Passage of the Day: Romans 5: 11 … Not only is this so [i.e., truth, having been brought from death into eternal life], but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through Whom we have now received reconciliation.
My Journal for Today: I embolden the phrase “we also rejoice” above; because a portion of the grace imparted into the heart of the believer, among the fruit of the Spirit, is JOY (see Gal. 5: 22 – 23). The Greek expression for this is “chara,” which means “to rejoice jubilantly” or “to be thrilled.” Several Psalmists declared such exultation like that expressed by Paul in today’s verse (see Psalm 33: 21; 34: 3; 43: 4). As John MacArthur states in Strength for Today, “As you make God the focus of your life, He will grant you an assurance that only He can give.” And one of the expressions of that assurance will be manifest in a joy that can be found even in moments that might normally produce fear or concern. That was the message of instruction expressed by Paul to his young protégé, Timothy, in 2nd Tim. 1: 7 [a verse you simply MUST MEMORIZE to avoid a spirit of fear].
So, you might ask, “Why don’t some, who claim to be Christian, feel this joy?” And the answer to that inquiry is clear, at least to me, from MacArthur’s quote and Paul’s admonition to Timothy. … When we focus on self over Savior, we separate ourselves in our will from the will of God. Our pride creates a self-imposed barrier to the fruit of joy which comes from God’s grace. We’ve read this truth before in such verses as 1st Peter 5: 6 or James 4: 6 [both great verses to have deeply memorized], both of which are quotes from the, Proverbs 3: 34. And right now, as I have my morning time with God, I’ve been led to listen to a wonderful song, written and sung by Laura Story, entitled Blessings, express this truth about as well as can be told. Hence, I link you here to hear this praise song.
God has boundless and endless joy ready to burst forth in the midst of our concern; but when we get prideful or self-centered, expressed in such self-driven and sinful emotions as reactionary anger, long-term bitterness, or greed, we cannot expect God to pour forth with His fruit of joy. So, the experience of joy, which is a wondrous assurance of our salvation, can only be realized when we CHOOSE God’s grace in our surrender of our will to His.
When are we going to get it?!! When are we going to receive God’s grace by our willful surrender rather than our willful pridefulness? When are going to walk into God’s shower of joy to be cleansed of our selfishness and drenched in the exultation of our relationship with our Lord?
Who knows! We choose … self … or Savior?
My Prayer Today: I surrender, Lord; and Your joy is mine! Amen
Showing posts with label joyfulness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label joyfulness. Show all posts
Friday, July 08, 2011
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
May 25, 2011 … Paul: Joy in Spite of Trouble
Passage of the Day: Philippians 4: 4 … Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
My Journal for Today: This month we’ve made reference to and discussed the stoning and martyrdom of Stephen. Well, we know that the Apostle Paul, then “Saul of Tarsus,” was present as a witness at Stephen’s stoning [see Acts 7]; and it is reasonable to assume, due to his authority and history of persecuting Jews, that Saul (Paul) may have ordered or authorized the “hit” on Stephen. And in that moment of Christian history, Saul, who would become Paul, witnessed the very act of faith that he would later exhort all believers to experience … and that is the choice to “rejoice … always,” even when facing a horrible and painful situation [as did Stephen]. And since the Apostle Paul wrote the words of today’s verse from prison, the contextual power of his pronouncement is enhanced.
Many of Paul’s greatest teachings, as positive as they were, came from his prison epistles (see also Ephesians and Colossians). … But note, in Eph. 3: 1, that though Paul was physically in a Roman prison, he referred to himself as a “prisoner to Christ,” which affirmed what he proclaimed in today’s verse that he could rejoice in his faith even when he was facing death from the Romans. Paul could have been executed at any time as he wrote Phil. 4: 4; and ultimately he was martyred for his faith. But he believed that one could choose joy in the midst of trials; and he did just that! We read in Phil. 1: 13 that he used the “opportunity” of prison to spread the gospel, even to his Gentile, Roman jailers. And the entire epistle to the Christians at Philippi was an expression of joyous love to them.
