Test All Things; Hold Fast What Is Good

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil.

Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

Brethren, pray for us.

Greet all the brethren with a holy kiss.

I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read to all the holy brethren.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-28

Do you struggle to maintain a consistent prayer life? Many of us do. We know that prayer is important, but it can also be difficult. We have moments of deep commitment with God and then we have times when it feels like we are just going through the motions.

The life of faith is a marathon. There are ups and downs, and the plateaus in our prayer life are a reflection of this race. And just as in a marathon we need to keep running, so we keep praying. The point is: “Don’t give up!”

And because God, our heavenly Father, is a personal being, we can develop a time of close communion with Him, just as we do with our close human relationships.

There is never a day when we don’t need to pray.

Our Daily Bread – May 5, 2016