Scripture Text: "Pray without ceasing." ! Thessalonians 5:17 (KJV)

I had a young man write to me once (he was in Bible School) he took one of my devotionals where I had used only part of a verse  of scripture back to his instructor and his instructor supposedly told him that ANY MAN who uses just part of the verse of scripture  in a message is not telling the whole story and is suspect of teaching out of context. Not sure whether the professor ever read the  devotional or not, but the young man seemed to have fun telling me that I was a "False teacher" because I used only part of a verse. Well... I decided to a whole verse again today like I did yesterday.

Yesterday's text was, "Rejoice evermore" and today's text is, "Pray without ceasing".

Now we all know that these aren't entire verses but they were broken down later on into verse for easier reference. But what we're into here is a "FLOWING" process of the Apostle Paul as he writes to the church at Thessalonica with regard to their spiritual walk with Christ - but we would be remiss if we didn't tie verses 17-19 together.

Yes! Pray without ceasing is a powerful admonition and stands alone no matter how impractical you might think that it is. I mean, how does one pray without ceasing? You have to work, you have to sleep, you have to eat, you have to dialogue with others... it's just not practical to think that one could be constantly in prayer. That's where verse 18 and 19 comes in as it is the period on the  sentence of the point that Paul is trying to get across here. 

Prayer is not a position or a time period, it certainly doesn't have to be exclusionary from the presence of others... but there is a time and place for what we know to be prayer. It's reasonable for one to assume that what Paul is speaking of here has got to be something different; a deeper mystery than what the Church of Thessalonica had been privy to before this. But in truth it wasn't a  mystery at all. It was a way of life that no one had experienced in the church before this on an ongoing basis. Paul was referring to "Holiness unto the Lord": a way of life that lived and breathed and exhaled the "celebration of prayer."  Look at that next verse there - verse 18. he says there...

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you."

Thanks for the "temporal" good things; such as life itself. Thanks for the provision of food and raiment and all the mercies of life.  Thanks for the provision of grace; for the precepts of the teachings of Paul and the other Apostles. Thanks for the spiritual  blessings such as redemption; regeneration; and adoption into the Family of God. Thanks for the promise of heaven and the life  to come; for Jesus Christ as our Savior and advocate with the Father.

Thanks for peace, joy, comfort, righteousness, and salvation in him. In other words, the lives of the people at church at Thessalonica and those of us today who have been attending church, yet have begun to feel a staleness where love and joy has all but left us - need to take to heart both of these verses. To, "Pray without ceasing". To, "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you". We need to realize that it is the uniform we must wear; the face we must put on; the calling card we use. Our lives must become an open connection to the Father in all that we do. But we're not finished yet. Paul goes on to say, "Quench not the Spirit".

Now, I've wanted to speak on this for years but it never came to the front of the list until now. There are a lot of "spirit" quenchers out there aren't there? Ever walk into a room in a good mood and try to throw out a joke and everyone looks around at everyone else almost daring them to laugh? I've been in Christmas Office Parties where people who have worked side by side for years - supposedly Christians wouldn't think of cracking a smile because they see it as a sign of weakness. WHAT? JOY IN THE LORD  A SIGN OF WEAKNESS? That's not what the WORD Says. The WORD says, "The JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH". Neh 8:10

Even today there are those who are find it convenient and necessary to degrade and belittle the Christian faith as a bunch of "hate mongers" merely because they stand against such things as homosexuality and abortion. It has caused many of the faith to break new political ground with ideals that are more popular and readily acceptable, as they seek to "fit in" and be a part of the status-quo. WHY? Having a vertical relationship with God the Father and living a life in the presence of Jesus through the Power of the Holy Spirit is more than just a way of life. Living a life of rejoicing and praying without ceasing, and always giving thanks for every event in your life, builds a faith in not just Hope, but it builds a trust in "the Light" that guides us along; a vehement flame if you will, which many waters (floods) could not quench. It builds a zeal that bursts forth with the gifts of the Spirit and the Fruits of the Spirit, utterly driving out the darkness of loss and failure. It is the efficacy of the cross and the resurrection of the Spirit and the promise of an eternal home.

In closing here today, I need to point out that if you do not have the JOY OF THE LORD as the driving force of your life, there is a reason for it. it could be very well that you are "quenching the Spirit" by not allowing Him to move in your life and in the lives of your family. I heard one very perplexed mother say one time, "Imagine your child on drugs". She was so distraught about the turn in life that her son had taken and now he was sleeping on the streets and she never heard from for months at a time - never knowing if he was alive... well... let me turn that question around if I may. Imagine your kids in the SPIRIT!!! Imagine your kids so on fire for God that they were witnessing to friends and living their lives in such a way, you were humbled to be called their mom or dad. When you quench the spirit from working in your life... you are quenching the spirit from working in the lives of others as well. Maybe it's time you made a change. I know it's time for me.

Let's pray.

Father, As I look at my own children and my life as their father, I know that I have quenched the spirit in their lives from time to time and if it wasn't for your forgiveness and your call on my life to be a living example to them, I know I would be the worst of the worse... and bound for the lake of fire. But Father you are teaching me to start rejoicing in You through all of the struggles and you are teaching me to seek your strength and your leading as I spend my life in constant fellowship with you as I praise and pray and give thanks for your goodness in my life. Speak to others hearts through me today Lord as I share the JOY that you have placed in my heart - not because I deserved it... but merely because you Love me. I will give you all the glory, In Jesus Name I Pray, Amen.