Go and read the wonderful true story, penned by Luke in Acts 16: 22 – 34, about Paul and his fellow compatriot, inmate Silas, as Paul chooses to rejoice in the gospel message remaining in the jail, even when they had the chance to escape prison. No, rather than escape, they chose to lead a Roman jailer to Christ, which also resulted in that jailer’s entire family being saved. Such an act of Christians rejoicing in their faith in the face of danger and trial speaks volumes of life proclaiming validity in the words of God, through Paul, in today’s verse.
How could we, as Christians, not aspire to such faith?
My Prayer Today: Help me, Lord, to bloom as joyful wherever I’m planted. Amen
My Journal for Today: This month we’ve made reference to and discussed the stoning and martyrdom of Stephen. Well, we know that the Apostle Paul, then “Saul of Tarsus,” was present as a witness at Stephen’s stoning [see Acts 7]; and it is reasonable to assume, due to his authority and history of persecuting Jews, that Saul (Paul) may have ordered or authorized the “hit” on Stephen. And in that moment of Christian history, Saul, who would become Paul, witnessed the very act of faith that he would later exhort all believers to experience … and that is the choice to “rejoice … always,” even when facing a horrible and painful situation [as did Stephen]. And since the Apostle Paul wrote the words of today’s verse from prison, the contextual power of his pronouncement is enhanced.
Many of Paul’s greatest teachings, as positive as they were, came from his prison epistles (see also Ephesians and Colossians). … But note, in Eph. 3: 1, that though Paul was physically in a Roman prison, he referred to himself as a “prisoner to Christ,” which affirmed what he proclaimed in today’s verse that he could rejoice in his faith even when he was facing death from the Romans. Paul could have been executed at any time as he wrote Phil. 4: 4; and ultimately he was martyred for his faith. But he believed that one could choose joy in the midst of trials; and he did just that! We read in Phil. 1: 13 that he used the “opportunity” of prison to spread the gospel, even to his Gentile, Roman jailers. And the entire epistle to the Christians at Philippi was an expression of joyous love to them.
Go and read the wonderful true story, penned by Luke in Acts 16: 22 – 34, about Paul and his fellow compatriot, inmate Silas, as Paul chooses to rejoice in the gospel message remaining in the jail, even when they had the chance to escape prison. No, rather than escape, they chose to lead a Roman jailer to Christ, which also resulted in that jailer’s entire family being saved. Such an act of Christians rejoicing in their faith in the face of danger and trial speaks volumes of life proclaiming validity in the words of God, through Paul, in today’s verse.
How could we, as Christians, not aspire to such faith?
My Prayer Today: Help me, Lord, to bloom as joyful wherever I’m planted. Amen
Sunday, January 16, 2011
January 16, 2011 … Contentment: How To Enjoy It
Passage of the Day: Hebrews 13: 5. 6 – 5 Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." [from Deut. 31: 6] 6So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?" [restatement of Ps. 118: 6,7]
My Journal for Today: Contentment! We began to look at this illusive quality of life yesterday, indicating that true contentment is a measure of the maturity of one’s faith in God’s providence. With all that life presents, especially in times of trials/tribulations, it’s so easy to wonder if real contentment is possible.
But as we read yesterday in Phil. 4: 11 – 12, the Apostle, Paul, had found real contentment, even though he was writing from prison. In fact, the entire book of Philippians is a journal of true Christian contentment and joy. Read Phil. 3: 7 - 9; and see further just how deeply felt was Paul’s sense of faith in Christ …
>>> SCRIPTURE: Phil. 3: 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
Now that’s faith!
I have a standard response that I learned to the generic, “How are you?” greeting, which people throw out so flippantly in public. I learned my response from my former mentor, who used to reply to this question with, “Always better than I deserve?” Most people expect the generic reply, “Fine!” to that greeting; but often when I reply as indicated above, people actually have to think what I mean by that reply. Many times it offers a good opportunity to witness for my faith and to the biblical truths that we are now discussing about contentment.
Think about it. How much better off am I than what I deserve as a sinner? Infinitely so much so! Therefore, anytime someone says flippantly, “How are you?” I can respond affirmatively and accurately, “Always better than I deserve.” Try it sometime. You’ll find that it catches people short; and they may ask why you say that; or they may say, “Oh, surely not;” and when they do, the door is open to explain why you feel blessed by and content in your relationship with Christ.
