Text:
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (HCSB)
16 Rejoice always!
17 Pray constantly.
18 Give thanks in everything, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.
Observation:
In times like these how can you stay joyful all the time? Our pastor said in our prayer time yesterday that the word he had on his heart was the word burdens.
The truth is that we all have burdens; your burdens are different from my burdens, but they are just as real.
How do you rejoice always, and give thanks in everything as this passages says in verses sixteen and eighteen?
- Pray constantly (verse 17).
- This is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus (Verse 18b).
When you hear people discount the value of prayer, don’t listen to them. Turn Your eyes to the Word of God, and listen to what Jesus says about prayer.
Luke 18:1 (HCSB)
1 He then told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not become discouraged:
When I have burdens I love to sing, and one of my favorites is this one.
“What a friend we have in Jesus,
All our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer!
Oh, what peace we often forfeit,
Oh, what needless pain we bear,
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer! ”
Again, turn your eyes to the Word of God, and listen to what Jesus says about the burdens you feel in your life. Why not take them to the Lord in prayer?
Matthew 11:28-29 (HCSB)
28 “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
29 All of you, take up My yoke and learn from Me, because I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for yourselves.
Prayer:
Father, I am so grateful for the privilege we have to spend time continually in Your presence.
Father, the awareness that we are never alone in our walk through this world should give us joy and peace for today, and a bright and shining hope for the future.
Father God, I pray this prayer for all of the readers and the hearers of the Word that You have poured into my heart today.
Romans 15:13 (HCSB)
13 Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you believe ?in Him? so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
—
Isaiah 55:11 (KJV)
11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
Read the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:
http://herbcotton.blogspot.com/
Hear the Daily Devotional by Herb Cotton; click here:
https://soundcloud.com/praying-for-you-ministry
