Rejoice Always, Pray Continually, And Give Thanks.

Thanksgiving Day is a day that our government has set aside as a national holiday and a day of thanks. But, as Christians, everyday should be a day of thanksgiving to God (and others)!

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) says “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”

Obeying these three commands often goes against our natural inclinations.

Our joy, prayers and thankfulness should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings. When we make a conscious decision to do God’s will, we will begin to see people in a new perspective and we will find it easier to be joyful, pray continually and give thanks.

We cannot spend all our time on our knees, but it is possible to have a prayerful attitude at all times. This attitude is built upon acknowledging our dependence on God, realizing His presence within us, and determining to obey Him fully.

Then we will find it natural to pray frequent, spontaneous, and short prayers. A prayerful and thankful attitude is not a substitute for regular times of prayer and giving thanks but should be an outgrowth of those times.

Be Thankful Even If You

Are In Difficult Circumstances.

The Bible does not teach that we should thank God for everything that happens to us, but in everything. Evil does not come from God, so we should not thank Him for it. But when evil strikes, we can still be thankful for God’s presence and for the good that He will accomplish through our difficult circumstances.

Do Not Be Anxious About Anything!

Philippians 4:6 (NIV) says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.”

Imagine never being “anxious about anything”! That seems like an impossibility because we all have worries on the job or business, in our homes, in our relationships and at school.

But the Bible advises us to turn our worries into prayers. Do you want to worry less? Then pray more! Whenever you start to worry, stop and pray, give your worries to God, let them go, and thank Him for taking care of them!

We Are God’s Representatives.

Colossians 3:17 (NIV) says “And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.”

Doing “all in the name of the Lord Jesus” means bringing honor to Christ in every aspect of our life and daily living. As a Christian, we represent Christ at all times – wherever we go and whatever we we say or do.

What impression do people have of Christ when they see or talk with you? Is your light shining brightly? If not, what changes should you make in your life in order to honor Christ?

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Learn 5 Keys For Successfully Resolving Conflicts.

By: Bill and Teddy Rogers

All of us have had or, if we live long enough, will have conflicts in our personal relationships. How we handle and resolve these conflicts is very important.

James 1:19 says “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.”

Here are 5 keys needed to successfully resolve most of your conflicts.

KEY # 1: BE QUICK TO LISTEN

When we listen, we encourage the other person to talk. Listening also helps us to understand the other person and where they are coming from.

Many of us do not really listen like we should because we are defensive, we assume we already know what they are going to say next, or we're thinking about what we're going to say back to them.

During A Conflict, Here Is What You Should Do:

• Listen not merely with your ears, but observe and listen with your eyes;
• Focus on what the other person is saying, not what you are thinking;
• Consider the meaning behind the words without jumping to conclusions.

Note: If you are not sure what you think they said, replay their statement back to them.

KEY # 2: BE SLOW TO SPEAK

God gave us two ears and one mouth. This may mean that we are to listen more and speak a whole lot less.

Here Are 4 Scriptures That Tell Us To Limit What We Say During A Conflict.

Proverbs 10:19 says “In the multitude of words sin is not lacking, but he who restrains his lips is wise.”

Proverbs 17:27 says “He who has knowledge spares his words, and a man of understanding is of a calm spirit.”

Proverbs 21:23 says “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.”

Ecclesiastes 5:3 says “For a dream comes through much activity, and a fool’s voice is known by his many words.”

KEY # 3: BE SLOW TO BECOME ANGRY

Ecclesiastes 7:9 says “Do not hasten in your spirit to be angry, for anger rests in the bosom of fools.”

Proverbs 16:32 says “He who is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.”

Ephesians 4:26 says “Be angry, and do not sin: do not let the sun go down on your wrath.”

Proverbs 29:22 says “An angry man stirs up strife, and a furious man abounds in transgression.”

Remember, words spoken in anger are very difficult if not impossible to retract. Keep your words soft and sweet, you may have to eat them!

KEY # 4: BE LOVING AND KIND

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 says “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

You will never resolve any conflict by playing destructive games. Please don't ever do the following:

• Blame the other person;
• Think you know everything about the other person;
• Insist that every detail be correct;
• Rule by force – verbal or physical;
• Compare the other person to someone else;
• Act superior or “holier than thou”;
• Bring up past conflicts that have nothing do do with the current conflict.

Key # 5: ATTEMPT TO SET THE

 STAGE BEFORE YOUR CONFLICT

• Never have your conflict before eating a meal, going to church or a social event;
• Never have your conflict when you or the other person are angry;
• Have it in the right place when only the participants are involved ( never in front of children );
• Stay in control of your tone of voice.

Obviously, there are exceptions to the above, but if you use these 5 Keys and use them wisely, you should be able to successfully resolve most of your conflicts.

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