THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS

THROUGH THE BIBLE IN THREE YEARS

This program of Scripture studies is designed to help you in daily honoring God with adoration through Bible study.

We have a great friend in Gary Godard.
He has set up an archive page.
To view ALL the prior Scripture studies by book and chapter, just clik

HERE.

Bruce McGee
692 Walnut Ln.,
Downsville, LA 71234

TODAY'S SCRIPTURE STUDY
1Thessalonians

vss 1-2
1) But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need
that I write unto you.
2) For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so
cometh as a thief in the night.

The Bible is back-referencing here to 1Thessalonians Chap. 4.
There, the Scripture gave the events (times and seasons) of
the catching away of Christians by the Lord.

The church at Thessalonica had already received information
cocerning that event.
This was obviously a prominent discussion point Paul had
with them before. See 1Thess. 1:10, where they are told to
"WAIT for" Jesus to come suddenly.

vs 3
3) For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden
destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with
child; and they shall not escape.

When the Lord comes ALL people will not have been saved.
And, those will be living in carnal manner, thinking everything
is just fine.

The Greek word from which "sudden" is translated is aiphnidios.
The only other place this word is used is in Luke:21:34.
"Lest that day come upon you unawares."

Upon the catching away (rapture), those living in carnality
will have a SUDDEN AWARENESS of GREAT PAIN like a
woman upon whom labor comes unexpectedly!
Upon the missing of many Christians, others will experience
GREAT and SUDDEN CONVICTION!!

What a terrible day, when millions will realize that they MISSED
the truth of salvation!

Vss 4-5
4) But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should
overtake you as a thief.
5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day:
we are not of the night, nor of the darkness.

Refer to 2Pet. 3:10, "But the day of the Lord will come as a
THIEF in the night...."

Those living in "darkness" are they which have no
light, or understanding of the reality of Christ and eternal
judgment.

Christians have RECEIVED the LIGHT, or the understanding that
ONLY through surrender to Jesus can one be saved.
The light of the world is JESUS! (See John 9:5)
Having received HIM they have received LIGHT and LIFE!!
(See John 1:1-4 & vs 12)

Also, "...the children of the DAY," which means the
understanding of life CONSTANTLY shines on the saved!
Christians are always AWAKE to the return of Jesus in the air!
They are VIGILANT in LOOKING for Him, and will NOT be
caught unaware.

Vs 6
6) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch
and be sober.

WATCH -- be READY for the certainty of Jesus' return to
catch away those who love and obey Him!
SOBER -- Be TEMPERATE, sober-minded, watchful.

Vs 7
7 For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be
drunken are drunken in the night.

Night is usually considered for sleep time.
Yet, many use the night in negligence of Christ, and perform
works of carnality, such as drunkenness.

The admonition here is to be in the LIGHT (understanding) of
Christ and His imminent return.
Use the night for SLEEP, and not for acts of carnality.
Use the day for openly living FOR Christ!

Vs 8
8 But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the
breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of
salvation.

Be SOBER - or right thinking.
PUT ON the "breastplate of faith and love."
LIVE clinging to Christ, and caring for others.

WEAR the helmet of "the hope of salvation."
Keep the realization of salvation always on your mind, and
in your heart.
The helmet will protect us during conflict by keeping
our minds on the love of Christ which performs the completion
of salvation.

Vs 9
9 For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain
salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ.

The realization of having victory over eternal death, through
Christ, encourages Christians in the daily struggle of life.

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in Thy sight, O LORD, my STRENGTH and
my Redeemer!" (Ps. 19:14)

Vs 10
10 Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should
live together with Him.

The words "wake" and "sleep" take on different
meaning here in context.
Actually, they refer to being dead or alive physically.

There is a realization in the Christian that being physically dead,
we are WITH Christ. (See John 1:12, 14:3)
Therefore, there should be no DIFFERENCE from being dead
IN Christ, and LIVING with Christ!

Vs 11
11 Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another,
even as also ye do.

COMFORT yourselves in the realization that we can be
"...confident of this very thing, that He which hath BEGUN
a good work in you WILL perform it until the day of Jesus
Christ."

Let us CONTINUE ("as also ye DO").
Nothing should disassociate us from the Word of God, which
is the ASSURANCE of our salvation!

Vss 12-13
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.

Be aware of, and helpful to those who "labour among you."
Honor them, pray for them and lift them up when they are down.

Be aware also of, and helpful to those who "are over you
in the Lord..."
A deacon, pastor, teacher, music director, pianist, may be
struggling with difficulties in life.
Be AWARE of that, and pay attention to how you can edify them,
and pray for them.

Take note of the laborers in Christ that you might "esteem,"
or consider them with prayer and thoghtfulness.

And, "...be at PEACE among yourselves."
In short, when others MISunderstand, you UNderstand!!
Be kind, considerate, "...in lowliness of mind let each
esteem other better than themselves!" (Phil. 2:3)

Vs 14
14 Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly,
comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward
all men.

