Is There Joy in the House of the Lord?
So, is there joy in the house of the Lord? That can only be answered by each person represented in our Churches each time we worship together. I believe it is the one who understands their depravity to its fullest and the nature of what they were delivered from that will be expressing their joy and gratitude with the fullest conviction! I believe its the one who is able to lift their head above the circumstances that seem to be clouding the reality of God at work in their lives, and choose to trust Him through the trials they face that will be most enthusiastic in their praises! I believe it’s the one who follows the advice in the Bible, in the book of James, where it says to count it all joy when faced with various trials because we know that there is a deeper work happening through them that will not wait until Sunday to offer up a half-hearted utterance (maybe even a mumble with arms crossed) but will at all times have a hearty praise spewing from their lips!
What Are We Using our Freedom For?
There are so many who just look to use their freedom to serve themselves and their agenda’s, and it is creating a culture of selfishness and sinful indulgences that are leading us away from the blessings of Christ. We need to get back to God! We need to go to Him and repent, seek His forgiveness, turn from our wicked ways, and live our lives in godly and morally upright ways! Freedom is useless if we don’t apply it to our lives, and living under the bondage of sin is not using the freedom that Christ purchased for us to bring us blessing! Please decide today to crucify your fleshly desires and to follow the Spirit of life into a full life of freedom! Remember, where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom. So, walk in step with God’s Spirit and enjoy the blessings that come along with living holy lives!
Good God and Father, My Heart is Yours!
So, as we recognize that by the love and sacrifice of Jesus our Lord we are freed forever from being slaves to sin and the ways of the world, and we hear the words of the Father in Heaven calling us His beloved children, we will more freely give our hearts fully over to Him and will experience the goodness of God to its fullest measure! So, get to it today and grow more and more in your relationship with the Good and Perfect Father who loves you.
The Beautiful Name and Truth that Never Changes!
I have watched over the past few days people ridicule and weaponize words against people of opposing views, and it is so disheartening and quite frankly childish! I can’t stand living in such a political culture that we shame people and seek to destroy those who believe differently than us. Whatever happened to the arena of discussion and opinion that actually valued another’s point of view, and sought to learn and grow from it? Whatever happened to healthy examination of oneself, understanding that we could have it wrong and should be humble enough to admit it if that is the case? Why are we seeing so many people attacking opposing views with malicious intent, to absolutely silence the opposition?
Seeing Our Blessings as God Opens the Eyes of Our Heart
I believe one of the most unfortunate things that I witness as a believer of Jesus Christ is the lack of appreciation and gratitude we have towards our Great Father for all of the many blessings that He pours out towards us each and every day! The Scriptures are clear to say that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father (James 1:17), and then Jesus says that the Father is the One who loves to give gifts to those who ask Him (Matt 7:11)!
Is it Your Joy to Say, “Your Will, Your Way!”?
So, when you are tempted to forget the freedom that you have in Christ because of the unfailing love that was shown through His death, burial, and resurrection, please remember that when you made your way to the Cross and received forgiveness of your sins through belief and repentance our God adopted you and called you His child forever! He has purchased your inheritance into His Kingdom, and desires for you to walk in the abundant life of freedom that is yours in Christ. When we open our hearts to this understanding and lay ourselves down in order to receive more of Him, that is when we will truly appreciate the level of wholeness and freedom that is ours in Christ! Surrender to Him and watch how He transforms the tyranny of sin into the grace of freedom!
Trusting the Way Maker to be Our Fortress
This week I am inspired to trust more fully in the Lord my God, and I hope to communicate that with you and to encourage you to place all of your faith and trust into Jesus Christ our Savior no matter what you may be facing in your life! He is so faithful, and wants to be that safe place for you to come and find solace!
Celebrating the Glorious Supremacy of Jesus Christ!
O’ that God would reveal Himself as supreme in your struggles, pains, hurts, and joys! O’ that we would have the faith to trust in His unchanging grace at all times! O’ that this truth would refresh our spirits and bring us the encouragement and confidence we need to face the day ahead of us- knowing that the All-Sufficient, Supreme God of the universe calls us His son and daughter! Please Lord, revive our hearts and remind us of Whose we are, Amen!
Adoring the Lord Most High!
So I really truly hope that you do have an encounter with the awesome and Most High King of the universe, Jesus Christ. I pray that this week is full of reminders of the God Almighty who loves you and who sent His Son to show you that love. He does not desire that any should perish (see 2 Pet 3:9) but that everyone would come to Him and receive the life that He has purchased for us in Jesus Christ (see John 10:10). This is why we sing, this is why we raise our hands in worship, this is why we adore our Majestic King, Jesus Christ!
Living Our Lives Whole-Heartedly Surrendered to the Lord Jesus Christ
So, I am not sure if there is an area of your life right now that you have not surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus, but I would like to invite you, even exhort you, to allow Jesus full and complete access and control of that area right now. Commit to the process of trusting Him with that area of your life, by faith, and looking to Him to rescue you from the unnecessary stress and frustration you will have to endure when you take it into your own hands.