I also contend that most Christians really don’t understand or truly believe the implications of a verse that many of them may even have memorized. The passage is another Pauline jewel … Romans 8: 28 …
>>> SCRIPTURE: Rom. 8: 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
You see, if we, as Christians, really believed this truth, then we would KNOW that God’s heart for our good was ALWAYS there in the midst of any or all trials/tribulations as well as what we generally call “blessings;” and we’d KNOW that God is working in those trials, ALL of them, for our well being and His design. But the truth is that most of us find it difficult to find joy and contentment, like Paul did, in the midst of our trials.
You know, … often I feel like Jacob when he prayed to God (Gen. 32: 9 – 10 – see especially the underlined portion below) …
>>> SCRIPTURE: Gen. 32: 9 Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O LORD, who said to me, 'Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,' 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant.
It’s like my greeting reply (above) … there’s so little, if anything, where I can really be seen as deserving of God’s providence … and believing Rom. 8: 28, even the tough stuff in my life is for my good and under God’s control. So, today I will CHOOSE to seek to be joyful and content in whatever comes my way.
Will you join me?
My Prayer Today: You are all I need, Lord! Amen
My Journal for Today: Contentment! We began to look at this illusive quality of life yesterday, indicating that true contentment is a measure of the maturity of one’s faith in God’s providence. With all that life presents, especially in times of trials/tribulations, it’s so easy to wonder if real contentment is possible.
But as we read yesterday in Phil. 4: 11 – 12, the Apostle, Paul, had found real contentment, even though he was writing from prison. In fact, the entire book of Philippians is a journal of true Christian contentment and joy. Read Phil. 3: 7 - 9; and see further just how deeply felt was Paul’s sense of faith in Christ …
>>> SCRIPTURE: Phil. 3: 7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8 What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.
Now that’s faith!
I have a standard response that I learned to the generic, “How are you?” greeting, which people throw out so flippantly in public. I learned my response from my former mentor, who used to reply to this question with, “Always better than I deserve?” Most people expect the generic reply, “Fine!” to that greeting; but often when I reply as indicated above, people actually have to think what I mean by that reply. Many times it offers a good opportunity to witness for my faith and to the biblical truths that we are now discussing about contentment.
Think about it. How much better off am I than what I deserve as a sinner? Infinitely so much so! Therefore, anytime someone says flippantly, “How are you?” I can respond affirmatively and accurately, “Always better than I deserve.” Try it sometime. You’ll find that it catches people short; and they may ask why you say that; or they may say, “Oh, surely not;” and when they do, the door is open to explain why you feel blessed by and content in your relationship with Christ.
I also contend that most Christians really don’t understand or truly believe the implications of a verse that many of them may even have memorized. The passage is another Pauline jewel … Romans 8: 28 …
>>> SCRIPTURE: Rom. 8: 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.
You see, if we, as Christians, really believed this truth, then we would KNOW that God’s heart for our good was ALWAYS there in the midst of any or all trials/tribulations as well as what we generally call “blessings;” and we’d KNOW that God is working in those trials, ALL of them, for our well being and His design. But the truth is that most of us find it difficult to find joy and contentment, like Paul did, in the midst of our trials.
You know, … often I feel like Jacob when he prayed to God (Gen. 32: 9 – 10 – see especially the underlined portion below) …
>>> SCRIPTURE: Gen. 32: 9 Then Jacob prayed, "O God of my father Abraham, God of my father Isaac, O LORD, who said to me, 'Go back to your country and your relatives, and I will make you prosper,' 10 I am unworthy of all the kindness and faithfulness you have shown your servant.
It’s like my greeting reply (above) … there’s so little, if anything, where I can really be seen as deserving of God’s providence … and believing Rom. 8: 28, even the tough stuff in my life is for my good and under God’s control. So, today I will CHOOSE to seek to be joyful and content in whatever comes my way.
Will you join me?
