Tag Archives: 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

For This Is God’s Will For You In Christ Jesus

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Becoming Like Christ - Day 200 - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - For This Is God's Will For You In Christ Jesus - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 200 – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – For This Is God’s Will For You In Christ Jesus – Growing As Disciples

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Circumstances

I know something about circumstances. What’s that? My circumstances will be uncertain. My circumstances will be unpredictable. My circumstances will not always be enjoyable. Does this come as some big surprise to you? No, not really. I know that this is a sin broken world. There is pain and suffering and evil in this world. There are temptations and trials in this life. You experienced the pain and suffering and evil that is in this world. You were not exempt. Why would I be exempt? No, I am certain to experience adverse and difficult circumstances in life. That’s true.

How will you go through circumstances in life? Will you allow your circumstances in life to dictate your thoughts, feelings and values? Who will you rely on as you go through difficult circumstances in life? Will you rely on yourself? Will you rely on me? How will you respond to painful and troubling circumstances in life? Those are all very good questions. There is one thing I know for certain. What’s that? You will be with me to help me as I go through all the circumstances of life. Yes, I will be with you to help you.  I will never be alone. That’s right. It seems to me that trying circumstances will give me focused opportunities to draw near to you. In every difficult and trying circumstance I can draw close to you. You will comfort me. You will strengthen me. You will encourage me. You will carry me through every difficulty. Yes, I will do all these things for you. Receiving your help fills my heart with joy. Experiencing your presence fills my heart with thankfulness. So, even in the midst of trying circumstances, in the midst of great difficulty, I can be joyful and thankful because I know that you will be with me to help me. Yes, I will. In the midst of difficult circumstances, I will know that I will be learning to come to rely on you. I will know that I will be learning to know and do your will because I will remain joyful and thankful as I place all my hope and faith and trust in you. I will keep on being joyful and thankful and prayerful as I walk with you through all the difficult circumstances in life. That will be very good. Thank you, Lord for being with me to help me. 

Lord, I need your help. I want to be joyful and thankful and prayerful throughout all the varied circumstances of life. I want to know and do your will everyday as I love and follow and serve you. You are my joy. For you I give thanks. To you I make my prayers. Amen

Key Question… Why will it sometime take great concerted effort to be joyful, prayerful and thankful in life?

Living It Out… Always be joyful, thankful and prayerful as you love, follow and serve the Lord.

Seeing It Happen… Have faith that the Lord will help you to remain joyful, thankful and prayerful throughout life.

Get Ready To Share… Share with another person or your small group a joyful and thankful prayer to the Lord.

Prayer To Bless Others… May you be joyful, thankful and prayerful as you love, follow and serve the Lord.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Day 200 – Becoming Like Christ – 1 Thessalonians 5-16-18 – For This Is God’s Will For You In Christ Jesus – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

For This Is God’s Will For You

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The Prayer Filled Life - Day 89 - 1 Thessalonians 5-16-18 - For This Is God's Will For You.

The Prayer Filled Life – Day 89 – 1 Thessalonians 5-16-18 – For This Is God’s Will For You.

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

My Will

Is there any mystery here? Is there a lack of clarity? Is there any room for misunderstanding? Is there a mystery, lack of clarity, or potential misunderstanding about what? About my will. Do you know what is my will for you? Do you know the attitude that I would like you to maintain? Do you know the continual activity that I would like you to be engaged in? Do you know how I would like you to respond to all the twists and turns and ups and downs in life? No, there is no mystery, lack of clarity or room for misunderstanding your will. What is my will for you? You want me to be joyful, thankful, and prayerful throughout all the circumstances of life. That is correct.

What will happen to you as you remain joyful, thankful, and prayerful throughout life? What will be the outcome of your knowing and doing my will? With a joyful and thankful attitude and prayerful action, I will come to know you more intimately. How so? My heart and mind and life will be focused on you. In fact, the only way for me to remain joyful, thankful, and prayerful is to have my heart and mind and life focused on you. You alone can make me joyful, thankful, and prayerful through every adversity in life. You alone are the sole reason why the circumstances of life should never steal my joy and thankfulness or hinder me from praying to you. Why is that? I have a hope and joy and thankfulness in me that far surpasses whatever negative circumstance could come my way in this brief life. I have a hope and joy and thankfulness that is far larger and more comprehensive. This life is like a snap of the fingers or a blink of an eye or a morning mist that quickly passes away. I have an eternal hope and a forever future in you. One day, very soon, I will come to live forever in heaven with you. Yes, you will. So, I need to keep that in the forefront of my heart and mind and life when trouble comes my way. Yes, you do. What else? With a joyful, thankful, and prayerful attitude I will be a bold and bright witness for you in the world. Others will be drawn to you because they will see your life being lived out, in and through me. Others will want to come to know and love and follow and serve you because of the joy and thankfulness and prayerfulness they see in me. Yes, they will. I will be able to bear an abundance of fruit for your kingdom and bring glory to your name as I remain joyful, thankful, and prayerful. Yes, you will. Will you remain joyful, thankful, and prayer throughout all the circumstances of your life? Yes, I will. That will be very good. Thank you, Lord. 

