For the next couple of weeks we will focus on themes related to Thanksgiving. Having a grateful, thankful heart is a key that unlocks a joyful life in Christ, and we don’t talk about it enough. We will lazer in on “thanksgiving” for the next two weeks. This week, we will study 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, which tells us about “The Will Of God For You.” This is a wonderful passage to commit to memory and meditation. In fact, I want to encourage you to look up the passage right now, try to memorize it (it is very short), and then think about what it means to…

• Rejoice always
• Pray without ceasing
• Give thanks in all circumstances

I can promise you, “this is the will of Christ Jesus for you.” What could life be like if you obeyed these three commands?

Let me encourage you to be praying for President-Elect Trump and Vice President-Elect Pence. I am convicted that I allowed some of my disagreements with President Obama to keep me from praying for him as much as I should have. That was wrong, because 1 Timothy 2:1-2 commands us to pray “for kings and all who are in high positions.” Whether a leader gets our vote support is one thing. Whether a leader gets our prayer support is a matter of obedience to Scripture.

I am committing myself to pray daily for our new President, and here are some of the things I am praying for:

• For his health and protection
• For him to look to God for wisdom
• For him to surround himself with wise counselors, and listen to wise counsel
• For him to appoint good judges, who will respect the sanctity of life and religious liberty
• For him to be supportive of Israel
• For him to be a leader who will reach out to all Americans and seek to bring people together
• For him to have the right blend of strength and humility

His challenges, domestically and internationally, are enormous. He needs our prayers. Let’s be faithful intercessors, not only for our President-Elect, but for “all who are in high positions.”

See you this Sunday, with a joyful, thankful, and prayerful heart!

By His Grace, For His Glory, To The Nations,

Dr. Thurman Hayes, Jr.