Leaders & Your Leaders

1 Thessalonians 4:12-25
¹⁴And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. ¹⁵Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.
 ¹⁶Be joyful always; ¹⁷pray continually; ¹⁸give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.
 ¹⁹Do not put out the Spirit's fire; ²⁰do not treat prophecies with contempt. ²¹Test everything. Hold on to the good. ²²Avoid every kind of evil.
 ²³May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. ²⁴The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.



// THOUGHTS:

.. Paul's last words to the people in Thessalonica. 

_Principles:
.. Putting our leaders in high regard as they work hard among us.
.. Leaders must warn, encourage, help and be patient.

// BELLE:

.. I must always put Pastor, familial leaders, and my church leaders (and perhaps other leaders in the Lord v. 12b) in high regard by respecting them in love and appreciating what they do.  Give them love and support them in any way that I can because they have been put there by God for a reason. 
.. As a leader myself, I must remember to warn the idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, and to be patient with everyone.  I must be faithful in doing my job; to always be in-tact and connected with God's Spirit to guide me in everything that I do.  Whether or not people hold me in their highest regard, all that matters is that God sees my faithfulness in the job He has put me in.  I will do my job with the best of my ability as God enables me so.

// LORD, thank you for reminding me of what I need to do.  As a leader, let your light shine through me that people may see the good you are doing within me and that they may praise You.  You are faithful (v. 24) and I know you are always going to come through.  I know that when you me into something, that's because you have already seen what's coming ahead and you will do what You purpose to do as I trust and do Your will.  Please guide me and let You be glorified in my personal life, my submission to leaders, and my own leadership call.  In Jesus' name, amen.