Joy sent; joy received, July 25, 2008
Joy sent; joy received, July 25, 2008 Family Bible Study, www.solascriptura.com How can I feel joyful when my life and the world around me are falling apart? First, let's understand what God prescribes in a Psalm from David: "…let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You. For You, O LORD, will bless the righteous; with favor You will surround him as with a shield." Psalms 5:11-12 NKJV In the midst of difficult circumstances how can you possibly be "full of joy"? If you are not a Christian, empowered by the Holy Spirit in you, the answer is that, in all probability, you can not. Look carefully at the verse above. Those who put their trust in the Lord, rejoice. Those who are defended by God shout for joy. Those who love the name of God are joyful, in Him. The verse says that the Lord will bless the righteous and surround you with a shield and favor you. Yes, trials will come but you are never going through them alone if you love the Lord. What can you focus on if you feel alone and are hurting? People who are depressed and sad, even though they love the Lord, are sometimes experiencing pain, mental and/or physical and the pain is real. Jesus experienced pain and rejection. Listen: "…(Jesus Christ) made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:7-11 NKJV He who suffered for us, joyfully presents us to the Father, cleansed of our sin. These verses tell it all: "… when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. And daily in the temple, and in every house, they did not cease teaching and preaching Jesus as the Christ." Acts 5:40-42 NKJV Again, we are taught, "Who shall bring a charge against God's elect?" It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore He has also risen; who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?...For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord…….. Romans 8:33-39. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8 NKJV Jesus knows our circumstances. Do you feel His presence in all things at all times? Whether you do or not, His Spirit is always present. Is it o.k. to feel sad? Listen to James, Jesus' brother: My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. Yes we will feel sad and depressed but the power of the Holy Spirit will lift your spirit. Core Christian Value: Joy is the condition of a believer's life. Not joy in suffering or rejection, but joy in knowing that through every circumstance the Holy Spirit is with you, comforting and guiding you. Bruce Caldwell
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Joy, July 16, 2008
Joy, July 16, 2008 ... be filled with the Spirit,
speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! ...I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ's sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. Eph 5:18-19, Phil 4:4, 2 Corinthians 12:10, www.solascriptura.com
Father, Your word says rejoice always. Sometimes Father we feel that true rejoicing in the midst of the trials of this earth is nearly impossible. Thank You for reminding us that we rejoice in the victory of Your presence in all situations. We never suffer or go through trials alone.
Father, we expect our joy in You not to always be accepted by others. Help us not to take offense if our pursuit of a relationship with You makes others feel we are rejecting their values and beliefs. Help us, this day, to honor You, no matter how "out of step" we appear to be. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Joy, June 22, 2008
Joy, June 22, 2008 ... sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things. ...we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ... we... worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh, 2 Corinthians 6:1-10, Romans 5:2, Phil 3:3, www.solascriptura.com Father, we learn from these verses that spiritual poverty makes us ineffective in fulfilling Your will. Yet, when we are full of the Holy Spirit, no matter what our economic situation by worldly standards, we possess all which You intended and by giving it away, we see others inherit the wealth, the Spiritual wealth that You desire for each of us. The grace You extend to us is undeserved. Help us to be as You Jesus in extending that kind of love to others, forgiving them, and praying for them as we rejoice in Your presence in our lives. We pray for more love for others. There is no way for us to ask for more love from You. Our cup overflows. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Joy, June 2, 2008
Joy, June 2, 2008 For this reason we... do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;
that you may have a walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;
strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; Colossians 1:9-11 Father, Paul instructs us not to cease in our prayers for others and then tells us what specific things to pray for. These things Father, we also need to receive from You, daily. Do fill us with knowledge of Your will with all wisdom and spiritual understanding. Requests like this are so encompassing that we must linger Father over the depth of meaning. If You grant us this prayer our works will become fruitful and pleasing to You. Paul then teaches us that we will be strengthened in all might and spiritual power and that we will joyfully be patient with others. Father, does our witness seem to be joyful and patient? Can those words be in the same sentence? Are we able to do both at the same time? Yes, but only by Your power and in Your grace. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Joy, May 12, 2008
Joy, May 12, 2008 For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit and in much assurance...
And you became followers ... of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Spirit, You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of joy in Your presence. 1Thessalonians 1:5-6, Acts 2:28, www.solascriptura.com
Father, Your words to us are unlike the words of the world. Your words enable us to change our lives and our eternal destination. Your words have life changing power. Even if we receive Your words while we are suffering, we know that afflictions are going to be replaced with eternal joy.
