Category Archives: Family

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THE WHOLE ENCHILADA

1 THESSALONIANS 5:23

“Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 

I thought it interesting that Paul used the word “entirely.” And when I looked deeper it was even more interesting. Did you know that word is only used one time in the New Testament? So, what does it mean? It means to be wholly completed, to reach the end result. Paul is praying that the God of peace would perfect the Thessalonians’ sanctification. Can you imagine being completely, wholly sanctified on earth?

And Paul prays that their body, soul and spirit would be kept (guarded, protected) completely. “Completely” is only used twice itself. It means a divinely allotted wholeness. Wow! Only God is capable of anything divine, and He wants to guard you completely. What a promise and prayer from Paul!

APPLICATION

How do you explain completeness and entirety to children? Do your children like puzzles? I do. I enjoy a good puzzle. But one of the most frustrating things in the world is when you are missing pieces. The puzzle isn’t complete. The entire picture isn’t shown.

Get one of their puzzles and remove a piece before you start putting it together with them. They may recognize fairly quickly that a piece is missing, if they have put this puzzle together a lot. That could be even more frustrating. They know what the missing piece is. Explain to them that the Lord knows exactly what “pieces” we need in our lives. He has them all, if we will just let Him supply them and keep them.

What piece are you missing? Are you whole and complete in Him? He wants to sanctify you entirely. He wants to keep you completely. Will you let Him? 

Father, You are the ONLY one who can do that for me. I know that. Help me to surrender ALL my pieces to You today. I want You to “put me together” according to Your master plan.

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LET IT GO

1 THESSALONIANS 5:22

“abstain from every form of evil.” 

I love to dig in and discover what words really mean in Scripture. A lot of the time the English translation just doesn’t do it justice. Today’s verse is an example of that. The word “abstain” seems to imply to just not do something, to keep yourself away from evil. But look at the definition of the Greek word. It means “to have one thing by separating from (letting go of) another.”

You can’t have that which is good if you hold on to the evil stuff. You can’t live in the flesh and the spirit at the same time. The two just don’t co-exist. Also, this word is in the middle voice which means YOU have to do this. No one is going to do it for you.  So, I must let go of the evil, fleshly stuff in my life in order to fully embrace the godly things the Lord has for me.

APPLICATION

This can be a fun verse to illustrate to your children. Get a bunch of their toys or stuffed animals. Load their hands and arms up with them to the point that they can’t hold anymore. Then place in front of them their favorite candy bar or dessert. Tell them they can have it, but they can only use their hands to get it.

I bet they will literally drop all that stuff in their hands, lol.  Who doesn’t want their favorite dessert, right? Now, explain to them this verse with that illustration fresh in their heads (and the treat fresh on their lips). God has such wonderful things for us, but we can only access them when we let go of the worldly things that we are holding on to. We can’t have the peace of God until we let go of the fears in our life. We can’t experience true joy until we abandon our will for His.

What do you need to let go of today in order to obtain what God has for you? It may be a job that you KNOW is holding you back from following the Lord. It could be a person whom you KNOW is holding you back from living for the Lord. Whatever it is, let it go. Let the Lord give you the BETTER thing. But you have to let go first. It’s your choice.

Lord, I am so thankful that whatever I let go of is replaced by something so much better by You. I will abandon the fleshly for the spiritual. I will trust You to give me exactly what I need for this life.

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SAFEKEEPING

1 THESSALONIANS 5:21

“But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good;” 

You’ve probably been asked this question before. If you had to rescue one thing from a burning house (people not included), what would it be? Some people think of pictures. Others think of money or jewelry. But what would you try to save?

I would grab by Bible and my guns. I know, that sounds like a typical conservative response, but let me explain. The guns help me keep my family safe from those who might want to harm them physically. My Bible keeps me safe spiritually as I read and meditate on His Word.  Both are worth safekeeping to me. Now, you may disagree with my choices. That’s okay. We all hold different things dear.

