Prayer Works Morning Devotion October 6, 2026

A Chapter By Chapter Study Of The Epistles:

1Thessalonians Chapter 5

6Rejoice always,  17pray without ceasing,  18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19Do not quench the Spirit.  20Do not despise prophecies.  21Test all things; hold fast what is good. 22Abstain from every form of evil.

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Good morning family. Welcome to the Prayer Works morning devotion. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord our Savior Jesus Christ. We gather each and every day at this time to give God the first fruits of our day so that our day will go well for us.

We thank You Father for just being Abba Father and as we now go to the throne of grace to give You glory this day, we are coming humbly to You in spirit and in truth. So Father, thank You for this day.

Thank You for gracing us this day with Your presence. Thank You for keeping us in peace and rest and in comfort when so many throughout this world are struggling just to even get a good night's sleep, Father, because of the surroundings that they are in.

I pray, Father, for them and I pray Your Spirit especially be with those that are suffering for Your name worldwide. We know that there are many, but we know that You go before them and that You help them.

And so this day, Father, we think about them and we think about the lives of all of those that are being tossed about on the seas of instability and economic difficulty.

I thank You, Father, that You are present, ever present in all of our lives and so Again, giving You praise, honor and glory and thanking You this day, Father, in the name of Jesus. I pray now that Your spirit descend on this call and bless everyone that is on this call.

Bless the words of my mouth, Father, as they are from You. Lead me in Your wisdom and understanding to be able to convey the message that You want conveyed about Your word this day in Jesus name we pray, Amen.

So family, Good morning. Once again, we are in the book, the final book of First Thessalonians, and we are in chapter 5 today. And yesterday we ended Pastor Zee, chapter four with the Apostle Paul encouraging the Thessalonians not to grieve as the rest of mankind who have no hope in regards to the loss of loved ones.

In chapter 2, Paul had told them that because they became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus, he says, you suffered from your own people, the same things those churches suffered from the Jews who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets.

And also these same ones drove us out. So Paul then begins to encourage them to hope in the cross and the resurrection of Jesus pointing them to Jesus's return and the promise of salvation, in verse 14 yesterday it says for we believe that Jesus died and rose again.

And so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him for the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God and the dead in Christ will rise first.

After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore, encourage one another with these words.

So this was heavy on the hearts of the Thessalonians because being persecuted they had lost a significant number of loved ones and were concerned about whether or not these would be ever seen again.

And we can only imagine that as the Thessalonians were wondering, we too wonder curiously when this would happen uh because you know so many people are trying to predict when Jesus is coming back.

But Paul goes on to say here in verse 1 uh of uh book5 he says but concerning the times and the seasons brethren you have no need that I should write to you for you yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord's soul comes as a thief in the night.

For when they say peace and security, then sudden destruction comes upon them as labor pains upon a pregnant woman, and they shall not escape. But you, brethren, are not in the darkness, so that this day should overtake you as a thief.

You are all sons of light and sons of the day. We are not of the night nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep as others do, but let us watch and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk are drunk at night.

But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation. For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.

Very powerful words. And so let's break this down a little bit. The day of the Lord so comes, was a statement that Paul made to them in the preceding verses. And with this phrase, Paul quoted a familiar Old Testament idea.

The idea behind the phrase the day of the Lord is that this is God's time. Man has his day and the Lord has His day. In the ultimate sense, the day of the Lord is fulfilled with Jesus judging the earth and returning in His glory.

And then he went on to say, for when they say peace and safety, then sudden destruction comes upon them. The unexpected nature of that day will be a tragedy for the unbeliever.

They'll be lulled into a sleep, if you will, by political and economic conditions, but they will be rudely awakened. They will hear the frightening verdict, they shall not escape. Then Paul commands them in verse 11 of Thessalonians.

It says, Therefore, for this, comfort each other and edify one another just as you are also doing. So Paul tells us not to take comfort, but to give comfort. If all Christians have a heart to comfort each other, then all will be comforted.

To edify means to build up. When we have our first interest in building up other Christians then God will edify us. The idea is of a church full of active participants, not passive spectators.

As a part of the body of Christ, we must comfort one another in difficult times, and edify one another so as to build up the body and support its members. Verse 12 and we urge you, brethren to recognize those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord.

And admonish you, and to esteem them very highly in love for their work's sake. Be at peace amongst yourself. So Paul is urging the Thessalonians here to do three things in regards to their leaders.

First, recognize those who labor among you. Paul's first letter to the Thessalonians was written to a young, growing church amidst heavy persecution and spiritual infancy. They were babies in their faith.

These new believers had turned away from idols to serve the living and true God, but were still learning how a healthy church functions. Their spiritual leaders were likely new to their roles and the church was still establishing patterns of order, respect, and mutual care.

