Exploring Christ's Spiritual Laws

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Col 4:2 . . Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

The koiné Greek word for "devote" is proskartereo (pros-kar-ter-eh'-o)
which means: to persevere; viz: not give up and/or lose interest.

"And he spoke a parable unto them to this end: that people ought always to
pray, and not lose heart." (Luke 18:1)

For many of us, prayer is a last resort; a grasping at straws because we
simply have nowhere else to turn. We wish for progress with prayer, while
not really expecting it because we already know from plenty of experience
that prayer too often leads into a cul-de-sac of perplexity and
discouragement; so then, what's the use? In other words: prayer is very
difficult for some believers because it's often so futile.

Why doesn't the Bible's God respond? And if He's not going to respond, then
why keep on making a fool of ourselves trying to get through to an
imaginary playmate when all the while its phone is off the hook?

It was this very issue that led Mother Teresa of Calcutta to question whether
there really is a God out there. During virtually her entire five decades in
India, Teresa felt not the slightest glimmer of The Lord's presence and
suffered a good deal of anxiety wondering why Christ abandoned her.

I'm not making this up. You can read it for yourself in a collection of Teresa's
private letters titled Mother Teresa / Come Be My Light; The Private Writings
of the "Saint Of Calcutta"
published with Rome's approval by Father Brian
Kolodiejchuk, director of the Mother Teresa center and a postulator for her
canonization.

In one of Teresa's private letters, penned to a Father Picachy, Teresa
complained: I am told God loves me; and yet the reality of darkness &
coldness & emptiness is so great that nothing touches my soul.

In yet another letter, penned to a Father Joseph Neuner, S.J. Teresa again
complained: Now Father-- since 1949 or 1950 this terrible sense of loss--
this untold darkness-- this loneliness, this continual longing for God-- which
gives me pain deep down in my heart-- Darkness is such that I really do not
see neither with my mind nor with my reason-- the place of God in my soul
is blank-- There is no God in me-- when the pain of longing is so great-- I
just long & long for God-- and then it is that I feel-- He does not want me--
He is not there-- God does not want me-- Sometimes-- I just hear my own
heart cry out-- "My God" and nothing else comes-- the torture and pain I
can't explain.

In yet another letter, Teresa complained: When I try to raise my thoughts to
Heaven, there is such convicting emptiness that those very thoughts return
like sharp knives and hurt my very soul. How painful is this unknown pain-- I
have no faith.

If the most pious nun the 20th century ever produced found heaven's phone
off the hook for virtually five decades, then why should John Q and Jane Doe
pew warmer "devote" themselves to prayer? Can they seriously expect to
have any better luck than Teresa did? Yes; men ought to pray and not give
up. I'm not trying to countermand The Lord's instructions. All I'm saying is:
don't get your hopes up; but let me show you another angle:

C.S. Lewis, famed author of The Screwtape Letters, and The Chronicles of
Narnia
; once remarked that he prayed, not because he expected results but,
because it made him feel better. Well, if prayer makes you feel better, then
more power to you-- in point of fact, I highly recommend conversational
prayer because talking things out with somebody, even an imaginary
playmate, is far and away better than talking things out with nobody.

There are instances in the Old Testament where God actually sent His people
troubles just to get their attention and start them talking to Him again. Sort
of like a little boy in third grade spitting on the hair of a girl sitting in front of
him so she'll notice him. (chuckle) Well, if God spits on your hair, so to
speak, then maybe it's time you and He had a fireside chat.
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Webers.Home

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Col 4:3-4 . . And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our
message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in
chains. Pray that I may proclaim it clearly, as I should.

Proclaiming the mystery of Christ clearly as one should means to avoid
sophisticated intellectualism. (1Cor 2:1-5)

When physicist Stephen Hawking set out to write his fabulously popular book
"A Brief History Of Time" he determined to make an effort to speak of
complicated cosmological concepts in layman's terms. Well; he succeeded,
and consequently just about anybody with an average IQ and the ability to
read can pick up Stephen's book and get something out of it.

NOTE: In my opinion it is far better to appeal to common folk than the
educated elite because most of them are a lost cause no matter.

"For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many wise
according to the flesh." (1Cor 1:26)
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Webers.Home

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Col 4:5 . . Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of
every opportunity.

