[continued from previous message]   
      
   as a father doth his children,   
   [12] That ye would walk worthy of God, who hath called you unto his kingdom   
   and glory.   
   [13] For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye   
   received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the   
   word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually   
   worketh also in you that believe.   
   [14] For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in   
   Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your   
   own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews:   
   [15] Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have   
   persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:   
   [16] Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to   
   fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.   
      
   Paul's Desire to Visit Again   
      
   17 (1Co 5:3; Col 2:5) But we, brothers, being taken from you   
   for a short time, in presence, not in heart, endeavoured   
   all the more abundantly to see your face with great desire.   
   18 (Ro 15:22; 1:13; Php 4:16) Therefore we wished   
   to come to you-even I, Paul, once and again-but Satan hindered us.   
   19 (Php 4:1; 2Co 1:14; 1Th 3:13) For what is our hope, or joy,   
   or crown of rejoicing? Will it not even be you in the presence   
   of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?   
   20 You are our glory and joy.   
      
   [17] But we, brethren, being taken from you for a short time in presence,   
   not in heart, endeavoured the more abundantly to see your face with great   
   desire.   
   [18] Wherefore we would have come unto you, even I Paul, once and again; but   
   Satan hindered us.   
   [19] For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in   
   the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?   
   [20] For ye are our glory and joy.   
      
   1 Thessalonians 3   
      
   1 (Ac 17:15; 1Th 3:5) Therefore, when we could no longer endure it,   
   we thought it good to be left at Athens alone.   
   2 We sent Timothy, who is our brother and minister of God   
   and our fellow laborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish   
   and comfort you with regard to your faith,   
   3 (Ac 9:16; 14:22) so that no one would be shaken by these afflictions.   
   For you know that we are appointed to this.   
   4 (1Th 2:14) Indeed, we told you before when we were with you that   
   we would suffer tribulation, just as it came to pass, as you well know.   
   5 (Mt 4:3; Php 2:16) For this reason, when I could no longer endure it,   
   I sent to inquire about your faith, lest by some means the tempter   
   might have tempted you, and our labor might have been in vain.   
   6 (Ac 18:5; 1Th 1:3) But just now Timothy has come from you to us   
   and brought us good news of your faith and love, and that you always   
   have good memories of us, desiring greatly to see us,   
   as we also desire to see you.   
   7 (2Co 1:4) Therefore, brothers, during all our afflictions   
   and distress, we have been encouraged about you through your faith.   
   8 (1Co 16:13) For now we live, if you stand strong in the Lord.   
   9 (For what thanks can we render to God for you,   
   for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sakes before our God,   
   10 (2Ti 1:3; 2Co 13:9) night and day praying earnestly that we might   
   see your face and might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?   
   11 (2Th 2:16; 1Th 3:13) Now may our God and Father Himself,   
   and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our way to you.   
   12 (Php 1:9; 1Th 4:9-10) And may the Lord make you increase   
   and abound in love for one another and for all men, even as we do for you.   
   13 (1Th 2:19; Zec 14:5) To this end may He establish your hearts   
   to be blameless in holiness before our God and Father   
   at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.   
      
   [1] Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left   
   at Athens alone;   
   [2] And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our   
   fellowlabourer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you   
   concerning your faith:   
   [3] That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know   
   that we are appointed thereunto.   
   [4] For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should   
   suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know.   
   [5] For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your   
   faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labour be in   
   vain.   
   [6] But now when Timotheus came from you unto us, and brought us good   
   tidings of your faith and charity, and that ye have good remembrance of us   
   always, desiring greatly to see us, as we also to see you:   
   [7] Therefore, brethren, we were comforted over you in all our affliction   
   and distress by your faith:   
   [8] For now we live, if ye stand fast in the Lord.   
   [9] For what thanks can we render to God again for you, for all the joy   
   wherewith we joy for your sakes before our God;   
   [10] Night and day praying exceedingly that we might see your face, and   
   might perfect that which is lacking in your faith?   
   [11] Now God himself and our Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct our   
   way unto you.   
   [12] And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward   
   another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:   
   [13] To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before   
   God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his   
   saints.   
      
   1 Thessalonians 4   
      
   A Life Pleasing to God   
      
   1 (Eph 4:1; 2Th 1:3) Finally, brothers, we urge and exhort you by the Lord   
   Jesus, that as you have learned from us how you ought to walk and to please   
   God, you should excel more and more.   
   2 For you know what commands we gave you through the Lord Jesus.   
   3 (Ac 15:29; Ro 6:22) For this is the will of God, your sanctification:   
   that you should abstain from sexual immorality,   
   4 (1Pe 3:7) that each one of you should know how to possess his own vessel   
   in sanctification and honor,   
   5 (Ro 1:26; Gal 4:8) not in the lust of depravity, even as the Gentiles   
   who do not know God,   
   6 (Ro 12:19; Heb 13:4) and that no man take advantage of   
   and defraud his brother in any matter, because the Lord   
   is the avenger in all these things,   
   as we also have forewarned you and testified.   
   7 (1Th 2:3; Lev 11:44) For God has not called us to uncleanness,   
   but to holiness.   
   8 (1Jn 3:24; Lk 10:16) Therefore he that despises does not despise man,   
   but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.   
   9 (1Th 5:1; Ro 12:10) As concerning brotherly love, you do not need me   
   to write to you. For you yourselves are taught by God to love one another.   
   10 (1Th 1:7; 3:12) And indeed, you do have love for all the brothers   
   who are in all Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, that you increase   
   more and more.   
   11 (Eph 4:28; 1Pe 4:15) Learn to be calm, and to conduct your own business,   
   and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you,   
   12 (Mk 4:11; Ro 13:13) so that you may walk honestly toward   
   those who are outsiders and that you may lack nothing.   
      
   [1] Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord   
   Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please   
   God, so ye would abound more and more.   
   [2] For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.   
   [3] For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should   
   abstain from fornication:   
   [4] That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in   
   sanctification and honour;   
   [5] Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God:   
   [6] That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter: because   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)