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06 Living in the last Days - Staying with It
Living in the Last Days
Pt. 6: Staying With It, 1 Thess. 5:12-28
By Louie Marsh, 3-29-2026
For those who appreciate the intricacies of the English language, the Washington Post publishes a yearly contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for various words. The following are some winning entries from a few years ago. Coffee (n.), a person who is coughed upon. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightie. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp. Flatulence (n.) the emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline. Frisbeetarianism (n.), The belief that, when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck there.
TO LIVE EFFECTIVELY FOR CHRIST I MUST…
1) REFUSE to stifle the Spirit's work in my life.
"19Do not quench the Spirit." (1 Thessalonians 5:19, ESV)
"18"Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles."…"20a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;" (Matthew 12:18,20, ESV)
"6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands," (2 Timothy 1:6, ESV)
· SNUFF OUT Satan's work in my life.
"16In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;" (Ephesians 6:16, ESV)
2) RESPECT the Spirit's Word in my life.
"20Do not despise prophecies," (1 Thessalonians 5:20, ESV)
Contempt = "to count as nothing." We must never treat any of the work of God with contempt
3) TEST EVERYTHING to discover what God's work and Word really are!
"21but test everything… (1 Thessalonians 5:21a, ESV)
Stress everything – note that this is what the Jewish leaders never did with Jesus. Lazarus was raised and they knew it and killed him anyway.
· God TESTS ME.
"4but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts." (1 Thessalonians 2:4, ESV)
· I am COMMANDED to test!
"4But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor." (Galatians 6:4, ESV)
"1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1, ESV)
4) APPLY the right standards in my testing.
· Keep my heart & mind OPEN before God.
"2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)
How do I test?
a, Not by what my parents says b, Not by what my preacher says c, Not by what my old church did d, Not by what my culture says e, not by how I feel about it!
· Use God's OBJECTIVE STANDARD – His Word.
"8The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." (Isaiah 40:8, ESV)
"4But he answered, "It is written, " 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.' ""…
"7Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.' "" …"10Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, " 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.' "" (Matthew 4:4,7,10, ESV)
· CONSULT other standards as well.
o COMMON SENSE
o PRAYERFUL guidance
o COUNSEL from others
5) HOLD ON to the good & run with it!
"21… hold fast what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21b, ESV)
Good = "something noble, something that is a blessing and a honor to receive."
The 2 words "good" and "hold" are only found in one other verse in the N.T.:
"15As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience." (Luke 8:15, ESV)
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By Lewis MarshLiving in the Last Days
Pt. 6: Staying With It, 1 Thess. 5:12-28
By Louie Marsh, 3-29-2026
For those who appreciate the intricacies of the English language, the Washington Post publishes a yearly contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for various words. The following are some winning entries from a few years ago. Coffee (n.), a person who is coughed upon. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight you have gained. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which you absentmindedly answer the door in your nightie. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp. Flatulence (n.) the emergency vehicle that picks you up after you are run over by a steamroller. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline. Frisbeetarianism (n.), The belief that, when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck there.
TO LIVE EFFECTIVELY FOR CHRIST I MUST…
1) REFUSE to stifle the Spirit's work in my life.
"19Do not quench the Spirit." (1 Thessalonians 5:19, ESV)
"18"Behold, my servant whom I have chosen, my beloved with whom my soul is well pleased. I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will proclaim justice to the Gentiles."…"20a bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not quench, until he brings justice to victory;" (Matthew 12:18,20, ESV)
"6For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands," (2 Timothy 1:6, ESV)
· SNUFF OUT Satan's work in my life.
"16In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one;" (Ephesians 6:16, ESV)
2) RESPECT the Spirit's Word in my life.
"20Do not despise prophecies," (1 Thessalonians 5:20, ESV)
Contempt = "to count as nothing." We must never treat any of the work of God with contempt
3) TEST EVERYTHING to discover what God's work and Word really are!
"21but test everything… (1 Thessalonians 5:21a, ESV)
Stress everything – note that this is what the Jewish leaders never did with Jesus. Lazarus was raised and they knew it and killed him anyway.
· God TESTS ME.
"4but just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please man, but to please God who tests our hearts." (1 Thessalonians 2:4, ESV)
· I am COMMANDED to test!
"4But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor." (Galatians 6:4, ESV)
"1Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world." (1 John 4:1, ESV)
4) APPLY the right standards in my testing.
· Keep my heart & mind OPEN before God.
"2Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2, ESV)
How do I test?
a, Not by what my parents says b, Not by what my preacher says c, Not by what my old church did d, Not by what my culture says e, not by how I feel about it!
· Use God's OBJECTIVE STANDARD – His Word.
"8The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever." (Isaiah 40:8, ESV)
"4But he answered, "It is written, " 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.' ""…
"7Jesus said to him, "Again it is written, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.' "" …"10Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written, " 'You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve.' "" (Matthew 4:4,7,10, ESV)
· CONSULT other standards as well.
o COMMON SENSE
o PRAYERFUL guidance
o COUNSEL from others
5) HOLD ON to the good & run with it!
"21… hold fast what is good." (1 Thessalonians 5:21b, ESV)
Good = "something noble, something that is a blessing and a honor to receive."
The 2 words "good" and "hold" are only found in one other verse in the N.T.:
"15As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience." (Luke 8:15, ESV)