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Rejoice! Pray! Give thanks! (devo reflection)

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always,

When I first “claimed” a bible verse, one I could cling to no matter the circumstances, it was Romans 12:12 Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 pray continually,

I remember how excited I was when I first came across today’s scripture because it echoes the same ideas: Rejoice! Pray! Give thanks! How much richer my life would be if I could always put these ideas into practice. But I’ll press on toward the goal….

1 Thessalonians 5:18a give thanks in all circumstances;

Lord, Thank You for the simple truth contained in these verses. Help me to always rejoice in You. Help me to continually pray to You. Help me to give thanks to You in all circumstances. Draw me closer. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 5:18b for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Have a blessed day.

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An eternal home…. (devo reflection)

1 Thessalonians 4:13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.

Lord, Thank You that because of You, we do not grieve as those who have no hope when a loved one dies. The earthly separation is painful, but we know we will see our loved ones again. Thank You.

1 Thessalonians 4:14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.

Lord, Thank You for the power to encourage each other with this amazing news—You have conquered death. We have an eternal home in You. Earthly death is only a temporary “See you later” until we meet again in eternity. Thank You.

1 Thessalonians 4:17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever.

Lord, Thank You for who You are and who You are to me. Thank You that because of You, I do not grieve as one who has no hope. Help me to encourage others in Your name. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 4:18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Have a blessed day.

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The power of encouragement…. (devo reflection)

1 Thessalonians 3:11 Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you.

Lord, Help us never forget the power of encouragement during trials. You created us for community. You created us to edify each other. Give us wisdom and courage to speak Your love and truth to each other in trials, as a lifeline to You.

1 Thessalonians 3:12 May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

Lord, I know I get very afraid of saying the wrong thing when someone is hurting and struggling. And I know I’m not the only one. Help us seek You when we are trying to encourage others. Even if we make a mess of the words, help the receiver to see Your love and compassion in our bumbling attempts.

1 Thessalonians 3:13a May he strengthen your hearts….

Lord, Thank You for being our rock and fortress, our salvation, our very present help in times of trouble. Help us to encourage each other and assist each other as we walk each other through the trials of this world. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 3:13b …so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

Have a blessed day.

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On this day of thanksgiving…. (devo reflection)

1 Thessalonians 2:3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you.

Lord, On this day of thanksgiving, help us to hold You foremost in our hearts. Help us to do everything in You, with You, and for You.

1 Thessalonians 2:4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.

Lord, The call of this world can be so loud. Help us to focus solely on You, to encourage each other in You, to remember and remind each other that it is not this world nor the opinions of this world that matter. Only You.

1 Thessalonians 2:5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness.

Lord, On this day of thanksgiving, I say a special prayer of thanks for every precious soul who reads my words. May they see You clearly in every line. May they know how precious and loved they are. Thank You, Lord. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 2:6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority.

Have a blessed day. I love you.

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The power of prayer…. (devo reflection)

1 Thessalonians 1:2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.

I wonder what would happen if we truly embraced the power of prayer. I think sometimes we forget how powerful it can be to lift others up to our Savior, to pray for them and with them.

1 Thessalonians 1:3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

I’ve tried it a few times—instead of simply saying, “I’ll pray for you,” asking, “May I pray with you?” It can be a smidge awkward. But it can also be incredibly powerful for all involved.

1 Thessalonians 1:4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you….

Lord, Forgive us if we underestimate the power of prayer. Help us to pray for and with each other. Help us tap into the faith, love, and hope that can be found in lifting prayers to You. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 1:5 …because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction.…

Have a blessed day.

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Strength and encouragement…. (devo reflection)

2 Samuel 21:15 Once again there was a battle between the Philistines and Israel. David went down with his men to fight against the Philistines, and he became exhausted.
Lord, I understand being exhausted. After a week of workdays, with the stress and anxiety of the unknown, and a fairly sleepless night, I am utterly exhausted and feeling entirely unprepared for this day. But I know that You are with me always (Matt 28:20). And I know that Your strength is perfected in my weakness (2 Cor 12:9). 
2 Samuel 21:17 But Abishai son of Zeruiah came to David’s rescue; he struck the Philistine down and killed him….
Lord, I know that I am not the only one feeling out of sorts today. The chaos of this world can be so loud. Thank You for the people You place in my path today to encourage me. Help me to be a source of light and encouragement to them as well so that we can build each other up (1 Thess 5:11). Help us to remember, no matter what we encounter today, that You are our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble (Psalm 46:1).
2 Samuel 21:18 In the course of time, there was another battle with the Philistines….
Lord, Thank You for this day and this scripture. Thank You for the reminder that we are not alone. Thank You for Your strength and encouragement and the strength and encouragement of those You place in my path. Draw us closer to You. Amen.
2 Samuel 21:22 …and they fell at the hands of Davis and his men.
Have a blessed day.

