he had better love sharing with the Thessalonians, than he ever had with his own family and friends while he was not a Christian. So - - maybe, here, he is sharing his testimony of what he has discovered, and he is possibly himself impressed and surprised at how he is becoming so loving.

These Thessalonians are Gentiles whom they did not know until they arrived to preach. And while they were ministering to these strangers, then God changed ones of them to trust in Jesus and actually become family with Paul and Silvanus and Timothy . . . in more intimate loving than they had had with unsaved family members, before they became Christians!

So, this is basic to Christian ministry > we seek to have personal and family affection with the ones we reach to, while enjoying and appreciating this with one another Jesus people.

"Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith." (1 Timothy 1:5)

So, I can see, the basic purpose of ministry, is that we have real love with God and one another. And God's love in us (Romans 5:5) makes us intimate with our Father and Jesus and one another, and this all-loving love has us loving any and all people, interested in adopting any person, at all, to become our own brother or sister in Jesus.

So, in God's love we are personally interested in each person (Matthew 5:46).

And we have how Jesus chose His twelve apostles, "that they might be with Him and that He might send them out to preach" (in Mark 3:14) He did not call them only to serve Him, but so "that they might be with Him". And, like this, any Christian service calling is first our love calling to be with our Groom Jesus, in His love, and share in this with one another.

So, now I can see that Christian ministry is not promotion and programs, but personal.

 

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"as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children," (1 Thessalonians 2:11)

So, this is how a father disciplines his children . . . by exhorting, comforting, and charging his children. I think exhorting means to challenge and encouraging; comforting means to help to satisfy a child that it is good to do something; and charging can mean to tell a child not to do what is wrong, but also to tell the child what is right and so better. So, discipline includes encouraging, showing what is wrong, but also bringing a child to all that is good. You charge the child not to do something, not to have some wrong attitude, but also you challenge the child to do what is good. You show the child what is good, by your example >

"nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3)

 

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"that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory." (1 Thessalonians 2:12)

So, yes we can be "worthy of God" . . . not only deserving of a pay check or recognition by people.

I consider that being worthy of God involves having "the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (in 1 Peter 3:4)

Also, we have Ephesians 5:2 >

"And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Ephesians 5:2)

So, I understand that walking worthy of Him includes living in love the way Jesus has loved us. We are being like Christ, by loving like Jesus loves, and this makes us more and more like Jesus who is worthy. Are we perfect in this? No . . . but God is able to share His very own with us > He calls us "into His own kingdom and glory."

I understand that a person's kingdom is your realm . . . of how you are, all that you are experiencing and feeling, how you are reacting, and if and how much you have control, and if and how you love. And our Father wants us to so share in His very own, which means having His nature of His love so we can experience and enjoy sharing with Him and one another. And in His love there is power almighty of control, with His creativity of love, for dealing with any situation and using it for His good. So, with Him we share in this.

And yes we share in His own glory > Jesus has claimed this in His own prayer >

"'And the glory You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.'" (John 17:22-23)

So, you are welcome to share here what you have discovered and what has done you good, about how to become more mature in Jesus so we are walking worthy of God and sharing with Him in His own kingdom and glory.

One thing I think of, now, is that there are people who feel that God is distant and impersonal, not interested in personally communicating with each of us and sharing His very own with us. So, ones miss out on being in His love; but the Holy Spirit shares our Father's own love with each of us His children >

"Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." (Romans 5:5)

 

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1 Thessalonians 2:13 speaks of

"the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe."

Well, we know "it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (in Philippians 2:13)

So, does this scripture mean that also God's word works in us?

Isaiah 55:11 does say >

"'So shall My word be that goes forth from My mouth;
. It shall not return to Me void,
. But it shall accomplish what I please,
. And it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.'"
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (Isaiah 55:11)

So, I see how God's word "shall accomplish" all that God desires. God, I understand, by means of His word will do all He means by His word. So, every command and teaching and promise and description and prophecy and comfort will be done the way God means His word. He in us will succeed at changing us to do all He means by His word > own love's meaning so better than we can understand or look for ! ! ! > > >

In Isaiah 64:3, it says, "You did awesome things for which we did not look".

So, we can feed on every thing and trust it to God for how He will do this with us > including, for just one example >

"Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world." (1 John 4:17)

 

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1 Thessalonians 2:14-16 >

The Thessalonians became "imitators of the churches of God which are in Judea in Christ Jesus".