APPLICATION

Ask your children what they would grab first. They might just surprise you. And I bet, depending on the age of your children, they will pick different things. Isn’t it funny how our priorities change with age? Little Johnny might grab his game system. Susie might snatch up her doll. Or they might just shock you and grab their Bible too. Wouldn’t that bless you?

Notice how a boy will choose very different things than a girl. Our minds think differently. That’s okay. That’s how God made us. But the important thing to remember is God is keeping us safe. He ALWAYS chooses us. Once we are His through the acceptance of His Son, He promises to keep us safe, even for eternity.

Are you keeping the “right” things safe? Is your soul secure in the competent hands of Jesus? He will keep you safe. Why? Because He has “examined” you and found you worthy. You are worthy because of His death on the cross. Will you trust Him today to guard your heart?

Guardian of my soul, I praise You for Your ability to keep me and all Your children safe. You are more than able to protect and defend me in my darkest days. I love You, Lord.

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LISTEN UP


1 THESSALONIANS 5:20

“do not despise prophetic utterances.” 

This verse could be a little confusing for us today. We don’t hear many “prophetic utterances.” But what is Paul really saying here? Well, this might be translated as “don’t despise preaching” or “don’t ignore sound teaching.” It wasn’t so much about “forth-telling” as it was simply speaking God’s truth.

You see back in Thessaloniki some gifts were held in higher esteem than others. For instance, some might think speaking in tongues was superior to preaching. Others might think performing miracles was the top. Paul is simply saying, “Don’t ignore, don’t count as nothing the sharing of God’s truth.

APPLICATION

Children will prefer some things above others. They may prefer game time at church over studying the lesson. They may like the craft time more than singing praises. What we have to do is make sure they understand that nothing is more important than hearing and living God’s Word. 

The other stuff might get the kids to church, but it’s the Word of God that will keep them for a lifetime. I pray you are investing the Word into their lives daily. I hope you are teaching them to not despise these prophetic utterances. They can learn lessons in His truth that will determine their life for decades to come.

How about you? Are you a despiser or a lover of God’s truth which is spoken of in His Word? Let these prophetic utterances transform your life into a vessel carrying an eternal message. Speak His truth to others so that they too can gain a new perspective.

O God, I stand in awe of You and all You have done. Allow me to see each and every situation as one in which I could send forth utterances of Your truth.

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LET IT BURN

1 THESSALONIANS 5:19

“Do not quench the Spirit;” 

Have you ever had heartburn? Boy, I have. You’ll do just about anything to get that burning to stop. You will drink cold water, milk, take antacids or other medications. You just want your throat and stomach to cool down. 

The Spirit burns within us also, but it’s a good thing. He wants us to know He is there. He will burden us, entice us and encourage us. He will prod us, direct us and lead us. So, what did Paul mean here about not quenching the Spirit? The word means to extinguish or put out (as in a fire). The Spirit of God is often symbolized by a flame. He should burn within us, not like heartburn, but as a catalyst to light our fire for the Lord.

APPLICATION

Get a couple of candles to light with your kids, but make sure one of those is a trick candle that they can’t blow out. Light them both and talk about this verse. Explain to them that the Holy Spirit is like that flame that burns. He is in us to energize us spiritually to hear from and live for the Lord.

Now have them blow the candles out. Of course, one goes out and the other one won’t. Tell them the Lord wants us to keep our flame of the Holy Spirit burning. We shouldn’t do anything to put out the flame, to quench it. The Holy Spirit is NOT like the candle that blew out easy. We all make mistakes and sin. Quenching the Spirit has to be a deliberate attempt, just like it is to put out the trick candle. It takes a certain effort.

Have you quenched the Spirit in your life? Have you ignored His prompting so long that He has stopped “talking to you”? Well, He is still talking. The problem is you have stopped listening. You have allowed your ears to block His voice. Confess this to the Lord. Reopen that line of communication. Let the Spirit burn within you.

I want to feel the burn, Lord. I want to be so controlled by the Spirit that the things of this world can’t touch me. Keep me sensitive to His leading.

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WHAT IS GOD’S WILL?