My Prayer Today: You are all I need, Lord! Amen
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
2010 – November 24 – Joy Beyond Belief
Study from God’s Word… Acts 9; 32 through Chapter 12… Passage for Reflection: Acts 12: 14 – 15 … NIV 14 When she [Rhoda, a servant girl in the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark] recognized Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed she ran back without opening it and exclaimed [to those in the home gathered to pray, likely for Peter’s release], “Peter is at the door!” … 15 “You’re out of your mind,” they told her. When she kept insisting that it was so, they said, “It must be his angel.”
My Journal for Today: Do you see the interesting – and very human – conundrum in the highlight passage above. Here were a group of Christians gathered in a home, knowing that King Herod, the grandson of Herod, the Great, had executed James, the brother of John, and would likely do so to Peter, their beloved leader, as well. And so, these fellow “Christians” had likely gathered in the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, to pray that Peter would, some how, be spared death. And then, when Peter shows up at the door and is announced to the praying throng, they cannot believe it’s really him. >>> “Oh, ye, of little faith!”
But isn’t that the very human way we are as Christians? Have you ever prayed for a miracle of healing or deliverance; and low and behold, .. it happens; and then you’re astounded that it did? I certainly have had that happen; and I hope I never lose my AWE for what God does that is really humanly impossible. However, the fact remains that such instances point to the abnormal – or rather, the “supernatural” – and we, even as believers, are really blown away by God doing things that we may pray for but have trouble believing could ever occur.
Dr. LaGard Smith’s devotional title, “Joy Beyond Belief,” is a good one today to describe this point, which resonates in Dr. Smith’s prayerful self-evaluation question, which is quoted for you: ”Do I pray with such confidence in God’s power that I would never be surprised if He answered even the most challenging of [my] prayers?”
And this raises a follow-up question of my own: If I truly believe my God is omnipotent, why am I not praying for impossible things rather than just for the humanly possible?” If I could pray, knowing – beyond a doubt – that God could, would, and should do something miraculous, and well beyond man’s abilities to do something, for what “impossible” event or occurrence what would I be praying? Perhaps we should be praying for the release of Christians imprisoned with the threat of death, much as Peter was imprisoned by King Herod I. Maybe we should be praying for ALL abortions to cease in our world? Perhaps, being a leader of an ministry dealing with sexual sin, I should be praying more diligently and with discipline for the eradication of p0rnograpy from our culture.
And if (and when) God sees fit to grant us with a “YES” answer to our prayers for such miracles – which we know He could do, but maybe not always does do – shouldn’t we simply – in faith – express joy beyond belief for His mercy and grace? I think so; … what about you? And shouldn’t we, as believers in an omnipotent God, be challenged to up the ante of faith on our prayers, praying for many things which are way beyond mankind and considered in the realm of the miraculous? I think so; … what about you?
My Prayer for Today: Lord, forgive my short-sightedness and personal spiritual anemia when it comes to my prayers. Help me, IN FATH, to believe and pray big; because You, my Lord, are a BIG GOD, … far bigger than I could – and have – ever imagined. Amen
My Journal for Today: Do you see the interesting – and very human – conundrum in the highlight passage above. Here were a group of Christians gathered in a home, knowing that King Herod, the grandson of Herod, the Great, had executed James, the brother of John, and would likely do so to Peter, their beloved leader, as well. And so, these fellow “Christians” had likely gathered in the home of Mary, the mother of John Mark, to pray that Peter would, some how, be spared death. And then, when Peter shows up at the door and is announced to the praying throng, they cannot believe it’s really him. >>> “Oh, ye, of little faith!”
But isn’t that the very human way we are as Christians? Have you ever prayed for a miracle of healing or deliverance; and low and behold, .. it happens; and then you’re astounded that it did? I certainly have had that happen; and I hope I never lose my AWE for what God does that is really humanly impossible. However, the fact remains that such instances point to the abnormal – or rather, the “supernatural” – and we, even as believers, are really blown away by God doing things that we may pray for but have trouble believing could ever occur.
Dr. LaGard Smith’s devotional title, “Joy Beyond Belief,” is a good one today to describe this point, which resonates in Dr. Smith’s prayerful self-evaluation question, which is quoted for you: ”Do I pray with such confidence in God’s power that I would never be surprised if He answered even the most challenging of [my] prayers?”
