Paul's Counsel for Members

Paul shares wonderful counsel and advice for believers of Christ in 1 Thessalonians. 3:12-13, 4:1-12, 5:1-22, and 2 Thessalonians 3:1-6, 11

There is a very lengthy list of things that he counseled the members to work on, which are all things that we can improve and work on today!  I chose 3 attributes that he shared that I want to improve on.  They are:

Love One Another

This is one of Christ’s great commandments – to love God and to love your neighbor.  I want to work on loving those around me by seeing them as children of God – my brothers and sisters.  I can do this at work, church, and at home by looking for ways to serve those around me and express my love for them in simple, meaningful ways.  I know that even a smile, or a friendly “hello” can make a difference and life someone’s day.

Comfort & Edify One Another

This one goes along with love one another, but I want to work on this as well.  I want to look for ways to edify others and one thing I want to do is to just share simple, conversational testimony.  Sharing my blessings with others, acknowledging God’s hand in my life.  I can also be attentive and give comfort or encouragement to others.  I can do this by sharing my testimony and telling of all the blessings I receive from God each day, which will help them think of their own many blessings and feel better.

Pray Without Ceasing

It’s easy for me to get into a prayer routine, but the Bible encourages us to pray always.  To pray without ceasing.  I can and should pray about anything and everything.  So this is something I will work on – I want to pray about my daily situations, give thanks for daily blessings, and just have my mind and heart centered on Jesus Christ.

I know that I can improve on these things as I turn to the Lord for help.  I know that I will be blessed for my efforts as I strive to follow the counsels of His servants.

Being A Disciple Of Jesus Christ

What does it mean to be a disciple of Jesus Christ?

• Listening to the Lord, even when you’re busy
• Praying to God, thanking Him for blessings and asking for help
• Recognizing that God knows what’s best for you and being patient when asking for His help
• Not seeking worldly treasure, but building up spiritual treasure
• Not being so concerned with yourself, but having faith in the Lord to direct your life
• Striving to follow the Lord
• Being committed to the Lord and following Him is your priority
• Not being selfish, but helping others
• Trusting God to answer your prayers in the best way possible

One of these things I want to work on in my own life is helping others.  Christ served all who were around Him.  By following that example, I can become more like a disciple of Christ.  It’s important to take opportunities to serve those around us.  I know from my own experiences that as I take the time to help others, I am so full of peace and joy because I know I did the right thing.  I am happier when I serve others.  I tend to feel busy and trying to look for ways to help others is definitely something I can work on.  But I know that if I do this, I will see blessings in my life and will feel good about taking the time to serve.

Ultimately, what is required to be a disciple of Jesus Christ is entirely dedicating oneself to God and realizing all we have are blessings from Him.  As we strive to align our will with God’s, we can all become disciples of Christ and enjoy the peace and happiness that comes from doing so.

Faith To Be Healed

There is an account of a boy who was in need of healing (Matthew 17:14-21).  He was brought to Christ’s disciples first, but they could not heal him.  The boy was then brought to Christ, who healed him, leaving the disciples to ask why they were unable to heal him themselves.  Christ answered and told them of three important things they must have and do:

1. Faith
2. Prayer
3. Fasting

Here are some additional scriptures about blessings from God:

• 3 Nephi 18:20 – If what we ask for is right, God will give it. 
• Doctrine & Covenants 50:29 – If we are clean from sin, we can ask God for blessings and we will receive them. 
• Doctrine & Covenants 42:48 – We must have faith to be healed in order to be healed. 

Blessings are a special gift from God.  I’ve received blessings when I’ve been sick and have recovered quickly because of them.  It’s always important to remember that we are healed according to our faith, just as the scriptures indicate.  I’m grateful to have these blessings available to us.