1 THESSALONIANS 5:18

“in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” 

I want to challenge you to do a word study. Look up how many times the Bible mentions “God’s will” or “the will of God.” Make a list of all the things it says is God’s will for your life. The list may just surprise you. And here we have one more thing that is included in God’s will for you – to give thanks in everything.

Notice, Paul didn’t say “for” everything. It’s hard to thank God for some things. But IN whatever situation, we can thank Him. My brother and sister-in-law give thanks for my brother’s cancer he had several years ago. Now, they don’t thank Him FOR the cancer, but they are truly grateful for the opportunity it gave them to trust Him afresh with his very life. 

APPLICATION

Help your little Elrod or Gertrude make a list of things for which they are thankful. They will probably list the good stuff. Most of us would also. But help them think of some things that were difficult. Talk about what they learned through those things and how they can thank God for them. This is a deliberate choice on our part. We don’t naturally do this.

How about helping them thank God for the difficult people in their lives? “What?! Carl, you can’t mean that!” Well, I don’t, but God does. He places people in our lives who will challenge us and whom He will use to make us more like Him. We can thank Him for that. We don’t enjoy the process, but we sure love the outcome.

Are you thankful? Are you giving the Lord all the gratitude for all the things He allows to touch you? If you are like me, you probably aren’t. It’s hard to thank Him when your eyes are on the situation. Look up. Know that He is there. His will, His desire for you, His best offer can be accepted or rejected. What will you do with it.

Lord, I must confess that sometimes I find it hard to thank You for some of the things that come into my life. But I must trust that if You allow them, You have a purpose for them. For that I am thankful.

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DON’T STOP

1 THESSALONIANS 5:17

“pray without ceasing;” 

Here is the other shortest verse in the Scriptures (at least in the original Greek). This verse is also just two words in the Greek, like the previous verse. But there is nothing short about its meaning. Pray without ceasing. How is that possible? Does Paul mean we should spend all our time on our knees? I don’t think so.

The word translated “without ceasing” is only used four times in the New Testament, three times in 1 Thessalonians (1:3, 2:13 and here). The other time it is used is in Romans 1:9. Now what is very interesting is that in ALL four times it is referring to prayer. What does that tell us? Don’t stop praying!

APPLICATION

Get your little Johnny or Susie to stand up and start running in place. Tell them not to stop until you tell them to. As they are running, talk to them about this verse. Explain how the Lord wants us to pray all the time. Ask them, as they are still running, if they think praying is tiring. Does praying wear them out? As they begin to pant for breath, they will probably say no or not at all.

Now, tell them to stop running and have a seat. Explain to them that praying unceasingly or constantly is possible because it is not a physical thing. It’s a spiritual activity. It’s an attitude of prayer. It’s a mindset that you are always heaven focused. You don’t hesitate to talk to God because you know He is always ready to listen. There is nothing tiring about that.

When do you pray? Do you only pray at certain points in the day? Make prayer a constant in your life. This word for “pray” literally means exchanging our desires for God’s. Don’t you think His desires for us are better than ours? Why wouldn’t you want His desires for your life? Tell Him that. Keep that conversation going all day every day.

Knowing You are always there encourages me to talk to You constantly, Lord. I know You are listening and ready to answer. Remind me today to keep the lines of communication open.

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REJOICE – ALWAYS


1 THESSALONIANS 5:16

“Rejoice always;” 

This is a first for me. I have put the entire verse in the title, lol.  One of the shortest verses in the Bible. In fact, in the Greek, it is shorter than the commonly thought of shortest verse “Jesus wept.” How ironic that the verse we think is the shortest has an exact opposite thought than the actual shortest verse. On the one hand we have weeping and on the other we have rejoicing.  That was just interesting to me. It didn’t cost you anything extra.

What does Paul mean here? This word “rejoice” is a command. We are commanded to rejoice ALL THE TIME. Is that possible? We can if we understand where this word comes from. “Rejoice,” “joy” and “grace” all come from the same root word in the Greek. If you understand grace and have experienced it through salvation, you will have joy. And if you have joy, you can’t help but rejoice. Even in bad times, God’s grace and joy will explode in rejoicing.

