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1 Thessalonians 3:5
5 For this [touto] cause, [dia] when I [kago] could [stego] no longer [meketi] forbear, [stego] I sent [pempo] to [eis] know [ginosko] your [humon] faith, [pistis] lest by some means [mepos][-pos] the tempter [peirazo] have tempted [peirazo] you, [humas] and [kai] our [hemon]labour[kopos] be [ginomai] in [eis] vain. [kenos]KJV-Interlinear
5 For
this reason, when I could endure it no longer, I also sent to find out about
your faith, for fear that the tempter might have tempted you, and our labor
should be in vain. NASB
For this reason, means because
of the constant threats of persecution, distractions, enticements, annoyances,
and unfair things that occur in this world, Paul was concerned that the folks
he had come to know, might be falling away from doctrine.
In this world you will
have pressures from four general areas (self, other people, bureaucracies, and
environment)
First, from your own
volition.You are thinking constantly, whether
you realize it or not, your mind is always working and it is influenced by your
environment, your experiences, your knowledge, and so forth.You constantly make decisions while you do
whatever it is that you do, while you observe or listen to others, while you
endure whatever it is that you endure, good or bad, day in and day out.
So your thinking is
influenced largely by your day to day life.Doctrine influences your thinking in the right direction, while lack of
doctrine moves you in the wrong direction.And it is that wrong direction that causes you trouble.
Second, trouble will
come into your life because of other people.Need I say more?People in this
world have many opinions and attitudes.People are competitive in the work place and in the social circles.People gossip and back stab, lie and cheat,
deceive and misrepresent, and on and on.If you have lived any length of time in this world, you have had people
experiences that were not good ones.
Third, the
bureaucracies of the world.That is the
place where people can give you a hard time and hide behind government
bureaucracy, behind company policy, behind something that they think exempts
them from responsibility.The big fish
eats the little ones and you are the little one.And less than that, you are nothing more than
a statistic, a steer in a long cattle chute, expendable because there are many
more where you came from.
And fourth, the general
environment of life.This includes your disabilities,
whether genetic of by accident, the workings of nature in storms or natural
disasters, and so forth.
Your volition you can
control if you have some semblance of self control.Other people likewise can exercise their self
control, but most do not.Bureaucracies are
hiding places for those who abuse their power or authority, or exercise their
indifference over the masses, whether customers, patients, or citizens.
The last is an
involuntary one, where no one has much control over nature or the circumstances
or accidents of life.
So whether directly or
indirectly, the world has many resources to make your life miserable.It is up to you as to how you will deal with
it all.
And when persecution or
trouble or suffering enter into your life, then the big question is, How will
you react?
Remember, there are no
accidents in life.God controls history
and every aspect of your life.
God has a plan.It is called the Divine Decrees. That plan
includes every thought, every event, every circumstance, everything you can
think of and everything you cannot think of, in life.God has seen the snapshot of your life from
the moment of your birth, to the last breath you will take in this world.
In doctrine, if you are
wise enough to pursue it, you place your life entirely into His hands.That does not mean that He will fill out your
life as you want it, but that He will do whatever is best for you, in order to
help you grow up spiritually and advance you to the maximum level of faith and
spiritual production possible.
This means that when
you look forward in life, you are looking into the unknown.And when life falls on your head, you have to
function in your spiritual life, think, and continue to think, and figure your
way out of your situation.Doing nothing
is not an option.But God has always
before you, options.You just have to
discover them.
And whether you get by
easily in life, or whether God crushes you with extremes, you have to be a Job,
and persevere regardless of your hardship, trust in Him, and wait (mentally),
while you are proactive with whatever it is that you will do in life.
Paul could not be with
the Thessalonians, but then they did not need him in order to stay with their
studies.
You likewise, do not
need to have your hand held by someone else.The spiritual life, requires your full and daily attention, but one of
the objectives of the spiritual life is to make you independent from this
world.And that means with regard to
your thinking process.
The world may cause you
harm or injury or be prejudiced toward you, but the world cannot control your
thinking, unless you allow it.
Bible doctrine is your
primary resource and power and defense in preventing the world from getting
under your skin and defeating you.
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End Of Lesson
Study to show thyself approved (mature) unto God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing (studying/discerning), the Word of truth.
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