Feeding through Thessalonians . . .

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1 Thessalonians 5:17 >

"pray without ceasing,"

So, God does want us to pray.

I think prayer includes being attentive to God, in order for Him to communicate and share with us and so we sense and submit to however He personally guides us in His peace > Colossians 3:15. So, prayer includes sensing for God and submitting to how He transforms us and guides us, deeper than words

 

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1 Thessalonians 5:18 >

"in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

If we are giving thanks "in everything", our attention is not only to what is going on, around us, that is nice or hard for us; but our attention is to God; and, instead of letting things and people decide how we are and what we do, submit to God and do what He has us doing.

So, it is good to trust the LORD . . . thanking Him

But ones can read a scripture like this, and right away think of some awful thing that could happen, and say, "But what about if this is happening; how can I give thanks while this is going on?" Well, it is wise, when we read something in God's word, that we do not just first think up bad possibilities.

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

If we sow in ourselves that we are preparing to always be thanking God, this can have us ready with God for how He has us handling things . . . hard things or nice things. With God, and thanking Him, we can use any situation for His loving good . . . like how Joseph with the LORD took advantage of how his brothers sold him into slavery in Egypt > Genesis 37-50. With God, Joseph used that situation to save many people from dying because of the seven-year famine > Genesis 50:19-21. Plus, Joseph with God got into better family relating, having his own wife and boys, plus reconciling with his brothers. So, our Heavenly Father brings family sharing, even, in His all-loving purposes for any situation.

So, trust Him for this, always, thanking Him for how He will do this. Always what He does with us will have His all-loving benefit. And by obeying God, Abraham has gotten "all the nations of the earth" "blessed" > Genesis 22:18. If we do what God who is all-loving has us doing, we have His all-loving benefit.

So, yes, God our Father, we need more of Your correction and maturing us in Your love so we are with You, for this. Amen, in the name of Jesus Your Son

 

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"Do not quench the Spirit." (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

Well, I need to pray about what this means. I think it means that we need to submit to how the Holy Spirit is sharing with us, and not only be seeking for what He has us doing.

"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)

We can quench Him, by being too busy with what we are doing and not being sensitive to how He would share with us, in His love.

Mark 3:14 says Jesus chose His twelve apostles so they could "be with Him," and so He could "send them out to preach". So, Jesus did not want them only to serve Him, but Jesus desired that they would "be with Him". I consider this means Jesus wants each of us to share personally with God in His own love, and not only to be busy busy busy and making sacrifices which only burn us out!

This is because we are family, with God. Jesus says God is our Father . . . not the Judge or the General or the Bank President. So, God is about family, of warmly caring and sharing affection.

There are people who only say that quenching the Holy Spirit means refusing to speak in tongues, and they can say that quenching the Holy Spirit means not being emotional and shouting to God during a worship service. But I consider that the Holy Spirit desires to share with each of us, all the time, in all things of our lives. He wants to be personal and warmly and tenderly sharing with us, in "the love of God" "in our hearts" (Romans 5:5), all the time . . . including during our dreams. And so we need to not quench how in us He is being warmly affectionate with each of us while personally guiding us, all the time in God's peace (Colossians 3:15).

So, what really can quench the Holy Spirit? Our Apostle Paul says,

"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption." (Ephesians 4:30)

Then, in the next verse, he says,

"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)

So, I see how bitterness and nasty angry reacting and loud emotional stuff in us and criticizing uncompassionately and ill will are things which can quench the Holy Spirit in us. Bitterness and unforgiveness and emotional clamor and nasty anger and ill will are cold and impersonal, but the Holy Spirit is warmly loving and tenderly caring for us.

And the Holy Spirit's warmth of love transforms us by warming us to become kind and "tenderhearted" and generously and lovingly forgiving in how we relate with people. So, I can see that Paul does not only mean not to quench how the Holy Spirit would have us using gifts and praising in public. But God means how all the time He desires for us to be submitting to how the Holy Spirit shares with us and expresses Himself to us!!! - - - while growing us in how we relate with one another and with ones who need Jesus.

Even if others are not kind and warm with us, stay kind and caring and "tenderhearted" so we are ready to be this way with people, in case God changes anyone to become able to share with us, like this. Stay the way you want to be with someone, so your example can feed and lead the person into how to share in love >

"with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love," (Ephesians 4:2)

Sow this example to God, for how He is able to use your example to help any hard and impossible person. Keep your example alive, in the sight of God

And, of course, in us our example of this really is the Holy Spirit; so, not quenching Him includes how we appreciate and feed on how He in us is warmly caring and sharing and making us "tenderhearted" (Ephesians 4:32) as God's family. So, this is so more than words can tell; this is all which we seek You, LORD our Father, for, in prayer. Amen, in the name of Jesus Your Son and our Lord and Savior and soon-coming Groom; may we be ready, like this

gently and humbly
not bent out of shape
and tumbling

beauty of the lilies
and the daisies
wedding-light

kissing mist
upon the waters
of the harbor

filtered sunshine
caring sharing
warmly daring

glances of the
dancing waves
washing in the foam's
t - i - c - k - l - i - n - g
bubbles
in my troubles

"in the presence
of my enemies"
I have this table
before me