Discipleship Point
1 Thessalonians 4:1-8
Living to Please God
1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.
3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.
Pondering Point
Our Discipleship Point for the week is built around the first of the four worlds we frequent as disciples. Along with the world of (1) you and God is the world of (2) family, of (3) work or pleasure, of (4) church. God is to be central to all four of these worlds. Using the following snippet from today’s reading, ask yourself a few questions regarding evidence that His proper place is secure in your heart and mind, thoughts and actions, attitude and awareness:
It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable… that no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister.
- Do I view myself as sanctified (set apart) for God?
- Am I avoiding sexual immorality as requested by God?
- Am I learning to control my body in ways that are holy and honorable to God?
Discipleship Prayer
Father God, I desire to let You have Your proper place, Your central place in my life – and to abide by Your instruction. Help me by Your Holy Spirit to identify any idol or person, anxiety or pleasure that has nudged You aside. Take Your rightful place on the throne of my heart. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen.
Micro-Meditation
Psalm 23:1-6
- The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
- He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
- He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
- Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
- Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
- Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.
Read the versus of the Psalm.
Mark the words or phrases that catch your attention.
Meditate: talk (or better, write) with God about those words. Ask him to impress things upon your heart and mind; expect responses.
Teaching or Command of God
2 Corinthians 1:20-22
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God. Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
The Promise
Luke 12:37
It will be good for those servants whose master finds them watching when he comes. Truly I tell you, he will dress himself to serve, will have them recline at the table and will come and wait on them.
Pondering Point
How many generations of your family have been believers in Jesus as Lord?
How are you passing down God’s message of mercy to the next generations?