September 15, 2010, I Thessalonians 2

Key Verses:

For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, encouragement, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

(I Thessalonians 2:11-12)

Central Truth:

You will be influenced by who you hang around with.


ARE YOU ON THE SAME PAGE SPIRITUALLY?

This chapter deals with Paul, who is ministering to the Gentiles. He is telling them that the apostles have treated them and loved them like a father with his own children. That includes encouraging, comforting and urging them to live lives worthy of God.

As I read this verse and chapter, a few things come to mind that my parents taught me about encouraging, comforting and urging others to live lives worth of God. First, my mom used to always say, regarding dating relationships when I was in high school and college, that I need to find someone that I am "equally yoked" with. I was like, what??? She would explain that the relationship needed to be encouraging, comforting and urging them to live lives worthy of God. She would always say if that is not happening you don't need to be in the relationship. If I had a relationship with the Lord, I needed to date someone and look for a future wife who was "Equally yoked."

All parents need to use that one with their children as they grow into dating ages. Mom would always say, "You can't bring another person up, but they will quickly bring you down." Wow. How true. I see it all the time now: good girls will date guys, who they know they don't need to be with and think they can "bring them up, save them, change them." That seldom happens; the guy just brings her down.


This lesson was further illustrated years later as I saw a guy demonstrate a skit to prove this point. The speaker stood on ground level and had a large strong man come up and stand on a fireplace (about 2 to 3 feet above the speaker). He asked the strong man to "pull him up" to the fireplace as they were locked in a handshake. He could not do it. Then he pulled the strong man down to his level off the fireplace. Point well taken. Most times, you won't be able to bring people up. Just the opposite will happen; they will drag you down.


The other lesson was from my Dad. He used to say, when choosing friends, you need to find someone who is encouraging. Both parties need to get something positive out of the relationship; if you are not, you need to move on. Katie and I deal with this as many of you do today. We are in our late 30's, and as you meet new friends, as well has having old ones, you need to be careful who you spend most of your time with. Pastor Jerry always says to people, "You need to be running towards God and look to your left and your right and see who is running with you and say, 'How you doing?'" These are the ones you should be looking for in friendship.


Now, don't misunderstand me; we all need people in our lives who don't have the relationship we do with Jesus. We need to be a witness to them as well as to others. What I'm talking about are close friends, the ones that you spend most of your free time with, or your dating companion. These are the ones that we need the positive relationships with and need to be "equally yoked" with.


We all needs friends that encourage, comfort and urge us to live our lives worthy of God, who calls us into His Kingdom and Glory, and we need to be that type of friend. If you are not getting that from your dating relationship or friends, as my parents would say, "You might better move on."