Today’s Devotional – February 1st (In Every Thing Give Thanks!?!)
By admin On January 14th, 2021.
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Today’s Devotional – February 1st
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In Every Thing Give Thanks!?!
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“In every thing give thanks:
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
1st Thessalonians 5:18.
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Now the Bible clearly states, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1st Thessalonians 5:18.
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Okay, so if I get a bonus from the boss, down at work, I should give thanks.
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Or if my granddaughter wants to get baptized, I will certainly give thanks!
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Or if that car swerves away at the last moment, I should giving thanks.
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All this makes perfect sense!
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GIVE THANKS FOR BAD THINGS TOO!?!
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But what if I get fired by the boss down at work?
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Should I give thanks for that!?!
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Or what if my granddaughter throws her Bible down and says she is tired of Christianity?
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Should I give thanks for that!?!
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Or what if that car hits me?
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Certainly I shouldn’t give thanks for that!
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Or should I?
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car accident – CROPPED IMAGE – WIKIMEDIA – SHARE-ALIKE LICENSE
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“IN EVERY THING GIVE THANKS!”
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But the Bible clearly says, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
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So when God says “everything”, does He mean even the bad things?
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And when God says, “for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you”, is He saying that “giving thanks” is the will of God?
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Or is He saying that “everything” that happens to me as a Christian, both good and bad, is God’s will for me?
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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License
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THY WILL IS BEING DONE!
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Jesus stood before His disciples and prayed thus, “Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done…”.
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Whenever the words are discussed, “Thy will be done, in earth, as it is in Heaven”, someone will undoubtedly say, “Well, someday, in the sweet by and by, God shall finally be able to do His will for us!”
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But it is the belief of this website that God is right now doing His own will down here on earth! And it is the belief of this website that all these things in 1st Thessalonians 5:18 are true!
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In other words, we should give thanks to God for every thing that comes our way, both good and bad alike!
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And giving thanks for all things, good and bad, is God’s will for us.
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But in addition to all this we need to realize that God is in complete control of this world!
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Yes, we need to realize that all things that happen to us, both good and bad, are also the will of God, in Christ Jesus, concerning us!
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Prayer – USMC – Wikimedia – US Govt. Public Domain
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ALL THINGS FOR MY GOOD?
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Now let’s repeat that last statement: “…all things that happen to us, both good 
and bad, are the will of God, in Christ Jesus, concerning us!”
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Now, this last statement is one that most Christians will say, “Now wait just a minute! You’re not trying to tell me that a car accident, or getting fired, or my granddaughter quitting Christianity is God’s will for me, are you?”
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Well, it certainly gives no pleasure to God to see anyone suffer!
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And yet, while God doesn’t necessarily cause bad things, He may permit bad things to happen, for our ultimate good.
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JOB’S TROUBLES
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Remember all those horrible things that happened to Job?
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He lost his livelihood. He lost 
all his children. And he lost his health. But what did Job say in response? Did he curse God? Did he shake his fist at Heaven? Did he give up his walk with God?
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No, listen to Job’s response… “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.” Job 1:20, 21
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Yes, Job gave this wonderful testimony of his trust and confidence, that God knows what He is doing: even in those strait places, where our faith is sorely tried!
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Job (oil on canvas) by Bonnat, Leon Joseph Florentin (1833-1922) – Wikimedia – public domain
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JOSEPH’S TROUBLES
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Now let’s take another Bible hero.
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Let’s take Joseph, the son of Jacob.
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Should Joseph have given thanks for how his brothers mocked him, because of his dream? Or should Joseph have given thanks to God for when his brothers threw him into a pit? Or should Joseph have given thanks for when he was sold into slavery in Egypt? Or how about when he was falsely accused by Potiphar’s wife? Or how about his getting thrown into prison?
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Were all these things the will of God concerning Joseph?
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Well, no doubt Satan had a hand in all these mishaps, the same as he did in Job’s mishaps!
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Joseph Faithful in Prison www.thebiblerevival.com public domain
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GOD IS IN FULL CONTROL!
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But let’s face it! Hasn’t God spared us many times from some evil thing?
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And couldn’t He prevent all evil? Yes, He could! But He doesn’t, does He? And sometimes, God does permit evil in our lives.
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But that is why God gave us the Bible: to show us that even the evil things will work together for good, to those of us who love God.
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And we all are familiar with that wonderful promise… “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.” Romans 8:28.
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La Bible, Notre-Dame – cropped image – Wikimedia – share-alike license
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THY WILL IS BEING DONE…HERE!?!
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But we have an even more revealing promise.
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Listen… “In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of Him who worketh all things after the counsel of His own will:” Ephesians 1:11.
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Now this almost sounds like God is saying that all things are His will! How could that be?
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Well, God is even more clear in this next statement. Listen… “And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He doeth according to His will in the army of Heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, What doest Thou?” Daniel 4:35.
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Now at this point, many are probably getting ready to leave the room! Or perhaps they’re wanting to say…
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“You’re not trying to tell me that God is doing His own will in this horrible, horrible world are you!?”
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Question Marks – At a loss – svg – Wikimedia Commons – Share-Alike License
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HAPPY END FOR JOSEPH & BROTHERS!
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Well, if we put these three above passages together (Romans 8:28, Ephesians 1:11 & Daniel 4:35), one could make a pretty strong case for just such a determination!
