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78 white ebooks 178 Thank you.
Everything to my prayer.
Oh, what is the optimal?
Me, let's stay with them.
All because they hear my daring.
They sing to God in prayer.
Have 3 miles and that day.
Couple of landing near where?
We shall never be discovered.
In the morning prayer.
And we find our friends are faithful.
My friend says 540.
Take it to the Lord in prayer.
In his life till they can chill day.
Thou will find out all the time.
So, as I mentioned, we are going to read in First Thessalonians.
Chapter 5.
And we're going to begin with verse 16.
And I hope any of you young brothers who have a thought or question as we go along on the, uh, verses, we'll, uh, please feel free to speak up. And, uh, we'd like to conduct this like a little Bible study. So I've asked Lucas to read from verse 16 of First Thessalonians 5.
516 Rejoice evermore, pray without season in everything give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. Quench not the spirit, despise not prophesying, prove all things, hold fast that which is good, abstain from all appearance of evil, and the very God of peace sanctify you wholly. And I pray God, your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved, blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Faithful is he that calleth you who also will do it. Braden, pray for us.
Grate all the bread, and with the holy kiss I charge you by the Lord, that this piece will be wrath unto all the holy brethren, the grace of her Lord as Christ be with you. Amen.
So just to introduce this.
Portion of Scripture. As we know, the great subject in both 1St and 2nd Thessalonians is the Lord's coming in its various aspects. That is, the Lord's coming for us at any moment, and then the time when the Lord is going to come back to earth and take up the judgments of this world and eventually reign in righteousness. But at the end of this epistle, where he has explained very carefully both aspects of the Lord's coming.
He then takes up before he closes, some very, very practical exhortation.
Short sentences here that are not hard to be understood because we're not home yet. We're not. The Lord hasn't come yet. And you and I, whether we're young or old, we're still here in this world. And there is a conduct that is in keeping with Christians who are waiting for the Lord to come. And so in a few terse sentences at the end of the epistle, he gives us some hints as to what our conduct is to be.
00:05:30
While we wait for the Lord Jesus to come. So we'll go down these and make a few comments on each one. And please, anybody that has a thought on these expressions, uh, please share it.
So just to start us off with the verse we began with, it's in our English Bible.
It's the second shortest verse in our English Bible. I know the verse divisions are not inspired. They were added by the translators.
But it is interesting how God arranged that the shortest verse in our English Bible.
In contrast, is Jesus wet? The Lord Jesus was the Man of sorrows here in this world.
But now he says to us, rejoice evermore so when we think about what the Lord Jesus has done for us.
He begins these exhortations by telling us that we are to be a happy people.
We're not to be a sad, long faced people waiting for the Lord to come. Sometimes people think of Christianity as being very sober and long faced and, uh, boring and so on. But that's not the way it is to be with Christianity. We're to be a happy people, rejoicing not just sometimes, but ever more.
There was a risk when, uh, left.
The first time, uh.
They, they were attracting attention. They, they had to leave for the sake of the, the congregation that they had formed there. And, uh, there had to be, it had to have been on his mind, on their mind that this, this congregation, as small as it may have been, even in such a great city of Thessalonica, which is one of the greatest cities of that time in that area, there was a risk that this congregation would, would soon collapse after their departure. And, uh, I think.
You know, as Paul usually does at the end of his his epistles, you know, he he makes it very he makes it very personal greeting such and such by name or, or and you know, things of this nature. And he's, you know, he's giving this, this little church that has has.
To his probably to his to his joy lasted, uh, until this his writing this letter and he's just giving him just some practical.
Umm, exhortations in this way. Rejoice, pray and give thanks, uh.
Continue, you know, obviously they had withstood the initial challenge in their that must have been comforting to, uh, to pull, you know, and he's just giving him some sort of pride club exhortation and it makes it personal as usual.