Because they suffered persecution from people of their area, like how the Christians in Judea suffered persecution from Judeans.

One thing I get now is that their imitating was not only by suffering like each other. But in order to suffer persecution, first they became real in God's love so they were pleasing to our Father and therefore would draw attack from Satanic people. So, the imitation is not only in being attacked, but in how they became in their character and their stand for Jesus.

"Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution." (2 Timothy 3:12)

But I think there are people who claim to be Christians, but their identity is mainly with their religious group or their ethnic group; and such things can draw attack, though they are not truly Christian; and then this can be confused with true persecution. So, I understand there is false persecution.

According to my reading, in history there have been people who have even accepted being burned alive, in order to refuse to give up their beliefs; yet, ones burning at the stake could have exact opposite views!! So, I think we humans are capable of fooling ourselves into suffering and even dying for what is not of God.

"Test all things; hold fast what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21)

I understand this means to make sure with God, Himself; and even in a bad situation, with God we can test for the good He has for us And this good can be better than what we might try to do to just make the problem go away. "Our attention needs to be guided."

So, I would say Paul means the Thessalonians were being persecuted because of being right with God, and not because they were into wrong things which were bringing trouble on themselves.

Speaking of the enemy people, Paul says >

"they do not please God" (in Thessalonians 2:15).

A good thing we can see, through this, is that we can please God.

And if we are pleasing Him, I understand this is personal . . . how we are personally relating with Him, and in the way that makes us pleasing to Him because of how we have become more and more like His Son Jesus who is so pleasing to Him. Jesus in us shares with us how He is pleasing to our Father.

So, we are not pleasing to our Father just because we have gotten saved, but in us He has worked to make us His way so He can be at home in each of us, enjoying us while dealing with all that is going on in this evil world around us.

Paul says,

"For we are to God the fragrance of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing." (2 Corinthians 2:15)

Jesus in us (Galatians 4:19) makes us sweet-smelling to our Father. Our Father can smell how we are in our character. His love makes us more and more "as He is" "in this world." (in 1 John 4:17)

"rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (1 Peter 3:4)

We are pleasing to our Father, by having character which has "the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God." (in 1 Peter 3:4)

And in our loving, we can be so deeply pleasing to Him > like how Jesus on Calvary was "a sweet-smelling aroma" >

"And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma." (Ephesians 5:2)

As we go through things sweetly, we smell fragrant like Jesus to our Father; He can smell how we really are while we do things. So, if we make sacrifices in smelly stuff like stress and hurts and unforgiveness and frustration and disillusionment and criticizing others who don't join us . . . this is not what our Father wants for sacrifices.

But, yes, I need to become joyful and thankful and appreciative in things which God has us doing.

 

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1 Thessalonians 2:17-20 >

It looks like Paul and Silvanus and Timothy wanted to go to the Thessalonians "time and again", but they were hindered by Satan. So, I consider they are writing this letter, with a specific and very personal purpose . . . to assure the Thessalonians that Paul and Silvanus and Timothy really do care for the Thessalonians and would have gone to see them, but Satan hindered them.

Ones might say, oh they are making excuses. But, we need to know when we can trust people, but be able to know who could be making up excuses. They say Satan hindered them. If this is true; that, I think, would mean Satan knew it would be good for Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to go to the Thessalonians, and so he acted to keep them from going to them. So, they could be pointing out that Satan hindered them because Satan knew it would be good for Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to share with the Thessalonians.

They needed to be together, as God's family; they could minister to one another - - not only Paul and Silvanus and Timothy ministering to the Thessalonians, but the Thessalonians to Paul and Silvanus and Timothy.

And then they tell the Thessalonians, "you are our glory and joy." So, it looks like Paul and Silvanus and Timothy did not see the Thessalonians as being less than they were, though they were important leaders in Christ's church. These leaders were not just interested in giving out handouts of attention as a gesture!!

"nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock." (1 Peter 5:3)

I consider that a person whom God trusts to care for His people is an example. And you need to spend time with an example, so you can be exposed to how he or she relates with and obeys God and relates as family with God's people. So, you do not get only moments of attention and speeches and letters from an example leader. 1 Timothy 3:1-10 to me shows how a possible "bishop" is a man who has first grown up with his own wife and children; with his family, he has learned how to love as family and how to rule in our Father's family caring and sharing way; and his wife has helped him to get correction and grow and mature in love so he can do this; so now he with his wife can run their cup over to other people and marriages and families

So, I can see that Satan would not want Paul and Silvanus and Timothy to spend time sharing their example with the Thessalonians.