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Rejoice in the LORD…. (devo reflection)

Deut 12:12 And you shall rejoice before the LORD your God….
If God never did anything else for me save sacrifice His only Son so that I could be restored to a right relationship with Him, I would still have reason to praise His name for the rest of my life. But I am so deeply human, so often driven by my fickle feelings that I don’t always, maybe don’t often, praise Him as I should, as He deserves.
1 Thess 5:16 Rejoice at all times….
But God doesn’t want empty praise.  He wants praise that overflows from a thankful, grateful, devoted heart, even when it’s hard. And, y’all, sometimes life is so hard—global pandemic, freak accident or illness, death of loved one—hard. A friend once related a story about her aunt. I don’t remember all the details, but she had dealt with sickness and death of several family members, and when she was told of yet another death, her response was, “God has been so good to me.” THAT is praise from a grateful heart.
Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the LORD always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
Lord, Thank You for this day, for this scripture, for this reminder to rejoice always in You. Thank You for the example of my friend’s aunt, who rejoiced in Your blessings, even in the midst of her loss. Help us to rejoice in You always, even when it’s difficult. Thank You for Your abiding love. Draw us closer. Amen.
Psalm 33:1 Rejoice in the LORD….
Have a blessed day.

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When the going gets tough…. (devo reflection)

Romans 12:2a Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind….
Sometimes God calls us to do difficult things. When the hubs and I felt His prompting for this incredible AT adventure, I don’t think we really had any concept of what He was calling us to do. It has been an amazing journey thus far, but it has had its challenges—both on the trail and on the home front. But God is good, He is with us, and He can use all things for our good and His glory. Thank You, Jesus.
Romans 12:2b …Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will.
There is so very much that I don’t know, don’t understand about my amazing Savior, but I know He has promised to be with me always (Matt 28:20); I know He has a plan for me (Jer 29:11), and I know I will find Him when I seek Him with my whole heart (Jer 29:13). Even when I’m struggling, I know these truths and I can trust them because the one who promised is faithful (Heb 10:23). Thank You, Jesus.
1 Thess 5:18 Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.
Lord, Thank You for this day, for the promises of Your word, for Your fierce love and Your plan for each of us. Help us, even when the going gets tough, even when we are struggling in the present moment, to keep our eyes, minds, and hearts focused solely on You. Help us to be thankful in ALL circumstances, Lord, knowing that You are sovereign and can use all things, even the difficult things, for our good and Your glory (Rom 8:28). Draw us closer. Help us to shine Your light. Amen.
Col 3:10 Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like Him.
Have a blessed day.

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So many reasons to rejoice…. (devo reflection)

1 Thess 5:16 Rejoice always…. (NIV)
God’s certainly helping me live my faith this morning. I just spent half an hour typing my reflection on my cell phone as is my daily habit, and as I was copying it to proof before posting, I inadvertently deleted the entire thing. Fun times. But in this world, there will ALWAYS be reasons to be sad, mad, or grumpy. If we focus on the things of this world, joy will NOT be our default.
Phil 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (NIV)
The secret to choosing joy is focusing on our precious Savior. He has blessed my life in so many ways. I deserve none of His grace, none of His mercy, none of His love. I can’t earn those things, and yet He freely and abundantly lavishes my life with all three daily. I see them in the sunrise and sunset, in the faces of those I love, in the gentle breezes and the rainbows and flowers around me. If I pay attention, I see them everywhere. Thank You, Jesus.
Phil 4:4 Always be joyful in the Lord! I’ll say it again: Be joyful! (GWT)
Lord, Thank You for this day and this reminder to rejoice in You always, even when the world is clamoring for my attention, even when I inadvertently delete an entire reflection, even when things just aren’t going my way. Thank You for providing me with so many reasons to rejoice. If I focus on this world, I run the risk of being sucked into a cycle of perpetual chaos. Help me to keep my eyes firmly fixed on You. Draw me closer. Help me to choose joy every moment of every day. Amen.
1 Thess 5:16 Always be joyful. (NLT)
Have a blessed day.