The Upper Room Daily Devotional of Nashville, Tennessee, United States "Restored" for Friday, 8 September 2017 - Read 1 Thessalonians 5:12-23-------
1 Thessalonians 5:12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who are working hard among you, those who are guiding you in the Lord and confronting you in order to help you change. 13 Treat them with the highest regard and love because of the work they are doing. Live at peace among yourselves; 14 but we urge you, brothers, to confront those who are lazy, your aim being to help them change, to encourage the timid, to assist the weak, and to be patient with everyone.
15 See that no one repays evil for evil; on the contrary, always try to do good to each other, indeed, to everyone.
16 Always be joyful. 17 Pray regularly. 18 In everything give thanks, for this is what God wants from you who are united with the Messiah Yeshua.
19 Don’t quench the Spirit, 20 don’t despise inspired messages. 21 But do test everything — hold onto what is good, 22 but keep away from every form of evil.
23 May the God of shalom make you completely holy — may your entire spirit, soul and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
15 See that no one repays evil for evil; on the contrary, always try to do good to each other, indeed, to everyone.
16 Always be joyful. 17 Pray regularly. 18 In everything give thanks, for this is what God wants from you who are united with the Messiah Yeshua.
19 Don’t quench the Spirit, 20 don’t despise inspired messages. 21 But do test everything — hold onto what is good, 22 but keep away from every form of evil.
23 May the God of shalom make you completely holy — may your entire spirit, soul and body be kept blameless for the coming of our Lord Yeshua the Messiah.
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May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely. [1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NRSV)]
My husband and I decided to buy a charming home built in 1911. Leaded-glass windows, built-in cabinets, a secret staircase, and the sunroom exceeded our expectations. One day a friend mentioned to my husband that the low ceilings in the living and dining rooms were unusual for this era. They drilled a tiny hole through the drywall but could not see inside, so they made a space big enough for their heads to fit through.
As my husband and his friend peered through the hole, they were amazed at what they found and eagerly tore down the rest of the drywall ceiling. Hidden for years beneath old, dusty plaster were magnificent, ornate crossbeams and crown moldings that encircled the entire room. The space was quickly transformed into something grand. We wondered why someone had covered up such beauty.
I realized that we can allow something similar to happen in our lives. We may let sin cover up the people God has designed us to be. But when we work with God to carefully remove the junk from our lives, we can once again see God’s beauty and handiwork. Then we cannot help but praise our Creator and Builder.
See photos from the author, here.
Thought for the Day: God’s sanctifying work can restore me.
Prayer: Thank you, God, for never giving up on us. Continue to remove the things that entangle us so that we may fully enjoy the beauty of our relationship with you. Amen.
Prayer focus: Construction Workers
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May the God of peace himself sanctify you entirely. [1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NRSV)]
My husband and I decided to buy a charming home built in 1911. Leaded-glass windows, built-in cabinets, a secret staircase, and the sunroom exceeded our expectations. One day a friend mentioned to my husband that the low ceilings in the living and dining rooms were unusual for this era. They drilled a tiny hole through the drywall but could not see inside, so they made a space big enough for their heads to fit through.
As my husband and his friend peered through the hole, they were amazed at what they found and eagerly tore down the rest of the drywall ceiling. Hidden for years beneath old, dusty plaster were magnificent, ornate crossbeams and crown moldings that encircled the entire room. The space was quickly transformed into something grand. We wondered why someone had covered up such beauty.
I realized that we can allow something similar to happen in our lives. We may let sin cover up the people God has designed us to be. But when we work with God to carefully remove the junk from our lives, we can once again see God’s beauty and handiwork. Then we cannot help but praise our Creator and Builder.
See photos from the author, here.
Sharon with her husband
Sharon’s family’s new house
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The Author: Sharon Setzer (Washington, USA)Thought for the Day: God’s sanctifying work can restore me.
Prayer: Thank you, God, for never giving up on us. Continue to remove the things that entangle us so that we may fully enjoy the beauty of our relationship with you. Amen.
Prayer focus: Construction Workers
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