APPLICATION

Have you had a “Rejoicing Party” lately with your children? What fun! Put on a cd with some songs of rejoicing and praising our Savior. Dance and sing. Rejoice! Children love to dance with daddy and mommy. They love to watch us celebrate. 

Teach them this verse. Even a three-year-old can memorize this one. But explain it to them. Make sure they understand that rejoicing is based on joy and grace. We rejoice because of what God has done through His Son Jesus. We can’t rejoice in anything we’ve done. What a great verse – rejoice always.

Do you? Do you rejoice? Do you rejoice always? It is possible, if you allow yourself to die to your selfishness and pride. If you allow the Holy Spirit to flow through you, He will bring the joy to the top and it will overflow with rejoicing. Let it flow!

I praise You, my Lord, for filling me with Your grace and joy through the knowledge of Your Son. Because of Him I can rejoice always, even when the world is dead set against me. I WILL rejoice.

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GOOD OR EVIL


1 THESSALONIANS 5:15

“See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people.” 

What an interesting use of words, but you have to go back to the original language to really see why. You see, “repays” carries the idea of a payment or repayment. That is usually a good thing, but in this situation it’s bad. You’ve heard the expression “payback.” Well, that’s the idea here. It’s getting back at someone.

And the other words that are interesting are “seek after.” That’s one word in the Greek, and it can also be used in a good way or a bad way. Here, of course, it is a good thing. It means to earnestly pursue something. It’s your passion. It’s what drives you. You just can’t stop.

APPLICATION

This is an easy application, if you will teach it. Children naturally want to “get back” at someone who has done them wrong. We all get that naturally. It’s part of our sin nature. Our job as parents is to lead our children to Christ who can transform that nature into His nature. Then, like Him, they will desire what is good for others, not payback.

One of the best ways to teach your children to do good towards those who try to harm them is to teach them to pray for them. It’s really hard to try to “get back” at someone you are praying for. Your child may even suggest a way to actually do something nice for that person in the name of Jesus. Encourage that. 

Who is giving you a “fit” right now? Is there someone at work who just has it in for you? Perhaps, God forbid, there is someone at church you can’t get along with. Begin by praying for them. We never know what is going on in a person’s life, but God does. Then ask the Lord to use you to do good to them. Find a way to bless them. What happens might surprise you.

O Lord, I know all I deserve is payback for my sins. I do not deserve Your blessings. But because of Your Son, Jesus, I am declared righteous. Help me see others as deserving of that same righteousness.

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DID I LEAVE ANYONE OUT?


1 THESSALONIANS 5:14

“We urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with everyone.” 

My daughter is planning a wedding! Yep, I am gaining a son-in-law, or as I like to say – a son. They are both busy planning the invitation list. What started out as a small little wedding has naturally grown to a larger event. That’s okay. It’s their wedding, and they want their friends and family there to celebrate with them.

Paul is making a list here in today’s verse for the Thessalonians. He wants them to reach out to the unruly, fainthearted, weak and well…everyone. Now that’s a pretty exhaustive list. In fact, the word “everyone” comes from the word that means not just all, but each and every part that makes up the whole. So, Paul is saying, “each and every person.”

APPLICATION

You will need to teach each of these commands separately to your little Johnny or Susie. I would hold off on the admonishing one until they are older. That takes some skill to do correctly. But it is still a most valuable skill to have.  

Teaching them to encourage, help and to be patient, though, can ONLY be taught by modeling that for them. Sorry about that Mom and Dad. You are the one that has to practice this first. Then your children will see what it looks like.  Are you willing to do that? Are you willing to do what the Lord asks you?

So many of us want to admonish, but we don’t want to encourage, help or show patience. We don’t have the right to admonish someone we are not willing to encourage, help or be patient with. Is that you? Commit today to start at the bottom of that list (patience) and work your way up. See what God will do through you.

Father, You have given us the perfect example in Christ. He showed us patience, help and encouragement so that admonishment wasn’t as necessary. Help me model Christ in my interactions with others.

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