Scripture:
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18
Mon, 11 July 2022

Discipleship Triad in God’s Presence

Observation:

What is the significance of Paul placing the three exhortations, “rejoice always”, “pray without ceasing” and “in everything give thanks” together?

Deeper Reflection
PAUL’S THREE EXHORTATIONS TO THE THESSALONIANS – “rejoice always”, “pray without ceasing” and “in everything give thanks” (vv.16-18) – are written in one sentence in Greek. This shows that the three exhortations are interlinked together, forming a triad. It is a discipleship triad in the presence of God. It is in the presence of God, because we are to “rejoice” – not expressing joy in general or having an emotional high consisting of feelings,26 but “in the Lord” (Phil 4:4), and it is to God that we pray and give thanks.Paul does not intend “rejoice”, “pray” and “give thanks” to be practised and experienced in a progressive order. Rejoicing in the Lord, praying and giving thanks to God are dynamically interlinked. This means that in practice and experience, we do not have one without the other two. We are to have all three of them together in us. And as we rejoice, pray and give thanks in this dynamic interlink, the three actions dynamically build up each other in our lives.All the three actions are commonly modified by terms that give the idea of comprehensiveness, totality and absoluteness: “Rejoice always”, “pray without ceasing” and “in everything give thanks”. And the word order in the Greek sentence – “always rejoice, unceasingly pray and in everything give thanks” – emphasises “always”, “unceasingly” and “in everything” in the three actions in and to God. The call to constancy is clear. Constancy is developed over time with conscious continual disciplined practice, until this constancy becomes character in us. And it is God who develops this in us as we walk with Him constantly.
26 G. K. Beale, 1-2 Thessalonians, The IVP New Testament Commentary Series (IVP Academic, 2003), 167
Application:

What does it mean for me to practise rejoicing always, praying unceasingly and giving thanks in everything together in my discipleship journey?

Prayer:
Lord, I seek to be continually with You, with You holding my right hand and guiding me until You receive me to glory.23 I will give thanks to You with my whole heart as I recount all of Your wonderful deeds.24 And I will rejoice in Your steadfast love, because You have seen my affliction and You have known the distress of my soul.25
23 Psalm 73:23-24 24 Psalm 9:1 25 Psalm 31:7
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for leaders
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 7:13-18, 25-27; 11:29-36
Sat, 2 December 2023

The Triumph

Observation:

What characterises the triumph of God’s people in tribulations under tyrants?

Deeper Reflection
God’s people living under tyrants and suffering tribulations under them can triumph – whether we are delivered from or destroyed in tribulation. The triumph rests on a threefold confidence.We know the conclusion of evil. It is repeated in manifold ways in Daniel that evil that comes through inhuman kings – no matter how great and how long – will definitely come to an end: “he will be broken” (Dan 8:25), “he will be found no more” (Dan 11:19), “yet he will come to his end” (Dan 11:45) and “all these events will be completed” (Dan 12:7).We know God’s calling for us: To be a suffering people – to be captured, plundered, burned or killed (Dan 11:33). But in our suffering, we can be strong as “people who know their God” (Dan 11:32), knowing that God is purging and purifying us to become a sanctified (Dan 11:35; 12:10) and shining people who “shine brightly” with heavenly brightness in the hostile world (Dan 12:3). And we will be a steadfast people who “keep waiting and attain to the 1,335 days” (Dan 12:12) – until we become a sovereign people who “receive and possess the kingdom forever” from “the Ancient of Days” (vv.13-14, 18, 27).We know who is in control. The tribulations under the tyrants in Daniel 7 to 12 are all subject to and subsumed under “that which is decreed will be done” (Dan 11:36; 9:26, 27) “at the appointed time” (Dan 11:27, 29, 35).We conclude Daniel with this theological-discipleship summary statement: We can triumph in tribulations under tyrants when we trust with tenacity in the One who is on the throne.
Application:

How can I triumph in tribulations?

Prayer:
Write a prayer to God as your response from your meditation on and application of the Scriptures.
Prayer Pointers:
  • Give thanks and praise
  • Pray for Church Board: To grow in the faith and perseverance of overcomers in Christ
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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