Welcoming the Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:20)

It's been a busy week preparing for our "Christmas in the Real World" program this Sunday, so I've been late posting the sermon.
Living by the Spirit everyday as God's church ought to be the "norm" in Christian life, but sadly, we--both as individuals and as local churches--often operate in the dark by our own power.
How can we learn to hear and obey the Spirit?  It begins with believing that God still speaks...

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Let the Fire Burn (1 Thessalonians 5:19)

I think most people would like a close relationship with God.  It's just that they are not sure how to get there or even if they are really invited.  Most of us who would say we have a relationship with God are not really sure how to hear when he speaks to us.

The missing element here is to understand God's gift of the Holy Spirit.  The reason Jesus came, died, rose, and ascended was to reconcile us to God and to give us this relationship we can enjoy through the Spirit.  How do we take hold of this gift?  Paul writes, "Don't put out the Spirit's fire" (or "Do not quench the Spirit.")  This week, we talked about three "fires" to protect if we want the Spirit burning brightly in our lives.

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Everyday 'Thank You' (1 Thesssalonians 5:18)

"Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." - 1 Thessalonians 5:18

Sometimes we find ourselves in evil circumstances, circumstances that are wrought by our own sin or the sin of others. Sometimes we are in the midst of joyous circumstances that are beautiful reflections of God's desire for you and His blessing. In the midst of either, it is God's will for us to give thanks. This week we looked at why a heart that is grateful is foundational to our lives in Christ.



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Thanksgiving Proclamations Through the Years

George Washington, 1789

WHEREAS it is the duty of all nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey His will, to be grateful for His benefits, and humbly to implore His protection and favour; and Whereas both Houses of Congress have, by their joint committee, requested me "to recommend to the people of the United States a DAY OF PUBLICK THANKSGIVING and PRAYER, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness:"

(rest of the proclamation and Abraham Lincoln's famous 1863 proclamation after the jump)

A Conversational Life (1 Thessalonians 5:17)

"Pray continually." - 1 Thessalonians 5:17

If you have a relationship with God, you probably have a sense that you should pray more than you do. The Bible says (in the verse we are looking at this week) "Pray without ceasing." What does that mean? How is it even possible? We know we can't go... around muttering under our breath to God all day and it's hard to understand or know whether we've reached mystical concepts like "practicing the presence of God" or not. This week, we tried to delve into what the Bible means when it tells us to live a life of prayer by looking at the language of this verse and comparing it to the context of the rest of Scripture.

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In this sermon, I challenged everyone to add a prayer discipline this week.  Here is a plan for prayer that I came across this week that you could use to guide your prayers to a biblical focus.

Indestructible Joy (1 Thess. 5:16)

"Be joyful always." - 1 Thessalonians 5:16

There's always a reason to worry.  There's always a reason to mourn.  There's always a reason to get down on yourself and view yourself as a failure.  There's always much to do and deadly serious things to work on and consider.  It's no wonder that Christians have been described as "kind people in a bad mood."  But God's people are told to "Rejoice always."  Is that even possible?  This week we looked at two biblical reasons why we can believe in "indestructible joy."

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Laboring Together (1 Th. 5:12-14)

 

"Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone." - 1 Thessalonians 5:12-14

 

Is our church going to exist as something that happens at times we can mark on a calendar or are we going to live as God’s people, covenanted together to live out our calling here in Stephens, Arkansas?

This week began our "Everyday Church" (based on 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24) with a look at verses 12-14, which teach us how we are to treat one another as we labor together every day for the Lord's purpose.

 

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