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Galatians 5:16-23 teaches that at any moment we are either walking by the Holy Spirit or according to the sin nature. Walking by the Spirit, enjoying fellowship with God, walking in the light are virtually synonymous. During these times, the Holy Spirit is working in us to illuminate our minds to the truth of Scripture and to challenge us to apply what we learn. But when we sin, we begin to live based on the sin nature. Our works do not count for eternity. The only way to recover is to confess (admit, acknowledge) our sin to God the Father and we are instantly forgiven, cleansed, and recover our spiritual walk (1 John 1:9). Please make sure you are walking by the Spirit before you begin your Bible study, so it will be spiritually profitable.

1 Thessalonians (2013)

1 Thessalonians (2013)

July 2013 - October 2018

Note: Classes in this series are arranged with the most recent class appearing first.

1 Thessalonians covers a period from roughly from November of AD 50 to January of AD 51. What marks Paul's ministry in Thessalonica is this opposition from the Jewish community and the persecution and oppression that rises out of that opposition. It is important to understand when we look at 1 Thessalonians because of part of Paul’s primary message there has to do with the reality of opposition, persecution and suffering in the life of the believer in the Church Age.

As we look at the epistle in terms of its basic structure and outline, it seems that there are two basic divisions. The first three chapters are very personal and intimate, and they seem to focus around the idea that the apostle Paul is encouraging the Thessalonians in terms of their response to the gospel, that they are indeed believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and this has brought forth evidence that is undeniable of their salvation. Then in chapters four and five we get a focus on the future, on the Lord’s return, and the implication of that for our walk with the Lord.

Video DVDs of these lessons can be ordered here and here.

To view all video Bible studies in the 1 Thessalonians series, click here (Vimeo) or here (YouTube).

To listen to this series as a podcast, copy and paste the following URL into your podcast software.
www.deanbibleministries.org/podcasts/20131thes.xml		  
1 - 1 Thessalonians Overview. 1 Thessalonians 1-5 [A]
Tue, Jul 09, 2013
by Robert Dean
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-5:28 & Acts 17:1-10
Series: 1 Thessalonians (2013)
Duration: 1 hr 1 mins 23 secs
Ready to take a tour? First you need to know where you're going and what there is to see. Listen to this lesson to get ready to take a fly-over of 1 Thessalonians and learn the background for the letter in Acts 17. Find out how the Apostle Paul points out the reality of oppression and suffering for church age believers and the importance of focusing on the Lord's return for comfort.
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2 - Introduction: Who, What, When, Where, Why? [A]
Thu, Jul 11, 2013
by Robert Dean
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1
Series: 1 Thessalonians (2013)
Duration: 1 hr 0 mins 13 secs
There's no way to sugar-coat it. Studying the Bible isn't always smooth-sailing. Listen to this lesson to grasp a series of steps to help master 1 Thessalonians. Discover both the internal and external evidence about the author, the Apostle Paul. Learn about the way of life in Thessalonica that made the contents of the book relevant. See how the theology in the letter brings comfort to believers of all ages who are under oppression and suffering.
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3 - Grace and Gratitude [B]
Sun, Jul 14, 2013
by Robert Dean
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:1-3
Series: 1 Thessalonians (2013)
Duration: 59 mins 31 secs
Time for a gratitude check! Are you near the top of the gratitude gauge or sunk near the zero? If you're too stuck on thinking about yourself to notice what God and others are doing for you, it's hard to be thankful. Listen to this lesson to see how having an entitlement mentality destroys us and our culture. See how the Apostle Paul never failed to express thanksgiving in his epistles. Discover the true meaning of grace and how it impacts our gratitude.
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4 - Grace Orientation: Foundational Spiritual Skill [B]
Tue, Jul 16, 2013
by Robert Dean
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:2-4
Series: 1 Thessalonians (2013)
Duration: 1 hr 8 mins 13 secs
When an old-fashion teakettle whistles, we need to turn down the heat. The same is true when we find pressures building up in our lives and we feel ready to blow. Listen to this lesson to learn how to handle the adversities of life from a Biblical framework. See the importance of practicing the basic habits that lead to spiritual growth. Move on to advanced spiritual practices and discover the importance of grace orientation so that even in the most tense situations in life we can have peace and calmness as we express our gratitude to God.
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5 - Prayer Priorities [B]
Thu, Sep 19, 2013
by Robert Dean
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:3
Series: 1 Thessalonians (2013)
Duration: 52 mins 58 secs
"With all I have to do every day, how in the world can I set aside time to pray?" If that moan sounds familiar to you, listen to this lesson to learn the importance Paul placed on prayer and how he continually found time in his hectic life to offer prayer both day and night. Hear several prayers of his and apply them to your own prayer life. Learn about Nehemiah's prayer and how the Lord Jesus Christ considered prayer such an important part of his life that he sometimes prayed all night.
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6 - Prayer Priorities: Gratitude, Intercession, and Petition [B]
Thu, Jan 30, 2014
by Robert Dean
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:3
Series: 1 Thessalonians (2013)
Duration: 57 mins 3 secs
Please note that at the beginning of the video it is incorrectly labeled 1 Thessalonians Lesson #2. This is actually Lesson #6.

