How to Please Your Father I Thessalonians 4: 112

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How to Please Your FatherI Thessalonians 4 1-12

• Be ReadyChapter 6Warren Wiersbe

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• Christian life can be compared to a walk
• Walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are
  called Eph 41
• Walk not as other Gentiles Eph 417
• Walk in love Eph 58
• Walk as children of light Eph 58
• Christian life begins with a step of faith which
  leads to walk of faith
• For we walk by faith, not by sight 2 cor. 57
• Walking suggests progress and demands strength

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• At the end of the walk, we will enter in the
  presence of the Lord (heaven)
• And Enoch was walking with god, and he was not,
  for God took him (Gen. 524)
• Threefold walk for Christian to follow holiness,
  harmony, and honesty
• Walk in Holiness (I Thess. 41-8)
• Immorality was a way of life in Roman Empire
• Reasons to live a holy life
• To please God (41)
• Everybody live to please somebody, even
  themselves
• Pleasing God should ne the major motive of the
  Christian life

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• Holy Spirit works in our lives both to will and
  to do of His good pleasure (Phil 413)
• Example Enoch had his testimony that he pleased
  God (Heb. 115)
• You can obey God, but not please God like Jonah
• not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as
  servants of God from the heart Eph 66
• How do we please God?
• By listening to Him and living with Him
• To obey God (42-3)
• Paul gave commandments concerning personal purity
• Commandment is a military word
• Sexual immorality doesnt please God as seen in
  v. 3
• Marriage should be honored by all, and the
  marriage bed kept pure. Heb 134
• Gods commandments relating to sex is for the
  purpose of protecting them that they ought not to
  lose joy.

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• Thou shalt not commit adultery. creates safe
  haven and beautiful garden for marriage
• Abstain from fornication No need to seek gods
  will on sex.
• Gods purpose sanctification living spiritual
  life in purity of mind and body.
• To glorify God (44-5)
• To be different from the unsaved
• Possess his vessel (4)
• Control our body for our bodies are the vessels
  of God (2Cor.47 2Tim. 220-21)
• Christian who commits sexual sins is sinning
  against his own body (1Cor. 619-20)
• To escape the judgment of God (46-8)
• The judgment on Christians is worse for God is
  not a respecter of persons (2 Peter 220)
• Example David
• God can forgive, but He will not change the
  consequence.

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• Excuse I am one of Gods elect
• Election is not an excuse, but an encouragement
  for holiness.
• For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but
  unto holiness. (47)
• But as He which hath called you is holy, so be ye
  holy. (1 Peter 115)
• Holy walk involves a right relationship with the
  Father who called us, Jesus Christ who died for
  us, and the Holy spirit who lives in us.
• Your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit (1
  Cor. 619-20)
• Walking in Spirit gives us victory over the lusts
  of the flesh (Gal. 516ff)
• Holy Spirit gives us the desire for Gods pure
  Word (1Peter 21-3)
• Holy Spirit teaches us the Word (John 1426)

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• Critical problem at the church in the past and
  today
• Divorces even among the believers, gay churches,
  premarital sexes, and pornography as well as
  incest
• Walk in Harmony (49-10)
• Transition from holiness to love
• Gods love is holy and it should motivate us to
  holy living.
• 4 basic words for love in Greek language
• Eros physical love
• Storge family love
• Phila love of deep affection as in friendship or
  marriage
• Agape love God shows toward us, love is not
  based on feeling, but in will

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• Philadelphia brotherly love having the same
  Father and family, therefore, they should love
  one another
• John 1334 A new commandment I give unto you,
  that ye love one another.
• Romans 55 And hope maketh not ashamed because
  the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by
  the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
• Nature determines action
• Example fishs nature, birds nature, Gods
  nature
• 2Peter 14 Whereby are given unto us exceeding
  great and precious promises that by these ye
  might be partakers of the divine nature, having
  escaped the corruption that is in the world
  through lust.
• How can God cause our love to increase more and
  more?

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• Circumstances that force us to practice Christian
  love
• Love is circulatory system of the body of
  Christ
• The difficulties that the believers have with one
  another are the opportunities for them to grow in
  love
• Walk in Honesty (411-12)
• Honestly properly, decently
• Purpose believers witness to those who are
  unsaved
• Testimonies
• The believers earn their own wages
• Quietness of mind and heart, inner peace
• Hard work Paul was a tentmaker works were done
  by the slaves

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• Prevent from being busybody who is idle and
  gossip (Mind your own business, v.11)
• Also 2 Thess. 311
• Misunderstanding of the doctrine of Christs
  return
• Reasons why Christians should work
• Provide for their own families (1Tim.58)
• Christians shouldnt be exempt if unsaved work
  and pay bills
• We can give to those in need
• We shouldnt eat if not working
• The work is blessing, not curse
• Summary
• The obedient Christian will have holy life by
  abstaining from sexual sins
• The obedient Christian will have a harmonious lif
  by loving the brethren
• The obedient Christian will have an honest work
  by working with his hands and not meddling with
  others affairs