Lord, I want to know and do your will. In this case, I do clearly know your will. It is your will that I am joyful, thankful, and prayerful throughout all the twists and turns, and ups and downs of life. Help me to think and speak and act according to your will. Amen

Key Question…  When have you been able to be joyful, prayerful, and thankful in a difficult circumstance?

Living It Out… Live out God’s will by being joyful, prayerful, and thankful in all circumstances.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that it is God’s will for you to always be joyful, never stop praying, and be thankful in all circumstances.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how you are joyful, prayerful, and thankful in all circumstances.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you always be joyful, never stop praying, and be thankful in all circumstances.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Devotional Study Guide click here:

The Prayer Filled Life – Day 89 – 1 Thessalonians 5-16-18 – For This Is God’s Will For You – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                                                        Copying not permitted                                                                                    http://www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

This Is God’s Will For You Who Belong To Christ

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Promises - Day 304 - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18- This Is God's Will For You Who Belong To Christ - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Promises – Day 304 – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18- This Is God’s Will For You Who Belong To Christ – Growing As Disciples

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

Joyful, Prayerful, Thankful 

Are you joyful? Are you thankful? Not nearly enough, of that I am sure. Why is that? What is the problem? I’m not sure. I’m not positive. But you do have an idea? Yes, I do have an idea. Tell me what is in your heart and on your mind? I don’t often prayerfully consider how you have so richly and abundantly blessed my life. I think that I often take your blessing for granted. I know that is sad to say and even harder to admit. I am sure that it true. I am also sure that it is a sin. So, I will confess it to you. That’s good. You are forgiven. How would you like to live your life differently? I want to live a life of ongoing and intimate prayer with you. I want to engage in a constant dialogue of prayer as I walk through life with you. I want to talk to you about anything and everything. I especially want to remember and reflect on and give thanks for your kindness and mercy and love towards me. I will take nothing for granted. I will remember all that you have done, are doing, and will do for me. That’s good. What do you think I want? I think you want what is now in my heart and on my mind. Why do you think that? You have put these desires in me.  The desire that I have, to live in an intimate relationship with you is a gift from you. The passion I have, to live my life in a constant dialogue of prayer with you is a gift beyond compare. Who has these desires? Who has these passions? Certainly not me, not unless you have planted them within me. You are correct. I have planted this desire and passion within you. What will I do with a desire and passion that I have planted in you? You will make it grow and flourish. You will bring it into full bloom. You will fully develop the fruit of a life that is joyful, and prayerful, and thankful, no matter what happens, in all the circumstances of life. Can you be all these things because I am doing this work in you. Yes, I can. Yes, I will. Do your work within me! Yes, I will. You can be sure of that. You will be joyful, prayerful, and thankful as you walk through life with me. Thank you, Lord. 

Lord, I will remember how you have richly blessed my life. I have a multitude of reasons to give thanks and praise to you. Help me to live a life of intimate and ongoing prayer, filled with joy and thanksgiving, as I remember your kindness, mercy, and love to me. Amen 

Key Question…  What thankful and joyful prayers would you like to offer to the Lord right now?

Living It Out…  Live an intimate and ongoing life of prayer with the Lord that will fill your life with joy and thanksgiving.

Seeing It Happen…  Have faith that you have a multitude of reasons to pray joyful and thankful prayers to the Lord.

Get Ready To Share…  Share with another person or your small group how your life is filled with joyful and thankful prayers to the Lord.

Prayer To Bless Others…  May you be joyful, thankful, and prayerful in all the circumstances of your life.

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Promises – Day 304 – 1 Thessalonians 5-16-18 – This Is God’s Will For You Who Belong To Christ – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

God’s Will For You

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Becoming Like Christ - Day 200 - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - God's Will For You - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Becoming Like Christ – Day 200 – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – God’s Will For You – Growing As Disciples

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Circumstances

I know something about circumstances. What’s that? My circumstances will be uncertain. My circumstances will be unpredictable. My circumstances will not always be enjoyable. Does this come as some big surprise to you? No, not really. I know that this is a sin broken world. There is pain and suffering and evil in this world. There are temptations and trials in this life. You experienced the pain and suffering and evil that is in this world. You were not exempt. Why would I be exempt? No, I am certain to experience adverse and difficult circumstances in life. That’s true.

