TODAY'S SCRIPTURE

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4

Read: Philippians 4:4-7

Listen: Philippians 4

TODAY'S MESSAGE

Rejoice always. It sounds great in theory. We’d all love to do it, but it is also really hard.

Even crazier is that Paul wrote these words when he was indefinitely detained under house arrest, chained to a Roman guard and awaiting a trial resulting in a potential death sentence. If anyone had an excuse to focus on the misery—it was Paul. Plus, he was writing to his friends in Philippi who were on the cusp of severe poverty and banishment from society. The Jesus-followers in Philippi also had reasons to focus on their problems. Yet, Paul tells them to rejoice always.

It probably isn’t any easier for us to rejoice always even though we certainly have more comforts than Paul and the Philippian church.

Over the weekend, Pastor Bob King walked us through four things a joyful heart helps us see so we can rejoice always. A joyful heart helps us see God’s good works around us, God’s good work in us, God’s good work in them and God’s good world to come. When we see these things, joy serves as a pressure value for anxiety as we find the joy Senior Pastor Jeff Manion defines as “the focus on the generosity of God that expresses itself through gratitude and praise even in seasons of extreme pain and deep disappointment.”

IN YOUR CHAIR TIME TODAY

Write three unique things you are thankful for as you continue the 21-day Thankfulness Challenge from Senior Pastor Jeff Manion in the first week of the series. Memorize Philippians 4:4 to remind you to focus on the generosity of God even in difficult seasons.

Download a printable PDF of the BTW week here.