In this context, Paul instructs the Thessalonians to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. That's the key.

These leaders were not figureheads. They were diligent workers who poured themselves into teaching, shepherding, serving, praying, and caring for the flock. So Paul uses the same word to describe his own ministry.

He says in 11 Corinthians 15:10, for I have worked harder than any of the other apostles, yet it is not or was not I, but God who was working through me by His grace. So in essence, ministry is not casual work, but sacrificial labor.

And then he says, they are over you in the Lord. So leaders are recognized as being over the congregation in the sense of ruling and providing headship as a shepherd is over the sheep. This describes a clear and legitimate order of authority.

Paul identifies those who labor among you as spiritual overseers. The Greek words translated as over you. Refer to those with the authority to lead and to be in charge.

Their authority is not political or personal, but in the Lord, meaning it is rooted in Christ's design for his church. These are the elders of the church whom Paul instructed. Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers.

Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with His own blood, Acts 20:28. Peter also gave a similar directive to elders. In first Peter 5:2-3, it says, care for the flock that God has entrusted to you.

Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly, not for what you will get out of it but because you are eager to serve God. Don't lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example.

Those who labor among you were Thessalonian church leaders, and they were entrusted with spiritual responsibility and accountability before God. And then he says they admonish you.

Leaders are also recognized as those who admonish the congregation. To admonish means to instruct, warn, counsel, and correct one's behavior with love, and that's the key, with love and truth.

It is not harsh criticism, but caring guidance aimed at protecting believers from sin and error. And then he mentions esteem them very highly in love. So Christians are to esteem their leaders and to esteem them very highly in love, and they should do this for their works' sake.

They don't deserve esteem because of their title or because of their personality, but because of their labor on behalf of God's people. Because the church at Thessalonica was young.

Some believers in this church may have struggled to respect or appreciate their leaders. Paul commands the congregation to esteem them very highly in love because of their work.

As members of Christ's body, we are called to recognize our leaders, acknowledge those who labor among us, appreciate their hard work, and respond appropriately to their leadership. By respecting those who labor among us, we obey God's design for His church.

When leaders labor faithfully and congregations respond biblically, the church becomes a place of spiritual growth, unity, and peace. Peace flourishes where leadership is honored, their teachings are received, and love governs relationships.

Verse 14 now we exhort you brethren warn those who are unruly comfort the fainthearted uphold the weak be patient with all see that no one renders evil for evil to anyone but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.

So this church was no different to modern day churches. Obviously, this church had quite a few issues going on based on what Paul is describing here in verse 14 and 15.

Paul told the Thessalonians the people, not only the pastors and the elders, to minister in a variety of ways depending on the state of the person who needs the ministry. So, if someone is unruly, the duty of the Christian is to warn them.

Others may need comfort, and others need to be upheld. Then he says, see that no one renders evil for evil to anyone. This is always a difficult scripture in the sense that.

A lot of times we get involved emotionally with a situation or circumstance and we want to take out revenge ourselves. In other words, give evil for evil. But the Christian should never seek revenge or vengeance, but we as Christians should let God take up our side.

Instead, we must always pursue what is good both for yourselves, as it says, and for all. We have a forgiving heart when towards others we forgive them and not just forgive them, but in our own hearts when we forgive them, it's good for us as well.

So having a forgiving heart towards others is not only, as I said, good for them, but it's also good for us. In other words, it helps us along this journey. Verse 16, Rejoice always, pray without ceasing in everything.

Give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. So rejoicing, I mean, there's so many things about rejoicing. We can rejoice always because of God's salvation. No one and nothing can take our salvation away, as it says in Romans 8:37-39.

Those who believe in Christ are God's children, and nothing can change that. Rejoice! We can rejoice always, even in persecution, because we believe God's promises. The apostles were arrested and flogged for preaching the name of Christ.

But when they left the courtroom, they were rejoicing. Why? Because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the name, as it says in Acts 5:41. Obviously, the apostles remembered Jesus statement in Matthew 5:11-12.

It says, the are blessed are you when people insult you persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad because great is your reward in heaven.

The eternal perspective helps us to rejoice always. We can rejoice always knowing that the joy of the Lord is your strength, as it says in Nehemiah 8:10.

We can rejoice always knowing that in all things God works good I'm sorry, in all things that God works for the good of those who love Him, as it says in Romans 8:28. We can rejoice always knowing that God's gifts and His call are irrevocable, as it says in Romans 11:29.

We can rejoice always knowing that one day we will inhabit the New Jerusalem. We will see the Lord face to face, and we will live in a perpetual day, as it says in Revelations 22:1-5.

Our rejoicing should be in what the Lord has done, continues to do, and will do in the future, regardless of our circumstances today or our feelings. Our hope is in the Lord, for He is our rock and our salvation, as it says in Psalm 62:6.

