Jesus Fellowship: The Lord will come like a thief in the night. 10/17/15

Day 289

Today's song:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9n84Uji2jw

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https://www.biblegateway.com/audio/dramatized/niv/1Thess.5

1 Thessalonians 5

The Day of the Lord

Now concerning the times and the seasons, brothers,[a] you have no need to have anything written to you. 2 For you yourselves are fully aware that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. 3 While people are saying, “There is peace and security,” then sudden destruction will come upon them as labor pains come upon a pregnant woman, and they will not escape. 4 But you are not in darkness, brothers, for that day to surprise you like a thief. 5 For you are all children[b] of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. 6 So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. 8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. 9 For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, 10 who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. 11 Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.

Final Instructions and Benediction

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle,[c] encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil.

23 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. 24 He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.

25 Brothers, pray for us.

26 Greet all the brothers with a holy kiss.

27 I put you under oath before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Supplied Life Devotional by Bill Freeman

His people’s willingness October 17th

“By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” JOHN 13:35
God’s move throughout the Bible was always based upon one major principle, and that was the willingness of His people. Apart from the willingness embodied in His people, He would not do anything, particularly related to His corporate testimony with the tabernacle under Moses, the temple under David and Solomon, and the recovered temple under Ezra and Nehemiah. In the three sections of the Old Testament describing the tabernacle, the temple, and the recovered temple, one common thing is mentioned — the willingness of the people in serving the Lord to build His corporate testimony. The Lord’s testimony always expressed itself in His people’s willingness to live for God’s pleasure on the earth.
We can see that the Lord embodies Himself in His people’s willingness, and makes Himself known on the earth. The way He testifies to the earth is expressed in John 13:34-35: 34 “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” These verses tell us that all men are going to know. There is going to be a testimony that is visible and touchable. How will this testimony be made known? There will be groups of saints in city after city over the whole earth who have a willingness to live unto the Lord and to serve Him and to serve one another. This willingness is embodied
in their relationships. It is the expression of the divine love flowing out. God makes Himself known to others by His people’s willingness to live for His house. It is not “going to church.” It is not attending a certain church meeting out of obligation, in a perfunctory way. It is not just token attendance, token giving, even token serving, but a welling up of Another life — a life that is consumed for the Father’s house. The genuineness of the testimony of the church today on this earth is embodied in the willingness of the saints.

Pray Until Something Happens (PUSH)

Anna, Ariana, Ariel, Georgie, Wes, and Zoe.