Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 13 (Praying Through the Bible #348)

TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 5:19-24

19 Quench not the Spirit.

20 Despise not prophesyings.

21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

23 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.

24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

— PRAYER —

We are in a series of messages titled “Praying Through the Bible: A Series on Every Passage and Verse Regarding Prayer in the Bible.” The purpose of this series is to encourage and motivate you to pray to the God of the Bible. We highlighted each of these over 500 verses and passages in the Prayer Motivator Devotional Bible. So far, we have completed 347 messages in this series.

This is message #348 titled, Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 13.

Adam Clarke said, “Do not suppose that ye have no need of continual instruction; without it ye cannot preserve in the Christian life, nor go on to perfection. God will ever send a message of salvation by each of his ministers to every faithful, attentive hearer.”

In our last message, we looked at the importance of not quenching the Holy Spirit in our Christian life as a whole, and in our prayer life in particular. Today, we will continue looking at this series of concise yet significant statements near the end of Paul’s letter to the church at Thessalonica. In verse 20, we have the command to “despise not prophesyings.”

Regarding this command, Warren Wiersbe said: “Today, we have a completed revelation in the Word of God and there is no need for prophets. The apostles and prophets helped lay the foundation of the church and have now passed from the scene. The only ‘prophetic ministry’ we have is in the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.” The Greek word translated as “prophesyings” means: “a discourse emanating from divine inspiration and declaring the purposes of God, whether by reproving and admonishing the wicked, or comforting the afflicted, or revealing things hidden.”

In light of that context, it is important that we who are in the church are careful not to despise the preaching of God’s word for two reasons as it pertains to our prayer life.

FIRST, WE OUGHT NOT TO DESPISE ‘PROPHESYINGS’ BECAUSE IT MAY BE GOD’S WAY OF ANSWERING OUR PRAYERS. How often have we heard it said, “Prayer is you talking to God, and the Bible is God talking to you”? Well, all true preaching, all true prophecy is based on God’s Holy Word, the Bible. If what a preacher or “prophet” is saying does not line up with the Word of God, then you should not listen to it. But, God has a way of delivering to those who stand in His pulpits a special word to speak directly to your heart. I am not talking about something you WANT to hear like the name-and-claim foolishness that we see so much of in prosperity gospel/health-and-wealth churches today. I am talking about something that you NEED to hear directly from God’s Word. More often than not, when God is speaking to you in His House, it will be a word of conviction rather than a word of comfort. A true prophecy is more likely to cause you to cry than it will cause you to celebrate. And, you would do best not to despise that word because it may very well be the answer to the prayers you have been praying. However, God had to deliver it through His preacher or prophet because you are too blind to see it on your own.

SECOND, WE OUGHT NOT TO DESPISE ‘PROPHESYINGS’ BECAUSE IF WE TAKE HEED TO GOD’S WORD, OUR PRAYERS FOR BLESSING ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE ANSWERED. I have dealt with prophesyings as it relates to a person specifically. However, prophesyings also relate to the church body in general. And one way the church despises prophesyings is by viewing them with contempt. That is what the Greek word translated as ‘despise’ means. It means to look at something with contempt or low esteem. When we sit under the preaching of God’s Word, we must ask ourselves if we really value the message that is being delivered. Too often, we sit in church doing what Joseph Exell terms “careless listening” in his commentary. Exell said we “attend the preaching but with improper disposition. Part of our time is spent in drowsiness or trifling inattention, observing our neighbours instead of the preacher. Hence when we come home we can tell more of what passed in the seats than in the pulpit. Others are not contented with plain truths; they have ‘itching ears’; and though they ‘heap to themselves teachers,’ running from one church to another, they get but little good.”

Why aren’t your prayers being answered? Why aren’t you getting what you think you want from God? It may be because you have been despising prophesyings and the preaching of God’s Word. God does not engage in transactional relationship, but, the fact is: if you listened to and took heed to Scripture and the preaching of the Word of God, you are more likely to be blessed by God in response to your prayers.

So, despise not prophesyings. Don’t neglect the preaching of God’s Word in His church or the true delivery of a prophetic message from God to you. God may be trying to answer your prayers.

Ephraim of Edessa wrote:

Receive, O Lord, in Heaven above
Our prayers and supplications pure;
Give us a heart all full of love
And steady courage to endure.

