ALWAYS
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
Introduction: The word always means “at all times, invariably, forever, all the time on every occasion. As believers there are three things that are “always” to be part of our lives and actions. We are to be always joyful, always thankful, and always prayerful.
I. Always Joyful – “rejoice always”
A. Psalm 40:16 “Let all those who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; Let such as love Your salvation say continually, "The Lord be magnified!”
B. Psalm 5:11a “But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy”
C. Philippians 4:4 “Rejoice in the Lord Always”
D. “Rejoice” is a command of the Lord to all believers. It isn’t only to Christians who seemingly have everything going their way without difficulties or distress.
E. What does it mean to "rejoice"? Joy or rejoicing is a Christian concept with Old Testament roots. In the Old Testament it refers to an inward religious emotion which absolutely has to come to outward expression... It is the natural consequence of fellowship with God and can have only one result: praise to and for God. Joy leads to praise. And praise means we are fulfilling God’s purpose for placing us on earth. - Adrian Dieleman, Trinity Reformed Church
F. A conference at a Presbyterian church in Omaha. People were given helium-filled balloons and told to release them at some point in the service when they felt like expressing the joy in their hearts. Since they were Presbyterians, they weren’t free to say “Hallelujah, Praise the Lord.” All through the service balloons ascended, but when it was over one-third of the balloons were unreleased. Let your balloon go. – Bruce Larson, Luke, p. 43
G. The trouble with many men is that they have got just enough religion to make them miserable. If there is not joy in religion, you have got a leak in your religion. (Billy Sunday, Sermon, New York, 1914)
H. Galatians 5:22 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness”
I. Rejoice in God’s Salvation
1. Isaiah 61:10 “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord, My soul shall be joyful in my God; For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”
2. Luke 10:20b “…rejoice because your names are written in heaven.”
J. Rejoice in God’s Bountiful Provision
1. Philippians 4:19 “And my God shall supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.”
2. Man’s extremity is God’s opportunity”- A.W. Pink
K. Rejoice in God’s Protection
1. Psalm 4:7-8 “You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound. In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O LORD, make me dwell in safety.
2. When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you till it seems as though you could not hold on a minute longer; never give up, for it is when we get to the end of ourselves we see the mighty power and deliverance of our Lord and Deliverer.
L. Rejoice in God’s Future Plan for You
1. Jeremiah 29:11 ESV “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the LORD, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
2. 1 Corinthians 2:9 But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him."
II. Always Prayerful – “pray with out ceasing”
A. Luke 18:1 “…men always ought to pray and not lose heart”
B. Most of us have much trouble praying when we are in little trouble but we have little trouble praying when we are in much trouble. – Richard P Cook
C. The ACT of prayer should prayer include:
1. A = Adoration - Praising the Lord for Who He is and for all His goodness.
a. Though this word never occurs in English Versions, it represents aspects of worship which are very prominent in the Bible... Adoration is perhaps the highest type of worship, involving the reverent and rapt contemplation of the Divine perfections and prerogatives, the acknowledgment of them in words of praise, together with the visible symbols and postures that express the adoring attitude of the creature in the presence of his Creator. – Orr, James, M.A., D.D. General Editor. "Definition for ’ADORATION’". "International Standard Bible Encyclopedia". bible-history.com
b. Psalm 95:6 “O come , let us worship and bow down : let us kneel before the LORD our maker.”
2. C = Confession – Acknowledging our sins and expressing genuine sorrow for our sin.
a. Psalm 23:3-4 “Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD? Or who shall stand in his holy place? He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.”
b. Psalm 66:18 “If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me:”
3. T = Thanksgiving – Expressing thankfulness to the Lord for all He gives us.
a. Psalm 92:1 “It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High:”
b. When someone receives a gift, they write a thank you note. When the waitress serves us a meal in a restaurant, we say “thank you.” If someone holds open a door for us, we say, “thank you.” If we are driving and some kind person lets us merge into a line of traffic, we extend a wave – a wave that says, “thank you.” We say “thank you” for open doors and correct change. We say “thank you” to the people around us all of the time. But do we say “thank you” to God? Do we say, “thank you,” for the warm bed where our body rested last night? Do we say “thank you” for the cereal or coffee we consumed this morning? Do we say “thank you” for the feet or the car or the friend who brought us to church today? Do we say “thank you” for the gift of another day – the precious gift of being alive and in this place? If we say “thank you” to a stranger for holding open a door for us, then why do we not say “thank you” to the giver of every good and perfect gift? – adapted
4. S = Supplication – Petitioning the Lord for His help.
a. James 4:2b “...ye have not, because ye ask not.”
b. Zechariah 10:1 “Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.”
c. We are to come to God with definite, specific needs - expecting that definite, specific benefits will be granted! We are to pray specifically expecting God to answer specifically.
D. Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; 7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
III. Always Thankful – “in everything give thanks
A. Ephesians 5:20 “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”
B. The Bible doesn’t tell us to be thankful only for good things, but it tells us to be thankful for all things.
C. "I’ll never forget the first time someone said that to me. I thought he was nuts! My first comment was, ’Even if [my car’s tire has] a blowout?’ I asked him that question because I had just had a blowout the night before and had walked about two miles to a gas station. I was a brand-new Christian at the time, and this seemed to me to be about the silliest thing I could ever imagine, but when he backed up the statement with scripture, I began to wonder. He quoted Romans 8:28: ’And we know that all that happens to us is working for our good if we love God and are fitting into his plans.’ It’s easy to praise the Lord when things are good, but if you’ll just try it when things look hopeless, I guarantee you it will really do something for your spiritual life.” [Frances Hunter, Praise The Lord Anyway, pp. 10-11, 13.]
D. Psalm 100:4 “Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”
E. "Be thankful for the smallest blessing, and you will deserve to receive greater. Value the least gifts no less than the greatest, and simple graces as especial favours. If you remember the dignity of the Giver, no gift will seem small or mean, for nothing can be valueless that is given by the most high God." – Thomas à Kempis, 1380-1471
F.
G. Colossians 3:17 “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.”