You have revealed the secrets and mysteries of life to us if we but read Your word. You would not have us remain as children, understanding only the milk of the word. Help us to come to You daily and to joyfully receive Your light into our hearts. We pray these things in Jesus' Holy name. Amen. Bruce Caldwell
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Joy, April 19, 2008
Joy, April 19, 2008 Rejoice always,
pray without ceasing,
in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Do not quench the Spirit.
Do not despise prophecies.
Test all things; hold fast what is good.
Abstain from every form of evil. 1Thes 5:16-22, www.solascriptura.com Father, in 7 sentences, Paul teaches us the basics of our faith. We do rejoice always, in good times and in bad times because of Your Holy presence with us and in us. We often fail to pray unceasingly but here we see it is Your will that we never stop acknowledging Your presence in every small and every large event of our lives. Not a hair falls from our head that You do not notice. Help us to observe You with equal attention and to ask You into every circumstance of our lives. We do not always give thanks when we are being challenged but again, it is Your will we do so because You are allowing us to be tested. We know that to quench the Spirit is to remove You from the situations we encounter. Father, we acknowledge that absent the presence of the Spirit, we are depending upon ourselves. In such cases we are going it alone. We pray that is never the case. Father, despising teaching is the path of a self centered, self directed person. Help us learn from the prophets and from You Jesus. Help us this day to abstain from evil, to flee from it, never to gaze upon that which is sinful. It feels so good to do the right thing and we feel so weak, so impotent when we allow sin to fill our mind and our eyes. We feel tricked by Satan, the great deceiver, when we entertain sin. We simply want to be as You Jesus. In Your Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
Labels: Joy
Joy, March 27, 2008
Joy, March 27, 2008 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.
But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. James 1:2-4, www.solascriptura.com
Father, it seems that the only way we could possibly feel joyful about experiencing trials, is to know that You permit the trial and that the trial will force our faith to be stronger.
Patience in the midst of a trial is the perfect work that You bestow upon us. It is the Spirit in us that permits our faith to remain strong even when the evidence all around us is making us feel persecuted, guilty or abandoned. Help us to know, this minute and always, that trials will come but the trials will test and strengthen our faith and that we can, through You, endure and be patient. That is a miracle not available to someone who does not call on You. We feel joyful Father, not about the trial but about Your grace to us that we might endure the test without falling apart. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell
Labels: Joy
Joy, March 10, 2008
Joy, March 10, 2008 Wait on the LORD, and keep His way, and He shall exalt you to inherit the land...
... the salvation of the righteous is from the LORD; he is their strength in the time of trouble. Psalms 37:34, 39, www.solascriptura.com Father, may we exhort one another to love and obey your Holy word and to keep Your way. Teach us new truths, afresh every day, so that the life You have given us might bring glory to you. Help us Father not to be overwhelmed with the cares of this world, so pre-occupied that we leave You out of the issues we face and the decisions we must make. Joy does not come easy to a burdened heart. Help us to look past the moment and to resolve to focus on the perfection that awaits us. Our faith in Your love can and will sustain us. We pray this day for your Spirit and our spirit to be as one. That is a huge hope, Father, but we know it is Your will for each of us. In Jesus' Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
Labels: Joy
Joy February 27, 2008
Joy February 27, 2008 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,
who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,
that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,
whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory,
receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls. 1 Pet 1:3-9, www.solascriptura.com
Father, You promise us that through our faith in the resurrection of Jesus, we have eternal life. From this side we do not completely understand nor appreciate that which awaits but we will. Salvation from sin, suffering and weakness is assured. We know that joy and celebration will characterize heaven.
The tests here will continue but they too shall cease. Lead us, today, in paths of righteousness even in the presence of turmoil. Give us internal peace known by us and suspected by others. Give us a witness in this place. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen.
Bruce Caldwell
Labels: Joy
Joy #26
... you shall rejoice before the LORD your God in all to which you put your hands. Sing to the LORD, all the earth; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, his wonders among all peoples. For the LORD is great and greatly to be praised... ...the joy of the LORD is your strength.” He will yet fill your mouth with laughing, and your lips with rejoicing. Deuteronomy 12:18, 1 Chronicles 16:23-25, Nehemiah 8:10, Job 8:21, http://www.solascriptura.com/Father, In this troubled world we find too little about which to rejoice. Yet You clearly instruct us to rejoice. We are to rejoice in our work, sing to You, proclaim the good news of salvation, joyfully, and declare Your glory among all the nations. Your joy in us is our strength. In spite of the difficulties, You will yet fill our mouths with laughter and our lips will yet joyfully praise You. Your plan for us Father, is to experience joy in You, here and there. In Jesus Holy name, we pray, amen. Bruce Caldwell Labels: Joy
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