I once heard a story about a well-meaning sidewalk evangelist who was
handing out Gospel tracts. A man came by and asked the side-walker what
he was doing. The side-walker handed the man a tract and said: Here, read
this. Well, the man was illiterate. So he told the side-walker: I can't read
your tract, so I'll just watch your tracks. In other words; don't just talk the
talk; walk the walk too: live it because for some people, your life speaks
volumes.
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Webers.Home

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Col 4:6 . . Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt

Grace can be defined as kind, courteous, inclined to good will, generous,
charitable, altruistic, compassionate, sympathetic, thoughtful, cordial,
affable, genial, sociable, cheerful, warm, sensitive, hospitable, considerate,
and tactful.

It seems to me from the language and grammar of Matt 5:13, Mark 9:50,
Luke 14:34, and Col 4:6, that the purpose of salt is to enhance flavor and
make otherwise naturally insipid and/or bad-tasting things palatable, viz:
diplomacy; which can be roughly defined as conversation that makes an
effort to maintain peace rather than provoke conflict and/or annoy people
and make them uncomfortable.
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Col 4:16 . . After this letter has been read to you, see that it is also read in
the church of the Laodiceans; and that you in turn read the letter from
Laodicea.

That directive has little application today except to point out that the epistles
are meant to be known in every Christian church; not just special Christian
churches.
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1Thess 4:1-2 . . Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in The
Lord Jesus, that, as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to
walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you may excel still
more. For you know what commandments we gave you by the authority of
The Lord Jesus.

The commandments instituted in the apostle Paul's letters are given to the
Lord's followers for the purpose of taking the guess work out of walking and
pleasing God; viz: nobody should expect to excel in the Lord's
commandments when they don't even know what they are.

"Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of
God: I speak this to your shame." (1Cor 15:34)
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1Thess 4:3-5 . . It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you
should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his
own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the
heathen, who do not know God;

Some folk, not quite understanding the nature of the Spirit birth about which
John wrote in John 1:12-13 and about which Christ spoke in John 3:3-8,
have been led to believe that born-again Christians are supposed to be free
of their libido and their romantic impulses. Well, obviously not, or why else
would it be God's will to control them?

There's a downside to sleeping around; not only a spiritual downside but a
practical downside too. The below is from a study done by two psychology
researchers from the university of Denver after studying 418 people who
participated in a Relationship Development Study.

"The more sexual partners one sleeps with prior to marriage, the less quality
of life they can expect to have in marriage. This also goes for people who
shack up prior to marriage; even among those whose only sexual partner
has been the person they eventually marry. People who have been through
a divorce, or who had shacked up with someone before meeting their
current spouse, were also less likely to have a high-quality marriage."
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1Thess 4:6 . . In this matter no one should wrong his brother or take
advantage of him.

"this matter" refers to adultery.

"Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God
will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral." (Heb 13:4)

Christians commit adultery with Christians? Haw! Does that even need to be
answered? Of course they do; and it goes on all the time, even among
church officers; who by all rights should be setting the example for the rank
and file.

My wife was once friends with the wife of a counselor in a very big church in
San Diego. She confided with my wife (on the QT of course) that it was
amazing the number of church officers and their wives who were messing
around. She couldn't reveal their names of course due to confidentiality
considerations.
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Webers.Home

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1Thess 4:6-8 . . God has called us to be holy, not to live impure lives.
Anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human rules but
is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

God's rules are the edicts of a monarch; and He expects compliance; but
because people hear His rules as hear-say rather than straight from the
horse's mouth, they quite naturally tend to be scofflaws.

NOTE: Why "gives" the Spirit instead of gave? Well; although Christ's
believing followers are all equally endowed with the Spirit (1Cor 6:19, Eph
1:13) it's benefits are not equally doled. The fruit of the Spirit as per Gal
5:22-23 has a string attached: compliance with Christ's wishes; viz: when
Christ's followers go rogue and live in accordance with their base nature,
they die. In other words: the fruit of the Spirit is withheld; they shrivel and
dry up like yard debris. (John 15:1-10, Rom 8:5-13)
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Webers.Home

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1Thess 4:11a . . Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life,

I highly recommend avoiding political activism like the plague.
Demonstrations, protests, marches, and the like are not what I call a quiet
life; and they sometimes result in violence and civil disobedience; which are
really bad things for Christ's believing followers.

. . . and tend your own business

Getting one's self involved with stuff that doesn't pertain to you whilst
neglecting your obligations. commitments, and responsibilities is
irresponsible.

I think this rule may be intended to regulate meddling too; which in my
opinion is a very annoying habit practiced by people who honestly believe
they know how to live your life better than you. Well; maybe they do; but if
there is one thing I and quite a few others really hate it's unsolicited
counseling.
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Webers.Home

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1Thess 4:11b-12 . . Work with your own hands, just as we instructed you,
so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders; and so that you will
not be dependent on anybody.