And this raises a follow-up question of my own: If I truly believe my God is omnipotent, why am I not praying for impossible things rather than just for the humanly possible?” If I could pray, knowing – beyond a doubt – that God could, would, and should do something miraculous, and well beyond man’s abilities to do something, for what “impossible” event or occurrence what would I be praying? Perhaps we should be praying for the release of Christians imprisoned with the threat of death, much as Peter was imprisoned by King Herod I. Maybe we should be praying for ALL abortions to cease in our world? Perhaps, being a leader of an ministry dealing with sexual sin, I should be praying more diligently and with discipline for the eradication of p0rnograpy from our culture.
And if (and when) God sees fit to grant us with a “YES” answer to our prayers for such miracles – which we know He could do, but maybe not always does do – shouldn’t we simply – in faith – express joy beyond belief for His mercy and grace? I think so; … what about you? And shouldn’t we, as believers in an omnipotent God, be challenged to up the ante of faith on our prayers, praying for many things which are way beyond mankind and considered in the realm of the miraculous? I think so; … what about you?
My Prayer for Today: Lord, forgive my short-sightedness and personal spiritual anemia when it comes to my prayers. Help me, IN FATH, to believe and pray big; because You, my Lord, are a BIG GOD, … far bigger than I could – and have – ever imagined. Amen
Sunday, November 22, 2009
2009 – Day 325.Nov 22 – Learned Contentment
Passage for Study: Acts 16: 16 - 40 … Acts 16 linked for study …
2nd Scripture Reference: Philippians 2: 1-18 … Please go to Philippians 2 for study.
My Journal for Today: The Apostle Paul preached some hard lessons in the passage for today from Phil 2; and he certainly modeled what he preached. Here he was chained to prison guards in Rome, not knowing if the day he wrote the letter to Philippi would be his last. However, he did know that the only way the Gospel would shine (as Christ had instructed in Matt. 5: 16) would happen if the Christians of his day, like himself, were obviously different from those in the 1st Century world. And different Paul was; and so should we Christians of today be as we try to shine Christ’s light to glorify God in an ever darkening world.
Paul lived and preached that Christians must have and exhibit and attitude like that of Christ (see Phil. 2: 5), an attitude of humility, living with contentment and joy no matter what the circumstances. And Paul’s prison guards had to be impressed with how he spoke with such humble, but confident, hope about the God-Man Jesus. Paul knew that avoiding being seen as a grumbler would shine Christ’s light in a very dark place; and so he modeled what he preached in Phil. 2: 14-15.
Chuck Swindoll quotes a former mentor of his, Ray Stedman, who taught Swindoll, “We live in a world of crooks and perverts. What an opportunity to be winsomely different.” And that is so right-on. Living out the attitude of joy and contentment, even as we’re sourrounded by persecution and evil in this day, has to shine a light that is noticeably different from others in our world. If you work in the coporate or political world and maintain Biblicaly-based habits of honesty and integrity, you will stand out, my friend. If you’re a teenager and you maintain personal purity and reject the “pornified” world around you, you will stand out. Even choosing to live as Christ described Himself in Matt. 11: 29 as “humble and meek,” will separate one from the milieu of this world. The world would have us be aggressive and prideful. So, my fellow Christian, if we follow the lead of Paul - and especially that of Christ - we’re going to stand out and others will be drawn to us as light bearers in the midst of darkness.
I pray that will be our approach to life and we grow to learn contentment as did Paul when he was chained in a Roman prison. When we live with joy in the midst of strife and contentment in the midst of privation, we’re going to be having the cedibility of Christlikeness to shine His light for all to see Him.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, Help me to shine Your light of contentment and joy in today’s world so that others will see Your robes of righteousness hiding my rags of sin. Amen
2nd Scripture Reference: Philippians 2: 1-18 … Please go to Philippians 2 for study.
