1 THESSALONIANS 5:12-22 PLUS
1. Find a spiritual leader for your life and learn from him.
12 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.
2. Learn to get along. 13 b And live peacefully with each other. If you are always in conflict with others, or even if others are in conflict with you, then you need to check if you are the problem. (compare /Romans 12: 18 Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.
3. Don’t be THAT guy. 14a Brothers and sisters, we urge you to warn those who are lazy. Don’t be THAT guy, the short cut guy, the do half the job guy, the no commitment guy. Just don’t be THAT guy.
4. Be the Man 14b Encourage those who are timid. Take tender care of those who are weak. Be patient with everyone. Be the Man in the group, don’t be afraid to lead, don’t be afraid to offer help. Not everyone is fearless, but sometimes you have to be.
5. There are some things only God can do. 15 See that no one pays back evil for evil, but always try to do good to each other and to all people.
Jesus words: Matthew 5:38-42 38“You have heard the law that says the punishment must match the injury: ‘An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39But I say, do not resist an evil person! If someone slaps you on the right cheek, offer the other cheek also. 40If you are sued in court and your shirt is taken from you, give your coat, too. 41If a soldier demands that you carry his gear for a mile, carry it two miles. 42Give to those who ask, and don’t turn away from those who want to borrow.
These are the hardest words every spoken about human behavior. This is the place where the Bible contradicts typical advice or rules for living. It’s truly counter-cultural. Biblically the message is clear-do not take revenge in this life, God will deal with revenge in eternity.
6. Attitude Matters. 16 Always be joyful. Make sure your attitude is positive so that others will want to hang out at your house. This includes your wife and kids.
7. Know how to pray. 17 Never stop praying. Either you will change or your circumstances will change, but neither will change for the good without prayer. Prayer links us with God and strengthens our faith. With faith there is nothing impossible.
8. Be thankful to God and it doesn’t hurt to thank others as well. 18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus. Don’t need to explain it any further, “Just do it”.
9. God does speak-Listen! 19 Do not stifle the Holy Spirit. 20 Do not scoff at prophecies, 21 but test everything that is said. Hold on to what is good. God exists and wants to be a source of blessing in your life-Let Him. He will speak to you, give you wisdom and peace, but you have to let him. This is not “Let go and Let God,” This is listening to Him so much that you learn his voice, his accent, his cadence, then when the enemy (and there is an enemy) speaks you will know the difference.
10. Just Don’t Do It! 22 Stay away from every kind of evil. Bad behavior will destroy your marriage, your employment, your relationship with your children. Just don’t do it. Evil will be defined differently by different groups. Even the Biblical word is “poneros” which is used here can describe rotten (poneros) fruit, a blinded (poneros) eye, and Satan himself -the Evil (poneros) One. So in this context, when Paul uses the word “poneros” or evil he is referring to any activity of the world, anything demonic in its origin, or anything associated with Satan. That’s pretty much everything but God.
Bonus! The only one command that Paul gives to men that is not found here is the command to love His wife in Ephesians 5:25ff. 25For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her …This parallel between the Husband and Christ is striking, challenging and a worthy goal in the life of every believing man.