Coffee With The Lord

I read a passage this morning during my time of “coffee with the Lord” that’s a pretty tall order…

“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.” 1 Thessalonians 5:23–24 (NIV)

Wow!! “Sanctified through-and-through!! Holy! Completely set apart to the Lord, His will, His purposes, His cause!! Spirit, soul, and body – inside and out – every attitude, inclination, molecule and atom, blameless and without fault when the Lord returns!! Can you imagine! How is that possible?! Well Paul, the apostle put it this way… “The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it!”

What a relief eh? It will be God’s provision, initiative, activity and power at work in our lives that makes it possible!

But there’s our part as well. And I can tell you that’s when I began to have serious reservations… I know my weakness, I’m aware of the power of temptation, I’m all to aware of the times I’ve fallen short!! I was praying about that this morning when the words of this old gospel song came to mind. From my experience and perspective it helps provide an answer to “my side of it”…

1. Dying with Jesus, by death reckoned mine;

Living with Jesus, a new life divine;

Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine,

Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.

Refrain:

Moment by moment I’m kept in His love;

Moment by moment I’ve life from above;

Looking to Jesus till glory doth shine;

Moment by moment, O Lord, I am Thine.

2. Never a trial that He is not there,

Never a burden that He doth not bear,

Never a sorrow that He doth not share,

Moment by moment, I’m under His care.

3. Never a heartache, and never a groan,

Never a teardrop, and never a moan;

Never a danger but there on the throne,

Moment by moment He thinks of His own.

4. Never a weakness that He doth not feel,

Never a sickness that He cannot heal;

Moment by moment, in woe or in weal,

Jesus my Savior abides with me still.

Daniel W. Whittle – 1893

When someone asks or appeals to you to do something, how do you know they are serious about it – how do you know it’s important? The words they use? Perhaps their facial expressions? Is it their tone of voice? Maybe their volume? It’s probably a mixture or blend of several of the things mentioned. Hey… use your imagination! (Your Mom or Dad, a teacher, a boss, your child, a police officer – I could go on…)

But how about a trusted “Spiritual leader” – like the Apostle Paul (now use your imagination)! In 1 Thessalonians 5:12-21 (part of my Bible reading today) Paul writes to Christians in a church he planted and appeals to them about some important things in their Christian life in a very pagan (yet religious) city… He uses two Greek words to describe his appeal: The first is a more general word – “erotao” – and simply means to request, ask, or appeal (vs. 12). The second word is stronger though – perhaps one of the strongest word in the New Testament for appealing to someone – “parakaleo” – translated “urge” but including the ideas of imploring, begging, intreating – even begging.

Now picture Paul doing that to you, as a Christian, as you read (and reflect on) these phrases from the passage…

“I ASK YOU to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

Be at peace among yourselves.

AND I URGE YOU, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.

See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.

Rejoice always!

Pray without ceasing!

Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you!

Do not quench the Spirit! [what the Holy Spirit is doing/saying] Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; and hold fast what is good.

[And finally,] abstain from every form of evil!”

Important stuff, eh? And now imagine Apostle Paul appealing directly to YOU about these things!

An encouraging word from the Bible this Monday morning…

Apostle Paul: “I’M TELLING YOU THIS DIRECTLY FROM THE LORD! We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord Himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever! SO ENCOURAGE EACH OTHER WITH THESE WORDS!” (From1 Thessalonians 4:15–18 New Living Translation)