I find in my own life that there's rejoice always, so I can't, I don't always rejoice. And I find that, you know, like it's not like giving, like a qualifier, like what we're going through, you know, like to rejoice all the time. But for me seems like it depends on what my like status of communication is with God, you know, like to be able to rejoice like above and beyond like circumstances, you know, things are going good, you know, but I'm not, you know, like out, you know, physically or whatever. And I'm in a relationship with God's faults and I'm not necessarily happy like that, you know.
And things are going bad. You know, it's I mean communication with God had to understand like more than just what's going on here in his heart. If if you know, sometimes you can still rejoice. So this is my personal experience.
But, but I, I think that's really the key what Kevin has said, because it's not here rejoicing in our circumstances necessarily. We are to rejoice while we go through trials and difficulties, but it's not circumstances that cause us to rejoice. It's the Lord. And so that's why when Paul wrote to the Philippians, he said rejoice in the Lord always. And and again I say rejoice.
00:10:12
Because, as Kevin said, our circumstances are often adverse and difficult. Sometimes our state of soul isn't what it should be. But I believe the rejoicing in your life and mind comes in the measure in which we are enjoying the Lord. And so we read this morning. Whom not having seen, ye love, though now you see him not yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.
But, but let me point this out too. It is often a process. Let's just go in thought to Paul and Silas in prison. Now I don't know what time of day they were thrown in prison, but I suspect that they were in prison for some time before they prayed and sang praises.
Because it's very specific. At midnight they prayed and sang praises, but who knows how long, how many hours they had been in the prison before that process.
But just hold your finger here and go back to the 119th Psalm for a verse that I have often wondered if Paul and Silas didn't all of a sudden remember while their backs were bleeding, their feet were in the stalks. And I don't know what I would have been doing. Probably grumbling and complaining and saying, well Lord, I thought I got a vision to come over here and help someone and what good am I doing here? But notice what it the 119th Psalm and verse 62.
At midnight I will arrive, I will rise and give thanks unto thee because of thy righteous judgments. Now again, Scripture is very specific. At midnight they prayed and sang praises. And I've often wondered if they didn't remember this verse and remember the last part of this verse that says, because of thy righteous judgment, you will only be able to rejoice at all times in the measure in which you realize.
That what God is doing in your life is right. It may not be pleasant, It may not be good. Seemingly as far as the circumstance, it may be like the people Peter was writing to, they were having fiery trials, but it was right. And that's how we can rejoice evermore. To get to the point where we realize that what God is doing in our lives is the very best, and that's what's going to cause us to rejoice. So we rejoice, yes, we rejoice in the circumstance, but not necessarily.
Because of the circumstance or the what we're go, what we're going through, it may not be a pleasant circumstance, but here's another verse. Paul said sorrowful, yet always rejoicing. So he experienced sorrow in trials and difficulties, but he could rejoice and that lifted him above the circumstance.
I think it's always kind of important to realize exactly what we're rejoicing. Umm, this kind of, uh, reminded me of a section in, uh, loop chapter 10, uh, starting with uh, verse 17, uh, referring to the 7070, uh, messenger sent out, uh, if I might read that. And the 70 returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the devils are subject unto us through thy name. And he said unto them, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven.
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you. Notwithstanding in this rejoice not that the spirits are subject unto you, but rather rejoice because your names are written in heaven. So even though they were in, you know, obviously a positive experience, that still.
Wasn't what they should be focusing on.
Be kind of a state that you you're in when you're, umm, you're not necessarily just.
Praying all the time, but it's the communion that you have with the Lord.
Yes, I think that's right, but that for a moment, but and it's interesting, isn't it that it follows rejoice ever more and so the two things are are intimately connected so.
00:15:01
Sometimes. Well, let me go back to Paul and Silas. They did two things. They prayed and they sang praises.
Because we don't want to be indifferent to our circumstances and when we talk about rejoicing in the Lord, it doesn't mean that we're just floating on air and in different to what are callous to what's going on. No, if we're going through good or bad circumstances, we need the spirit of dependence. And as Austin said, that's really what what prayer is. When I pray, I'm really expressing dependence on the Lord. I'm saying I don't have any might for this.
Situation. But I'm also expressing confidence that the Lord is able.
