Paul's To-Do List

Second Thessalonians 5 has another list from Paul. This one I call "Paul's To-Do List."

Starting with verse 12, Paul leaps into active voice with a string of action verbs. I don't think his words are limited to the church as Thessalonica. Notice how many commands come in quick succession. We would do well to apply them all.

Paul's To-Do List:
1. Appreciate your ministers
2. Encourage each other
3. Build each other up
4. Esteem your leaders
5. Live in peace
6. Admonish the undisciplined
7. Encourage the fainthearted
8. Help the weak
9. Be patient with everyone
10. Seek whatever is good
11. Pray all the time
12. Rejoice all the time
13. Give thanks
14. Examine everything carefully
15. Hold tight to what is good
16. Stay away from every form of evil

Two don'ts:
1. Don't quench the Holy Spirit
2. Don't despise prophecies

Just imagine what our lives and our churches would be like if we all took this to-do list seriously!
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