This alone Is reason enough to? rejoice always. It's also evident that God allows things in our lives to help us grow to be more like Christ. In fact, that pursuit, Christlikeness, is the primary purpose God has for us in sanctification or being set apart or holy.

If God works all things together for the good of those who love him, as it says in Romans 8:28, and that good is that we would be more like Christ, then we can expect that He even uses hardship in our lives to help shape us to be more like Him.

Because he works that purpose in our lives, we can be filled with gratitude knowing that there is purpose even in the difficulties that we can't understand. And then He says, pray without ceasing.

This is one that we really have to examine ourselves on, family. For Christians, prayer should be like breathing. You do not have to think to breathe because the atmosphere exerts pressure on your lungs. and essentially forces you to breathe.

That is why it is more difficult to hold your breath than it is to breathe. Similarly, when we are born into the family of God, we enter into a spiritual atmosphere where God's presence and grace exert pressure or influence on our lives.

Prayer is the normal response to that pressure. As believers, we have all entered the divine atmosphere to breathe the air of prayer. Unfortunately, many believers hold their spiritual breath for long periods, thinking brief moments with God is sufficient to allow them to survive.

But such restricting of their spiritual intake is caused by sinful desires. The fact is that every believer must be continually in the presence of God, constantly breathing in his truths to be fully functional.

It is easier for Christians to feel secure by presuming on instead of depending on God's grace. Too many believers become satisfied with physical blessings and have little desire for spiritual ones like the gifts of the Spirit.

When programs, methods, and money produce impressive results, there is an inclination to confuse human success with divine blessing. When that happens, longing for God and yearning for His help will go missing.

Continual, persistent, incessant prayer is an essential part of the Christian living and flows out of humility and dependence on God. Christians are to pray continually.

We can't bow our heads, close our eyes, and fold our hands without ceasing, but those are customs of prayer and not prayer itself. Prayer is the communication with God, and we can live each minute of the day in a constant, flowing conversation with God.

And then he says, in everything give thanks. Jesus illustrates the principles for his disciples in John 16:21. The pain of childbirth is exceedingly severe, and during labor it might not seem worth it at all.

But when a mother holds her newborn, she no longer is considering the pain, but only the joy that has been produced. In the same way, we can give thanks in all things.

Knowing that the difficulties, hardships, and sufferings are like the pains of labor in that the outcome of proven character and certain hope is like holding the newborn baby.

There is power in understanding what God has revealed about how He causes, rather, us to grow. His methods may be painful at times, but the outcome is peace and the fruit of righteousness.

When our perspective is informed by His word, giving thanks in everything makes perfect sense. And then verse 19, he goes on to say, Do not quench the spirit, do not despise prophecies, test all things, hold fast what is good.

Abstain from every form of evil. Paul exhorts the believers here to do not quench the spirit, do not despise prophecies, test all things, hold fast to what is good, abstain from every form of evil.

The command to not despise prophecy comes in between the calls to not quench the spirit and test all things. In following these instructions, we can strike a perfect balance in discerning the messages we hear.

To despise something is to reject, disregard, or treat it as if it has no value. Believers are called to test all things including prophecies, but we do not despise true prophecies. True prophets are led by God's spirit and proclaim messages that align with scripture.

Believers are not to despise these prophecies. A true prophet proclaims God's message. He does not promote himself or his interpretation. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation of things.

For prophecy never had its origin in human will, but prophets though human spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit as it says in 2 Peter 1:20-21. True prophets faithfully proclaim God's words.

So believers must test prophecies against God's word and make sure that the person proclaiming the message is not a wolf in sheep's clothing. If a message is truly from the Lord, we must heed it and not despise it.

We must cling to what is good and abstain from every form of evil. In doing so, we will grow in our faith. The Bible often describes the Lord's presence as a consuming fire. Fire represents zeal, passion, enthusiasm, power, illumination and purity.

The fire of God's presence exists in every Christian through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus imparts this gift by baptizing us with the Holy Spirit and fire.

In the book of Acts, when the Holy Spirit first filled believers on the day of Pentecost, He settled on them like flames. Notice He says He settled on them like flames. So the Holy Spirit like flames or tongues of fire.

And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability. As a member of the Trinity and God Himself, the Holy Spirit cannot be snuffed out, but He can be quenched.

Or, in other words, stifled when we resist the Spirit's work in our lives and in the church. Quenching the Holy Spirit is like grieving the Spirit in that both negatively affect the believer, the church, and the world.

This is why the church struggles today because it quenches the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is grieved when we rebel against God. When we follow our own worldly desires, we quench the Holy Spirit within.

When we quench not the Holy Spirit, as it says in Thessalonians 5:19, He burns within us like a living letter written on the tablets of our hearts. Our lives are set ablaze to shine forth the true light and love of God to everyone we encounter.