My Journal for Today: The Apostle Paul preached some hard lessons in the passage for today from Phil 2; and he certainly modeled what he preached. Here he was chained to prison guards in Rome, not knowing if the day he wrote the letter to Philippi would be his last. However, he did know that the only way the Gospel would shine (as Christ had instructed in Matt. 5: 16) would happen if the Christians of his day, like himself, were obviously different from those in the 1st Century world. And different Paul was; and so should we Christians of today be as we try to shine Christ’s light to glorify God in an ever darkening world.
Paul lived and preached that Christians must have and exhibit and attitude like that of Christ (see Phil. 2: 5), an attitude of humility, living with contentment and joy no matter what the circumstances. And Paul’s prison guards had to be impressed with how he spoke with such humble, but confident, hope about the God-Man Jesus. Paul knew that avoiding being seen as a grumbler would shine Christ’s light in a very dark place; and so he modeled what he preached in Phil. 2: 14-15.
Chuck Swindoll quotes a former mentor of his, Ray Stedman, who taught Swindoll, “We live in a world of crooks and perverts. What an opportunity to be winsomely different.” And that is so right-on. Living out the attitude of joy and contentment, even as we’re sourrounded by persecution and evil in this day, has to shine a light that is noticeably different from others in our world. If you work in the coporate or political world and maintain Biblicaly-based habits of honesty and integrity, you will stand out, my friend. If you’re a teenager and you maintain personal purity and reject the “pornified” world around you, you will stand out. Even choosing to live as Christ described Himself in Matt. 11: 29 as “humble and meek,” will separate one from the milieu of this world. The world would have us be aggressive and prideful. So, my fellow Christian, if we follow the lead of Paul - and especially that of Christ - we’re going to stand out and others will be drawn to us as light bearers in the midst of darkness.
I pray that will be our approach to life and we grow to learn contentment as did Paul when he was chained in a Roman prison. When we live with joy in the midst of strife and contentment in the midst of privation, we’re going to be having the cedibility of Christlikeness to shine His light for all to see Him.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, Help me to shine Your light of contentment and joy in today’s world so that others will see Your robes of righteousness hiding my rags of sin. Amen
Friday, October 02, 2009
2009 – Day 274.Oct 2 – Pursuing A Full Life
Passage of the Day: Job 42 … Linked for study …
My Journal for Today: Really, today’s devotional topic from Job 42, primarily verses 10 – 17, seems, on the surface, to be a bit of topical stretch from my chosen devotional author, Chuck Swindoll. But long ago, I learned not to question the author of the devotional book which I had chosen to use because God always seemed to use these topics, written sometimes years ago, for my edification and His well-timed wisdom. So, today, apparently inspired by God’s restoration of Job, Swindoll has chosen to write about doing what we can to retain a youthful spirit. And he offers several suggestions to do that.
First, he posits that we keep our mind active by choosing to be around people who talk about great ideas and who are inspired by great people rather than to soak in ideas from TV or people who focus on doom and gloom and the past.
Secondly, Swindoll says we need to capture and be refreshed by the humor in life. And anyone who has heard Chuck Swindoll preach or teach knows how much he enjoys a funny story or how he laughs so heartily at his own funny stories. I know that I tend to be too serious about life; and it’s true that we sourpusses need to be around fun loving and joy-filled folks as much as we can. It helps to lighten the world, which can be a very dark place these days.
Thirdly, Swindoll says that we need to retain our strength by using it. And he’s right. If we’re Christians, we’ve been given at least one Spiritual gift; and if we don’t use it that gifting will not develop and become stronger in our lives. Any muscle atrophies if it’s not used; but it becomes stronger and more useful the more it’s utilized for what it was designed to be used. So, life gets more productive the more we use what God has given us to use for His glory.
Fourthly, Swindoll teaches that our opportunities haven’t vanished, we need to pursue them. All we have to do is be in life to realize that others need what we can do for them. So, if we just look around, we’re going to see others who need what we can offer in the way of our time, talents, or treasure. And when we reach out to them, God is glorified and the world is better off.