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Yes, it was God’s permissive will to allow Satan to do all those bad things to Job!
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And it was God’s permissive will to allow Satan to do all those bad things to Joseph, as well!
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But what was the end of Job’s trouble?
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And what was the end of Joseph’s trouble?
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The end of both of these men’s troubles, was a glorious end, wasn’t it?
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Yes, the end of Job’s troubles was that he received double for all that he lost! And his lifespan was doubled too!
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And the end of Joseph’s troubles, was that his entire family was saved from starvation! (picture to right shows Joseph hugging his long-lost brothers)
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Joseph meets Brothers – www.wpclipart.com
Job (oil on canvas) by Bonnat, Leon Joseph Florentin (1833-1922)- Wikimedia – public domain
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THIS WORLD: GOD’S GOLD-SMITH SHOP!
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And so, as “strangers and pilgrims” in this unhappy world, let’s take heart that the things which happen in this world are no accident!
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No, this world is God’s silver & gold-smithing shop. And God is sitting as a purifier of gold and silver… the gold of faith, love, and purity of the hearts of His Chosen Ones!
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And if we can only begin to take hold of this kind of faith, then God can do “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the Power that worketh in us,” Eph. 3:20.
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Goldkey logo removed – Wikimedia – Public Domain
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“I RATHER GLORY IN MY INFIRMITIES”
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Oh yes, there will be many times of tears and sorrow, in this sad world.
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That’s understandable!
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But if we only murmur and complain about our trials, then we are like those murmurers and complainers in the Old Testament.
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Instead, let’s take the same attitude as Paul… “Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the Power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.” 2nd Corinthians 12:9, 10.
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WOW! If only God’s people could have this kind of faith, like Paul had!
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Well, we can! If we want it!
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Paul persecuted – www.thebiblerevival.com – US Public Domain
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“Then said Jesus unto Peter,
‘Put up thy sword into the sheath:
the cup which My Father hath given Me,
shall I not drink it?'”
John 18:11
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TO READ PART 2, CLICK HERE…
MARCH 10 (In Every Thing Give Thanks!?! Part 2: Little Trials!)
Hair pulling stress – frustration – Wikimedia – Share-alike License
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TODAY’S PRAYER…
“Dear Lord, Help me to fully grasp this concept of giving thanks in both the good as well as the bad things that happen. Help me to understand that nothing can happen to me, either good or bad, unless you allow it to happen…
Morning Prayers – Ebenezer Newman – Downard – 1860 – Wikipedia – Public Domain
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… JANUARY 22 (Enduring Afflictions), or you can also read…NOVEMBER 9 (When My Body Becomes My Torture Chamber)
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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THE END
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TODAY’S FEATURED HEAVENLY SIGN
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GRASPING FOR SCEPTER AND A CROWN…
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This page however just deals with the Woman travailing in child-birth. When she is in labor, she appears to reach out her hand southward to grasp a The Cross/Scepter, which is coming from the South, out of an ark-like box. There also is a Crown of 12 Stars (13 counting a star in the center). But the Crown (the Corona Borealis Constellation) is not yet on her head. The crown is to the south of her. So she is grasping for the Cross/Scepter. She doesn’t yet wear the crown. This reminds us of that well-known passage in Philippians which states…
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“Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Phil.3:13, 14
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And also another verse of the apostle Paul… “Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.” 2 Timothy 4:8.
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So this woman with child is grasping, either for that Cross/Scepter, or perhaps that crown, or both. This is such an incredible scenario in the heavens! But this is a very complex concept. Because this headless woman-with-child, which turns upside down in winter to become the “Fleeing Woman of Revelation 12”; and combine this with that Crown and that Cross/Scepter, of which she appears to be grasping for in summer, and these various aspects present a great portion of what the Bible is about.
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SKETCH WITH JOSHUA TREES…The above sketch are the Summer Constellations .as they appear when in the western half of the night sky. The box-like constellation is the The Ark of the Covenant (AKA Sagittarius Constellation) is in the south. To the right is both the Flower of the Field Constellation and above the flower is The Cross/Scepter Constellation. Further to the north is the Crown of Revelation Twelve (AKA Corona Borealis ) and the star, Arcturus . Farthest to the north is the Woman of Revelation 12 part one (Woman in Travail) (AKA Ursa Major). Of course, in this sketch is the desert with several Joshua Tress and some mesas, and a few other plants.
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READ MORE…
To explore deeper into this subject, please read… “Woman of Revelation 12 (Woman in Travail)”
Question book magnify svg – Wikimedia – GNU license
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TOMORROW:
February 2nd . . . . The Supernatural Life“
Paul Converted – www.thebiblerevival.com
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20 MINUTE+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY IN JEREMIAH 
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ALL‘NOBLE BEREANS’ (open-minded seekers of Bible truth) ARE ENCOURAGED TO BEGIN FOLLOWING THIS 650+ AUDIO BIBLE STUDY THROUGH THE BOOK OF JEREMIAH EACH DAY ON THIS DAILY DEVOTIONAL.
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THIS STUDY #32 IS PRESENTED BY THE LATE HAROLD CAMPING, FORMER CEO OF FAMILY RADIO…
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above picture: Prophet Jeremiah – www.christianimagesource.org – Public Domain