WARN them....One reason so many professors of Christ
go astray, is because other Christians are fearful to perfom
this duty.
How often do we see professors of Christ not attending, or
taking an active role in church membership?
That's unruly!

COMFORT them...Many church members are disheartened.
How often do we ignore the problem, and not speak comfort
to them?

SUPPORT them...According to Romans 15:1, we "that are
strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak...."
It is not our main objective just to receive and not give!
As we receive the strength and truth of God's Word, we
should help others who are weak in that area.
Are YOU teaching a class?

Be PATIENT toward them....The word for patient is
makrothumeo. It means to be longsuffering.
WOW! That's a real thought!
Not only a thought, but a required action!
Not only toward fellow-Christians but to "ALL men!"

Vs 15
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.

It is really difficult to follow this when accosted!
It is then we are to constrain the tongue!
Colossians 4:6 says, "Let your speech be alway with grace,
seasoned with salt, that ye may know how ye ought to answer
every man."

That takes concentration and determination!
YES! The life of the Christian is CONSTANT work on SELF!

Rejoicing in what Christ HAS done, IS doing, and WILL do;
helps keep us from being mean-tongued!

Vs 18
18 In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in
Christ Jesus concerning you.

When difficult times come, GIVE THANKS!!
That time is there for a testing and a teaching!
James 1:2-3 says, "My brethren, count it all joy when ye
fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of
your faith worketh patience."

When good times come, don't forget to THANK God!
Heb 13:15 says, "By Him (Jesus) let us offer the sacrifice
of praise to God CONTINUALLY, that is, the fruit of our lips
giving thanks to His name."

The Spirit of God, in the Christian, admonishes us of these things mentioned here.
Sometimes we throw a wet blanket on the fire of His admonishment
through the Spirit of God within us.
Instead, we are to "stir up" the gift of His closeness
and act according to His will. (See 2Tim. 1:6)

When the preacher preaches, when the teacher teaches, it
should be from what God has said in the Bible.

The Word of God is meant to: show salvation through Christ;
to educate the saved; to edify the downtrodden; and to
evangelize the lost.

As long as prophesying comes from the truth of God's Word,
it is due respect and should not be shunned!

Everything presented in preaching or teaching should be
tested with the Bible.
When Paul preached in Berea, the Bible says they were
"..more noble than those in Thessalonica,in that they
received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched
the Scriptures daily, whether those things were so."
(Acts 17:11)

Try to keep REMOVED from any APPEARANCE of wrong.
***Back in the days when there were no cell phones or car
phones, I had a flat tire. There was only one place where
there was a public phone to call for help. It was a BAR across
the street. My car was not parked in the drive or lot of the
bar, but was parked on the street. About the time I came OUT
after using the phone, a deacon and his wife passed by.
OH MY - the rumors went flying!!***

In life, some things appear as respectable for others, but
NOT respectable for Christians!
BE CAREFUL!

Vs 23
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.

Here is a prayer that EVERY PART of the Christian be KEPT
"blameless" by the Lord Himself!
We are "...KEPT by the power of God through faith unto
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."
(1Peter 1:5)

In the truly genuine, born again Christian, God is PRESERVING
until the day of Christ.
However, WE FAIL daily in the pursuit of holiness, and the
rumors do FLY!

But, "If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive
us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
(1John 1:9)
That statement cannot be interpreted as PERMISSION for
sinfulness; but is a positive note of FORGIVENESS when
we confess our sin.

In the truly genuine, born again Christian, God is working to
PRESERVE them in eternal salvation.
THEREFORE, He is also working to bring them to their knees
in confession of sin!

Sanctification actually depends upon God working WITHIN you.
"For it is God which worketh IN you both to will (desire) and
to do (perform) of His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

You and I are equal in the trials and temptations of life.
And, the work of the Christian is often met with opposition!

The "holy kiss" is defined as a SACRED KISS!
In the early church, it was a custom of greeting.
The members greeted each other by holding shoulders and
a kiss on the cheek.
This exemplified care, concern and brotherhood.

Today, that practice has given way to a warm handshake.
And, since the scare of COVID19, some have given way to
touching elbows.

Vs 27
27 I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all
the holy brethren.

In Colossians 4:16, there is a charge, or admonishment, that
Colossians be read to the church in Laodicea, and that the
epistle to Laodicea be read to the church in Colosse.

Let us just apply this: that EVERY book of the Bible should be
read, taught, preached to the church!
God's Word is fully and completely NEEDED in the hearts
of every Christian.
And God's Word is NECESSARY to the salvation of the lost!

Here is a prayer that God's CONTINUED grace be with ALL
those who genuinely serve Jesus Christ.
HIS grace brought salvation through the suffering of the cross.
HIS grace brings sanctification through the indwelling of His
Holy Spirit in our hearts.
HIS grace will COMPLETE that which is inadequate in ourselves
but POSSIBLE by His omnipotent power.
HIS grace aids us in daily living for His glory!

This is a very intuitive prayer, and may be used by ANY
Christian concerning his/her family, church or community!

And so, I pray, that the unmerited favor of our Lord Jesus Christ
be WITH you always.