Scripture:
1 Thessalonians 5:18; Ephesians 5:18-20
Thu, 14 July 2022

Filled with Thanksgiving to God

Observation:

What significant observations can you make about giving thanks to God in these two texts?

Deeper Reflection
I WAS SEVENTEEN AND A ONE-YEAR-OLD CHRISTIAN WHEN I faced my first major trial and was feeling troubled and lost. I looked at the sky and asked God, “God, what shall I do?” God immediately shot into my mind a Bible verse: 1 Thessalonians 5:18. I knew that verse, because I had memorised it. I knew what God was saying to me: “Give thanks.” I went on my knees and did just that. It was a vital discipleship lesson I learned at a very early stage of my Christian life.A Spirit-filled Christian gives thanks to God “in all things” (v.18) and “for all things” and “at all times” (Eph 5:18-20) – big and small, good and bad. But we cannot thank God “for” absolutely “all things”, including blatant evil, because the holy and just God cannot condone evil. We give thanks to God “for all things” that are consistent with God’s character. However, we can give thanks to God “in” everything, even when we suffer evil. In so doing, we are acknowledging, trusting in and submitting to God, who is sovereign over all things. Thanksgiving is Christocentric – “in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” and theocentric – “to God, even the Father” (Eph 5:20), “the Father of lights” who gives all good things and perfect gifts (Jas 1:17). Thanksgiving is “to give glory to God” (Lk 17:18).Giving thanks to God “is the will of God” (v.18). So, giving thanks to God puts us at the centre of the will of God – the most secure place that we can ever be in.
Application:

How will I cultivate the spirit of giving thanks to God in all things and at all times?

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 Outreach/Missions/New Life leaders: To have a heart of constant gratitude to God
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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Daily Devo
Daily Devotional Journal
Scripture:
Daniel 10:11-12, 14-19
Tue, 26 September 2023

A Man of High Esteem

Observation:

What significant observations can you make about Daniel being called “man of high esteem” (vv.11, 19)?

Deeper Reflection
One of the heavenly beings called Daniel “man of high esteem” (v.11). This honour was bestowed on Daniel emphatically, in that it was repeated twice (v.19). This “high esteem” did not come from man, but from God Himself. God gave this honour to Daniel toward the end of his life when God called him to “enter into rest” (Dan 12:13). As a youth, Daniel “made up his mind not to defile himself with the king’s choice food” (Dan 1:8), and as an old man, he was faithful to God in spending time with Him in his “three times a day” devotion, even if it means to be thrown into the lions’ den (Dan 6:10). Daniel was finishing well in his life with “humbling yourself before your God” (v.12). When we think of finishing well in terms of successful accomplishments, we must be careful that we are not exalting ourselves.It is not for us to see ourselves in any way as a person of high esteem before God. It is for God to say that to us (2 Cor 10:17-18). Daniel never saw himself as a “man of high esteem”. A key emphasis in Daniel 10 is Daniel being greatly overwhelmed by the holiness and glory of God represented by the heavenly being with an awesome appearance (Dan 10:5-10, 15-18). And it was in this encounter with God when he was called “man of high esteem” that Daniel said, “How can such a servant of my Lord talk with such as my Lord?”50 (v.17). The man highly esteemed by God saw his unworthiness before God.
50 I have theologically translated “my lord” to “my Lord”, since the heavenly being is a representation of God.
Application:

What does being highly esteemed by God mean to me?

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 pastors and staff: To be able to see oneself as God sees
  • Pray for significant people
  • Pray for those in need
  • Pray for self

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