In times of economic stress-- such as the one the USA experienced due to
the 2008 Wall Street collapse --downsizing, wage reductions, corporations
expatriating for tax advantages and/or outsourcing and moving their
manufacturing offshore to take advantage of cheap labor and skimpy
government controls; a pretty large percentage of America's employable
Christians were out of work not because they were lazy free-loaders; but
because their opportunities for full time work with decent wages and benefits
evaporated.

So tread lightly when services like SNAP, TANF, Unemployment Benefits, etc
come up in conversations. Innocent people's feeling might get hurt if you
become too critical of those kinds of social services. And don't ever assume
that you are immune to poverty. It can happen to anyone; even overnight
and then you'll be looking around for assistance; maybe even from the very
agencies that you at one time thought were below you.
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Webers.Home

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1Thess 4:18 . .Therefore encourage each other with these words.

Below are the words to which Paul referred

"Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those who fall asleep, or
to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We believe that Jesus died
and rose again and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who
have fallen asleep in him. According to The Lord's own word, we tell you that
we who are still alive, who are left till the coming of The Lord, will certainly
not precede those who have fallen asleep.

. . . For The Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud
command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God,
and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are
left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet The Lord in
the air. And so we will be with The Lord forever." 1Thess 4:13-11)

None of our circumstances are permanent; none, because Christ's followers
are on their way to something better; and bumps in the road are not the end
of the road; they're just inconveniences. And if you somehow feel that life is
passing you by; take heart that there's another in the works to make up for
it.

NOTE: I recently viewed a 2014 movie on NetFlix starring Nicolas Cage
titled "Left Behind". There was a glaring omission: nobody came back from
the dead for the rapture; only living people were taken out.

Something apparently overlooked by the movie's producers is the category
of folk who are supposed to be taken. They are "in him" and "in Christ"; viz:
Christ is coming back for his church and no others.

Well; in order to get in Jesus' church, one must first believe the gospel. Then
they have to be sealed in him by the Holy Spirit (Eph 1:13). Therefore; no
non believing, non sealed children will be taken in the real rapture. The
movie's rapture took all the children.
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Webers.Home

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1Thess 5:5-6 . . 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.

Is it possible for a Christian to be asleep at the wheel? Yes, absolutely or
why else would Paul encourage his friends to remain wide-awake and bushy
tailed?

"Others are like seed sown among thorns: they hear the word; but are
distracted by the cares of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth; and longings
for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful." (Mark
4:18-19)

Well, the lesson is obvious. Christians ought not to be distracted by worldly
pursuits to such an extent that the day about which The Lord spoke comes
as a big disappointment. No; they ought to be glad to see it rather than be
all broken up about it because like it nor not; Christians take no more out
with them than the lost when they leave this sphere. So try not to get too
attached.

"For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry
nothing out." (1Tim 6:7)
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Webers.Home

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1Thess 5:8 . . 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.

The hope of salvation isn't a wishing hope, nor is it a hope-for-the-best
hope, nor a cross-your-fingers hope. The koiné Greek word is elpis (el
pece') which means to anticipate with pleasure and confident expectation.

Anticipation is way different than wishful thinking. When a daddy loads up
the car with wife and kids for a day at Six Flags, his family is no longer
wishing he'd take them there. No, they're in the car and on the way. They
no longer wish, but are now looking forward to having a day of great fun,
food, and excitement. That's elpis hope; and when people have it, they have
peace of mind as regards their afterlife future.
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Webers.Home

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1Thess 5:11 . . Therefore encourage one another, and build each other up,
just as in fact you are doing.

Building up is just the opposite of tearing down. Christians in Galatia were
busy doing just that.

"If you bite and devour one another, take heed that you be not consumed
one of another." (Gal 3:15)

Biting and devouring one another speaks of cannibalism.
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1Thess 5:12-13a . . Now we ask you, brothers, to respect those who work
hard among you, who are over you in The Lord and who admonish you. Hold
them in the highest regard in love because of their work.

Real men respect real men. When church officers are mice; then 1Thess
5:12-13a becomes a challenge for real men to obey; but regardless; comply
they must.

"Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they
watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it
with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you." (Heb 13:17)

I would say that if the officers in your church are just too impossible for you
to respect then it's time to abandon ship. Don't mutiny though because
mutiny is just as much a sin as heresy. The rank and file aren't called to
reform church officers; but to cooperate with them. If they can't cooperate
with them; then I sincerely believe the rank and file should leave and find a
church where they can because Christ isn't pleased with grudging
compliance; rather, with whole-hearted compliance. (cf. Mark 12:30)
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Webers.Home

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1Thess 5:13b . . Live in peace with each other.