When we do not quench the Holy Spirit, His fiery presence brings unity, blessings, and fellowship, along with freedom, peace, and resurrection life. As the fire on the altar in the temple was never to go out in Leviticus 6:12.

So we must never quench the Holy Spirit of God on the altar of our hearts. And then hold fast to that which is good means to be diligent, cling to, or take a firm grasp of that which is good. God's word tells us what is good and worthy of grasping firmly.

Phillipians 4:8 tells us to keep our mind fixed on whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable.

We are also to hold fast to the Lord, which means loving Him, walking in obedience to Him and serving Him with all our heart and soul. Believers continue holding fast to his word until He returns.

Those who follow Jesus are mindful of the messages that vie for our attention. Today, movies, songs, commercials, books, they all have a message behind them. But as believers, we are called to be in the world, but not of the world.

This means we cannot completely isolate and insulate ourselves from the messages that surround us. Instead, we must test every message that comes our way and hold fast only to that which is good.

As we examine everything carefully to see if it aligns with God's word, we can choose to hold fast to what is good and abstain from every form of evil. And finally, Paul closes this letter with a blessing to the church.

And it goes on to say now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

Brethren, pray for us. Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss. I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you, Amen.

So the God then who called us, as Paul says, is faithful to us in times of temptation. No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind, and God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.

But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can endure it, as it says in 1 Corinthians 10:13. Even if we do fall short and give in to the temptation to sin, God's word promises.

If we confess our sins to Him, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. The God who called us is faithful to strengthen and protect us from the evil one.

His trustworthy promises are our armor and protection, as it says in Psalms 91:4, like Joshua in the Old Testament we can know deep in our hearts that every promise of God will come true.

Not a single one has failed, we can always count on the Lord and draw great hope from this truth because of the Lord's faithful love we do not perish for His mercies never end they are new every morning great oh God is your faithfulness. Let's pray.

Heavenly Father thank You for this word thank You for helping us to navigate this world through Your word Father thank You for Your Apostle Paul and his love for You and love for the Thessalonians.

That this letter was written in the spirit of love to help these Your children to understand what time it is, to understand what's about to come and to understand in all of this how we must walk in order to be found blameless in Your sight.

I thank You Father that You are such a just and loving God and that You forgive when we confess our sins to You. I thank You, Father, that You lift us up and build us up, even through adversities and trials, so that we can be pruned according to Your will for our lives.

I pray, Father, that as we suffer for Your name, I pray that as we go through our daily devotions to You, that these things that You bring to our attentions and our hearts and our minds will bubble up in us and cause us to move in the Spirit.

That we seek the gifts of the Spirit, Father, that we seek discernment, that we seek wisdom, that we seek knowledge and understanding, that we seek just and right ways, Father, that we don't provide evil for evil, but that we allow You to fight our battles because You are our banner, Father.

And so we thank You once again that the knowledge and understanding that is set in Your word for us is really all we need, Father, that the messages that this world is trying to use to lull us away and even put us to sleep to not trust in You, Father, have no effect on us.

Why? Because we love You and we know that we are called by You and that every good thing that You have for us is ours because You promised it, Father, and we just need to be faithful and trusting to You.

So, Father, forgive us where we fall short, help us where we need help, and lead us along the path of righteousness for Your name's sake. I pray Your blessing on these Your people, Father.

I pray that as we go forth in this day that You will lead us and guide us even through the valley of the shadow of death, that You will comfort us and Your rod and Your staff will provide healing for us, Father.

I pray Your blessing on all on the call, asking You to bless and comfort anyone and everyone that is in need of anything, Father. You know their needs. Pray for our children. Pray for our grandchildren.

Pray for our nieces and nephews. Pray, Father, for the baton to be passed to those that are coming behind us so that they too will know who You are and know the true promises that You have revealed in Your word to them.

I thank You now for Your blessing this day. Give You all praise, honor, and glory, Father. And it's in the mighty and matchless name of Jesus that we pray, Amen and Amen. Amen, family. I pray that you've been blessed by this word.

And I pray having the understanding that God loves you and that God has put the Apostle Paul and all the prophets and most of all Jesus. in your lives, so that you can walk by faith and not by sight.

And be circumspect and understand what God is calling you to do, and to be willing to step forward and do it, and to not quench the Holy Spirit, but to lean on the Spirit this day and every day, Father, and let His will be done in your lives.

I thank you for the privilege, Father of serving you this way. And I thank you for all these, your children that are on this call. Those will listen to this call at a later date. I pray, family, that you go in peace this day.

Know that God loves you and that we love you. We will see you back here tomorrow again, 7 a.m. Central, 8 a.m. Eastern. Go in peace, go in love. God bless you.