Make It Your Ambition to Lead a Quiet Life

8/14/2019 Make It Your Ambition to Lead a Quiet Life

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Make it your ambition Billy Sichone

Aim for the stars

I Thessalonians 4:11,12

The two verses that are quoted for us above seem to be pregnant with much instruction

for our daily life, In the common things of life in which we ought to excel and bringglory to the Lord. At least three things come to the fore immediately we read these

verses. They are:

1. Make it your ambition This is the first point that strikes one when we considerthe 11

th

verse. The blessed Apostle is talking in the context of Living to pleaseGod in our daily walk. The Apostle acknowledges that these Christians hadmade excellent strides in their practical daily lives but he urges them further (v1).

This is the way a Christian ought to be, to desire to grow in this grace of good

works (Titus 2:14) and never tire or grow weary in the work of the Lord- for ourlabours in the Lord are not in vain (Galatians 6:9, I Corinthians 15:58, 1

Thessalonians 4:10, 2 Thessalonians 3:13). Many run well for a season like the

Galatians (Galatians 5:7) but alas! Soon after wards, they grow weary orbewitched. What is the reason? What is the root cause? They never make it their

ambition to follow Christ at all costs, yet it is fitting to note from our text that this

ambition is with respect to our conversation or behavioural patterns here below.

Be it you the only saint in the home, church or town, it should be your chief goalto speak only what is helpful, and seasoned with much grace and integrity

(Ephesians 4:28, 29 Colossians 4:6). Many are loud but empty like the clanging

cymbal. This verse in no way prohibits any saint from being a public figure or

prominent in civil matters but rather, it stresses the inner character of the soul

Refer to a number of scriptures that show prominent saints such as Rom 16:23b,Titus 3:13 and Colossians

4:14 among many


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which will ultimately flow out for the world to see. The Lord Jesus once said thatthe believers were in the world but not of it, meaning that they were to use the

things of time sparingly and meticulously like a chemist handles chemicals

ensuring that he doth not contaminate his own blood. There fore, Paul is saying toyou and I, make it your ambition and you will tick in your generation. Would

you like to be like the men of Issachar who knew the times? (I Chronicles 12:32)Then go out there having first of all made it your ambition to serve Christ in yourcalling. Refuse to settle for less, yea, resolve this day to follow him.

But what were the Thessalonians to resolve? A number of resolution points are given

us in the ensuing parts of the passage:

a. To lead a quiet life-this suggests a quiet, consistent, steady, progressive anddiligent way of life. Busy people rarely have time to pick faults and petty quarrelswith their neighbours. This quietness is not the morbid or uncomfortable type of

quietness but one which is soft, gentle, and slow to speak but quick to listen. One

would rather be wronged than the reverse. The quiet life is noticed by its massive

high quality results churned out. Oh how we need such grace to be quiet! Be busyat work, at home, at school working as unto the Lord (Ephesians 6:7, Ecclesiastes

9:10) and I am not afraid of the result. You too will soon be busy and quiet, but

first things first, resolve!

b. In the second place, these Christians were to make it their ambition to mind theirown business. This point flows or is a direct consequence of the above point. It is

so closely connected with leading a quiet life in the sense that as you resolve to

mind your own business, definitely you will be quiet as a result of beingpreoccupied. There fore, as the problem mountains, issues, trials, work pressure


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grow, one is bound to be too busy sorting them out. Hence, he ultimately mindshis own business. Covetous souls find it most difficult to mind their own business

because their envious eyes, above all else, are simply never full. When others

prosper and not them, they feel terribly affected negatively. A sour spiritencroaches into their hearts. But nay, the apostle says that we have to resolve to

relentlessly work at it so that we learn to read providence where ever it has placedus (Acts 17:26). Learn brethren, to mind your business by being weaned from theworld and being Christo centric in your attitude. A word of caution is here timely-

never be an island! Dont be so aloof from this real world but ensure that you

cultivate a spirit which is free from covetousness, for how will you pray

intelligently for others without adequate and correct timely information? How willyou rejoice with those who rejoice or mourn with those who mourn? Just in case

you are already infected with the meddling virus, good Mr Cowper once prayed in

a hymn, The dearest Idol I have known, whatre that idol be, help me to tear itfrom thy throne and worship only thee. So may you pray this deliverance prayer

today. I say again, resolve!

c. Thirdly, they were to ensure that they worked with their hands. They had to foldtheir sleeves and get busy in production! In these rapid privatisation days in

Zambia, the catch phrase is Produce or lose out. Pauls words in 2Thessalonians 3:12 come in handy at this time. Isnt it the same man that could

freely say to the Ephesian elders that he had laboured for his daily food night and

day? With what? With his own hands! Production, production, production is it!(Acts 20:32-35). This rebukes such as are lazy in their stations in life. Be it at

school, home or at the office, we should aim to use all our vigour to serve him.

Some have great mental powers, others are more pragmatic while others still areexcellent pen men. Are you using your gifts and talents all to glorify God? Or is it

for it for Lord ego only? Remember-resolve!

The Apostle had two chief reasons for urging the saints so to live-both were aimed at

glorifying God

1. So that their daily lives could win respect from outsiders. Christians should bepeople of integrity where ever they are positioned. Methinks that our daily lives

are Christs epistles for the heathen to read. Some may never pick up a Bible to

As at 1995, 3 to 4 years after the privatisation act was enacted and many companies privatised enmass.


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read but they will certainly read our lives! The other siders in the text refers toall who are outside the commonwealth of Isreal. These could be our very blood

brothers and sisters, relatives and friends. Can they see the Christ in you? Or are

you just like to rest except that on Sunday you go to church while they go to thestadium? Do you truly command respect as a result of your conduct and unique

life style? Havent you read that there is such a thing as winning without theword? (1 Peter 3:3b). They are watching you, marking all you do, hearing thethings you say, wrote one fine hymn writer years ago. Are you a trend setter

within and without the church? I echo my word, no resolution, no fruit! Therefore,

resolve!

2. The second and last reason for such an exhortation is rather straight forward. Yetit is instructive for us to take careful heed to these words-we must not be parasites

to anyone. Should you & I labour with all our might, the Lord will certainly

graciously bless our labours, in his own appointed way of course. Trust in the

Lord at all times and your plans will succeed (Proverbs 3:5). This trust is an active

pragmatic one. The diligent person is pictured as one who will stand before

Kings. Methinks this is true in every sense (Proverbs 22:29). I have lived longenough to see this. Brethren, let us labour to be independent and seek to help

others instead! It was Pauls motto to work hard so as to help the weak (Acts20:34, 35). These weak people are not there by design or desire, but rather

providence has placed them there. Oh might God help us to be like those at

Thessalonica who exerted themselves to doing more and more good! Though the

resurrection and the Perousiais close at hand, we must endeavour to live such

good lives among the pagans (I Peter 2:12).

Reader, will you resolve with me this day to redeem the time? I am content to meet

you on the day of rewards!

Adieu & Amen

Billy Sichone

11:20 hrs

AD 18.5.1995LBC sanctuary

1. I Timothy 2:22. Titus 3:143.

I Timothy 6:184. I Thessalonians 5:14

5. 2 Thessalonians 3:10, 11,126. Exodus 20:87. I Peter 2:12

Bearing in mind that God answers prayers and efforts by wise denials when His children ask amiss. Refers to the second coming of Christ when history shall be wrapped up.


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8. Ephesians 6:79. I Corinthians 10:3110.Colossians 3:23

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Make It Your Ambition to Lead a Quiet Life