There is no event or circumstance that can occur in the life of any Christian that should diminish that Christian's joy.

Does that sound ridiculous?

Nevertheless, no matter how it sounds, the command of Scripture is explicit.

Rejoice always.

It's become a day more associated with travel and eating in football games than what American President Abraham Lincoln envisioned.

That was in 1863 when the President declared the first official Thanksgiving a time for remembering the gracious gifts of the most high god.

And what's perhaps most significant about Lincoln's declaration is that it came in the middle of the U.S. Civil War, a reminder that even during serious troubles, God is gracious and merciful and he deserves our thanks.

So even if you're facing a time of testing today, Thanksgiving Day in the United States, join John MacArthur here on Grace to you as he looks at why if you know Christ, you can rejoice in any circumstance.

With his message titled Rejoicing Always, Here's John.

It is our great privilege to return to our wonderful study of 1 Thessalonians chapter 5.

And I invite you to take your Bible, if you will, and open to that great chapter.

I want to preach on just one verse, verse 16, verse with only two words.

First Thessalonians 5, 16 simply says, rejoice always.

And I want to use that as a beginning point to speak on the subject of Christian joy.

Now you know this is part of a larger series starting in chapter 5, verse 12.

We began to discuss this matter of growing a healthy flock. Paul, concerned about the health of the flock in Thessalonica,

gave the instruction about how the sheep are to treat the shepherds and how the shepherds are to treat the sheep.

And then how the sheep are to treat the sheep.

And now he comes to a new relationship, not the relationship of sheep to shepherd or sheep to sheep,

but the relationship of sheep to great shepherd.

And here we get into a look at the inner life of the believer.

If the flock is to be healthy, not only does the relationship between shepherd and sheep have to be right,

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