Welcome to another day the Lord has made that we should rejoice and be glad in. (Psalms 118:24)

Let’s close our week of Thanksgiving, for the LORD with an always thankful mindset.

Today’s scripture, 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NLT) exhorts…
[16] Always be joyful. [17] Never stop praying. [18] Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.

Consider…
I hope this week has encouraged and inspired you to thank God for who He is along with what He’s done.

Yesterday I highlighted the LORD’s desire for an all day every day praise. Today the Holy Spirit wants to add an in all circumstances Thanksgiving.

That’s what today’s scripture tells us directly.

Let’s quickly examine the three verses that describe what God’s will for us is.

First, God wants us to always be joyful. Oxford Languages defines joyful as feeling, expressing, or causing great pleasure and happiness.

Based on that definition, the LORD wants us to have great pleasure, but for what? Well I believe the answer is in the song sang by Lauren Hill in the movie Sister Act…

Joyful, Joyful
Lord, we adore Thee
God of glory
Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee
Hail Thee as the sun above
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness
Drive the dark of doubt away
Giver of immortal gladness
Fill us with the light
Fill us with the light
Oh, fill us with the light of day……

God wants our adoration of Him to cause endless pleasure. Indeed, He wants His light that He’s placed within to keep our hearts warm, and lives beaming for Him.

2 Corinthians 4:6-7 (NLT) explains…
[6] For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ. [7] We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.

We can be joyful because God’s Light, Jesus Christ, is shining in our hearts and gives the power to do all things.

You know the verse, Philippians 4:13 (NLT)…For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength.

However, the Holy Spirit showed me the two verses before reveal what makes this often quoted verse the secret to being joyfully confident in all circumstances. The Apostle Paul testified in Philippians 4:11-12 (NLT)…
[11] Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. [12] I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little.

It’s Jesus’ light shining in our hearts that helps us power through all circumstances, especially the dark ones. That makes me think of Psalms 23:4 (NKJV), which testifies…
[4] Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

Don’t miss it, the Light of the LORD in our lives is a perpetual reminder of His presence with us. That’s why the Psalmist encourages us to stay in God’s word, because Psalms 119:105 (NLT) acknowledges…
[105] Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path.

Light provides clear vision for clear direction. We can be joyful because we know that our LORD is personally guiding us through life. That’s why Galatians 5:16 (NLT) encourages us…
[16] So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves.

So, always be joyful because God is personally leading us through life with His light shining bright in us.

The next verse from today’s scripture says never stop praying. All that simply means is always keep talking to God.

That makes me hear Pastor Donnie McClurkin singing…

Speak to my heart now, that’s what I want You to do
Speak to my hеart, I’m ready to hear from You, Lord
Speak to my heart (Mm, that’s what I want You to do)
Speak to my heart (Mm, my Lord)

Speak to my heart, Lord, yeah
Give me your Holy word (Yeah-yeah)
If I can hear from You, yeah (Oh, no)
Then, I’ll know what to do
I won’t go alone, mm (No, no, no)
Said, I’ll never go on my own (No, no)
Just let Your Spirit guide me

You see God doesn’t want us to struggle in this life on our own, rather He wants us to listen and let Him guide us.

That raises an important, but often overlooked, aspect to prayer and fasting which is we seek God to hear from Him not just unilaterally talk to Him. One-way conversations by us are throwing words in the wind, they go nowhere and do nothing to help us. It’s God’s talk back that keeps, or gets us back, on track.

That’s why the Apostle Paul exhorts us in Romans 12:2 (NLT)…Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.

God wants to get our acting right in line by getting our thinking right. But that requires our listening and obeying.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:24-27 (NLT)…
[24] “Anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. [25] Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against that house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock. [26] But anyone who hears my teaching and doesn’t obey it is foolish, like a person who builds a house on sand. [27] When the rains and floods come and the winds beat against that house, it will collapse with a mighty crash.”

