Bible League: Living His Word Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.What should a Christian do always? What should a Christian do without ceasing? What should a Christian do in every circumstance? Our verses for today give us three items the Apostle Paul believes should be constants of the Christian life. First of all, we should rejoice always. Joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22). Christians have been baptized with the Holy Spirit and have joy as part of the package. It is incumbent upon us to allow this joy to manifest in our lives even when we don't feel like it. It is significant that this injunction was written by an apostle that had suffered so much. Despite any negative circumstances, Christians have a lot to be joyful about. There should always be an atmosphere of joy surrounding us. Second, we should pray without ceasing. This does not mean we should give up every activity other than prayer, but that we should maintain a close personal relationship to God. The lines of communication to the Father in heaven should always remain open and we should feel free to share the thoughts, cares, concerns, and desires of our heart with God at any time. God wants us to maintain our relationship to Him. What he doesn't want is for us to go our own way apart from Him. Finally, we should give thanks in all circumstances. The person who is willing to give thanks in all circumstances is the person who takes Romans 8:28 seriously: "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose." There are plenty of examples in the Bible of people whose trials, troubles, and tribulations were the very means by which God could use them in mighty ways. Joseph's imprisonment in Egypt, for example, was the vehicle for his elevation to being second only to Pharaoh. One cannot give thanks in all circumstances unless they truly believe that God is working for the good in all things. These three items are not mere suggestions. They are the very Will of God for us. Let us be full of joy and thanksgiving, and let us pray without ceasing. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJudges 8, 9 Judges 8 -- Zebah and Zalmunna Taken; Gideon's Ephod and Death; 40 years of Peace NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Judges 9 -- Abimelech Conspires to Become King, Falls after 3 Years; Shechem; Abimelech NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 8:22-56 Luke 8 -- Parables of the Sower and Lamp; Jesus Calms the Storm, Heals the Demoniac, Raises a Dead Girl NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion Hear my cry,for I am very low. Rescue me from my persecutors, for they are too strong for me. Insight Have you ever felt that no one cared what happened to you? David had a good reason to feel that way, and he wrote, “Hear my cry, for I am very low.” Challenge Through prayer we can pull out of our tailspin and be reminded that God cares for us deeply. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Isaiah 53:10 He shall see his seed; he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand.Plead for the speedy fulfilment of this promise, all ye who love the Lord. It is easy work to pray when we are grounded and bottomed, as to our desires, upon God's own promise. How can he that gave the word refuse to keep it? Immutable veracity cannot demean itself by a lie, and eternal faithfulness cannot degrade itself by neglect. God must bless his Son, his covenant binds him to it. That which the Spirit prompts us to ask for Jesus, is that which God decrees to give him. Whenever you are praying for the kingdom of Christ, let your eyes behold the dawning of the blessed day which draweth near, when the Crucified shall receive his coronation in the place where men rejected him. Courage, you that prayerfully work and toil for Christ with success of the very smallest kind, it shall not be so always; better times are before you. Your eyes cannot see the blissful future: borrow the telescope of faith; wipe the misty breath of your doubts from the glass; look through it and behold the coming glory. Reader, let us ask, do you make this your constant prayer? Remember that the same Christ who tells us to say, "Give us this day our daily bread," had first given us this petition, "Hallowed be thy name; Thy kingdom come; Thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven." Let not your prayers be all concerning your own sins, your own wants, your own imperfections, your own trials, but let them climb the starry ladder, and get up to Christ himself, and then, as you draw nigh to the blood-sprinkled mercy-seat, offer this prayer continually, "Lord, extend the kingdom of thy dear Son." Such a petition, fervently presented, will elevate the spirit of all your devotions. Mind that you prove the sincerity of your prayer by laboring to promote the Lord's glory. Daily Light on the Daily Path Luke 18:8 "I tell you that He will bring about justice for them quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?"John 1:11 He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him. 1 Timothy 4:1 But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons, 2 Timothy 4:2-4 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. • For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, • and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. Mark 13:32,33 "But of that day or hour no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone. • "Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time will come. Luke 12:37 "Blessed are those slaves whom the master will find on the alert when he comes; truly I say to you, that he will gird himself to serve, and have them recline at the table, and will come up and wait on them. Titus 2:13 looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
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