pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: joy


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Shout for Joy and Sing

Do you feel blessed by God?  Sometimes that is a hard question to answer.  Maybe in some ways one feels blessed while in other ways, not so much.  Life naturally brings is hard moments when it is hard to see God’s blessings.  Yet, in the big picture, we are so blessed by God in so many ways.  We are indeed blessed.

In Psalm 65, David reminds us that those God chooses are blessed by the things of His temple.  We too have the opportunity for these blessings.  Each Sunday is a chance to receive God’s blessings, poured out in song, prayer, and word.

David also reminds us of another of God’s blessings.  In verse five we are reminded that God is the “hope of all the ends of the earth.”  Or hope lies in Christ and the power over death that He won on the cross.  By the blood of the Lamb, God offers us the forgiveness of our sins.  What a blessing indeed!

God blesses each of us in so many ways.  In ways large and small, He provides.  For all of His blessings, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, I am thankful.  This day may we shout for joy and sing as an offering of our thanksgiving to our Lord God Almighty!

Scripture reference: Psalm 65


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Witness to Our Eternity

God is everlasting.  He always was and always will be.  He was before He created the earth.  God will continue to be long after ‘earth’ is gone and the new heaven is here.  God is the one that binds us together – from Adam and Eve on forward.

While on earth, God is our peace and comfort. our strength and shield, our home.  In Him we live and breathe and have our being.  All of this will continue when our earthly body breathes its last.  God is before, now, and after.

As we live daily, we hold onto this promise.  It makes each day easier to get through and provides our ultimate hope – resurrection from the dead.  Until that day, God is steadfast to us.  His mercies are new every morning and His love never fails.  Surely as that day is coming for all of us, we are to live reflecting the fact that we do not fear death.  We live reflecting the hope and love we find in Christ.  But not all are destined for heaven.  It is our call to be a living witness to our eternity, allowing all the opportunity to come to know Him.  By word, action, and deed, we are to share Christ with all we meet.

Scripture reference: Psalm 90: 1-6 and 13-17


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Joining the Mission

In Philippians 2 we read that Jesus was compassionate, comforting, tender, and joyful.  We are to be these things too.  We are also called to be humble and to consider the interests and needs of others over our own.  Christ’s ultimate example of humility came in being obedient to death on the cross – for you and me, for everybody.

In our faith journey we grow more and more into who God called us to be.  As we grow in our relationship with Christ, we become more like Him.  Whereas it used to be easy to say ‘no’ to someone in need, it now becomes harder as we grow to see them as He did – as a fellow child of God.  In light of this, we seek to bring justice, dignity, and compassion to those in need.  We begin to share in the work of He who loved us enough to die for us, joining Christ in His mission to bring all to the Father.

Scripture reference: Philippians 2: 1-13


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Claim All That He Offers

“Keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” – Romans 12: 11-12

It can be hard to always love others.    It can be hard to always be ‘Christian’ towards others.  It can even be hard to treat our brothers and sisters in Christ with love all the time.  These words of Paul provide us with some insights and guidance for how to love all in a manner worthy of Christ’s love.

‘Keeping our spiritual fervor’ involves staying in love with God – one of Reuben Job’s ‘Three Simple Rules’.  When we are in love with God we naturally want to serve others and to meet the needs we can meet.  We stay in love with God by practicing our spiritual disciplines – worship, prayer, study, fasting, …

When we are ‘joyful in hope’ we are living into the belief that Jesus will be there for us.  We are expectant that He will be present to us and as we live with hope in our hearts, we are filled with joy.  When we are ‘patient in affliction’ we are living into the belief that although we endure for a moment, that Jesus will be there when we reach the other side or the end of our present situation.  In the midst of trial, we know that He is there with us and will be there always.  This allows for patience.  With patience we can gain much from the trials of life.  When we are ‘faithful in prayer’ we are living into the belief that through talking with Jesus we draw nearer to Him and draw strength from Him.

Though these four practices we equip ourselves to better love all we encounter each day.  This blessing from Hebrews 13 is also ours if we claim it: “May the God of peace equip you with every good thing that you may do His will, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever.”  He wants to equip us with spiritual fervor, joyful hope, patient enduring, and a faithful prayer life.  May we claim all that He has to offer as we live daily with Christ.

Scripture reference: Romans 12: 9-21