And earlier in this letter, Paul and Silvanus and Timothy have talked about how they so cherished the Thessalonians, "just as a nursing mother cherishes her own children", they say in 1 Thessalonians 2:7. So, the Thessalonians have already had time of sharing so intimately with these leaders, so they could feed on their example of how to be family with each other, in our Father's own love. So, I can see that if we are to be Christ's leaders . . . or followers of their example . . . we need to become strong in love so we can be closely involved with different people with different personalities and problems and issues, and not let wrong things have power to hurt us and wear us out and intimidate us.

But, also, be strong so we can share with really fine Christian people, without making them love idols, and strong so we can be ready to stay gracious while we share with our special people during their troubles and while specially cherished ones die before we do. If we love in our Father's adoptive love, we will be adopting more and more special people as our Jesus family, and ones of these, though they are genuine, still will have even very hard problems and ones will die before we do; so we will need to be strong in grace so we do not get emotionally wrecked about our special loved ones having problems and dying before we do.

But "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness," Jesus says in 2 Corinthians 12:9. God's grace of His love keeps us so ones special to us do not become love idols. If we let someone be a love idol for us, this can have us in weak love which makes us able to get into major emotional messes about problems and when people die. So, we need to grow "strong in the Lord and in the power of His might." (in Ephesians 6:10)

 

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1 Thessalonians 3:1-3 >

They sent Timothy to minister to the Thessalonians. They make a point of saying Timothy is "our brother and minster of God, and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ". So, they did not send second-best. It was like how our Father sent us His own Son, not some second-best being.

Again, Paul and Silvanus and Timothy are making it clear that the Thessalonians are not "second-rate citizens". They get the best of God, including His finest of leaders.

So, I consider that God won't keep people with wrong pastors. And He will give us examples of Christ so we can find out how to love and relate in love. But ones want to keep on in selfish loving and doing their own thing and controlling their own selves; so ones can stay in a church where standards are low.

But the right standards are not the high and legalistic ones, but the real Bible standards have to do with how we need to become with God and one another and how He has us also reaching . . . running our cup over . . . to ones who do not have Jesus and His "rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29) which He shares with us in His love >

"to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." (Ephesians 3:19)

Real ministers do not just tell us this, but they spread this effect of God's own love right through their own selves to us, like a cup running over with whatever is really in it.

Whatever is really in you can be what you are spreading to help to make your children the same way.

Also, you can tell if someone is ministering God's own love to you, or not. There will be major correction, "of course", in our nature . . . not merely in our outward acting > Hebrews 12:7-11 tells us about the correction which we have with our Heavenly Father through Jesus.

Later, in this chapter, Paul and Silvanus and Timothy say how Timothy would "perfect what is lacking in" their faith > 1 Thessalonians 3:10. So, yes I can see they mean that the Thessalonians were such good examples, yes; yet, they still needed more correction.

Indeed, the Thessalonians have suffered "these afflictions", they say in 1 Thessalonians 3:3. Earlier, Paul and Silvanus and Timothy say to the Thessalonians, "you also suffered the same things from your own countrymen, just as they did from the Judeans" (in 1 Thessalonians 2:14). And the writers of this epistle are saying the Thessalonians are so great, because of this, among other things; yet, they need more correction; so Timothy is coming . . . God's very own . . . so they can get real correction . . . our Father's very own correction better and deeper than only outward changes of practice and giving only money.

God has given His own Self to us, through His Son Jesus. Because "God is love" (in 1 John 4:8&16). Love gives all and is willing to so share all, I consider. We keep seeing this, in how the Bible says Jesus wants us to share with Him in His inheritance > among other places in the Bible, we have Romans 8:17, and in John chapter seventeen how Jesus in prayer has claimed that He has given us His own glory and that our Father has loved us as He has loved Jesus > John 17:22-26.

So, by sending their own best and so-beloved, they are preaching by their actions how our Father Himself has sent His own best and so-beloved Son Jesus and desires to share His very own with us.

Halleluiah!!!