Thy holy name our mouths confess,
Our tongues are harps to praise Thy grace;
Forgive our sins and wickedness,
Who in this vigil seek Thy face.

Let not our song become a sigh,
A wail of anguish and despair;
In lovingkindness, Lord most high,
Receive tonight our evening prayer.

O raise us in that day, that we
May sing, where all Thy saints adore,
Praise to Thy Father, and to Thee,
And to Thy Spirit, evermore.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Now, if you are with us today, and you do not know the Lord Jesus Christ as your Saviour, your first prayer needs to be what we call the Sinner’s Prayer. First, please understand that you are a sinner, just as I am, and that you have broken God’s laws. The Bible says in Romans 3:23: “For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.”

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

Third, accept the fact that you are on the road to hell. Jesus Christ said in Matthew 10:28: “And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Also, the Bible states in Revelation 21:8: “But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.”

Now this is bad news, but here’s the good news. Jesus Christ said in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Just believe in your heart that Jesus Christ died for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead by the power of God for you so that you can live eternally with Him. Pray and ask Him to come into your heart today, and He will.

Romans 10:9 & 13 says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved… For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

If you believe that Jesus Christ died on the Cross for your sins, was buried, and rose from the dead, and you want to trust Him for your Salvation today, please pray with me this simple prayer: Holy Father God, I realize that I am a sinner and that I have done some bad things in my life. For Jesus Christ sake, please forgive me of my sins. I now believe with all of my heart that Jesus Christ died for me, was buried, and rose again. Lord Jesus, please come into my heart and save my soul and change my life today. Amen.

If you just trusted Jesus Christ as your Saviour, and you prayed that prayer and meant it from your heart, I declare to you that based upon the Word of God, you are now saved from Hell and you are on your way to Heaven. Welcome to the family of God! Congratulations on trusting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour. You have done the most important thing in life. For more information to help you grow in your newfound faith in Christ, go to Gospel Light Society.com and read “What To Do After You Enter Through the Door”. Jesus Christ said in John 10:9, “I am the door, by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

Daniel Whyte III has spoken in meetings across the United States and in over twenty-five foreign countries. He is the author of over forty books including the Essence Magazine, Dallas Morning News, and Amazon.com national bestseller, Letters to Young Black Men. He is also the president of Gospel Light Society International, a worldwide evangelistic ministry that reaches thousands with the Gospel each week, as well as president of Torch Ministries International, a Christian literature ministry.

He is heard by thousands each week on his radio broadcasts/podcasts, which include: The Prayer Motivator Devotional, The Prayer Motivator Minute, as well as Gospel Light Minute X, the Gospel Light Minute, the Sunday Evening Evangelistic Message, the Prophet Daniel’s Report, the Second Coming Watch Update and the Soul-Winning Motivator, among others.

He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Theology from Bethany Divinity College, a Bachelor’s degree in Religion from Texas Wesleyan University, a Master’s degree in Religion, a Master of Divinity degree, and a Master of Theology degree from Liberty University’s Rawlings School of Divinity (formerly Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary). He is currently a candidate for the Doctor of Ministry degree.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 12 (Praying Through the Bible #347)

TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 5:19-24

19 Quench not the Spirit.

20 Despise not prophesyings.

21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

23 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.

24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

— PRAYER —

This is message #347 titled, Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 12.

John Walvoord said, “It may be concluded that quenching the Holy Spirit is to suppress, stifle, or otherwise obstruct the ministry of the Spirit to the individual. In a word it is saying, ‘No,’ and replacing the will of the Spirit with the will of the individual. This, in brief, is the whole issue of morality—whether man will accomplish what he wants to do or whether his life is surrendered and yielded to the will of God.”

Today, we will continue looking at the series of concise yet significant statements which close out Paul’s letter to the believers at Thessalonica as they show us some of the things that prayer helps us do and maintain in our walk with Christ.

