1 THESSALONIANS CHPT: 1; 2; and 3; Seed Thoughts On Our Christian Ministry Chapter 1 shows us something of the vital, inspiring ministry

.That changed Paul's life and those of the Thessalonians. Chapter 2 shows us something of the Christian life and character needed to make us worthy vessels to carry living gospel of Jesus Christ to the unsaved. Chapter 3 shows something of a person who understands the meaning of a life dedicated to God. It shows something of Christian compassion and follow up work among new Christians and the outpouring of Christian love to one another. THE CHRISTIAN MINISTRY IS V 1 ; An abiding ministry. We cannot show people the love of Jesus and his-working out His purposes In us and through us unless we are abiding in the Father, Jesus and empowered by the Holy Spirit. JOHN 14 v 23 ; Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love Me he will keep My words, and My Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him. V 16 ; And I will pray the Father and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you for ever. V 1 ; A reconciling ministry ; Jesus has opened the way for the repentant sinner to be forgiven and reconciled to God and have eternal life. 2 CORINTHIANS 5 v 18 ; And all things are of God who has reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and has given to us the ministry of reconciliation. V 2 ; A rejoicing ministry. As day by day we recelve so many rich blessings from God as we work in various parts of His vineyard. As we learn Just what a wonderful God we have . JOHN 15 v 11 ; These things have I spoken unto you that My joy might remain in you and that your joy might be full. V 2 . A praying ministry ; What a powerful ministry is ours when we know that we can commune with God in the name of Jesus and pray for our unsaved friends, those who are sick and tell of our own needs and know that we have a God who answers prayer. JAMES 5 v 16 ; Confess your faults one to another and pray for one another that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. V 3 A trusting ministry. The Holy Spirit increases our faith In God as we experience the compassion and mercy and love that our heavenly Father bestows upon us. PROVERBS 3 v 5-6 ; Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not unto your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths. HEBREWS 11 v 6. But without faith it is impossible to please Him. for he that comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. v 3. A labouring ministry. A faith that responds into good works. A faith that desires to serve God. HEBREWS 10 v 24 ; And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and good works. ROMANS 16 vl2 ; Salute Tryphena and Tryphosa who labour in the Lord. Salute the beloved Persls which laboured much in the Lord. V 3 ; A loving ministry ; The Scriptures tell us many times to love each other as Christ loves us. All our good works should be done in love and with a pure motive to see God glorified in our work done in the name of Jesus. JOHN 13 v 34-35 ; A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are My disciples if you have love one to another. Jesus has given us many examples of the kind of love that He wants us to spread abroad In His name. ROMANS 5 v 5 ; 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. V 4 . A knowing ministry. God has included us in the redemptive blood of Jesus and we can tell others that God does forgive us our sins and seals us with the Holy Spirit. 2 TIMOTHY 2 v 2 ; And the things that you have heard of me among many witnesses , the same commit you to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also.

JOB 19 v 25 ; For I know that my Redeemer liveth, and that He shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. A picture speaks more than a thousand words, so let us be living the Christian life that people may know Just what is meant by being a Christian. V 5 . An inspiring ministry. Inspired by the Holy Spirit as we allow Him to have possession of our wills. Inspired as we readily acknowledge God's love for us and the knowledge He has given us to witness for Jesus. 2 TIMOTHY 3 v 10-11 ; But you have fully known my doctrine. manner of life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, charity, patience, persecutions, afflictions which came unto me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra; which persecution I endured, but out of them all the Lord delivered me. There is no doubt that the Holy Spirit was working In Paul's life. Is the Holy Spirit able to do His work in our lives to the glory of God ? V 6 . A believing ministry. We can hardly get excited about something that we do not believe. The disciples had seen Jesus, had walked and talked with Him and saw Him crucified ,and raised from the dead. Jesus had given them the lifetime mission to go out Into the world and preach the Gospel of Christ. We too as Christians need to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and witness to His living in our own lives. JOHN 5 v 24 Verily, verily, I say unto you; he that hears My word and believes on Him that sent Me, has everlasting life and shall not come Into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. MARK 9 v 23 ; Jesus said unto him, If you can believe all things are possible to him that believes. Ours is a positive ministry to talk about and live for. V 7 . A witnessing ministry. It is a most practical ministry because we are exhorted to try this life and find the proof in it that we have a God who cares for us Christ who makes forgiveness of sins possible and the Holy Spirit of God to teach us and empower us to do the will of God. ACTS 1 v 8 ; But you shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you, and you shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and in Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth. V 8 . A sharing ministry. A Christ given, inspired ministry that we must offer to the world. We know that it is given us by God for our eternal benefit, so let share the good news with the world. MATTHEW 28 v 19-20 . Go you therefore and teach all nations baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you, and lo I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. V 9 . A converting ministry. It results in changed lives where people's misery and sin can be taken away as God forgives and forgets. 2 CORINTHIANS 5 v 17 ; Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, old things are passed away, behold, all things are become new. If we spend as much time, money and energy in this new way of life as we did in the old life, we would wonder what kept us so long in the worldly way of life. V 9 . A livinq ministry. In Christ who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The world needs the life that God offers in Jesus Christ. JOHN 11 v 25-26 . Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection and the life, he that believes In Me though he were dead yet shall he live; And whosoever lives and believes In Me, shall never die, Believest thou this ? Let us not be apathetic in making a stand for Jesus Christ let us become inspired to seek out the unsaved and witness for Jesus V 9 . An anticipating ministry . Knowing that our Lord is coming back to this planet to take His church back to heaven let us make sure that our loved ones are safe in His keeping. We have the God given Holy Spirit within us to empower us to do the things that Jesus did while He was on earth. PROVERBS I v 33 ; But whoso hearkens unto Me shall dwell safely and shall be quiet from fear of evil. PSALM 103 v 5 ; Who forgives all your Iniquities, who heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from destruction, who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies. Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

V 10 . A rewarding ministry . While we abide in the Godhead God will bless us and watch over us because we are His children. EPHESIANS 1 v 3-4; 6-7 ; Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Jesus Christ according as He has chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love. To the praise of the glory of His grace , wherein He has made us accepted in the beloved. In whom we have redemption in His blood, the forgiveness of sins according to the riches of His grace. There are very many other things that God showers upon us and one of the most important is everlasting life with Him and the Lord Jesus Christ.