The Holy Spirit refocused my pray acronym to…

• Pursue
• Righteousness
• Answers from
• Yaweh

When we always pray, let’s begin like Jesus told us to in Matthew 6:9-10 (NLT)…
[9] Pray like this: Our Father in heaven, may your name be kept holy. [10] May your Kingdom come soon. May your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven.

That tone setter, prepares our hearts to hear from God and follow His direction. That’s because as Kirk Franklin sings in his song titled Father Knows Best…

See, it’s important to understand
That just because God allows things that may not be good to us
Does not mean that’s it’s not good for us, yeah

See, a parent fails if a child never learns how to fly
I hope I’m talking to somebody today
I can feel that it won’t be long
I see how my life could have gone wrong

Every time you delay my dreams, you were protecting me
All these are to make me strong
(Hit me)
I can see that you have a plan
That I won’t always understand
Even when I go my own way
You allow my mistakes
But still, hold on to my hand
(Thank you)

Oh, that’s what real fathers do
I wouldn’t expect nothing less from you (Hey)
See, it’s alright to not always understand why
Let Him in, bring tears to your eyes (Feels good)

We should pray to hear from God because He knows what best for us. It’s like Darius Brooks sings…

I wish I could tell you just what I want,
And you give it to me just like that
The truth of the matter
What I want just might hurt me
And you won’t let me go out like that
You know my end before my beginning
Calculated blessings down to the penny
So I’ll cry ’til you tell me, ‘Let it go, let it be’
Oh, Lord Your will is what’s best for me.

When we keep praying, we keep saying to God, we know that You know best!

So I encourage you as you pray to let Koryn Hawthorne’s lyrics resonate…

Nothin’ feels better than to know You
And nothin’s more important than to show You
That nothin’ comes close to what the vibe is
Nothin’s more excitin’ than the time spent with You
No one but You can love me true
How Ya love me when You love me and Ya tell me everything is gonna be alright
Yeah

And You mean the world to me
You are my everything
And I never, no, never
Never, ever wanna know what it’s like without You

I wanna wake up to You every day
I think I’ll feel like this forever
As long as we’re together
Wanna know You each and every way
I promise to be honest when I speak to You
Wanna put You at the top of my list
Wanna walk it like I talk it
Wanna give You everything
Please tell me that You’re rockin’ with this
You know all the ways to speak to me

I like it when it’s just us talkin’
And You don’t hold it against me
That Ya don’t really need me for nothin’
But I need Ya for everything
And when I’m honest withcha
Telling You my issues
You keep it official every time I kick it withchu
It’s no games, no games
Oh, don’t change, don’t change ’cause

You mean the world to me
You are my everything
And I never, no, never
Never, ever wanna know what it’s like without You

I wanna wake up to You every day
I think I’ll feel like this forever
As long as we’re together
Wanna know You each and every way
I promise to be honest when I speak to You
Wanna put You at the top of my list
Wanna walk it like I talk it
Wanna give You everything
Please tell me that You’re rockin’ with this
You know all the ways to speak to me

Let God speaking to you always be your motivation for talking to Him.

Lastly…

• in ‘light’ of always being joyful
• and always talking to God to hear Him speak to you

…the Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle Paul to write Be thankful in all circumstances,

Notice this exhortation has a comma, whereas the first two had periods.

You see always being joyful is and always praying don’t need a reason, because there’s nothing contrarian about appreciating who God is and trusting His wisdom. However, thanking Him for everything, like today’s song says can seem unfathomable.

Who thanks God for…

• Terminal prognosis
• Loss of loved ones
• Depression
• Homelessness
• Unemployment
• Insecurities
• Enemies

…and so on and so on and so on

It’s counter-intuitive to thank God for what wrong or bad in our lives, because those moments don’t make Him seem so good to us.

Mary and Martha were justified to respond to Jesus’ seemingly insensitive late arrival after receiving word of their brother, His ‘friend’s’ grave illness.

