The Will of God for You: A Devotional Thought

"Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Many times we ponder what God's will is for our lives. Here, Paul, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, writes to the Thessalonians Christians to encourage them in their faith. One topic Paul addressed was the coming of The Lord. With that in mind, he writes some closing exhortations. One of those exhortations is the passage quoted above.

In the passage, believers are told that it is God's will for them to do three things. First, it is God's will for believers to rejoice. That does not mean that we are to live in a state of giddy denial. We are to rejoice in the knowledge that our suffering is temporary and our eternal reward is coming.

Second, it is God's will for believers to pray. We are to pray without ceasing. There is no vacation from our personal devotions to God in prayer. 

Third, it is God's will for believers to give thanks to God. We are to thank Him in everything. Yes, even in bad circumstances. We can thank God because we know that He will work even bad circumstances out for our good. Those circumstances are part of God's good will for us, tools He will use to do a good work. 

Rejoice that our salvation is sure in Jesus and that He is working all things for our good. Pray always, not to manipulate God, but to seek His perspective on the situation. Thank God for His salvation and His good work in your life. 

The Deliverer: A Devotional Thought

"...Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come." (1 Thessalonians 1:10, NKJV)

In western society we do not hear much about the wrath of God anymore. Many are afraid to mention God at all. Those who do mention Him will often speak of God's love, but steer clear of any mention of His wrath. Yet God's wrath is a prominent attribute in the Scriptures. God hates sin with a vengeance. He is in the process of destroying it without reservation. That is why Jesus' death on the cross is such a magnificent demonstration of God's love. Jesus took the terrible wrath of God on Himself, the wrath that we deserved. All who turn from their sins and believe in Jesus receive pardon for sin and eternal life, paid for by the blood of Jesus. Jesus, the Son of God, is the only one who could do such a thing. He is our deliverer. 

A Second Chance: A Devotional Thought

"...Mark the cousin of Barnabas...if he comes to you welcome him...These are my only fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me." (Colossians 4:10-11, NKJV)

Paul commends Mark and a few others to the Colossians. While this may not seem significant, we must remember that Paul had refused to take Mark with him on his second missionary journey, because Mark left during the first missionary journey. (Acts 15:36ff) Barnabas disagreed. The disagreement was so sharp that Paul and Barnabas parted ways. Mark's career in ministry did not start well. Yet later Paul commended Mark to the Colossians, encouraging them to welcome him and stating that he was one of a few loyal Jewish believers who were his fellow workers and comforters. Mark had a second chance.

What happened? First, someone mentored Mark. Barnabas, the same man that worked with Paul at the beginning of his ministry, took Mark with him as a ministry partner. Something must have happened during that mentoring relationship to transform Mark from a deserter to a faithful minister. 

Second, Mark did not hold a grudge. He could have decided to let Paul rot in jail since he had rejected Mark before. But he came to Paul's aid instead. 

Third, Paul gave Mark a second chance. Although he had once rejected Mark, he later worked with him as a ministry partner. 

Never count someone out. You never know how God may use that person for His glory.

Get Your Mind Right: Devotional Thought

"Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth." (Colossians 3:2, NKJV)

Spiritual battles are fought in the heart, the seat of our thoughts, feelings, and will. The key to winning these spiritual battles is not to focus on the sin you wish to overcome, but on the virtue you wish to attain by the grace of God. Don't think so hard about what you must avoid. Think hard about where God wants you to be. Where does He want you to be? With Him. 

"The Highway of Holiness": A Devotional Thought

"A highway shall be there, and a road. And it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, But it shall be for others. ... But the redeemed shall walk there, And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, And come to Zion with singing." (Isaiah 35:8-10). 

Isaiah the prophet, under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, foretells the coming vengeance of The Lord and His kingdom.  Indeed, The Lord will return and establish His kingdom on earth, headquartered in Jerusalem, also known as Zion. Only the redeemed will be able to enter there on the Highway of Holiness. The redeemed are those who have placed their faith in the Messiah, Jesus, who paid for their sins with His own blood on the cross. They alone can be considered holy, because their sins are forgiven. No one can earn his/her way to heaven through good works. We must receive the gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. That faith includes turning from sin and following Jesus, what the Bible calls repentance. When that happens, He makes us holy and sets us on the Highway of Holiness. Are you on that highway?