1 Thessalonians 5:1-22.  When our Lord bursts through the clouds at his second coming, what kind of church will be here to meet him? 

1. It should be a church who respects the leaders and equipping ministers who labor on her behalf. All too often we use our leaders as targets for criticism and complaints (12-13). We should abstain from this form of evil.
2. It should be a church who is at peace among herself. All too often it is a host of churches with competing ideologies and divided loyalties (13). We should abstain from this form of evil.
3. It should be a church who patiently helps all who need help at the point of their need. She should be admonishing the idle to work, encouraging the fainthearted to not give up, and helping the weak to thrive. All too often it is caught up in programs and plans and the people get swept aside (14). We should abstain from this form of evil.
4. It should be a church who seeks the good of brother and enemy alike. All too often both fellow believers and outsiders are targets of our vengeance (15).  We should abstain from this form of evil.
5. It should be a church who is caught up in the presence of the Holy Spirit, and always open to the manifestations of His spiritual gifts in her worship. All too often we quench the Spirit, and refuse to let him get close enough to do his work among us. The result is a dry and tasteless Christianity that the world rejects as hypocrisy (16-21).  We should abstain from this form of evil.

LORD,  when you come, find us faithful. Purge the evil from us that keeps us from manifesting your genuineness.