And finally, Pastor Chuck flat out says, “Your God is not dead; [so] keep seeking and serving Him.” And I’m sure that Job learned the lesson that no matter what our circumstances present or the challenges we face, we must continually engage our ageless/timeless God, pursuing His wisdom and seeking His will. I have maintained for years that the most productive discipline in my life is my daily time each morning where I dig into God’s mine of wisdom (just as Job wrote about in Chapter 28 [linked here] in his story). So, every day I dig into the mind of God for as many nuggets and jewels I can find; and quite often He rewards me with the wealth of His wisdom. But this wouldn’t happen if I were not pursuing Him with diligence, discipline, and determination. Job found that to be true in today’s chapter where God rewarded Job’s pursuit of relationship with God. When we seek God, He will be found.
So, we need to ask ourselves if we’re pursuing God and life with joy, vigor, and especially enthusiasm. Remember, the word “enthusiasm” actually refers to “God in us.” But our God cannot spark our lives if we turn to selfishness with a soured attitude. My Christian friend, God is truly in us; but He cannot and will not shine through us unless we activate the suggestions Chuck Swindoll has put forth today. I will pray that we use them.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help us to see the joy in life … to use what You’ve given us for Your glory, … and to pursue You with abandon so that we can mine all you have for us in the depths of Your being. Amen
My Journal for Today: Really, today’s devotional topic from Job 42, primarily verses 10 – 17, seems, on the surface, to be a bit of topical stretch from my chosen devotional author, Chuck Swindoll. But long ago, I learned not to question the author of the devotional book which I had chosen to use because God always seemed to use these topics, written sometimes years ago, for my edification and His well-timed wisdom. So, today, apparently inspired by God’s restoration of Job, Swindoll has chosen to write about doing what we can to retain a youthful spirit. And he offers several suggestions to do that.
First, he posits that we keep our mind active by choosing to be around people who talk about great ideas and who are inspired by great people rather than to soak in ideas from TV or people who focus on doom and gloom and the past.
Secondly, Swindoll says we need to capture and be refreshed by the humor in life. And anyone who has heard Chuck Swindoll preach or teach knows how much he enjoys a funny story or how he laughs so heartily at his own funny stories. I know that I tend to be too serious about life; and it’s true that we sourpusses need to be around fun loving and joy-filled folks as much as we can. It helps to lighten the world, which can be a very dark place these days.
Thirdly, Swindoll says that we need to retain our strength by using it. And he’s right. If we’re Christians, we’ve been given at least one Spiritual gift; and if we don’t use it that gifting will not develop and become stronger in our lives. Any muscle atrophies if it’s not used; but it becomes stronger and more useful the more it’s utilized for what it was designed to be used. So, life gets more productive the more we use what God has given us to use for His glory.
Fourthly, Swindoll teaches that our opportunities haven’t vanished, we need to pursue them. All we have to do is be in life to realize that others need what we can do for them. So, if we just look around, we’re going to see others who need what we can offer in the way of our time, talents, or treasure. And when we reach out to them, God is glorified and the world is better off.
And finally, Pastor Chuck flat out says, “Your God is not dead; [so] keep seeking and serving Him.” And I’m sure that Job learned the lesson that no matter what our circumstances present or the challenges we face, we must continually engage our ageless/timeless God, pursuing His wisdom and seeking His will. I have maintained for years that the most productive discipline in my life is my daily time each morning where I dig into God’s mine of wisdom (just as Job wrote about in Chapter 28 [linked here] in his story). So, every day I dig into the mind of God for as many nuggets and jewels I can find; and quite often He rewards me with the wealth of His wisdom. But this wouldn’t happen if I were not pursuing Him with diligence, discipline, and determination. Job found that to be true in today’s chapter where God rewarded Job’s pursuit of relationship with God. When we seek God, He will be found.
So, we need to ask ourselves if we’re pursuing God and life with joy, vigor, and especially enthusiasm. Remember, the word “enthusiasm” actually refers to “God in us.” But our God cannot spark our lives if we turn to selfishness with a soured attitude. My Christian friend, God is truly in us; but He cannot and will not shine through us unless we activate the suggestions Chuck Swindoll has put forth today. I will pray that we use them.
My Prayer for Today: Lord, help us to see the joy in life … to use what You’ve given us for Your glory, … and to pursue You with abandon so that we can mine all you have for us in the depths of Your being. Amen
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