Category Archives: 1 Thessalonians

She knew he was coming. She knew why he was coming. She knew when he was coming.

Meet Shari, our own new addition to our family. It’s been about almost eight days since she joined us.

Shari knew Russell was coming to Missouri for her, to make her his bride. But she had to wait a long time.

While she waited, she prepared. She kept herself for him alone. She communicated with him.

I should be like Shari.

“And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead, even Jesus, which delivered us from the wrath to come” (1 Thessalonians 1:10).

Someone is coming for me, too!

May I prepare for Him . . . and keep myself for Him alone . . . and communicate with Him.

“Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth” (Romans 14:22).

That part of the verse leaves me scratching my head.

Let me check two or three other versions to see if they help me out . . . .

Hmmm. After checking two other versions, I checked Strong’s and learned that alloweth isn’t talking about permissiveness (that is, having a careless, “anything goes” attitude).

Rather, it has the idea of proving — examining and testing things with discernment. Notice two other verses that use different English words for the same Greek word. (I’ll underline them.)

“Prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world” (1 John 4:1).

Well, anyway. Here’s my rendition of the Romans 14 sentence:

“Blessed is he who does not judge and shame himself by that which approves.”

In other words, may you see as God sees — clearly and correctly.

“That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ” (Philippians 1:10).