If you want to gods children house done this before. This month, is of course November and November house is a holiday called Thanksgiving. Therefore, this being the first week of November, The Holy Spirit thought we should discuss being thankful.
Let’s pray: God as we use, this time, to study the Scriptures this morning open our eyes and speak to our hearts. Minister your grace here in this place. Lord give Us understanding and insight of your word. Lord and larger hearts that we receive these things. Help us to put into practice the word of God. In the name of Jesus Christ we pray amen.
No, we all were remember last weeks lesson. It was in first thessalons chapter 5: versus 12 to 14 or so, but today we will be in first Thessions chapter 5:16-18.
Let’s read those together: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
New International Version
16 Rejoice always,(A) 17 pray continually,(B) 18 give thanks in all circumstances;(C) for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
First, the scripture guides us into giving thanks to our Creator God. We are so grateful for the grace that he has given us, that the only outcome of this could be gratitude. If you would take the time to count your blessings gratitude yes and would be the appropriate response. Let’s consider Ephesians 1:3 English Standard Version
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, a
I find myself, caught up in the holiday spirit, but I find it very helpful and grounding to just be still. We have to be still in order to hear from God and we must be able to listen to our own thoughts, but during the holidays we can get so busy that we forget about the blessings of God. Let’s make an attempt, this year, just to be still and focus on being thankful.
Getting back to Thessalonians chapter 5 verses 16 through 18, at the far end of the verse 18 God says this is my will for your life. This is a bold statement! God blatantly tells us or gives us a command that we are supposed to follow. Let’s review, it says this: 18 give thanks in all circumstances;(C) for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. So, if we are children of God, we became children of God through the blood of Jesus Christ, and we are to be thankful. We remember what Christ done for us at Calvary when we partake of communion, but we are to give thanks to God for everything.
Also, when reading this scripture, the Holy Spirit brings back memories of the times I prayed and asked God what his wheel was for my life. I am very thankful for the scripture today. Here we are right at the beginning of the season Thanksgiving and God pulls the scripture out, and sticks it right under our nose. Verse 18 tells us what he wants from us. Don’t you love it when you’re at work and you don’t have to guess what your boss wants from you. There have been situations, in my life, where I was expected to know something without someone telling me and I failed the test. Aren’t you glad that God doesn’t set us up for failure. He has our best interest at heart. He sent us up for a heart of Thanksgiving. A heart of Thanksgiving, as we know, keep us from sin. God calls us to walk a sanctified life. Separated from sin and evil. And he makes a way for us to do that. What an awesome God we serve.
Right now, God wants us to pray without ceasing, give thanks for all things, and know that this is his will for our life. I love how God uses people two bring new life. Here he uses Paul and now me to tell you that we have found joy in the Scriptures. That we have hope in Christ Jesus. And in this joy we can rejoice always.
God has set up prayer to establish a relationship with you and I. Obviously, Paul does not mean that we should close our eyes, Baller head, and hold our hands together all day long. Paul is also not meaning that we have to go to our prayer closet every time we need to Paris. The scripture here also means that you don’t have to take break from work. The scripture, simply means to pray where you are.
To pray without ceasing means that we have a dependency upon God for everything. The more we just talk to God where we are the easier it gets to have a conversation with him all day long. I find that bringing the large things and the little things to God brings me rest and brings me peace. However, when I asked someone about their prayer life, they often tell me that they use prayer when big things happen. Prayer is there go to win big things happen in their life. In every situation, we can ask ourselves, are we going to depend upon the Lord or are we going to depend on ourselves? Which is better? I say, depending upon the Lord. Let’s take up the Carline call Lynn to call upon the Lord.
This scripture tells us to cast all cares upon him. So, our daily walk with him is important. Bringing and sharing the little things of life is reasonable to him.
God knows The number of hairs on your head so why do we not think that he wants to be involved in the smallest, Manute, detail of our life?
Continual prayer, is continual conversation with God. Where our focus is; is where we will find our treasure.
Finally, going back to being thankful in all circumstances. Paul is saying be thankful in all circumstances. Somethings are easy to think God for; wow, others are extremely hard to be thankful for. Have you ever thought of those 3 words: in everything be thankful? And this fallen world, hardships face us both speech spiritually, emotionally and physically. How in the world can we be thankful in hardship? I found in some hardship I can be thankful for the relationship. For example, sometimes it’s hard to be thankful for your spouse when you’re mad at them. Sometimes, it’s hard to be thankful for our friendship when you’re mad at your friend. That God calls us To be thankful when life is good and when life is hard.
You know, because we have the holy spirit, we can be thankful in our brokenness. We can be thankful through our pain. We can be thankful through life when it’s hard. The Holy Spirit guides us into all holiness. Through the Holy Spirit we have the gifts of the spirit. For example, when I cannot find joy in my relationships or joy in the world, I can find love, peace, and joy in knowing that my salvation is secure. I find peace and comfort through the Holy Spirit, because I know my future in heaven is secure.
Paul also told the Romans that they could be thankful in their hardships. Check out the following scripture: Romans 5:2-5
King James Version
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
Paul explains to the Romans that through perseverance we overcome the world. Perseverance produces good character and good character gives a way to help. Paul said our hope does not disappoint us. Paul’s talking about the hope we have in eternal life. Once we realize this hope we never let go. This hope produces a feeling of gratitude in our heart and this is when we know God intimately.
Another scripture that the Holy Spirit brought to my mind is acknowledge God in all of your ways. Proverbs 3:6 says it this way:
“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” This means to acknowledge the presence of God in all of our circumstances. We know that God is the Lord of all of our circumstances. He holds each one of us in the palm of his hand. He watches over Us and never leaves us. We can have joy and peace knowing that God is sovereign and he is in control of our circumstances.
One more thing that the Holy Spirit brings to my attention is James chapter 1. 2 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;
3 Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.
4 But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.
Brothers and sisters, God is at work, anus, during our hardest times. God gives us mountain top experiences and he gives us Valley experiences to. It is in the valley that we learn to grow closer to God. It’s in the valley that I’ve learned to lean on God the most. It’s in the valley that God shapes and molds our character. It’s these developing qualities that God is faithful to use these character traits to further the kingdom. The more character traits we like Jesus the better live gets. There is nothing better than walking by the spirit. There is nothing better than feeling the presence of the Lord throughout the day.
