Thursday... So, what is God's will?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 (NLT), "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus."

Thursday... So, what is God's will?

So many in this world do not believe in God so doing his will doesn't matter to them but it does to me and hopefully to you. So, what is God's will?

Well, we must go to His Word, the Bible to find the answer. And that is a great place to start in our day.

Now in Paul's letter called 1 Thessalonians in the New Testament of the Bible in chapter 5 and verses 16-18 (NLT) he says this, "Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." Now God's will is simple but not easy.

Ok, it starts by saying "Always be joyful." If we live from the standpoint that God who is greater in all ways than us and is a part of our life, and who watches over us then joy will be a part of our life. The Amplified Bible says, "Rejoice always and delight in your faith." The Message, "Be cheerful no matter what." Ok!

Verses 9-10 (NLT) says, "For God chose us through our Lord Jesus Christ, not to pour out his anger on us. Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever." That is where our joy comes from.

Then, "Never stop praying." Something happens and it hits you the wrong way, then pray. Tell him what you are feeling, ask him to change your reaction and then give whatever happened to him. How did Jesus make it through each day and do so many unbelievable things? He was always connected with God and that is what prayer is. God always wants us to be connected with him. That is his will, his plan, his method of working in and through us and he will make a difference in whatever we are going through if we connect continually with him.

The Amplified Bible says, "Be unceasing and persistent in prayer." The Message, "Pray all the time." You don't need to be on your knees with your eyes closed. God is always with you, just reach out and silently connect with him.

Back to the NLT, "Be thankful in all circumstances." No matter what it is. The Amplified Bible, "In every situation [no matter the circumstances] be thankful and continually give thanks to God." The Message says, "thank God no matter what happens."

You're thankful no matter what is happening and your connecting with God continually so thanking him no matter what is happening should come naturally.

And the last part of verse 18 (NLT) says, "for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." The Amp, "for this is the will of God for you in Christ Jesus." And MSG, "This is the way God wants you who belong to Christ Jesus to live."

Verse 8 (NLT) says, "But let us who live in the light be clearheaded, protected by the amour of faith and love, and wearing our helmet the confidence of our salvation."

Believe it and do it. The Message, "Since we're creatures of Day, let's act like it. Walk out into the daylight sober, dressed up in faith, love, and the hope of salvations."

That is God's will for us. Yes, yes! #todaysbeginning

Tuesday... I wonder what would happen if we didn't take the credit?

Nehemiah 6:16b (NLT), "They realized this work had been done with the help of our God." Tuesday... I wonder what would happen if we didn't take the credit? Over in the Old Testament in the book of Nehemiah it tells of a major task that through the leadership of Nehemiah was accomplished. The walls of Jerusalem had been torn down and God had laid it on Nehemiah to build those walls back up. It was definitely an almost impossible task but Nehemiah 6:15-16 says, "So on October 2 the wall was finished - just fifty-two days after we had begun. When our enemies and the surrounding nations heard about it, they were frightened and humiliated. They realized this work had been done with the help of our God." Now, we so many times want to take credit for doing the impossible. It would make such a difference for us. But I wonder what would happen through us if God got the credit? Psalm 96 tells us what we are to do. Verses 2-3 says, "Sing to the LORD; praise his name. ...

Tuesday... We just have trouble listening.

1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT), "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." Tuesday... We just have trouble listening. Over in Jeremiah 25:4 (NLT) it says, "Again and again the LORD has sent you his servants, the prophets, but you have not listened or even paid attention." And Jeremiah went on to tell what was going to happen. There will be consequences if we do not listen to what God says through his Word. Now the Apostle Paul over in 1 Corinthians was having a problem with some professed Christ followers who were having trouble at listening. And we too can have problems at listening. We can think that being a Christ follower means we do a lot of finger pointing and we give up on people who don't do what we say. We can even do that in our families. But Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 13:7 (NLT), "Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance." In verse ...

Thursday... Yet, now this is true.

Colossians 1:22a (NLT), "Yet now he has reconciled you to himself through the death of Christ in his physical body." Thursday... Yet, now this is true. Now Paul a prisoner in Rome is writing a letter to a church in Colossae. And in Colossians 1:21 (MSG) he says, "Once you were alienated from God and were hostile in your minds, engaging in evil deeds" The NLT says "This includes you who were once far away from God. You were his enemies, separated by your evil thoughts and actions." And that is where so many in this world live today. They are blowing it and they don't know what to do. Yes, they are hostile in their minds and they are engaging in evil deeds but there is Good News. Now Paul in verses 19-20 sets the stage for an answer to those who don't want to live that way. He says, "For God in all his fullness was pleased to live in Christ, and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and earth b...

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