In verse 19, we have the command, “Quench not the Spirit.” The “Spirit” is, of course, the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God. The Greek word translated as “quench” means: “to extinguish, to suppress, or to stifle.” Regarding this command, Warren Wiersbe writes: “In using the word quench, Paul pictured the Spirit of God as fire. Fire speaks of purity, power, light, warmth, and (if necessary) destruction. When the Holy Spirit is at work in our lives and churches, we have a warmth of love in our hearts, light for our minds, and energy for our wills. He ‘melts us together’ so that there is harmony and cooperation, and He purifies us so that we put away sin. The fire of the Spirit must not go out on the altar of our hearts; we must maintain that devotion to Christ that motivates and energizes our lives.”

As you can see, not quenching the Spirit is a very important imperative. It is only by the Spirit of God that we can live the Christian life. And there are two reasons why we ought not to quench the Spirit when it comes to our prayer life.

FIRST, WE OUGHT NOT TO QUENCH THE SPIRIT BECAUSE THE HOLY SPIRIT HELPS US PRAY. If you have been praying long enough, you will have experienced a time when you felt weak or ineffective in prayer. It is at these times that the Holy Spirit comes alongside us and helps us pray. Romans 8:26 says, “The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” When all you can do is groan in your heart to God, the Holy Spirit helps you communicate with God the Father who, in your weakness, hears even your groanings in prayer.

THE SECOND REASON WHY WE OUGHT NOT TO QUENCH THE SPIRIT IS BECAUSE WE OUGHT TO BE PRAYING IN THE HOLY SPIRIT. In Ephesians 6:18, we are told to “pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” When we pray in the Spirit we are letting the Holy Spirit guide and direct our requests. The opposite of praying in the Spirit is praying in the flesh. However, when we pray in the flesh, we often end up trying to force things along by using many words, repetitive phrasing, and lengthy prayers. However, praying in the Spirit is quite different. This is how Martin Lloyd-Jones describes it: “You are aware of a communion, a sharing, a give-and-take, if I may use such an expression. You are not dragging yourself along; you are not forcing the situation; you are not trying to make conversation with somebody whom you do not know. No, no! The Spirit of adoption in you brings you right into the presence of God, and it is a living act of fellowship and communion, vibrant with life.” He also said, “The quickest way to quench the Spirit is to not obey an impulse to pray.”

Let’s not quench the Spirit in our Christian walk. We need the Spirit to help us pray and we need to pray in the Spirit every day.

Andrew Reed wrote:

Spirit divine, attend our prayer,
And make our heart Thy home;
Descend with all Thy gracious power;
Come, Holy Spirit, come.

Come as the light! to us reveal
The truth we long to know;
Reveal the narrow path of right,
The way of duty show.

Come as the fire and purge our hearts
Like sacrificial flame,
Till our whole souls an offering be
In love’s redeeming name.

Spirit divine, attend our prayer;
Make a lost world Thy home;
Descend with all thy gracious powers,
O come, great Spirit, come.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

What Prayer Helps Us Do, Part 1 (Praying Through the Bible #346)

TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 5:19-24

19 Quench not the Spirit.

20 Despise not prophesyings.

21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.

22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

23 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.

24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

— PRAYER —

This is message #346 titled, Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 11.

Arthur Baxter said, “Quenching the Spirit is brought about by lack of fuel to nourish and preserve it. In many a soul, the Spirit’s fire is quenched because it is never replenished by prayer, meditation, self-examination, works of charity and mercy, and attendance on Holy Communion.”

Today, we are continuing in the very same passage that we have been learning from over the past ten weeks. In those messages, we learned about the interlocking nature of joy, prayer, and thanksgiving which we are commanded to engage in without ceasing. Our focus is still on prayer. And, in this message, we will continue looking at this series of pithy statements which close out Paul’s letter to the believers at Thessalonica as they show us some of the things that prayer helps us do and maintain in our walk with Christ.

First, we ought not to quench the Spirit because the Holy Spirit helps us pray. If you have been praying long enough, you will have experienced a time when you felt weak or ineffective in prayer. It is at these times that the Holy Spirit comes alongside us and helps us pray. Romans 8:26 says, “The Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” When all you can do is groan in your heart to God, the Holy Spirit helps you communicate with God the Father who, in your weakness, hears even your groanings in prayer.

