This question has been asked...countless times....throughout the corridors of history. Men have done their best to explain it, others have proclaimed it, and still others have "forced it" on people's lives.
God's Will...is it really that hard...to know what His will is for our everyday lives?
In 1st Thessalonians, the answer just seems so clear...yet the message is so simple...and soothing. It can not be that easy...can it? It seems this letter says it is.
1st Thessalonians was written by 3 different people: Silas, Timothy, and Saint Paul. Although all 3 had a part in the writing of this letter to the Thessalonians, Saint Paul was undoubtedly the main author.
Bible scholars think this might have been one of the earliest letters...of all Paul's letters written in the New Testament. The approximate time of these letters to the Thessalonians was about 50 AD to 53 AD. That would put these writings approximately 20 years after it all happened....the death of Christ Jesus and His Glorious Resurrection.
The letters themselves were written from the city of Corinth. The theme of the letters was to encourage...encourage the believers in Thessalonica to have joy...and to keep their focus on the One who provides them with joy....the Lord Jesus!
In chapter 5 of 1st Thessalonians, Saint Paul is explaining how some people around them have chosen not to believe in the Lord Jesus. Their joys and being happy in life is totally dependent on their present circumstances they might find themselves in.
Saint Paul writes that as believers in The Risen One, we don't depend on our daily circumstances...bad or good....to find joy and happiness in life. Paul goes on further to explain that our joy as believers all root from one and the same source....we know Him!
Paul also goes on to explain about the importance of prayer. Some translations write "Pray at all times"...and that can be a little misleading. After all....who can "pray at all times"? What Saint Paul seems to be communicating here is...to have an "attitude of prayer" throughout our day. In other words, keep our mind and thoughts...on Him! Prayer can not always be expressed in words...the key being our hearts and minds are always open...to Him.
What makes this a truly awesome thought?!...the Will of God is right in the middle of all this...when we practice doing this...daily. The Will of God in our lives...begins and ends here...in our attitude. When we begin to give thanks, being grateful, and having our joy founded on our trust in Him...then we are already...in the center of the Will of God.
As far as direction and knowing what to do in situations that come up in our lives...it starts with praise...it manifests when His joy is taking over the situation and direction needed, and then the Holy Spirit joins us in giving the needed direction we might be be pursuing...and as the saying goes: "it will all work out."...remembering...there is a purpose in all that is going on around us, through us, and in us...when we got our attitude in the right place...and He is in the center of our very hearts.
A Gleaning from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
" Each day our lives should be focused on this thought: Be Joyful!...we know Him!.. and that is quite enough!
Keep an attitude of prayer throughout your day. Prayer can not always be expressed verbally, or in written form...yet, what we are able to do is...keep our hearts and minds in a continual mode of...wondering what He wants to do next in our lives.
Also, and this is extremely important to cultivate in our daily routines...to be thankful! In fact, being thankful...and may I add...REGARDLESS OF OUR CIRCUMSTANCES...is the trademark of being a Believer in Him...our Lord Jesus! This is what can separate us from those who have refused Him...the ones who don't think they need Jesus...or the fact that He even died for them. Our testimony is clear when we do this...our daily lives and the joys of everyday life do not originate from what set of particular circumstances we are in or are facing...our joy is in knowing Him! We have the potential to have His joy in our lives...continually...period.
And here is the result when we think and act like this...we are now assured...we are already in His perfect will! We can find our peace in life...knowing God's will is already present in our lives. Christ Jesus living in our hearts is our joy...and we can take comfort and trust knowing Christ Jesus is our Mediator and the Revealer...of what God's will is...for each one of us...daily!"
God's Will...is it really that hard...to know what His will is for our everyday lives?
In 1st Thessalonians, the answer just seems so clear...yet the message is so simple...and soothing. It can not be that easy...can it? It seems this letter says it is.
1st Thessalonians was written by 3 different people: Silas, Timothy, and Saint Paul. Although all 3 had a part in the writing of this letter to the Thessalonians, Saint Paul was undoubtedly the main author.
Bible scholars think this might have been one of the earliest letters...of all Paul's letters written in the New Testament. The approximate time of these letters to the Thessalonians was about 50 AD to 53 AD. That would put these writings approximately 20 years after it all happened....the death of Christ Jesus and His Glorious Resurrection.
The letters themselves were written from the city of Corinth. The theme of the letters was to encourage...encourage the believers in Thessalonica to have joy...and to keep their focus on the One who provides them with joy....the Lord Jesus!
In chapter 5 of 1st Thessalonians, Saint Paul is explaining how some people around them have chosen not to believe in the Lord Jesus. Their joys and being happy in life is totally dependent on their present circumstances they might find themselves in.
Saint Paul writes that as believers in The Risen One, we don't depend on our daily circumstances...bad or good....to find joy and happiness in life. Paul goes on further to explain that our joy as believers all root from one and the same source....we know Him!
Paul also goes on to explain about the importance of prayer. Some translations write "Pray at all times"...and that can be a little misleading. After all....who can "pray at all times"? What Saint Paul seems to be communicating here is...to have an "attitude of prayer" throughout our day. In other words, keep our mind and thoughts...on Him! Prayer can not always be expressed in words...the key being our hearts and minds are always open...to Him.
What makes this a truly awesome thought?!...the Will of God is right in the middle of all this...when we practice doing this...daily. The Will of God in our lives...begins and ends here...in our attitude. When we begin to give thanks, being grateful, and having our joy founded on our trust in Him...then we are already...in the center of the Will of God.
As far as direction and knowing what to do in situations that come up in our lives...it starts with praise...it manifests when His joy is taking over the situation and direction needed, and then the Holy Spirit joins us in giving the needed direction we might be be pursuing...and as the saying goes: "it will all work out."...remembering...there is a purpose in all that is going on around us, through us, and in us...when we got our attitude in the right place...and He is in the center of our very hearts.
A Gleaning from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
" Each day our lives should be focused on this thought: Be Joyful!...we know Him!.. and that is quite enough!
Also, and this is extremely important to cultivate in our daily routines...to be thankful! In fact, being thankful...and may I add...REGARDLESS OF OUR CIRCUMSTANCES...is the trademark of being a Believer in Him...our Lord Jesus! This is what can separate us from those who have refused Him...the ones who don't think they need Jesus...or the fact that He even died for them. Our testimony is clear when we do this...our daily lives and the joys of everyday life do not originate from what set of particular circumstances we are in or are facing...our joy is in knowing Him! We have the potential to have His joy in our lives...continually...period.
And here is the result when we think and act like this...we are now assured...we are already in His perfect will! We can find our peace in life...knowing God's will is already present in our lives. Christ Jesus living in our hearts is our joy...and we can take comfort and trust knowing Christ Jesus is our Mediator and the Revealer...of what God's will is...for each one of us...daily!"
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