Edify One Another
Today’s Daily Bible Reading is from 1 Thessalonians 5:11-28. Paul tells the Thessalonians to comfort and edify one another. He urges them to honor their leaders in the church. The leaders work hard to serve you, teach you, and give you spiritual guidance. Paul tells them to show love and respect for their leaders. Those who minister spend countless hours studying the Bible among the other duties they perform as leaders of the church. They deserve our love, honor, and respect.
Paul reminds them to live peaceably toward one another. Why do you think Paul told them this? He says for them to warn those who are disobedient, console those who are timid; sustain the weak, and be patient with everybody. He warns them not to render evil for evil, but pursue what is good both to those within the body of Christ and to everybody outside the body of Christ.
Paul gives them a whole list of things to do and not to do.
- Rejoice continually. We have to remember our joy is based on God and what He did for us through His Son, Jesus Christ, not on our circumstances.
- Pray always. Prayer is our way of communicating with God. We are to have constant communication and fellowship with Him. You can talk to Him about anything. He loves you and He wants to hear from you.
- Give thanks in everything. We need to give thanks to God in everything, not just the good things. Even in the bad things of life, there are blessings. We have to look for them.
- Don’t quench the Spirit. If you are a Christian, the Spirit of God lives inside you. Don’t do anything to smother His effect in your life. Think of the Holy Spirit as a flame burning inside of you. You don’t want to do anything to put that fire out.
- Don’t despise prophesying. God speaks through His people. We need to listen, and test all things to see if they’re from God.
- Prove all things. Paul is telling them to test things to see if they’re right. Use God’s Word as your standard. See if it measures up to the Word.
- Hold onto good. Embrace the good things. When you have a choice to make between good and evil, always choose good.
- Abstain from all appearance of evil. Paul doesn’t just warn us to stay away from evil, but he says to abstain from even the appearance of evil.
Paul then gives them a sort of blessing, saying, “The God of peace sanctify you.” The word “sanctify” means to be set apart. As Christians, we are to be set apart to serve God. Paul prays that their whole spirit, soul, and body would be blameless until the coming of Jesus. He tells them that God is faithful, He called you and He can make you holy. You see we can’t do it on our own. It is only in our relationship with God through Jesus Christ that we can be made holy.
Paul asks the Thessalonians to pray for them. He then tells them to greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. He urges them to read his letter to all the brethren. Paul wanted to make sure that everybody had a chance to hear the message of his letter personally. He ended the letter by saying, “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.”
Daily Bible Reading:
1 Thessalonians 5:11-28
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
12 And we beseech you, brethren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you;
13 And to esteem them very highly in love for their work’s sake. And be at peace among yourselves.
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.
15 See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
16 Rejoice evermore.
17 Pray without ceasing.
18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.
19 Quench not the Spirit.
20 Despise not prophesyings.
21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.
25 Brethren, pray for us.
26 Greet all the brethren with an holy kiss.
27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.
28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen. {The following was added by editors of the KJV: The first epistle to the Thessalonians was written from Athens}
Things to think about:
- How can we honor those who are leaders in our churches?
- What are the things Paul reminds us to do?
- What are the things Paul reminds us not to do?
- How can we edify our fellow believers?
Prayer of the Day:
Dear Heavenly Father,
We thank You for this Scripture in the book of 1 Thessalonians. Paul tells the Thessalonians to love, honor, and respect their leaders. Help us to do the same for our spiritual leaders. He exhorts them to live Godly lives. Help us to live Godly lives as well. We know we can’t do it on our own. We need Your help. Help us, LORD. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
Daily Bible Verse:
Featured Book:
The Book of 1 Thessalonians: Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians
by Deborah H. Bateman
The Book of 1 Thessalonians: Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians is a Daily Bible Reading Study of the book of 1 Thessalonians by Deborah H. Bateman. The Book of 1 Thessalonians is from the New Testament of the Bible. It’s a letter from Paul, Silas, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians.
Paul established the church of Thessalonica on his second missionary journey. It was known throughout the land that the Thessalonians had great faith in God and in the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul loved the Thessalonians. He had a great concern for the Thessalonians and desired to see them again. But, since Paul couldn’t go see them he sent Timothy to encourage them in the faith.
The Book of 1 Thessalonians: Paul’s First Letter to the Thessalonians contains eight Bible lessons which can be used for personal of group Bible studies. Each lesson contains a brief commentary by the author, the Daily Bible Reading Scripture, several questions for contemplation or discussion, and a prayer to go along with the lesson. Our desire is that this book will help you to have a better understanding of Paul’s first letter to the Thessalonians.
For those of you interested in Bible journaling, may I suggest you pick your favorite Bible verse from each lesson and journal about it. This will be a great reminder of the lessons you learn as you read and study this book.
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Deborah
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