But as you say, Austin, you can't be forming actual words in prayer all day long. You've got to concentrate on your studies, your driving, whatever you're doing, school work, work, uh, in, in our secular employment, all those things. So what does this really mean? Pray without ceasing it is to maintain at all times the spirit and attitude of dependence and to keep an open line between ourselves and the Lord.
You know, if you have a friend and you're driving along together, maybe you're driving to camp and you've got several hours drive, you may not always be talking to each other all the time, but that friend is there and you can turn to that friend at any moment. Now, if you allow something, some problem between you and the friend, then you just don't feel like talking to that friend or you have a question. I just don't feel so comfortable to ask that. But if things are well between you and your friend.
Though you may not be actually communicating at all times, there's an open line maintained.
So that if you need directions, you have a question, or you just want to communicate, talk, be friendly, you can turn to that person. Now let's go to Nehemiah chapter 2, and we see a beautiful example of a man who maintained an open line between himself and the Lord.
I won't read all this, but in the second chapter of Nehemiah we find Nehemiah was sad one day in the presence of his employer, who was the king. Nehemiah was the cup there, and Nehemiah was always to have the cup. There was always to have a happy countenance in the presence of the king. And one day Nehemiah was sad. The king noticed this and he spoke to Nehemiah about it. And you can imagine Nehemiah how scared he was. These kings had the power of life and death.
They didn't like the way your attitude today, off with your head by sundown. And so the king says.
To Nehemiah, what's your problem? And Nehemiah had to give an immediate answer. He didn't have time to go into his room and pray about it or get his friends together like Daniel did on one occasion and have a little prayer meeting over a serious situation. But let's notice first four. Then the king said unto me, This is Nehemiah 2.
For what dost thou make request? Now Nehemiah had to give an immediate answer. Notice what it says. So I pray to the God of heaven. And I said unto the king. In other words, between the time the king asked the question and Nehemiah had to give an immediate answer, and he knew it had to be answered wisely, that he'd lose his job and maybe even his head, he sent up a swift little prayer. You see, this isn't this isn't an illustration of what we have in our verse.
Pray without ceasing it was to maintain that open line. So I would suggest this little prayer with maybe a swift as Lord help me or help Lord, and I know you've experienced this. Somebody at school asked you something. Somebody at work says something and you know it's gotta be answered wisely. You just send up that little swift little 10 second prayer and if any man lack wisdom, let him ask and then God give liberally. So it's an example of.
What we have pray without ceasing. We're not always on our knees, we're not always forming actual words, but we're keeping that open line of dependence.
In connection with the rejoicing part, I think it's, we'll talk a little bit about the circumstances, but also brought a Rep in, uh, in Luke and rejoice that you're neighboring heaven. So what is it in my life or your life related to the Lord that we can always rejoice about? We can rejoice in our salvation. We can rejoice that we know the Lord, We can rejoice.
00:20:09
His promise to us and to have that as, as something that is sure for our own souls, that's something that we can, we can rejoice always on those things. So it's umm.
Different cases that we we look at circumstance and know that the lower will provide, but there are also many, many things that we have with the Lord. The Lord has promised us that we can rejoice on those truths alone. If you could say that that's alone, but just just by by having that before our souls or what he has promised that will not never leave us nor forsake us and salvation again and he's coming very, very near. Those are the things that just allow us to to always have something to rejoice.
Above it may be completely different.
Or not completely related to the circumstances we are at, but it's something that we can always rejoice about.
There was an illustration I read, uh, umm, a recent book. Uh, the heavenly man, a Christian, a Chinese Christian, umm.
That went through great persecution, and he would rejoice.
Uh.
By faith.
Based on these verses in in Matthew, blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say to all manner of evil against you falsely for my sake rejoice and be exceeding glad, for great is your reward in heaven.
And he thanked them for increasing his reward.
It's just, it's a, it's an incredible book. I.
So it's only a believer who can really rejoice in adversity.
And I that book, I, I've enjoyed that book too. I, I recommend it, But only a believer can rejoice under those kind of circumstances.
