God's Holy Fire: 'Received with Joy'

Monday, November 27, 2023

So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord.
— 1 Thessalonians 1:6 NLT

Key Thought

How can a convicting message, a message that calls us to turn our lives around (1 Thessalonians 1:8-10), bring joy in the middle of suffering?
  1. That message is true.
  2. That message points us to a better way, a way that leads to glory that is far greater than any suffering now could possibly be (Romans 8:17-18).
  3. That message comes accompanied by the ultimate Message-giver, the Holy Spirit.
Joy is inspired, produced, and sustained by the Holy Spirit.

Today's Prayer

O Father, inspire joy in me and those I love. I do not ask for this joy selfishly, but so that others can sense this deep and abiding joy within me and be open to hearing the message of Jesus, responding to his call to believe, and discovering the joy that is possible only because of the Spirit's presence in our lives. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Comments

Archived Facebook Comments

Other Devotionals from Heartlight for Monday, November 27, 2023

A Year with Jesus
A devotional to help reclaim Jesus as the daily Lord of our lives.
'A Time for Praise'
"Dear Faithful Follower, What John saw and shared in the verses below is the powerful image of Me coming as a conquering warrior to destroy the evil....."
Unstoppable!
A one-year devotional guide through the book of Acts.
'The Core of the Good News Message'
"[Festus, explaining the situation with Paul to King Agrippa, said:] "When his accusers came here for the trial, I didn't delay. I called the case the..."
What Jesus Did!
A daily guide from the gospels that challenges readers to live for Jesus.
'Escape Jerusalem; Expect Jesus' Coming'
"[Jesus continued his warnings,] "And when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then you will know that the time of its destruction has arrived...."
Quotemeal
A daily dose of Christian quotes to inspire and encourage.
Quote by Burton Hills:
"I don't think the Lord wants any pompous proclamation of thanks on one Thursday in November as much as He wants a little humble service from us every day in the..."

Illustration

Illustration of 1 Thessalonians 1:6 NLT — So you received the message with joy from the Holy Spirit in spite of the severe suffering it brought you. In this way, you imitated both us and the Lord.

About This Devotional

God's Holy Fire is a daily devotional about the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The Thoughts and Prayer for God's Holy Fire are written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
Scripture quotations marked MESSAGE are taken from THE MESSAGE, copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson. Used by permission of NavPress. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.

More God's Holy Fire

Translations