The seat of our authentic identity is revealed through our hearts. Whether the waters of one’s heart are shallow or deep, all of life’s natural and spiritual issues flow from our hearts!
Words of encouragement and exhortation!
“Keep thy heart with all diligence for out of it [are] the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23
Grace and Peace
Preface
In what was a very refreshing review study of 1 Thessalonians, I was amazed at numerous practical yet most important actions, thoughts, deeds, and disciplines faithful followers of the Master were given by Paul. Paul expressed so much thankfulness to the spiritual growth of this young body of Believers, his major purpose for writing this letter was to encourage the Saints to stand not only against persecution but also against the cultural pressure to revert to “paganism” or worldliness.
Today’s blog post is a brief overview of some of the most wonderful spiritual instructions in operation within this second community that Paul founded after Philippi. I hope that the Body of Christ in the modern era may become encouraged and draw upon these principles of the Thessalonicans to become motivated and committed to integrating them into our spiritual practice.
Kingdom living is a Counter-Cultural Sub-Group
The following listing of practical yet most important actions, thoughts, deeds, and disciplines faithful followers of the Master throughout history, is and will always be deemed by the secular or ungodly cultures, as a counter-cultural sub-group for the obvious reason of clashing of worldviews of the Kingdom of Heaven verse the kingdom of this world system.
Before listing these actions for the modern-day followers, it is important to foundationally encourage the Body of Christ two critical daily practices of wisdom that I encourage you to research for yourself. By studying deeper these two disciplines, you will obtain greater personal victory during intense spiritual warfare battles.
“Watch over your heart with all diligence, for from it flows the springs of life.” Proverbs 4:23
We will be forever wise in our spiritual transformation to constantly remain watchful over our hearts by it being kept by all manner of means that can be thought of, by prayer, hearing, reading, meditation; and, above all, by applying to Christ for his grace and Spirit to sanctify, preserve, and keep it.
In addition, out of the daily watchfulness of our hearts, there is an increased “blessed assurance” within the life of the man/woman based upon visible evidence of the life of faith and holiness here. This same truth is granted and enjoyed when transitioning from this life to the everlasting life to come.
Watching over your heart wisely will then spring from the right principles, that lead to the right ends which will be known by God.
Next, we are strongly encouraged to take every thought captive to obey Christ! 2 Corinthians 10:3-6
“Take every thought captive to obey Christ” suggests a mental filter. To take captive means to trap, seize, control, secure, and conquer. As Paul instructed the Corinthian believers in the first- century, we too must learn to stop all ungodly thoughts in our minds, culture today.
We must destroy arguments and opinions that are within our culture today, all the ones that are against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive. Corinth’s multi-cultural multi-god environment was a threat to their faith in Christ and obedience to him. We could say our culture today threatens us the same way.
Our mind makes us unique among God’s creations. How so? Because with God’s grace and spiritual discipline, we can control with we permit to enter into our thought life! Thanks to our God, because we are in Christ, He has not left us and our minds defenseless.
How we are to live within a godless Culture [drawn from Paul’s 1 Thessalonians letter]
- Called and gifted leaders/spiritual mentors were to not be contolling or dominating peoples lives. Godly leadership is all about service and the development of wholesome relationships. Those who has been entrusted with the message of the Gospel are expected to please only God, not man, nor themselves, or the culture.
- Remain forever faithful in Christ.
- Always keep in the forefront of one’s thought life, the return of Christ.
- Christlikeness is a heavenly directed counter culture sub-culture.
- Sharing the Gospel of the Kingdom of God is a combination of communication of spiritual truth and human-common-unity of spiritually transformed human natures.
- Godliness and integrity daily steps of those who’s hearts have been spiritually transformed by God.
- Personal responsibility of keeping/possessing one’s “Temple” [body] in being separated from ungodliness.
- Live an orderly lifestyle; by being quiet, by attending to one’s personal affairs, work and reminding productive, and behaving properly to all when you encounter them in social settings. Such instructions were reinforced to the beloved community while we all wait productively, on the return of Christ in the future.
- Lord Christ Jesus has ultimate authority of His earthly and heavenly family. In life or death, the control of human souls are in the hands of God through Christ.
- Those who are alive or have died in Christ, are faithfully secured in Christ have overcomed the inpending coming worldwide wrath of God.
- Appreciate those that Biblically and spiritually mentor you.
- Live in peace with those who are believers among you.
- Reprove those who are unruly.
- Encourage the weak and those who are fainthearted.
- Love while practicing patience with one’s neighbor.
- Resist repaying evil with evil. Only seek after what is good for human relationships.
- Seek out and find time to rejoice, while praying at all times. Thus it is possible to give all thanks to God.
- Do not quench the Holy Spirit. One is required to lead a watchful inquiry for heavenly truth. One is instructed to spiritually discern everything while holding fast to only that which is good while avoiding evil at all cost.
Grace and Peace
Brother Alonzo