How will you go through circumstances in life? Will you allow your circumstances in life to dictate your thoughts, feelings and values? Who will you rely on as you go through difficult circumstances in life? Will you rely on yourself? Will you rely on me? How will you respond to painful and troubling circumstances in life? Those are all very good questions. There is one thing I know for certain. What’s that? You will be with me to help me as I go through all the circumstances of life. Yes, I will be with you to help you.  I will never be alone. That’s right. It seems to me that trying circumstances will give me focused opportunities to draw near to you. In every difficult and trying circumstance I can draw close to you. You will comfort me. You will strengthen me. You will encourage me. You will carry me through every difficulty. Yes, I will do all these things for you. Receiving your help fills my heart with joy. Experiencing your presence fills my heart with thankfulness. So, even in the midst of trying circumstances, in the midst of great difficulty, I can be joyful and thankful because I know that you will be with me to help me. Yes, I will. In the midst of difficult circumstances, I will know that I will be learning to come to rely on you. I will know that I will be learning to know and do your will because I will remain joyful and thankful as I place all my hope and faith and trust in you. I will keep on being joyful and thankful and prayerful as I walk with you through all the difficult circumstances in life. That will be very good. Thank you, Lord for being with me to help me. 

Lord, I need your help. I want to be joyful and thankful and prayerful throughout all the varied circumstances of life. I want to know and do your will everyday as I love and follow and serve you. You are my joy. For you I give thanks. To you I make my prayers. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Day 200 – Becoming Like Christ – 1 Thessalonians 5-16-18 – God’s Will For You – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Pray Continually

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Prayer - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - Pray Continually - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Prayer – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Pray Continually – Growing As Disciples

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

All Circumstances

Now that’s a word to consider. What word? Circumstances, you don’t like difficult circumstances. Does anyone like difficult circumstances? You have a point there, but most people don’t know what you know. What do I know? What has happened to you when you have gone through difficult circumstances? I’m not sure how to answer your question. Then I will ask you more questions. I’m listening. When have you felt closest to me? When have you drawn nearest to me? When have you know that I was drawing nearest to you? Have you felt closest to me when everything is going smoothly? I wouldn’t say so. What would you say? I would say that sometimes I have been quite distant from you when I thought things were going smoothly. Why is that? I’m sorry to say that in those times I may have thought or felt that I didn’t need you quite as much. Was that good thinking on your part? No, it was not. I have learned that there is never a time or place in which I don’t need you. That’s good.  So, when have you most strongly felt my nearness to you? I have most strongly felt your nearness to me when things have been going terribly wrong. I have most strongly felt your nearness to me when I have been going through heart breaking difficulty. There has never been a more true statement than, “you are close to the brokenhearted.” How important is it that you know that? It is vitally important that I know that you are with me to help me through every difficulty in life. See, you do know something. How does it make you feel to know that I am with you to help you through every difficulty in life? I feel joyful and thankful that you are with me to help me. Are you telling me that it is possible to be joyful and thankful as you go through difficulties in life because you know that I am with you through every one of them? That’s right. That’s very good. Yes, it  is.

What else has happened to do you as you have gone through great difficulties? I have drawn near to you. I have come to rely on you. I have prayed. I have asked for your help. Have I helped you? Yes, you have helped me. You have never left me alone. You have never abandoned me. No, I have not. Has your hope and faith and trust in me grown as you have gone through great difficulties? Yes, it has. Wait a minute, are you telling me that you know your praying to me as you have gone through great difficult  has caused your hope and faith and trust in me to grow? That’s right. That is very good. Yes, it is. Will you keep on praying joyfully and thankfully as you go through difficulties in life? Yes Lord, I will. That will be very good. 

Lord, I’m not a fan of difficult circumstances. It has been hard for me to pray through all the difficult circumstances of life. Yet, I will keep on joyfully and thankfully praying to you because I know that you will use every difficulty to accomplish your work in me. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Prayer – 1 Thessalonians 5-16-18 – Pray Continually – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

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Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

God’s Will

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - Character - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - God's WiIl - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – Character – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – God’s WiIl – Growing As Disciples

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV)

Stayed Focused

What has your attention? What has your focus? I’m not sure what you mean. What is occupying your thoughts? Can you be a little more specific? Are your thoughts set solely on the things of this life? Is your perspective entirely earthly? You do realize that this life is fleeting? You are just passing through this life. You are here today. You will be gone tomorrow. Your life on this earth will go by like a blink of an eye or a snap of your fingers. Are these thoughts supposed to help me in some way? Am I supposed to be encouraged by these thoughts? I thought that my current circumstances were bad enough. Now, the brevity of my life is getting added on to my dismal circumstances. This does seem like too much weight to bear. Think again.

