Counsel for Followers of Christ

1 Thessalonians 3–5; 2 Thessalonians 3:1–6, 11

 

 

Attributes Paul Counsels to Improve

 Love: 

1 Thessalonians 3:12 "The Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another and toward all men, even as we do toward you."

1 Thessalonians 4:9 "But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another." 

1 Thessalonians 5:11-14 "Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another even as also ye do. And we beseech you, bretheren, to know them which labour among you, and are over you in the Lord, and admonish you; And to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. And be at peace among yourselves. Now we exhort you, bretheren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feeble minded, support the weak, be patient toward all men."

Joy:

1 Thessalonians 5:16 "Rejoice evermore."

 Gratitude:

1 Thessalonians 5:18 " In every thing give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

 Virtue (Forsake Lusts): 

1 Thessalonians 4:3-5 " For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication. That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour. Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God."

1 Thessalonians: 4:7 " For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness."

 Hard Work:

1 Thessalonians 4:11 "And that ye study to be quiet and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you."

Service:

1 Thessalonians 4:12 "That ye may walk honestly toward them that are without, and that ye may have lack of nothing."

1 Thessalonians 5:15 "See that none render evil for evil unto any man; but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men."

Faith:

2 Thessalonians 3:2-3 "That we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil."

1 Thessalonians 5:19-20 "Quench not the Spirit. Despise not prophesying" 

1 Thessalonians 5:8 "Let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation."

Prayer:

1 Thessalonians 5:17 "Pray without ceasing."

Steadfastness in the Gospel (Be an Example of the Believers): 

2 Thessalonians 3:6 "In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us."

1 Thessalonians 5-6 "Ye are all the children of light and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober."

1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil."

Forsake Gossip: 

2 Thessalonians 3:11 " For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies."

 

 

Attributes I Want to Improve

 I selected three of the attributes above that I wanted to change, and I challenge everyone else to do the same

:)

I first selected Gratitude.

I believe that the cure for Pride is gratitude. Once we know that nothing that we have, none of our talents, none our accomplishments have come from our own doing-they have all been gifts to us from our loving Heavenly Father-we have SO much to be grateful for.

I want to make a goal to only thank God during my night time prayer. I want to think about things I am grateful for during the day and start a gratitude journal. Before I pray I will write down just a couple things during the day I was thankful for, and then I will say a heartfelt prayer for ALL of my many blessings.

I recently read a question that asked, "What would you have if you only had today what you thanked your Heavenly Father for yesterday?"

I want to remember that quote and be more grateful. 

I second selected Gossip. 

This is an area with girls that unfortunately... can always be improved!

If the gossip is not coming out of your mouth, I think you are just as responsible for standing up for the person being gosipped about.
(& although I try, I am definitely no where near perfect at this)

Since I live with 5 other girls I think this would be a good challenge for me.
I want in everyone of my grattitude prayers for me to pray for things that I love and am grateful for with my roommates. I think this will give me a greater appreciation for them and will end up making us closer.

I also have heard that when you are serving someone you can't be mad at them. I am banking on the fact that when you are speaking kind words to them and praying for them and loving them, you can not gossip about them.

I am going to try my best to focus on the wonderful attributes I am lucky enough to live with.

I lastly chose, Being an Example of the Believers

As believers of Christ we are held to a higher standard.

I love the scripture that says abstain from all abhearence of evil.

I am one who is awful at not worrying if others around me are doing something I don't agree with, as long as I don't do it.

I don't feel that this is the right approach. Although maybe you are not doing bad things in these places you are for sure not doing good and it is harming your spirituality.

For this I want to first try to stay as far away from other's making choices. I want to consciously be a good example.

I want to make sure that I dilligently/meaningfully have scripture study everyday.

I want to be honest in my school work and things that I perform in.

I want to focus on the idea that I need to be filled with light and an example to others.

I think through daily prayers, scripture study, added gratitude, and cutting gosip out of my life this will be very possible.

Good luck with your attributes to be improved!

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