1 Thessalonians 5

"Dear Father, Grant that we may live as sons of the light and daughters of the day. Grant that we may understand the prophecies of Jesus and his..."

"Dear Father, holy God, Help me always to be joyful and to pray continually, giving thanks to you in all circumstances, since this is your will for me..."

Don't you want to be ready when the time comes? Don't you want to be ready to go when Jesus returns to take us home to glory?

"Dear Disciple, In his first letter to the Thessalonian Christians, Paul wrapped his teaching on My coming back in glory — which we will..."

How can we really do this? David Bratton shares with us some important ideas about praying without ceasing and obeying, honoring, blessing, and working for the justice that blesses God.

"See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people. Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful...."

"Do not quench the Spirit. Do not treat prophecies with contempt but test them all; hold on to what is good, reject every kind of evil."

"Dear Father, patient one, Give us hearts that gladly show respect for those who labor among us and who lead us and admonish us in the Lord. Fill us....."

"Dear brothers and sisters, honor those who are your leaders in the Lord's work. They work hard among you and give you spiritual guidance. Show them....."

"Dear Fellow Heir of Glory, As God's child and as My younger sibling in the Father's family of grace, you are an heir of glory. The glory that I enjoy..."

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

"Be joyful always, pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."

"For God chose to save us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when..."

"Night is the time when people sleep and drinkers get drunk. But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the armor of faith and love,..."

"For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we..."

"Dear Father, all worthy God, Please give me the mind of Christ so that my body may be a temple of the spirit of holiness which is his. May you..."

Inspirational illustration of 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10 -- For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.

Does crazy stuff happen to you? Crazy things happen to all of us, but we can face them with joy because of God.

And there I began hunting out places of worship through tears of joy in pain. Melissa Troyer reminds us that giving thanks -- and finding reasons to give thanks -- is a decision we make every day in all circumstances, especially when it is hard to be thankful!

Isn't time to do this with everything else going on? Thanksgiving is something that is needed, commanded, and celebrated: so let's give thanks.

Arguing kids and the morning's first sunlight lead to thanksgiving? Ann Voskamp takes a morning breakfast, washing, dishes, arguing boys, and books in multiple languages and turns it into a time of joy, happiness, and eucharisteo.

"Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

"Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you. "

"And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone."

"Be joyful always."

"May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus..."

"So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled."

"Dear Disciple, Some messages of truth are hard to hear. Nevertheless, a family has to have expectations of family members if it is going to function...."

"Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. "

"Dear Father, all honor to you, I present my body to you, O Lord. Give it health, energy and stamina. Give it healing, as needed. I present my soul,....."

"Heaven is a place where we shall never sin; where we shall cease our constant watch against an indefatigable enemy, because there will be no tempter....."

"This one morning in the year we reserved to refresh the reader's memory upon the subject of prayer for ministers, and we do most earnestly implore..."

"There are many ways of promoting Christian wakefulness. Among the rest, let me strongly advise Christians to converse together concerning the ways of...."

"Do not stifle the Holy Spirit."

Inspirational illustration of 1 Thessalonians 5:16 -- Be joyful always ...

Inspirational illustration of 1 Thessalonians 5:11 -- Encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

e-card image of 1 Thessalonians 5:19 -- Got Spirit? Do not put out the Spirit's fire.

Scripture image of 1 Thessalonians 5:25 -- Brothers, pray for us.

Inspirational illustration of 1 Thessalonians 5:12 -- Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work hard among you, who are over you in the Lord and who admonish you.

Insiriational image of 1 Thessalonians 5:23 -- May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Inspirational illustration of 1 Thessalonians 5:6 -- So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled.

So can we learn to be more thankful? Rick Brown gives us insights on abstract prayers and the Rabbi's teaching that would help us be more thankful.

What do you look like when you are not trying look any certain way? Deonna Shake uses her vast coaching and playing experience to introduce a key concept called "default face" and reminds us that how we carry ourselves says a lot about us.

What would a frank conversation between us and God about thankfulness look like? Tom Norvell shares an imaginary but important conversation between himself and God.

How are you handling the situation you currntly find yourself in? We can learn to give thanks and be content if we will reframe our current situation and see how many blessings we actually have.

How in the world can you praise the Lord at a time like this? Mike Barres reminds us that life is full of hardship and curve balls, but we can learn to praise the Lord anyway.