The second reason why we ought not to quench the Spirit is because we ought to be praying IN the Holy Spirit. In Ephesians 6:18, we are told to “pray always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” When we pray in the Spirit we are letting the Holy Spirit guide and direct our requests. The opposite of praying in the Spirit is praying in the flesh. However, when we pray in the flesh, we often end up trying to force things along by using many words, repetitive phrasing, and lengthy prayers. However, praying in the Spirit is quite different. This is how Martin Lloyd-Jones describes it: “You are aware of a communion, a sharing, a give-and-take, if I may use such an expression. You are not dragging yourself along; you are not forcing the situation; you are not trying to make conversation with somebody whom you do not know. No, no! The Spirit of adoption in you brings you right into the presence of God, and it is a living act of fellowship and communion, vibrant with life.” He also said, “The quickest way to quench the Spirit is to not obey an impulse to pray.”

Let’s not quench the Spirit in our Christian walk. We need the Spirit to help us pray and we need to pray in the Spirit every day.

Andrew Reed wrote:

Spirit divine, attend our prayer,
And make our heart Thy home;
Descend with all Thy gracious power;
Come, Holy Spirit, come.

Come as the light! to us reveal
The truth we long to know;
Reveal the narrow path of right,
The way of duty show.

Come as the fire and purge our hearts
Like sacrificial flame,
Till our whole souls an offering be
In love’s redeeming name.

Spirit divine, attend our prayer;
Make a lost world Thy home;
Descend with all thy gracious powers,
O come, great Spirit, come.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 10 (Praying Through the Bible #345)

TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

— PRAYER —

This is message #345 titled, Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 10.

Philip Schaff said, “Paul reminds his readers that it is God’s will that they should be thankful because he was impressed both with the supreme importance of the duty and with the prevalent neglect of it. ‘If we had to name any one thing which seems unaccountably to have fallen out of most men’s practical religion altogether, it would be the duty of thanksgiving. It would not be easy to exaggerate the common neglect of this duty. To most of us there is hardly a quarter of an hour in our lives more tedious, idle, aimless, and unsatisfactory, than what we call our thanksgiving.'”

Those words quoted by Philip Schaff are true for a lot of us. We spend far more time complaining about what has or hasn’t happened and what we think people are doing to us or against us than we do thanking God for the good that can be found in all circumstances. We spend more time praying for things we think we want than we do thanking God for providing for our needs. We might chalk these tendencies up to simply being human. We all know that if a product is bad or a service is unsatisfactory, there will be more people lined up to complain about it than there would be people lining up to say ‘thank you’ had that product been good or service exceptional. But it is not God’s will for us to live that way.

It is God’s will for us to give thanks in every thing. Note that the command is not to give thanks FOR every thing, but IN every thing. To give thanks FOR every thing might be impossible, but to give thanks IN every thing is always possible. One reason why is because no matter the circumstances we are in, we are always in Christ Jesus. We are one with Him. Wherever we go, He is there with us. He will never leave us or forsake us. If you are lying in a hospital bed dying of a terminal illness, Jesus is in that hospital bed with you. If your family situation is a mess, Jesus is in that messed-up family situation with you. If you find yourself attending a funeral, Jesus is at that funeral with you. In every circumstance, you can be thankful because you are always in Jesus and Jesus is always in you and with you.

Steven J. Cole said, “We don’t need to feel thankful before we give thanks. When God takes us through hard trials, we don’t feel thankful. But by faith we can say, ‘Lord, I trust that You are good and that You know what You’re doing in this difficult situation. I submit to Your sovereign hand and purpose, knowing that You will work it together for my good.’ Giving thanks in everything is often a choice to believe God in difficult circumstances. If you’re grumbling, you’re not trusting. If you’re not trusting, you’re not thankful. Develop a habit of trusting God, especially in trials, and you will thank Him both for His great salvation and for the opportunity to see Him work in your time of need.”

By rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks, we can walk in the will of God, grow in maturity as believers, and reap the benefits of joy, gratitude, and communion with God.

William D. Hyde wrote:

Creation’s Lord, we give Thee thanks
That this Thy world is incomplete;
That battle calls our marshaled ranks;
That work awaits our hands and feet.

That Thou hast not yet finished man;
That we are in the making still,
As friends who share the Maker’s plan
As sons who know the Father’s will.

Beyond the present sin and shame,
Wrong’s bitter, cruel, scorching blight,
We see the beckoning vision flame,
The blessed kingdom of the right.

What though the kingdom long delay,
And still with haughty foes must cope?
It gives us that for which to pray,
A field for toil and faith and hope.

