“Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

The purpose of fellowship is to build one another up.  Be an encouragement one to the other.  Help each other in the upward journey of our calling in Christ.  These are some of the reasons why we meet together.  Yes, we are doing this, but never lose focus on the important thing.  Be guided in these principles to hold the course.  The world does not, nor will it change despite what the world says to the contrary.

Lord, how easy it is to be distracted.  There is so much noise in the world and so many things proposed.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth so that I may walk the upward path.  Teach me to be an encouragement to others so that they may stay on the path.  Help me to be one who follows You and encourages others to do the same, that we together would encourage each other in these things.

Lord Jesus, You gathered Your disciples and they walked with You throughout Your ministry.  You poured Yourself into them that they would learn to pour themselves into You and others.  Teach me to pour myself into others that they too would follow the course You have set before us all.  Help me to learn how to be a part of a fellowship and to be an encouragement to others as they learn and grow.  Amen.

“For God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-10).

Listen carefully.  The law is not what saves us.  Living up to the law is not possible in this age.  What then?  Only this, that we focus upon the One who saves us, knowing that He is saving us.  Live into the promise which You have been given, knowing it is true.  Be guided by the Lord and not by the continuous nonsense of this world.  Know that in the Lord there is hope, life, and freedom.

Lord, I hear these things but often live as though being perfect was the requirement.  Show me the better way which comes through the salvation You have brought into the world.  Guide me according to Your never-failing word so that I may hear what You are saying and understand Your word.  I need Your guidance and direction always, so lead me in the way You know I need to go.

Lord Jesus, without You none of this would be possible.  Only You could and can fulfil the law.  Guide me into You in order that I would rest on what You do and not upon what I do.  Lead me to learn from You so that I would be guided into the light, and always into brighter light, the light of Your countenance.  Bring comfort to me and through me so that I would let Your light so shine that others would see You in me.  Amen.

“For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night.  But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thessalonians 5:7-8).

The activities of the ungodly are inconsistent between what they say and what they do.  Reveling in the darkness, things remain hidden and what is not seen may be seen in shadows.  For those who walk in the light of Christ, we are to walk as though all can see everything we do.  We are in the light.  The distinction here is between being completely transparent and hiding what we do.

Lord, let me see this in its simplicity.  You have called for me to live as one whose actions are seen and judged as being one who follows You.  Help me Lord to live into the life You have given me in the light so that I would not leave anything hidden, nor live with a double identity as many pagans do, but would live in freedom without pretension, knowing that I am in Your hands.

Lord Jesus, You said that You did what You saw the Father doing.  You told us to live lives of prayer in order that we would be in constant communication with You.  Guide me, O Lord, so that I would humbly walk with You in and through all things.  Let me not be afraid of what the world sees but let me be consistent in living as one who is always in Your presence.  Guide me always, my Lord and Savior.  Amen.

“We are not of night nor of darkness; so then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober” (1 Thessalonians 5b-6).

The whole idea of going along to get along is refuted here.  But this does not mean that we are to be contentious either.  What it means is that we live lives that are awake and aware.  Pay attention to what is happening around you.  Be guided by what the Lord says and do not sluff off what the world is saying when it contradicts the things of the Lord.  Be awake and be on the alert that you may not be overcome by the adversary.

Lord, first of all keep me from being indifferent, slumbering, or unmindful of the things that are happening around me.  I know that many ignore what is inconvenient.  Help me to not be one of those.  Lead me in all sobriety to be alert and awake but not contentious.  Help me to see the signs of the age and live according to all that You have spoken.  Guide me, Lord, in the way of truth.

Lord Jesus, You are the truth.  Your word is truth.  Guide me always to be aware and willing to see even when I would rather not.  You knew exactly what was happening around You and You have taught us to also be aware.  Let my hope be based upon You and not upon the circumstances of this world.  Lead me in holiness and righteousness all the days of my life that I may fulfill all that You intend.  Amen. 

“But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief; for you are all sons of light and sons of day” (1 Thessalonians 5:4-5a).

Light always overtakes darkness.  Yet, in this age there are times of twilight when darkness seems to prevail.  Do not be led by the wickedness of this world, the darkness that proclaims itself as light.  Walk humbly in the light of Christ which is always shining and cannot be darkened.  The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.

Lord, You have already won the war, but the battle against evil in this age rages on.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way You know I need to go and then show me the direction into which I need to head.  Lord, You have been unfolding all that is happening so that Your will may be done on earth as it is in heaven.  Guide me that I would be one who does Your will.  Let me never be a child of darkness again.

Lord Jesus, You are the light that shines in the darkness.  You are the Word made flesh.  You are the bright and morning star.  You have come so that all who look to You would receive grace upon grace and mercy upon mercy to walk as children of the Heavenly Father.  Lead me now and always to be guided by You in the way of truth.  Help me to see through the darkness of this age and walk in Your light.  Amen.