The man of the world can be happy when things go well. They get a good grade at school, they get a promotion at work. Things are going along well. The man of the unbeliever can re can be happy, but a Christian has a joy. It says your joy no man takes from you. It's a joy that, as we've been saying, isn't dependent on circumstances. And that's why he goes on in the 18th verse to say in everything.
Give thanks, but but I'm a bit like Kevin, I, I, I'm in a situation and I'm not very thankful in the situation. But to follow up what Mark said, let's go to Ephesians chapter 5 because there's a prerequisite to the verse we have in our chapter.
So you say I I find it hard in my circumstances to give thanks. Pretty difficult circumstances, but here's the prerequisite in Ephesians chapter 5 and verse 20.
Giving thanks always or at all times. Now I want you to notice this next little word 4 Not in like our chapter, but four. There's quite a difference. So first of all, we have to give thanks.
For the circumstance, before we can give thanks in the circumstance, it's like what Mark was saying about the Chinese brother. I believe he was one who learned to thank the Lord for the circumstance, not that the circumstance was pleasant. And if you can learn in your circumstance to say, Lord, thank you for allowing this. I know you've got a purpose for it. I know it's gonna turn out for a blessing in the end.
When you learn to give thanks for things.
For circumstances then, and only then I believe, will you have learned to give thanks in the circumstance. I suggest again with Paul and Silas, that they first of all gave thanks for the circumstance. Realizing that what God was doing was right. He had put them there for a purpose. Then they could rejoice in the circumstance. And what was the the result? Why the the whole prison heard them. The jailkeeper got saved.
00:25:04
There was a lot of blessing as a result of their joy in the Lord. Because remember, your joy and thankfulness in the Lord is often a testimony to others because they'll realize, as we've been saying, that you have something they don't.
Those words in everything you're saying, it's been pretty difficult. I found in my own life that's easy sometimes to get a little bit backwards when it comes to big things and little things. So sometimes I almost find that I'll use the example of driving past year. I got in an accident and you know when it first happened, you're exactly happy. But after a while you're like, OK, Lord, this is I needed this. Thank you for this and then.
And being thankful for that circumstance. But those little everyday things sometimes I think can be even more difficult. And we're supposed to be thankful for everything. So for me, if you're if you're late to work and that light goes red.
Sometimes I find it can be considerably more challenging than to consistently have a thankful spirit for even those little things that can annoy you day-to-day, whether it be personal life or something like that. It's important to get the the little things, be thankful for them on a day-to-day basis in your life practically and then.
A bit of an order there and that some of those bigger things and the word sends on larger trials in your life. Umm, those two, you can be thankful for those.
Thankfulness to start with trust.
If we if we think that the ship trust the shepherd that will be taking.
That's shipped to the right places at the right time for the right refreshment.
That you can be thankful no matter the circumstance. I think that's where with the Lord, if we trust and own Him as Lord of our lives.
That could give us a better perspective in terms of thankfulness, because we we may look at a circumstance only isolated, but trust that the Lord.
Is guiding our lives and and providing things and and directing it.
It would be much easier.
You if you look at it as if if the Lord is leading you this way, I will be thankful that we.
Sometimes it's embarrassing, uh, when you have, you're in those difficult situations and you're not being thankful. All you can think of is the trial and after the fact, you look back and see, oh, that's why. And that's, and the embarrassment hits when you're like, when you realize I wasn't, I wasn't trusting him.
Well, one thing is for sure, our verse tells us that this is the will of God.
So we often talk about knowing God's will. You know, there are so many things in our lives we have to say, well, we trust we have God's will in doing this or that and so on. But there are some things we don't have to wonder. And one of the things we don't have to wonder whether it's God's will for us or not is to give thanks for all things and in every circumstance. So it's not God's will for you to go around with a long face unhappy.
Not saying there are times of sorrow, no that's not what I'm saying. But God wants us to be a happy people, so we sometimes sing to him, happy though despised and and poor. God wants us to be a happy people. So this is the will of God concerning you.