In this instance, "each other" probably refers to fellow believers.

The category of peace Paul is talking about is social; viz: harmony in
personal relations. The Hippies and the peace-nics failed to achieve peace
primarily because they couldn't be civil among themselves unless they were
high on mood-altering drugs.

Peace can be defined as: calm, pacific, tranquil, at rest, quiet, and free of
trouble and strife.

A lack of peace is characterized by war, quarrelling, debating, vendettas,
hostility, grudging, fault finding, nit picking, chafing, competition, rivalry,
cold shouldering, factions, taking sides, cliques, disorder, antagonism,
fighting, conflict, struggles, et al.

NOTE: Never assume that everyone you meet in church is a fellow believer. Going
to church on Sunday is just what some people do, and probably have done
ever since they were kids. There was a time when going to church on
Sunday was considered good citizenship; and quite a few people were there
for no other reason; i.e. church sort of fills out their social résumé. And then
some people attend church because they're lonely and wanting to meet
some new friends; etc, etc, etc, etc.
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Webers.Home

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1Thess 5:14a . . And we urge you, brethren, admonish the unruly

The koiné Greek word for "unruly" is ataktos (at-ak'-toce) which means:
irregular; viz: out of order; disorderly. Unruly people are like kindergartners;
but that's to be expected from their age group: little kids are disruptive,
they're boisterous, they go off-subject and say whatever they want right out
of the blue. They provoke and antagonize each other, they don't listen, they
talk out of turn, they're impulsive, they can't stay in their seats, and they
meddle and can't mind their own business.

When I hear of four supposedly adult women on television like "The View"
throwing hissy fits and walking off the set, and/or talking out of turn; and
spontaneously interrupting each other in mid sentence-- sometimes all four
speaking at once --I have to wonder. And so-called presidential debates
where two supposedly mature adults, competing for the power to run the
country, are hurling accusations and recriminations, assassinating each
other's character, and calling each other names; I get disgusted. God forbid
that Christ's followers act like that either in church or out in the world.
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1Thess 5:14b . . comfort the discouraged

A discouraged person is someone who's given up all expectation that a
situation will improve or change; viz: despairing.

In order to obey that directive, it's necessary to become personal with the
people with whom you attend church. Too many Christians are like little
islands of humanity in church. They warm a pew on Sunday morning and
then get up and leave without bothering to spend even one minute mingling.
They don't attend Sunday school because in Sunday school you meet
people-- you associate with them; you get to know them, and they get to
know you.

As disagreeable as that might be for private types of Christians, Sunday
school is the best place in church to go for sympathy, for encouragement,
and for support. Unfortunately, not many Christians can deal with negativity;
and tend to distance themselves from people down in the dumps.

NOTE: In Dr. Laura Schlessinger's book "Ten Stupid Things That Men Do To
Mess Up Their Lives
" she lists men's propensity to fix things. In other words:
instead of simply lending a sympathetic ear to people's problems, some men
tend to see people with problems as "broken" and in need of repair; and
then of course they take the initiative to begin offering unsolicited remedies.
No; the idea is to console the discouraged, not to "fix" them.

But even Sunday schools have their problems. If the class size is enormous,
then you will be swallowed up and no more visible than a termite in the floor
boards. Look for small classes; especially those where the people sit around
tables rather than in rows of chairs. You get to meet people around tables,
while rows of chairs tend to isolate people from one another.

And don't forget your church's pastors, deacons, and elders. They need
encouragement and support too just like anybody else. Don't ever assume
your leaders are rocks who don't need anybody. No, they're only human,
and if they're truly humble, they'll really appreciate your interest in their
welfare-- usually.

I once complimented a young speaker at a men's breakfast about the lecture
he delivered that morning. He glared at me with daggers-- his mouth a tight
grimace, his eyes narrow slits of hate and suspicion --and turned away
without speaking a single word in response. That young man's reaction took
me by surprise; chilling me to the bone and causing me to forget everything
he said that day up in front. Obviously he was a rock in his own mind and
insulted by encouragement from the audience. Well, I kept my distance from
then on. God pity a church with people like that on staff.
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1Thess 5:14c . . support the weak

That could probably be stretched to mean any number of things; but I
should think it includes care for your church's aged and/or infirm; viz;
people on crutches, people getting around in wheel chairs, people who can
no longer drive a car, people lacking enough health to even leave their
residences and go shopping on their own, people stuck in assisted living:
that sort of thing.
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