“While they are saying, “Peace and safety!” then destruction will come upon them suddenly like labor pains upon a woman with child, and they will not escape” (1 Thessalonians 5:3).

In these things, there are those which happen over and over again as well as those which happen time and again in this age.  People felt secure and safe in the Roman Empire.  It fell.  This will happen time and again.  This world is constantly changing.  The world to come is eternal.  Live the life you have been given, but do not put your trust in this age; keep it in the Lord who is forever.

Lord, help me to not live just for myself, but to live the life You have given me for others too.  Guide me in Your goodness so that I would now and always live according to the promises You have given me.  Guide me to learn each day what You would have me learn, knowing that You are always with me.  Open my ears to hear Your Word spoken and then bring my heart to the place where I willingly obey.

Lord Jesus, all these things You modeled.  You did not just tell us what to do, You did it Yourself.  In Your example, guide me this day to put into practice those things which You have modeled.  Let me not be so concerned with what tomorrow will bring as much as doing what You give me to do today.  Guide me always, Lord, in the eternal way that I may journey into eternity with You.  Amen.

“For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night” (1 Thessalonians 5:2).

The end will come.  It will come for us all, but it will probably come for you and me before that Day of the Lord.  But it will come.  The end of this age.  We who have been given the gift of grace do not hope in vain, for we know that having been united with Christ in His death on the cross means we are united with Him in His resurrection.  Know these things and live both with hope and without anxiety.

Lead me to see both how short this life is and also that what You have promised is more assured than what I know of this life.  Guide me to live knowing these things and being prepared for Your coming.  Help me to do this not in fear, but in joy, for what You have promised is before all and for those of us who love You, it will be good.

Lord Jesus, guide me in the way of everlasting life.  Help me on the upward journey, modeling my life after You.  Show me today and each day You give me before my end in this age how to  become what You are making of me.  Lead me, O Lord, to know that in You alone is all hope and the glory of an eternal future.  Amen.  

“Now as to the times and the epochs, brethren, you have no need of anything to be written to you”(1 Thessalonians 5:1).

How many epics have been written about the end of times, what will happen and the scenarios for these things?  Yet, time has marched on and they have not come to pass.  Is the Word unsure?  May it never be.  We are told time and again not to needlessly speculate, and yet we do.  Come then and live in the faith and hope that you have been given in the salvation of Christ, trusting in His timing of all things.

Lord, lead me away from idle speculation and into the life You have promised by grace through faith.  Guide me, O Lord, away from building my hope on anything less than You.  You are the One who has saved us and in You is our hope.  Let that be enough for me.  There is much that needs to be done if I am to be prepared to spend eternity with You.  Help me focus upon these things.

Lord Jesus, You are the way, truth, and life.  Whether I know the future sequence of events or not really does not matter.  Keep me from any kind of pride that would hinder my walking with You all the days of my life.  Lead me, O Lord, in the way of truth.  Your Word is truth.  Help me focus upon what I know, that which You have spoken, and leave the rest to settle where it will.  Your grace is sufficient, O Lord!  Amen.

“Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words” (1 Thessalonians 4:17-18).

What is the comfort?  That none of those who trust in the salvation of the Lord will be left out of the resurrection.  We shall all be caught up with the Lord forever.  Take comfort that you are not alone, nor forgotten, ever!  The Lord has given you promises that are sure and eternal.  Be comforted and comfort others with the comfort you yourself have received from the Lord.

Lord, I know there are all kinds of systems built around the idea of some being left behind and others being resurrected.  Lord, I do not know these things and although others may take comfort from these words, help me take comfort from the promise You have given throughout the ages that all who remain in You now will be with You in eternity.  Help me accept the comfort I know is true even if I have other ideas that comfort me as well.

Lord Jesus, it boils down to the truth that all things are in Your hands.  Help me to trust Your Word, for Your never-failing Word endures forever.  You have spoken promises to all who believe and in those promises is the hope we have of life everlasting.  Guide me, O Lord, in the way of life that I may be led in Your salvation to prepare for the eternal life You have promised to all those who are faithful.  Amen.

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16).

Look and listen.  The voice of the Lord can even be heard by those whom we call dead, but whom Scripture says are asleep.  By whatever name, the Lord calls and creation listens.  In the beginning He spoke the word and it was as He spoke.  In whom then will you trust?  Will you trust yourself whose word is weak, or the One through whom all things came into being through His word?

Lord, forgive me when I am unwilling to believe.  Bring me to the place where I stop questioning everything and start living the life of faith that You have given me.  Who is more important?  You are more so than anyone else.  The question seems so silly and yet I often live as though this were a legitimate question.  Help me to have the right priorities and do things the way they ought to be done.

Lord Jesus, You came so that we might have life and have it abundantly.  Guide me this day to do what is right in Your sight.  Lead me according to the never-changing word which You have spoken.  In and through all things, help me to understand that in You is there hope and the eternal future our hearts were created to desire.  Teach me to love as You love and how to live according to Your word.  Amen.