QT 06/10/2024 Sun. Thessalonians 4. Seeking Him in ordinary times. 在平凡中寻求祂.
QT 06/10/2024 Sun. Thessalonians 4. Seeking Him in ordinary times.
http://www.esvbible.org/1thes4
Popular discussions of the 'will of God' occur frequently at the upcoming big events of life. Which job? This spouse? Moving here or there?
Nothing wrong with seeking God at these pivotal moments. But why only on such occasions? Do you ever wonder why people would seek the will of God at such important moment in life if they have been ignoring God's will in their daily lives. Should God speak, would such a person listen? Some would say statistically unlikely.
"One who is not faithful in the small moments is unlikely to be faithful in the great", isn't it? Don't assume that God's will is something hidden and difficult to discern. In some situations this may be so, but most of the time not so. Verses 3–8 address matters of daily ethical living. Here we see God’s will neither hidden nor difficult to discern: live moral lives, not abusing or exploiting others, sanctified daily living.
There would be times when you know the ideal would not be realised in our lifetime for some issues. Indeed, we can't change many of our own circumstances and thus feel helpless. Nevertheless, sanctification can happen regardless of season (1Thes 4:3). Abstaining from sexual immorality and exercising self control (1Thes 4:4) were practical steps for the Thessalonians of the 1st century and for us today as well.
Paul exhorted them not to be loafers, but "to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands" (1Thes 4:11).
Meanwhile, especially when things don't turn out the ideal way that would have pleased God much, we need to remember the promise of Jesus' second coming "in the clouds" (1Thes 4:17). May the promise that "we will always be with the LORD" comfort you (1Thes 4:17,18). If not, we have to ask why, because that's what eternity is about.
REFLECTION: If being with the LORD does not comfort you, you have to re-evaluation your spiritual well being from the foundation up all over again. Frankly, eternity would be quite "painful" if you cannot even enjoy the rare glimpse of it today on earth, right here, right now?
星期日 2024年10月6日 帖撒罗尼迦前书4章。 在平凡中寻求祂
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/1Ts/4/
关于 “上帝旨意 ”的热门讨论经常出现在即将到来的人生大事上。哪份工作？这个配偶？搬到这里还是那里？
在这些关键时刻寻求上帝并没有错。但为什么只在这样的场合？你有没有想过，如果人们在日常生活中一直忽视上帝的旨意，为什么会在人生如此重要的时刻寻求上帝的旨意？如果上帝说话了，这样的人会听吗？有人会说，据统计不太可能。
“在小事上不忠心的人，在大事上也不可能忠心”，不是吗？不要以为上帝的旨意是隐藏的、难以辨别的。在某些情况下可能如此，但大多数时候并非如此。第 3-8 节涉及日常道德生活问题。在这里，我们看到上帝的旨意既不隐秘也不难辨别：过有道德的生活，不虐待或剥削他人，过成圣的日常生活。
有些时候，我们知道因着某种原因，我们的理想无法在有生之年完成。确实，我们因为无法改变许多我们自己的处境而感到无助。
然而，保持圣洁是不需要看时间的(帖前4:3)。远离淫乱的行为和保守自己的身体(帖前4:4)都是第一世纪的帖撒罗尼迦人和现今的我们所应当行的。
保罗呼吁他们不可好吃懒做，而是“立志过安静的生活，办自己的事，亲手作工”(帖前4:11)。
与此同时，当事情没有想象中那样的让神喜悦时，我们必须记住耶稣再来时将“被提到云里”的应许(帖前4:1)。愿“我们就要和主常常同在”的应许给你带来安慰(帖前4:17,18)。如果不是那样，我们必须问自己为什么，因为那就是永恒。
反思：如果与主同在不能安慰你，你就要重新省察你的属灵生活，从根基开始。坦白地说，此时此刻，如果你连当下的那一丝永恒都无法享受，那对你来说，“永恒”是否会是很“痛苦的”?
