1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 records a trilogy of exhortations. Verse 18 is the longest and broadest: “Give thanks in all circumstances.” This call to thanksgiving is among the practical instructions for Christian living. Yet it is basic etiquette that parents teach children to practice. We may need to be commanded to rejoice and pray. But giving thanks seems to be the most obvious thing to do. We instinctively respond to random acts of kindness by almost thoughtlessly saying, “Thank you.” Yet it is crucial that we hear and heed this command because of its far-reaching implications. Thanksgiving should not be limited to good days, positive outcomes, or favorable circumstances. Give thanks in all circumstances.  Why give thanks in all circumstances? Verse 18 answers: “For this is the will of God...

Sunday morning – January 10, 1982 – Edmund Gravely took off from Rocky Mount, North Carolina, in his small plane, heading to Statesville, Georgia, to pick up a new plane he had recently bought. Not long after takeoff, he reported to air traffic controllers that he was turning around because he was feeling ill. Edmund then had a massive heart attack six thousand feet in the air. His only passenger was his wife, Janice. She was not a pilot. But she took the controls and managed to keep the plane in the air for two hours. “Help! Help! Won’t someone...

What is the shortest verse in the Bible? The most obvious answer is John 11:35: “Jesus wept.” That answer is right and wrong. John 11:35 is the shortest verse in English translations. In the Greek New Testament, the shortest verse is 1 Thessalonians 5:16: “Rejoice always.”   1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 records three instructions: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” This snapshot of spiritual devotion begins with rejoicing. “Rejoice” was a watchword among early Christians. The Greek term was used as a salutation.  Jesus used it as a greeting in Matthew 28:9.  Paul used it as a farewell in 2 Corinthians 13:11.  We greet one another with “Hello” and “Goodbye.” What encouragement it would be if...

William Law said, “There is nothing that makes us love a man so much as prayer for him.” You cannot stubbornly hate a person you sincerely pray for. Prayer cultivates and characterizes love. Many relationships have benefited from what one writer has called “The Five Love Languages.” Unfortunately, prayer is not one of these love languages. Yet there is no greater way to love a person than to pray for that person. 1 Thessalonians 3:11-13 shows us what it looks like when love prays.  During his second missionary journey, Paul preached the gospel in Thessalonica. Many repented of their sins and trusted Christ. The church at Thessalonica was born. Envious religious leaders stirred up a mob to cause trouble. Acts 17:6 says, “These men who have turned the world upside down have come here...

A Crash Course in Church Membership

  Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18   Do you know what the shortest verse in the New Testament is? The obvious answer is John 11:35: “Jesus wept.” It is the shortest verse in our English translations of the Bible. But the shortest verse in the Greek New Testament is 1 Thessalonians 5:16: “Rejoice always.” It is a little verse with big implications.   A Call to Joy   The word “rejoice” is a call to joy. The term was...