SWEET SIXTEEN!

No, this is not a ‘Sweet Sixteen’ birthday party reminder, although it might be fun to be sixteen again. Boy, would I do things differently now that I have experienced ‘older and wiser.’

In reading 1 Thessalonians 5, I came across sixteen things that we as believers are to emulate in our lives. Sixteen commands of God which, I am afraid, we do not always keep 100% (at least I know I don’t). Yet these sixteen commands of God, if kept, will cause us to live in favor with God and man and ultimately with ourselves. They begin in verse 12 (NLT) and the verse begins…..

“Dear brothers and sisters.” You and I who claim to be a Christian, belong to a wonderful family. God is our Father; that makes you and me brothers and sisters. God is saying, “In my family, children, this is how I want you to behave.”

1. (vs. 12) – Honor your spiritual leaders. Not a suggestion, but a command!

2. (vs. 13) – Show them respect and wholehearted love. Friend, October is “Pastor Appreciation Month.” One way you could honor your spiritual leader, and show how much you love them, is by remembering him/her in a special way. Send them a card of encouragement. Take them out for lunch. Get them a cup of Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts! They work hard for you; let them know how much you appreciate them.

3. (vs. 13) – Live peacefully with each other. How often do we find ourselves in the middle of a dispute with another brother/sister in Christ? We disagree on something or refuse to forgive them and rather than try to work things out, we would rather be at odds with them. Don’t! Nothing pleases a pastor more than to know his “family” is living at peace with each other.

4. (vs. 14) – Warn those who are lazy. Especially those who are not using, to the best of their ability, the spiritual gifts that God has given them. Each believer must do their part to keep the church healthy. There must be no lazy Christians.

5. (vs. 14) – Encourage the timid. Help them step out of their comfort zone into a wonderful world of serving God in a new and exciting way. Show them by example.

6. (vs. 14) – Take tender care of the weak. Extend mercy to those who are still growing and maturing in their spiritual journey. Walk alongside them as you teach them spiritual truths.

7. (vs. 14) – Be patient with everyone. Who do you need to be patient with today?

8. (vs. 15) – Don’t pay back evil for evil. Rather, serve in love, and be ready to forgive. God says in Romans 12:18 (NASB), “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”

9. (vs. 15) – Do good to each other. Treat others kindly. Treat them as you would want to be treated.

10. (vs. 16) – Always be joyful. Every church family has its Doubting Thomas or its Gloomy Gus. To see them and listen to them is like witnessing an autopsy, or diving into a cold lake on a winter’s day. God wants His family to be happy, and that means that each member must contribute to the joy. (quote from The Bible Exposition Commentary.)

11. (vs. 17) – Never stop praying. Not that you spend 24/7 praying, but keep your line of communication clear so when God prompts your heart to prayer, you are ready. You may find yourself praying quick and simple prayers throughout your day. Quick and simple is good, and pleases God!!

12. (vs. 18) – Be thankful IN all circumstances. And, yes, you can be thankful no matter what circumstance God has you in today. Find something to thank God for – then do so.

13. (vs. 19) – Don’t quench (stifle) the Holy Spirit. He longs to work in and through you. Let him. He knows what he is doing in your life and how he longs to use you. Even if you feel you can’t, or don’t want to, don’t tell him “no” but go along for the ride and see what the Spirit will do through you.

14. (vs. 20) – Don’t scoff at prophecies, but test everything. Know the Scriptures well so you are not easily led astray by some lie of the devil. Test everything against the Word of God to see if it is true.

15. (vs. 21) – Hold on to what is good. What is good comes from the Word of God. This is why it is important to memorize Scripture and hide it in your heart. Then you will discern the good from the bad.

16. (vs. 22) – Stay away from every kind of evil. A right kind of worship will help us to stay away from evil. William Temple, a late Archbishop of Canterbury said this: "For to worship is to quicken the conscience by the holiness of God, to feed the mind with the truth of God, to purge the imagination by the beauty of God, to open up the heart to the love of God, to devote the will to the purpose of God.” If we follow this advice, there will be no room for evil in our life.

As you look through this ‘Sweet Sixteen’ list, where do you fall short? What might you need to begin to change in your life to bring you to that place of holy living before a Holy God? Paul closes this book with these words (my prayer to you as well):

Vs. 23-24 – “Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.”

PUMPKIN CRUNCH

1 box yellow cake mix

1 15-oz. can solid pumpkin

1 can evaporated milk

3 eggs

1-1/2 cup sugar

1 tsp. cinnamon

½ tsp. salt

½ cup chopped pecans

1 cup butter, melted

1 small carton whipping cream

Preheat oven to 350. Combine pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Beat well. Pour into a 9 x 13 pan. Sprinkle dry cake mix over all. Top the cake mix with the chopped pecans. Drizzle the melted butter over all. Bake for 50-55 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool. Serve with whipped cream.