Since what we choose is what we are,
And what we love we yet shall be,
The goal may ever shine afar—
The will to win it makes us free.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 8 (Praying Through the Bible #343)

TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

— PRAYER —

This is message #343 titled, Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 8.

J.A. Broadus said, “We ought to be thankful for everything painful as well as pleasant. We can always be thankful that a thing is not worse. If it were worse it would be no more so than our sins make us deserve. When trouble comes over us, we learn to appreciate that as a blessing which is gone.”

In this series, we have talked about the importance of always rejoicing and always praying. Now, we turn our attention to the third command in this triplet — always giving thanks. The Bible reads, “In every thing give thanks.” The Greek word translated as “every thing” means all things individually and collectively. It encompasses: “each, every, any, the whole, everyone, all things, and some of all types.” There is no exception the Apostle makes to the command to give thanks in all things.

Regarding this passage, E.L. Hull said, “These words form the last of a series of seemingly impossible precepts — perpetual joy and perpetual prayer united in a life of perpetual thanksgiving. Of course these do not refer to acts, but to a state of heart. However, even then, the difficulty is not removed; toil and rest, success and failure, events that cheer or overshadow, are all to be received not only submissively but thankfully, and so are the tremendous sorrows which shatter the human heart. How can this precept be obeyed?

“The method of attaining these precepts is not to be reached by a single resolution, or in a day by an outburst of excited feeling. We may say sincerely, ‘Henceforth I resolve to trust God in everything.’ But little vexations soon shake our trust; greater troubles break down our resolution; the emotion has declined, and we say, ‘No man can be always thankful.’ Instead, it is the gradual result of a life of earnest fellowship with God — a life that daily realizes the presence of the Father; that by prayer feels the reality of God’s love — a life that comes at length to walk through all toils and temptations under a deep sense of the all-surrounding God.”

Because we are selfish, it is far easier to be unthankful. Ingratitude comes about when we focus only on ourselves because we are always seeing where something is needed in our lives. However, Paul delivers this command — “in every thing give thanks” — out of a life of suffering and lack. All of Paul’s prayers could have justifiably been about his own needs. Paul testified that he was “in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequent, in deaths oft. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.”

If we were to list all of the troubles that we are now facing or have faced recently, I doubt we could come up with a list half as long as Paul’s. Yet, out of his difficult experiences, Paul commends himself and us to a life of thankfulness in all things. As long as we live, we ought to be thankful.

I thank Thee, Lord, that in Thy blood,
My guilt is washed away;
I thank Thee that mine eyes behold
A bright and glorious day;
I thank Thee, Lord, for faith to see
A world of endless joy in Thee.

I thank Thee for a throne of grace
Where Thou dost bend Thine ear,
And I may breathe my soul’s request
When only Thou canst hear,
And hold communion sweet with Thee,
When but Thine eye beholdeth me.

I thank Thee for the hope of life
That looks beyond the tomb;
I thank Thee for the light that shines
To cheer me thro’ its gloom;
And Lord, for all Thy gifts to me,
My loudest praise I give to Thee.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 7 (Praying Through the Bible #342)

TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

— PRAYER —

This is message #342 titled, Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 7.

Dean Goulburn said, “Prayer is the act of spiritual breathing. True prayer can no more be limited to certain hours than breathing can.”

In this mini-series, we have talked about the importance of rejoicing evermore and praying without ceasing. As Christians, we are called to do both although many of us will admit to being inconsistent in doing so. Obeying the command to pray without ceasing starts with getting our hearts right with the Lord and understanding the importance of being in communion with Him at all times. If we are to reach our full potential as believers, the life of Christ within us is as essential as blood to our bodies. And that life is maintained by communion with God through prayer.

Not only does praying without ceasing mean that we ought to set aside special times to pray to God, but it also means that we ought to be praying in between those times. We ought to be in a regular state of the practice of prayer. When you think about it, if prayer is simply talking to God, prayer is, in many ways, the easiest thing you can do as a believer. We don’t think twice about talking to family, friends, and co-workers. We don’t think twice about talking on the phone, even turning on the speaker phone while driving or doing other things. Some of us don’t even think twice about talking to Siri or Google Assistant. The point is that, for most of us, we don’t THINK about our verbal communication with the people we know. Our speech is an outgrowth of what is already in our hearts and minds.

