1. Leadership v. 12-13

a) “those who work hard among you”

b) “are over you (care for you) in the Lord"

c) “admonish you”

2. Fellowship, v. 14-15

Types of people we need to engage…

a) "admonish the idle”

b) "encourage the fainthearted”

c) “help the weak”

d) “be patient with them all”

Be patient vs. suffer long

Patience has to do with situations and circumstances.

Suffering long has to do with people.

3. Worship, v. 16-22

a) “rejoice always”

1) the Bible is not saying we have to always be happy

2) this is not about the experience of joy as much as the expression of joy

b) "pray without ceasing"

“And he told them a parable to the effect that they ought always to pray and not lose heart. 2 He said, “In a certain city there was a judge who neither feared God nor respected man. 3 And there was a widow in that city who kept coming to him and saying, ‘Give me justice against my adversary.’ 4 For a while he refused, but afterward he said to himself, ‘Though I neither fear God nor respect man, 5 yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will give her justice, so that she will not beat me down by her continual coming.’” 6 And the Lord said, “Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?” -Luke 18:1-8

c) "give thanks in all circumstances"- not for but “in”

“In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers…”

Mental worship…

1.Which is harder for you to deal with, difficult people or difficult circumstances?

2.What bothers you more, that people are not Christlike or that they are not like you?

3.How often do you experience your powerlessness and what does that feel like to you?

4.Do you think God ever refuses to answer your prayers just to see if you will persist in praying?

5.Is there anything you have prayed about for so long that you’ve begun to lose heart?