In 1 Thessalonians 5 v 16 - 18 we resd ' Rejoice alway,pray continually.give thanks in all circmstance;for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus'. So here we have three things that God wants us to do ,the first one tells us to 'rejoice always'.Is this not asking too much of us? no, if we are being spoken to by God to rejoice always .then it to be taken serious. Let us bear in mind that these words are spoken to the church as a whole.John Stott writes ,'Paul is issuing not an order to be happy but an invitation to worship,and to joyful,worship at that.'There are some wonderfu hymns and many modern songs that do much to bless our services and enhance our lives. Next we have to 'pray continually',we need and I mean need,to be praying churches and praying individuals.There is so much to pray about,the unsaved,the sick ,the suffering,the ungoing difficulties we all meet with.the sad ,the homeless,to be preserved from so much more.Last but not least ,'Give thanks in all circumstances'again how is that possible? John Wesley was rescued from a fire when he was a young boy,his mother saw as proff of the clear intention of Providence.We like her can look beyond the difficulties to God who will work out everything for His childrens good,even as Piper says,'bitter Providences'.
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