Why shouldn’t prayer be just as simple? Why shouldn’t prayer be just as matter-of-fact? Why shouldn’t prayer flow out of our spiritual lives just as the rest of our conversation flows out of our interactions with other people? That is necessary if we are to pray without ceasing. Edward Garbett said, “Prayer is not a rite, not a ceremony, not a cold, outward observance, but an actual intercourse between two parties—one who prays and One who hears. It is a communion between man and God, as real and actual as what passes between two men when they speak face to face with each other. If the inward desire is absent, then prayer is absent; and though a man shall have breathed all his life the words of prayer, he will never have prayed if he has never asked. We cannot ask unless we desire, and we cannot desire, unless we feel our want. Thus, therefore, the word expresses much more than this. See how great is the dignity of prayer. When the soul prays, it is as if the distance between itself and the throne of God were annihilated.”

We must fix it in our minds that prayer is a conversation, and that there is a real listening ear on the other side. And not just a listening ear, but a hand of action that reaches into our world, into our lives, and answers on our behalf.

J. Hart wrote:

Prayer is appointed to convey
The blessings God designs to give:
Long as they live should Christians pray;
They learn to pray when first they live.

If pain afflict or wrongs oppress;
If cares distract or fears dismay;
If guilt deject, if sin distress;
In every case still watch and pray.

‘Tis prayer supports the soul that’s weak,
Though thought be broken, language lame;
Pray, if thou canst or canst not speak,
But pray with faith in Jesus’ name.

Depend on him, thou canst not fail;
Make all thy wants and wishes known;
Fear not, his merits must prevail;
Ask but in faith, it shall be done.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 6 (Praying Through the Bible #341)

TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

— PRAYER —

This is message #341 titled, Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 6.

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown said, “The Greek [of verse 17] is, ‘Pray without intermission’ — without allowing prayerless gaps to intervene between the times of prayer.”

Charles Spurgeon said, “We may be certain that whatever God has made prominent in his Word, he intended to be conspicuous in our lives. If he has said much about prayer, it is because he knows we have much need of it. So deep are our necessities, that until we are in heaven we must not cease to pray.”

In this mini-series in a series we have talked about the importance of rejoicing evermore and praying without ceasing. As Christians, we are called to do both. Yet, it seems that many believers find doing so difficult. Most of us, if we do them at all, are inconsistent. But, with the power of the Holy Spirit, we do not have to be. We can rejoice evermore, and we can pray without ceasing.

Regarding this passage, Joseph Exell writes, “There are two modes of praying mentioned in Scripture: the one is prayer at set times and places and in set forms. The other is what the text speaks of — continual or habitual prayer. The former of these is what is commonly called prayer, whether it be public or private. The other kind of praying may also be called holding communion with God, or living in God’s sight, and this may be done all through the day, wherever we are, and it is commanded of us as the duty, or rather the characteristic, of those who are really servants and friends of Jesus Christ.

“I fear that most men and neither pray at fixed times, nor do they cultivate a habitual communion with Almighty God. Indeed, most men pray now and then, when they feel particular need of God’s assistance; when they are in trouble or in apprehension of danger; or when their feelings are unusually excited. They do not know what it is either to be habitually religious or to devote a certain number of minutes at fixed times to the thought of God. Let any man compare in his mind how many times he has prayed when in trouble with how seldom he has returned thanks when his prayers have been granted; or the earnestness with which he prays against expected sufferings with the languor and unconcern of his thanksgivings afterwards, and he will soon see how little he has of the real habit of prayer, and how much his prayer life depends on accidental excitement, which is no test of a faithful heart.

“We must ask ourselves: Is God habitually in our thoughts? Do we think of Him and of His Son our Saviour through the day? When we eat and drink, do we thank Him, not as a mere matter of form, but in spirit? When we do things in themselves right, do we lift up our minds to Him and desire to promote His glory?”

The lack of the exercise of prayer is one of the great tragedies of modern Christianity. Yet, prayer is one of the few things that the Bible commands us to do “without ceasing.” That, along with what we see in this passage — rejoicing and giving thanks. So, why is it that many have ceased praying? There is no set amount of prayer that we must engage in or length of time that we must spend praying. Yet, many Christians will admit to struggling with their prayer life.

