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 Matthew 27:14 He answered him to never a word.He had never been slow of speech when he could bless the sons of men, but he would not say a single word for himself. "Never man spake like this man," and never man was silent like him. Was this singular silence the index of his perfect self-sacrifice? Did it show that he would not utter a word to stay the slaughter of his sacred person, which he had dedicated as an offering for us? Had he so entirely surrendered himself that he would not interfere in his own behalf, even in the minutest degree, but be bound and slain an unstruggling, uncomplaining victim? Was this silence a type of the defencelessness of sin? Nothing can be said in palliation or excuse of human guilt; and, therefore, he who bore its whole weight stood speechless before his judge. Is not patient silence the best reply to a gainsaying world? Calm endurance answers some questions infinitely more conclusively than the loftiest eloquence. The best apologists for Christianity in the early days were its martyrs. The anvil breaks a host of hammers by quietly bearing their blows. Did not the silent Lamb of God furnish us with a grand example of wisdom? Where every word was occasion for new blasphemy, it was the line of duty to afford no fuel for the flame of sin. The ambiguous and the false, the unworthy and mean, will ere long overthrow and confute themselves, and therefore the true can afford to be quiet, and finds silence to be its wisdom. Evidently our Lord, by his silence, furnished a remarkable fulfilment of prophecy. A long defence of himself would have been contrary to Isaiah's prediction: "He is led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth." By his quiet he conclusively proved himself to be the true Lamb of God. As such we salute him this morning. Be with us, Jesus, and in the silence of our heart, let us hear the voice of thy love. Daily Light on the Daily Path 1 Samuel 7:3 Then Samuel spoke to all the house of Israel, saying, "If you return to the LORD with all your heart, remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you and direct your hearts to the LORD and serve Him alone; and He will deliver you from the hand of the Philistines."1 John 5:21 Little children, guard yourselves from idols. 2 Corinthians 6:17,18 "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. • "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty. Matthew 6:24 "No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth. Exodus 34:14 -- for you shall not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God-- 1 Chronicles 28:9 "As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. Psalm 51:6 Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being, And in the hidden part You will make me know wisdom. 1 Samuel 16:7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 John 3:21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 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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