King Nebuchadnezzar's dream spoken centuries before Christ tells of the here but not yet. The Kingdom of God is certainly here but yet to be completely fulfilled. Still, it continues to grow and will carry us into the eternal kingdom.

As the apostle Paul closes his first letter to the Thessalonian church he gives four essentials to the young church: A Request, A Greeting, a Command and a Blessing.

Paul's closing benediction gives us a wonderful example of how to pray for each other. He also shows to us that though God calls on us to closely follow him, it is he who will complete the work of salvation in us.

Having given instructions about relationships within the church, Paul now gives us instructions about corporate worship. We are not to quench the Spirit, not despise prophecies, hold to what is good and avoid all forms of evil.

As we approach the end of 1st Thessalonians, the apostle Paul gives instructions on how we ought to live as we await Christ's return. If Christ is Lord over His church, we are to serve each other in peace in order to be effective for HIm. Today Pastor Paul will share 3 principles that the Christian believer must live out in order to bring about this peace in God's household. Our efforts in this regard should be a light to Christ and our good works a reflection of God's glory. Please listen.

The day of the Lord will be a day of deliverance for the saints and a day of judgment for the unbelieving world. The believer's hopeful destiny rests in the substitutionary work of Jesus Christ. The believer is to exercise faith and love, coupled with hope derived from the saving work of Christ.

Christians have a great and sure hope of being caught-up in the sky with Christ and the generations of believers who have passed away or "fallen asleep." A theology of the body helps us to appreciate the resurrection of God's children.

In the early days of the Church, many misunderstood the condition of those believers who died before the return of Christ. 1 Thessalonians 4 explains the hope we have in Christ for those who have "fallen asleep" and the encouragement that allows us to rest and rejoice without despairing sorrow.

In 1 Thes. 4:9ff Paul discusses how to bring pleasure to God by how we interact socially within the church, outside with other Christians and with the watching world. Paul explains that we are to aspire to love more, live properly by leading quiet lives and tending to our own affairs and work diligently.

Paul's words of devotion to Christ and the cause of the Church are outlined in this statement - To live is Christ and to die is gain. Mike Miosi, director of Spread of Grace Ministries explains the implications of Phil. 1:21 for the church today.