4. READ: PHILIPPIANS 4:4
a. What should we always do?
Answer: God's believers--His true worshipers--should always rejoice in the Lord, (verse 4).
Habakkuk 3:17-18: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior."
James 1:2: "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance."
1 Peter 4:13: "But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when His glory is revealed."
Psalm 40:16: "But may all who seek You rejoice and be glad in You; may those who love Your salvation always say, ‘The Lord be exalted!'"
Psalm 97:12: "Rejoice in the Lord, you who are righteous, and praise His holy Name."
Matthew 5:11-12: [Jesus said,] "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Romans 12:12: "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer."
Philippians 3:1a: "Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord!"
"Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, Whom He has given us. You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His Own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through Him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through His life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received reconciliation."