Be A Role Model

In the first letter to the Thessalonians, Apostle Paul wrote how he thanked God and prayed for them.  He was delighted how the Gospel came to them in deep conviction from the Holy Spirit.  

Despite their persecution, they were a model for other believers, and he told them to pray continuously, always be joyful, remain thankful in all circumstances, value prophesies and test everything.

All Christians should have the Gospel from the power of the Holy Spirit.  With this deep faith, they could all become role models for the world and stand out in love.  

This can happen through continuous prayer and the joyous peace from Jesus Christ.  

Strive for greater things!

Message of Love

When in prison, Paul wrote the Colossians to praise them for their faith and love in Jesus Christ.  

For Christ filled lives, believers needed to have compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, patience, forgiveness, love, peace and wisdom.  Along with a devotion to prayer, they should be watchful and thankful for any opportunity to spread the gospel with grace.

There seemed to be an ongoing theme of overwhelming niceness that described the early Christians.  While these requirements were hard to follow, this behavior defined the early martyrs and spread the gospel, until the religion went mainstream and corrupt.

However, Christ still calls His believers to be extra nice, even to the point of loving everyone.  This message of love has not changed!

Think Positive!

While in prison, Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians about Jesus Christ.  He wanted their love to grow in knowledge, so they could discern what was best.  

He told them to follow his example and not be frightened but to strive for spiritual maturity by focusing on the noble, gentle, true, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy things.

Spiritual growth comes from reducing the negative worldly programing and increasing loving, holy thinking.  

While this is an easy concept to understand, actually replacing the negative thinking with positive can be very difficult because the world glorifies and rewards the bad.

To win against this unloving world, people can accept Jesus Christ into their hearts and then pray to Him for this exchange.

Mature Spiritually

When Apostle Paul wrote to the Ephesians, he told them how pleased he was with their love and wanted them to be filled with the full measure of God.  

He urged them to reach spiritual maturity, so every wind of teaching and cunning by deceitful men would not corrupt them.  To do this, they must be truthful, faithful, humble, gentle, patient, loving, thankful, complimentary, peaceful, respectful, righteous, good and holy.

After people believe and accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, then they must begin the work of spiritual growth.  Any Christian that follows the world with its violence, anger, greed, bitterness, slander, fear, etc. are immature.  

These immature Christians have caused horror and tragedy in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, who said to love our enemies and turn the other cheek.