On June 7, Ningboshi Centennial Church, Zhejiang Province, held its first in-person Sunday service since the pandemic. In order to control the crowd, the church had four Sunday services instead of the usual three.
In the morning, Pastor Gao Jianwei preached at the first and second service. He quoted from 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24 to explain "God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."
The three elements in the life of believers that Paul mentioned in the Thessalonian church were also what Christians needed to practice in life. These three aspects were the signs of a healthy Christian life.
Rejoice always
Joy is difficult to disguise, and there is no need to disguise it. Without joy, life would be painful, and the quality of life would decline. "Rejoice always" is a biblical lesson and the Lord's request. It is a testimony that confirms those who are calm and stable in the heart. Those who rejoice in the midst of trouble bring glory to His holy name.
Those who rejoice provide a good witness, the foundation which is peace. Christians should rejoice in the Lord.
Pray continually
Prayer is like breathing. Without breathing, life would end. We need air every day, which is similar to how Christians to maintain a good relationship with God. Our hearts should be filled with joy.
Prayer gives us strength. Paul said: "For this reason I kneel before the Father. I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being." (Eph 3:14-16) Paul, a gifted and capable man, knelt and prayed in front of the Father every day. God wants to strengthen our hearts by the Spirit. Only by His help can the inner life be strengthened.
Pray for understanding of His will. Sometimes we don’t understand the things we encounter, but through prayer and reading the Bible, we can clearly understand the will of God. Joseph experienced troubles and did not understand, but when he looked up and trusted and God, then he understood. "God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." (Gen 50:20)
When a person understands the will of God, all burdens can be laid down and all problems solved. We often see the difficulties on the surface, not the good will of God behind the scenes. When we don’t understand, we need to step back and ask Him to open our eyes.
Give thanks in all circumstances
In our lives and work, no matter what happens, whether we are in trouble, illness or poor health, give thanks in all circumstances. Even a hair from our head cannot fall to the ground without God’s permission. Everything is under His control; if He doesn’t permit it, then nothing will happen whether good or bad.
No matter what happens, the intentions of God are good. Take Joseph as an example. The death of his father Jacob made his brothers very worried. They measured the heart of a man of integrity with their own poor standard and were afraid of his revenge. But Joseph said: “Don’t be afraid. Have I taken the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.” (Gen 50:19-20)
Thanksgiving is a compulsory course. We should give thanks to our Lord every day.
It is reported that in order to control the number of people in each Sunday service, brothers and sisters could go to the reception office to make an appointment for next week's Sunday service.
- Translated by Elaina Wu