J. Hart wrote:

Prayer is appointed to convey
The blessings God designs to give:
Long as they live should Christians pray;
They learn to pray when first they live.

If pain afflict or wrongs oppress;
If cares distract or fears dismay;
If guilt deject, if sin distress;
In every case still watch and pray.

‘Tis prayer supports the soul that’s weak,
Though thought be broken, language lame;
Pray, if thou canst or canst not speak,
But pray with faith in Jesus’ name.

Depend on him, thou canst not fail;
Make all thy wants and wishes known;
Fear not, his merits must prevail;
Ask but in faith, it shall be done.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 4 (Praying Through the Bible #339)

TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

— PRAYER —

This is message #339 titled, Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 4.

Mark Dunagan said, “The fact that we are saved, should always be at least one major source of continual joy for the Christian. The admonition, ‘Be happy in your faith at all times,’ was addressed to Christians who were suffering. The Christian can rejoice despite and because of hardship, because he or she knows that when hardship is met with the proper attitude, the end result will be great improvement in one’s character. ‘If our Christian experience does not lead to joy, we do well to ask whether it is genuine.’”

The Bible’s simple command is for us to “rejoice evermore.” Now, it is easy for many of us to rejoice at certain times — when things are going well, when the money is high and the bills are low, when family ties are not strained, when your workload is not too heavy. But, the Bible commands us to “rejoice evermore.”

The Greek word translated as “evermore” literally means “every when,” or “at all times or whenever.” Almost thirty times in Scripture, this word is translated as “always.” Every Christian ought to strive to rejoice always, in all things, and at all times. It is not easy to do so. That is why, in Philippians, Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always.” The truth of the matter is that you cannot rejoice always in anything or anyone in this world. Good things will not always happen to you. You will meet with people of very displeasing dispositions.

As you may have heard recently, lifestyle influencer, Marie Kondo, who has written four bestselling books on decluttering your life, has a new television series on Netflix promoting her organization principles. She has boiled down her entire philosophy of “tidying up” to this question: Does this thing spark joy? If this thing does not spark joy, throw it out. Friends, if we took that principle to most of the material things, people, and experiences in our lives — if we judged everything and everyone based on whether or not it or they spark joy — we would probably throw out over 70% of our possessions and cut ties with 70% of the people we know, family included. That is why you cannot look to things or people as a basis for your rejoicing. If you do that, you will eventually get to the point where you are rejoicing nevermore instead of evermore. But, Jesus is always good and not only sparks joy but gives joy, and when you look to Him as the source of your joy, you should and can “rejoice evermore.”

Charles Wesley wrote:

Rejoice, the Lord is king
Your Lord and king adore;
Mortals give thanks and sing,
and triumph evermore;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Jesus, the Savior, reigns,
the God of truth and love;
When He had purged our stains
He took His seat above;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

His kingdom cannot fail,
He rules o’er earth and Heav’n,
The keys of death and hell
are to our Jesus giv’n;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Rejoice in glorious hope!
Jesus the Judge shall come,
And take His servants up
to their eternal home.
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 2 (Praying Through the Bible #337)

TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

— PRAYER —

This is message #337 titled, Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 2.

James Burton Coffman said, “These brief, hammer-blow admonitions carry the full authority of apostolic power and have been greatly honored and appreciated in all generations since they appeared. Barclay spoke of them as ‘a chain of jewels of good advice.’ Moffatt declared that, ‘To comment adequately upon these diamond drops would be to outline a history of the Christian experience in its highest levels.’ Here, chiseled into the granite face of history, are these mighty virtues of the ‘new man’ in Christ Jesus, without whom the world would never have survived as long as it has.”

In our last message, we looked at the definition of attitudes and how this passage addresses them. Dr. John Walvoord and Dr. Roy Zuck said, “These exhortations—dealing with attitudes—are addressed to believers as individuals concerning their personal lives before God. God wants His people to be joyful and He gives them every reason to be. But Paul knew human nature well enough to sense the need for a reminder to rejoice at all times.”