Don't let the signs of the times scare you! Many try to predict when Jesus will come back. The Bible says His coming will be a surprise. The main thing we need to do is be ready to greet Him, whenever that may be.

On this day when many pause with their families to give thanks to God, let’s remember what the LORD God has done to bless us! Phil Ware reminds us to give thanks for all of our blessings!

Yes, you are your brother's keeper From Cain to Jesus to Paul to us, we are responsible for each other. We are our brother's keeper. But, and this makes all the difference, we are to hold each other accountable to the teachings of Jesus as members of a family, wanting the best for each oth

So when is Jesus' return? Rubel Shelly talks about the end of the world, which a prediction missed once again, and how those who do not live faith embarrass the cause of Christ.

God wants us to live our lives to the full, inviting him to permeate each moment of each day, including our sleep time! Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in an online, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to invite God to permeate every moment of every day, including having our hearts tuned to God with night songs.

What are you forgetting in the light of day? Too many of our good intentions are never fulfilled because we forget them and leave our world in darkness.

What I didn’t realize was that my wellness is not just about the food I put inside my body! Jordan Harrell shares some challenges from several years ago after her baby was born and how three questions she needed to answer helped make her healthier in every way.

Today, we focus on the power of love to cover over the offenses of others and stop the power of gossip from ruining lives. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to emphasize the importance of forgiving and covering over the offenses of others with our forgiveness and love.

"Dear Friend, The support of those who work for Me as their calling and vocation has always been a touchy issue among some of My people. Paul ran into..."

This is a team we can all be thankful for! Ron Rose reminds us that Thanksgiving is about those who have blessed us and our being a blessing back by letting them know and thanking them.

Imagine if we all came together at the same time and prayed for God to intervene and help us overcome our world's problems! Phil Ware explains the unified, simultaneous, hour of prayer on January 1 and December 31 as all the time zones gather together to pray.

What do you hear in the silence? We can only regain our rightful place in our spirit through Silence and the work of the Holy Spirit on our spirit.

Ed saw a need to check on and connect with folks who have been absent, so he started doing it. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to call us to encourage and build up each other and learn to live out our own version of Ed-ness.

What are you waiting for? Alan Smith shares the importance of doing things now in the lives we love and not waiting till the funeral.

Got anybody praying for you? Everyone needs someone praying for them; this prayer is for you and we pray without ceasing!

"Dear Precious Child of the Father, Today I want you to read the prayers of Paul for the new Christians in Thessalonica. Frequently your scholars..."

Jesus reminds us that real love involves our tangible demonstration of that love in acts of kindness, help, and service. Demetrius Collins and Phil Ware lead us in a virtual, DIY, worship through words and music using YouTube videos to call us into the mission Jesus gave us to be his bodily presence sent into the world just as the Father sent him.

Why give thanks for that? Mike Barres talks about a hunting trip with his wife and how they were so thankful for just heat and food and the simple things of life.

Could you ever imagine that 80 cents could mean so much? Sending thank you cards or notes can be such a powerful and special blessing to those who receive them and are just the kind of thing the Lord would have us do!

I was very comfortable right where I was. Jordan Harrell speaks to women about something she was told by another woman teacher that revolutionized her relationship with her husband.

Do we really have all these choices or is there only one choice? Righteousness is not a choice but it is defined by God and his will, not by popular culture, media, and we cannot compromise and or flirt with evil.

If you can't be passionate about it, how important is it anyway? Phil Ware continues his series where he shares his dad's values with his adult children, and this one is on living with passion.

What I learned about a healthy relationship with God from my dentist visits. Just as my teeth need regular care and maintenance, so does my relationship with God.

What do we do with folks bent on destroying themselves? Sometimes those who show themselves to be very self-destructive just need someone to help them get some rest and encouragement.

Some people have a hard time being thankful. Christians do not. There are reasons some people have difficulty giving thanks. We Christians see things differently.

When's the last time you used your divine Twitter account? Phil Ware reminds us that drive-by prayers and tweeting heaven and tweet prayers are ways to include God in all of our everyday activities and build upon our life of prayer.

Are you ready? We know that Jesus will come again. We have to get ready.

Our God will even cry for you Jesus wept when he saw the pain and grieving caused by death. He still weeps with us when we are hurting.

We fool ourselves into discounting the malignant threat of sin to our souls. Bill Sherrill has a visit with a surgeon about removing malignant tissue and this experience opens his eyes about how we must treat sin in our lives.