You are missing the point. This life is like a mist or a vapor that will quickly pass away. You might even say that this life is like a mirage. What you see now seems so real. What is before you will soon disappear. This life is not all that there is. You have so much more to look forward to. You are thinking earthly thoughts from an earthly perspective. You could be thinking heavenly thoughts from a heavenly perspective. Thinking heavenly thoughts would entirely change your perspective. How so? You have eternal life to look forward to. The pain and suffering of this temporary life is nothing compared to the joy and splendor that you will experience forever in heaven. That is a game changer for my thoughts. Yes, it is.

Your future in heaven should also be a game change for your actions. How so? Time is short. There is much work for you to do in this life. The harvest is plentiful. The workers are few. I want you to bear an abundance of fruit for my kingdom. How so? You can go where I send you. You can do what I ask of you. You can be a bright and shining light for me in the world. I can use you to draw others to me. That’s what I want. That is my desire and hope and prayer. I am sure of that. I can see that in you. You will shine brighter and bear more fruit for me if you stay focused and remain joyful, pray continually and give thanks in all circumstances. That, I will do. That will be very good.

Lord, thank you that you have given me so much for which I can be thankful. As I go through difficult circumstances I will keep my heart and mind focused on the life I have with you now and forever. Help me to be joyful, prayerful and thankful as I follow you. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Character – 1 Thessalonians 5-16-18 – God’s Will – 4 Page Discipleship Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com

Joyful – Prayerful – Thankful

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Discipleship Devotional Study Guide - God's Will - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 - Joyful - Prayerful - Thankful - Growing As Disciples

Discipleship Devotional Study Guide – God’s Will – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 – Joyful – Prayerful – Thankful – Growing As Disciples

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) 

Circumstances

I have let circumstances get me down. I have not been joyful in every circumstance. Far from it. I have let circumstances cloud my vision and lose my focus. I have let circumstances steal my joy.  I have let circumstances cause me to take my eyes off you. I have let all my thoughts and words and deeds be guided and directed by whatever circumstance I have found myself. Circumstances have caused me to lose my balance and send me off course. So often, I have lived under the circumstances of life rather than above them. That’s not good. No, it’s not. How have gotten back on course? There is one very positive thing about negative circumstances. What’s that? Negative circumstances have always caused me to cry out to you. Right away? No, not right away. I wish I could say that I would start praying to you right away when circumstances have turned negative around me. Unfortunately, I have tried in vain to fight my own way out of negative circumstances. Sometimes, I have even had to reach rock bottom, when all my own efforts have not brought me through negative circumstances, before I have cried out to you in prayer. I like it that you have tried to fight your way out of negative circumstances. Why is that? Your desire to fight and do battle against negative circumstances is good. Your choice of weapon to fight your way out of negative circumstances is all wrong however. How so? You will never win battles against negative circumstances with your own efforts. You must rely on me. You must choose the proper weapon with which to fight. Do you know what that weapon is? Yes, after so many failures, I have finally learned that I can continually pray prayers that will give me victory through circumstances. Why is that? As I pray to you, my eyes will be on you rather than on my circumstances. You will lead me through my circumstances. You will be my helper. You will be my strength. You will be my guide. I can hold on to you as you hold on to me through all the circumstances of life. Yes, you can. Yes, I will. What will you have as I lead you through all the ups and downs and twists and turns of the circumstances of life? I will have joy. Why is that? My relationship with you will grow deeper and become sweeter as I hold on to you and you hold on to me. Yes, it will. Then you will become truly joyful, prayerful and thankful as you love, follow and serve me. Yes, I will.

Lord, I have not always been joyful, prayerful and thankful. I’m sure that comes as no surprise to you. Help me to be continually joyful, prayerful and thankful. I know I have abundant reasons to be joyful, prayerful and thankful. You have blessed my life. Amen

For today’s complete 4 page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide click here:

Gods Will – 1 Thessalonians 5-16-18 – Joyful -Prayerful -Thankful – 4 Page Discipleship Devotional Study Guide

Please consider sharing these devotionals with others through the social media you use.

Individual users may save the Discipleship Devotional Study Guide to their desktop for private use. All the blanks in the study guides are fields that allow typed responses. To use the fields on the study guide you may need to open the guide with a free version of adobe reader.

By Jon Ulrich © All rights reserved                   Copying not permitted                      www.GrowingAsDisciples.com