Only verse 17 of our passage today deals specifically with prayer. It is the command to “pray without ceasing.” Jesus Christ gave a parable to this end “Men ought always to pray and not to faint.” However, we are looking at verses 16 and 18 as well because these verses emphasize a theme that has been reoccuring in Paul’s epistles to the churches. In fact, in both of our last two mini-series on prayer from the letter to the Colossians, Paul emphasized rejoicing and thanksgiving almost as much as he emphasized prayer. In Colossians 1, Paul talked about how he and his ministry companions not only prayed for the young believers, but gave thanks to God for them. He also encouraged the believers to live with rejoicing.

So, rejoicing, prayer, and giving thanks go hand-in-hand. Prayer is not just for us to get from God, but for us to give thanks to God and to rejoice and celebrate with other believers over the good things that God has done. The Greek word translated as “rejoice” means: to be glad, to rejoice exceedingly, to be well or to thrive. In Scripture, the same word is also translated as “hail!,” a positive salutation or greeting. The King James dictionary says the word rejoice means: “
To experience joy and gladness in a high degree; to be exhilarated with lively and pleasurable sensations; to exult.

When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn. Prov. 29.

I will rejoice in thy salvation. Ps. 9.

To make joyful; to gladden; to animate with lively pleasurable sensations; to exhilarate.

Whoso loveth wisdom rejoiceth his father. Prov. 29.

Now, it is easy for many of us to rejoice at certain times — when things are going well, when the money is high and the bills are low, when family ties are not strained, when your workload is not too heavy. But, the Bible commands us to “rejoice evermore.”

Charles Wesley wrote:

Rejoice, the Lord is king
Your Lord and king adore;
Mortals give thanks and sing,
and triumph evermore;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Jesus, the Savior, reigns,
the God of truth and love;
When He had purged our stains
He took His seat above;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

His kingdom cannot fail,
He rules o’er earth and Heav’n,
The keys of death and hell
are to our Jesus giv’n;
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

Rejoice in glorious hope!
Jesus the Judge shall come,
And take His servants up
to their eternal home.
Lift up your heart, lift up your voice;
Rejoice, again I say, rejoice!

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 1 (Praying Through the Bible #336)

TEXT: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

16 Rejoice evermore.

17 Pray without ceasing.

18 In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

— PRAYER —

This is message #336 titled, Rejoice, Pray, Give Thanks, Repeat, Part 1.

Matthew Henry said, “The way to rejoice evermore is to pray without ceasing. We should rejoice more if we prayed more. We should keep up stated times for prayer, and continue instant in prayer. We should pray always, and not faint: pray without weariness, and continue in prayer, till we come to that world where prayer shall be swallowed up in praise.”

By way of introduction, Dr. John Walvoord and Dr. Roy Zuck said, “These exhortations—dealing with attitudes— (What are attitudes, or what is the ddefinition of attitude. I took the liberty to look it up in the dictionary:a settled way of thinking or feeling about someone or something, typically one that is reflected in a person’s behavior.
“she took a tough attitude toward other people’s indulgences”
synonyms: point of view, view, viewpoint, vantage point, frame of mind, way of thinking, way of looking at things, school of thought, outlook, angle, slant, perspective, reaction, stance, standpoint, position, inclination, orientation, approach; More
a position of the body proper to or implying an action or mental state.
“the boy was standing in an attitude of despair, his chin sunk on his chest”
synonyms: position, posture, pose, stance, stand; More
INFORMAL•NORTH AMERICAN
truculent or uncooperative behavior; a resentful or antagonistic manner.
“I asked the waiter for a clean fork, and all I got was attitude”

In psychology, attitude is a psychological construct, a mental and emotional entity that inheres in, or characterizes a person. They are complex and an acquired state through experiences)

These exhortations—dealing with attitudes—are addressed to believers as individuals concerning their personal lives before God. God wants His people to be joyful and He gives them every reason to be. But Paul knew human nature well enough to sense the need for a reminder to rejoice at all times. This is a command. A Christian’s joy does not spring from his circumstances, but from the blessings that are his because he is in Christ. “The Christian who remains in sadness and depression really breaks a commandment: in some direction or other he mistrusts God—His power, providence, forgiveness.”

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Second, accept the fact that there is a penalty for sin. The Bible states in Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death…”

God loves you. We love you. And may God bless you.

He has been married to the former Meriqua Althea Dixon, of Christiana, Jamaica since 1987. God has blessed their union with seven children.

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