"Oh God, help!" Does this sound like most of your prayers because you wait until you're desperate to pray? Listen to this lesson to learn from the Apostle Paul's prayers. See the importance of turning off all the things that distract us and setting aside time to pray on a regular basis. Discover why praise and gratitude should be the foundation for all our prayers and how learning the Word of God teaches us the spiritual blessings we should praise God for. Instead of asking God only for things for ourselves, learn how to pray for others. Appreciate why we should pray to God the Father as we realize that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are both interceding for us at God's throne.

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7 - Imitating Christ - Part 1 [B]
Tue, Feb 18, 2014
by Robert Dean
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:3 & Romans 5:3-5
Series: 1 Thessalonians (2013)
Duration: 59 mins 18 secs
Are you still stuck in diapers in the spiritual nursery? Or are you zooming through spiritual childhood and reaching adulthood in your Christian life? Listen to this lesson to learn that the new believers in Thessalonica were grabbing hold of the Word of God and making great strides in their spiritual lives within an amazingly short time. Measure yourself on your mastery of three valuable virtues that Paul uses to show the stages of spiritual growth. Revisit the spiritual skills that should become second nature in your life when you reach maturity.
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8 - Imitating Christ - Part 2 [B]
Thu, May 01, 2014
by Robert Dean
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:4-8
Series: 1 Thessalonians (2013)
Duration: 58 mins 40 secs
When you open a Bible are you almost overwhelmed by its complexity and vast knowledge? Listen to this lesson to learn ways to organize the contents into understandable principles. Follow a flow chart that takes a believer through the spiritual skills, beginning in spiritual childhood, moving to adolescence and on into spiritual maturity. Learn about the three phases of the Christian life and accept that testing and adversity will be a part of our experience. Rest in God's promise that we will never be tested beyond our ability to endure it and that passing these tests will result in eternal rewards.
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9 - What is Faith? [B]
Thu, Jul 17, 2014
by Robert Dean
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:8-10
Series: 1 Thessalonians (2013)
Duration: 1 hr 3 mins 17 secs
Is there more than one kind of faith? Is one supernatural and the other just ordinary, garden-variety faith? Listen to this lesson to learn the meaning of faith. See that faith is built on evidence. Understand that the object of faith is what's important and that there are different objects for salvation and living the Christian life. Find out the meaning of free grace. See that faith isn't something we do but the act of appropriating what God has done for us.
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10 - Faith Rest [B]
Thu, Aug 21, 2014
by Robert Dean
Passage: 1 Thessalonians 1:8
Series: 1 Thessalonians (2013)
Duration: 48 mins 43 secs
After we believe Christ died for our sins on the cross, what then? How do we go on to live life as a Christian? Listen to this lesson to learn that God's Word is filled with promises that we may apply by faith to all the circumstances of life. Learn the different systems of knowledge and find that faith is a part of all of them. Memorize these promises that address many different problems we face so that when a need arises in our life, we can claim them and rely on God.
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