| 1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Many believers often wonder what God's will is, and actually God's will is not hard to understand. God wants us to be joyful always, because joy is the mark of a Christian. If a Christian is not joyful, what's the point of heaven? Sometimes it is hard to be joyful in the flesh, no wonder a pastor once said, "When you talk to others about heaven, your face should shine with extra joy. And when you talk to others about hell, you can show your normal face." We know we should be joyful, but we find it hard to do so. Hence, our faces are often filled with sorrow because our eyes are fixed on our circumstances and environment. Joy does not depend on oneself, but comes from the Holy Spirit. This is why we need to come before God each day, to be filled by Him. We need to come to the well of the Holy Spirit to draw our strength from him. The fountain of joy dwells inside of us and we can live out a testimony of joy every day. Secondly, we need to pray unceasingly because prayer allows us to co-labor with God. God chooses to work with us and wants us to pray according to His will so that He can come and do the work. God uses prayer and people in order to accomplish his work. We need to pray unceasingly. When God puts a burden in our hearts, we need to rise up for the Lord, to pray and co-labor with Him. Thirdly, we need to give thanks in all circumstances. Not that we say "Thank you God" for no reason or whatsoever. Thanksgiving is an attitude of the heart and we need to have a thankful heart in everything. A heart of thanksgiving helps us to be humble and to see God's will in everything. It also helps us to learn to appreciate the strengths of others, and it helps us see God's work in our lives and in the lives of people around us, instead of just focusing on ourselves. More importantly, a heart of thanksgiving causes our hearts to be filled with joy. Selfish people do not see the strengths of others and are full of complaints. Thankful people see how others have benefited them and are filled with joy. May the Lord help us to live out this testimony each day, be joyful always, pray unceasingly and give the glory to God. Pray with Pastor Tong Liu 
Lord, I thank you because you are the vine and the source of our strength and wisdom. May you bless us and fill us with your Holy Spirit each day so that we can be joyful always, pray unceasingly in co-laboring with you and give thanks in all circumstances, so that you will receive the glory. I thank you and pray in the victorious name of Jesus, Amen!
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