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

“For this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Now we’re talking. That’s clarity. No guessing what God’s will is. “This is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

So what is God’s will for you and me?

• Rejoice always
• Pray continually
• Give thanks in all circumstances

Before we look at the specifics, you should know that each of these verbs (rejoice, pray, give thanks) are all written as imperatives. These aren’t suggestions. These are commands.

The second thing you should know about each of these commands are that they are dependent on the clause, “in Christ Jesus.”

Jesus is the key to understanding why these are commands.

Rejoice always.

Why? Because, for the Christian, our joy is dependent on something that’s already done for us. Our joy is not dependent upon a future event. Our joy springs from something that’s already been done and completed on our behalf in Christ Jesus. We are commanded to rejoice because God has already done for us all that we could not do for ourselves. Jesus has already paid the debt of sin for those who have received Jesus as Lord and Savior. Because of the cross of Jesus Christ, “he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins” (Colossians 1:13-14).

Rejoice always because in Christ we are sons and daughters of God.

Pray continually. Why? Because, for the Christian, we have direct access to the Creator of the universe through prayer. There is nothing that we face that our Father cannot handle and take care of. Whatever circumstances we face we have the ability to pray and involve the Father. So whatever it is you are going through today, through prayer, we never face our difficulties alone. Our God is always with us. Not only that, our Father has our back. We can face our present circumstances and future knowing that our Father has our back. “If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31).

Give thanks in all circumstances. We give thanks in all circumstances knowing there is “nothing in the created universe that can separate us from the love of God” (Romans 8:39). We give thanks “in all circumstances because we know that all things work together for the good for those who love Jesus” (Romans 8:28).

This is great news! In fact, this is God’s will for you.

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

Amen!

“Jesus said to him, ‘If you wish to be perfect, go, sell your possessions, and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; then come, follow me.’ When the young man heard this word, he went away grieving, for he had many possessions” (Matthew 19:21-22).

The problem is not possessions.

Americans have enjoyed riches beyond what most people around the world and throughout human history have only dreamed about.

The problem is not possessions.

The problem is when possessions possess us instead of us using possessions as an instrument and tool of blessing for the Kingdom of God.

In the context of the above verse, the young man claims that he has kept all the laws of God and Jesus never refutes that.

• “You shall not murder”
• “You shall not commit adultery”
• “You shall not steal”
• “You shall not bear false witness”
• “Honor your father and mother”
• “You shall love your neighbor as yourself”

That is astonishing! This is the picture of an ideal follower of God.

But notice what is missing from the list of the Ten Commandments:

• “You shall have no other gods before me”
• “You shall not make yourself an idol”
• “You shall not make wrongful use of of the LORD your God”
• “Observe the sabbath day and keep it holy”

The young man was an ideal citizen, but he was not a follower of God. His god, his idol was his possessions. When possessions dictate how you manage and use your possessions, possessions are your god. And, that was Jesus’ point.

When we get this wrong, possessions and riches become a curse rather than a blessing.

The issue is not possessions. The issue is does God get to call the shots in how you use possessions, or does possessions dictate how you give to God and God’s causes?

Friends, even in the midst of covid, the reality is we are more endowed with wealth than most people around the world dream of. During this season of Thanksgiving, are we able to lay our wealth and possessions before God so that God can use wealth and possessions for his Kingdom? Or does our wealth and possessions dictate how much and what we give to God?

The problem is not possessions. The issue has to do with the placement of wealth and possessions in relation to God.

Wealth and possessions are a blessing when we steward and manage all that God has entrusted to us for his purposes.

God has no problems with rich Christians. In fact, God wants his riches in the hands of those who will steward and manage God’s riches for his Kingdom. Let us be such people.

The first place this impacts is in tithing. Giving to God ten percent is a symbolic act that demonstrates riches do not possess us.

This is the season of Thanks. Let us give thanks to God for his many blessings.

“But in humility regard others as better than yourselves” (Philippians 2:3).

Of course there’s a long line of cars at the Starbucks drive through.

Ugh.

Come on. If you would just pull up a little more I can get my order in.

Ever been there before?

And then, to make things even more irritating, after getting her coffee, she took extra time to put money on her Starbucks account. She had to get her cash from her purse then get her phone to scan the app again. I was thinking not nice things about the person in front of me.

Finally! She was done with her transaction and drove off.

I opened up my Starbucks app to pay for my order when the drive through cashier told me the lady in front of me paid for my entire order! Normally, when I go to Starbucks I order the drip coffee. But that day, I went to Starbucks for my family. We ordered a lot. The reason why the lady had to put extra money on her account was because of my order.

Ugh! I felt like such an idiot!

Here was the pastor Christian guy, the guy who’s supposed to be practicing peace and kindness. And instead was thinking ill thoughts of a total stranger who went out of her way to be kind to me.

So, dear lady who was in the car ahead of me at the Starbucks drive through…I am sorry for making snap judgments about you. Thank you for your kindness and teaching me the valuable lesson of not making quick judgments and about being kind. I want you to know that your kindness taught me to be kind toward others. Thank you for setting such a fantastic example for this pastor Christian guy.

Oh. P.S. I paid forward your kindness. I paid for the car behind me.

God, forgive me. Forgive my snap judgments. And please bless the lady that was in the car ahead of me.