What Are We To Do Now?

Meditate. Think about these things…can you apply them to your life?

Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. 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 in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. Stay away from every kind of evil. 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. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful. 1 Thessalonians 5:14-24 

Jesus taught that we must love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and love our neighbor as ourselves. So what are we to actually do?

Paul gives us a list of to do’s:

·         Council and advice lazy people.

·         Encourage and care for others, especially the weak and timid.

·         Do good. Stay away from every kind of evil—don’t let others pay back evil.

·         Be patient with everyone.

·         Be joyful all the time.

·         Keep on praying, continually.

·         Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

·         Do not stifle the Holy Spirit.

·         Do not scoff at prophecies, but test everything that is said.

·         Hold on to what is good.

Paul, Peter and John taught some of these same things in other books of the New Testament. Search them out for yourselves. It is human nature, or at least for those of us with a tendency for OCD, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, to legalistically follow a list.  Being legalistic about laws, rules and commands is what got the Pharisees in trouble. They made rules to follow the rules instead of following God’s will. Be careful not to just make a list of Things to Do to please God and then follow that list, rather than follow God’s will and direction for your life. Will following that list make you holy? God wants His people to “be Holy” just as He instructed Moses to tell the Israelites.

Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy. Leviticus 19:2

Holiness unto the Lord. Hold onto the good--spiritually good--things in life.

What are you going to do now amidst the COVID-19 lock down? 

Prayer - Lord God of peace, make me holy in every way, and may my whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God, You will make this happen, for You are faithful. 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24. Thank You, Lord, for Your love, Your sacrifice, and Your plan for all eternity.

© 2020 Text and photo by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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