Good Morning Friends,
“You are all sons of the light and sons of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be alert and self-controlled. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be self-controlled, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:5-11)
In Christ, we are children of light and children of life. Christ is the Light of the world and His is the Life. Outside of Christ the world is full of darkness, controlled by wickedness and selfishness. Outside of Christ the world is full of death, there is no spiritual life without Jesus Christ.
When Christ brings light and life into our lives He changes us. But it doesn’t happen automatically and not without our cooperation. Paul challenges the Thessalonians to be alert and self-controlled. Those are the keys to allowing Christ to change us. When we pay attention to the Lord and focus on Him, He changes us. When we give in to our flesh and focus on ourselves, we allow the darkness to continue its influence in our lives.
Paul mentions one more key to the life-changing work that Christ wants to do in our lives -- the help that Christians give to each other. We can’t successfully live the Christian life alone. We need other believers to encourage us and to help build us up. That’s the purpose of the church and its contribution to our lives. Don’t try to go it alone, get connected to other believers. You need what they can offer to you and they need what you can offer to them.
His, by Grace,
Steve
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