Here’s the truth, God may allow our hearts to break. Every outcome may not be as we desire. Still, that doesn’t change the truth of Psalms 107:1 (NLT)…Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever.

You despite our ever changing circumstances, the LORD’s goodness and faithful enduring love never changes.

That means, regardless how disappointed and frustrated we may get with what He allows, dare I even say with Him, He never changes who He is or how He feels about us.

Paul explained it like this in Romans 8:35-39 (NLT)…
[35] Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death? [36] (As the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) [37] No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us. [38] And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God’s love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God’s love. [39] No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

We should thank God in all circumstances because He still faithfully loves regardless on how things seem.

Remember our reference to Martha, Mary and Lazarus? Well the Holy Spirit showed me a new insight to God’s goodness and unfailing love. John 11:4-6 (NLT) says…
[4] But when Jesus heard about it he said, “Lazarus’s sickness will not end in death. No, it happened for the glory of God so that the Son of God will receive glory from this.” [5] So although Jesus loved Martha, Mary, and Lazarus, [6] he stayed where he was for the next two days.

Don’t miss, Jesus had declared the promise before He performed the miracle and wasn’t in a rush, despite how He knew it would look to the people He loved.

The Holy Spirit, Jesus has already declared His promises over us before He performs His miracles in us, so don’t misread His perceived apathetic timing as not caring, because we know His love never fails.

That’s why Peter exhorts us to 1 Peter 5:7 (NLT)…Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you.

Knowing that God cares is the reason we can be thankful regardless of our circumstances. There’s a difference in wondering if rather than when God will show up.

Hidden in the Lazarus resurrection story was the faith of the two sisters that Jesus, their friend, would show up.

Never let God’s when make you wonder if, keep the faith that when He comes through He’ll come through!

We can be thankful in all circumstances because with it’s always a matter of when, not if His unfailing love will be revealed.

We should be thankful in all circumstances because, like Job in Job 13:15a (NKJV)…
[15] Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.

Of course trusting God always runs me to the three Hebrew Boys in Daniel 3:16-18 (NLT)…
[16] Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego replied, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you. [17] If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God whom we serve is able to save us. He will rescue us from your power, Your Majesty. [18] But even if he doesn’t, we want to make it clear to you, Your Majesty, that we will never serve your gods or worship the gold statue you have set up.”

Notice these young men had confidence in God’s ability despite their current circumstance. And they had faith that God would deliver them.

The Holy Spirit is emphasizing that God wants us thank Him in all circumstances because we’re confident He can and believe that He will come through for us.

And we can have that confidence and faith because our endurance aiding verse, Romans 8:28 (NLT) promises…
[28] And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.

Yet the Holy Spirit didn’t want me to end there, instead He corroborated today’s scripture exhortation with Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)…
[6] Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. [7] Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.

We should be thankful in all circumstances because God promises His peace in advance. Thus why we thank Him for what He has done. We can be confident, God has already worked out our circumstance for our good.

So let’s proclaim Psalms 57:7 (NLT)…
[7] My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises!

And obey Ephesians 5:20 (NLT)…
[20] And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In accordance with Hebrews 13:15 (NLT)…
[15] Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name.

Which Psalms 50:14 (NLT) clarifies means…
[14] Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High.

It’s God’s will that we always see Him as Good and that in His unfailing faithfully enduring love He’s already worked everything out for our good regardless of the circumstance.

Bonus Thought: The Holy Spirit brought 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 (NLT) to my remembrance…
[8] Three different times I begged the Lord to take it away. [9] Each time he said, “My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness.” So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. [10] That’s why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

Then the Holy Spirit reminded me that we should give thanks in all circumstances because of His sufficient grace. Here’s the hidden gem that He pointed out, God’s grace will either strengthen us in, or deliver us through our circumstances. Regardless of which, He’ll see us through it all!

So add God’s grace to His goodness and faithfulness and unfailing enduring forever love to the reasons we can give thanks in all circumstances!

Today’s song is…
Thank You For It All

Blessings 4HG (1 Corinthians 10:31)