REJOICING IN JESUS

Happy is the heart that Jesus has touched!

Psalm 32:11, Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart.

We’ve hit hump day! Since we have made it this far, take a moment this morning to thank the Lord for what He has done in your life this week! If you’re saved, you have a lot to be thankful for! If you’re lost, you need to get saved. With the assurance of your salvation, you too can be glad in the Lord and rejoicing this morning because happy is the heart that He has touched!

IT’LL BE WORTH IT

Finishing well will be worth it when we see Christ.

Ephesians 4:1-3, I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

Imagine with me for a moment, when we take our last breath and awaken in Heaven. None of us will be there and think, “Awe man, it wasn’t worth it.” NO SIR! We will be shouting the victory when we step through those pearly gates to be with our Saviour forever! We will be rejoicing in the reunions of friends and family that have gone on before! We will be looking at the splendor of God’s dwelling place and out of the mouth of a departed friend we will be singing and shouting, “MY, MY, MY!

Hey, friend, no matter what you’re going through today. No matter how deep the valley. No matter how lonely the road is… It’ll be worth it all when we get up there!

LET’S CELEBRATE

The Christian life that is joyless is a discredit to God and a disgrace to itself. -Babcock

Psalm 30:5, For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.

This afternoon, we will be celebrating a milestone at Calvary. We recently paid the mortgage off and we are having a “Burn the Note Service.” I have no idea how it’s going to go because I have never been in one before. What I intend to make sure happens is that God will get all of the glory of what has transpired over the past 5 years and 11 months I have been at Calvary. He has done some wonderful things and most especially I have seen Him save some souls.

So, around 2pm today, we will be singing, shouting, preaching, and absolutely we will be doing some eating! You see, it’s time to celebrate what God has done in and through His people! Will you rejoice with us! Will you praise His name for what He has done, is doing, and will continue to do as Calvary seeks to honor and glorify Him? To God be the Glory!

NO MATTER WHAT, REJOICE

         Happy is the soul that has been saved and is looking forward to the day they meet their Saviour, face to face.

Habakkuk 3:18, Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

            Recently, there has been a lot of turmoil in this world. Covid19, racial tension, threats of war, and nations on the brink of bankruptcy are affecting every corner of our globe. On a more personal level, longtime friends dying “unexpectedly”, kids turning their backs on what they were taught all their life because some college professor said it was all fairy tales, health issues are creeping in because of age, and the list goes on and on. You turn on the news to hear some good news and you get very little hope. You go outside to see some good things and very little is to be seen. It is natural to ask, “Why Lord?” “Why is this happening to us?” “Why is this happening to me?”

             I was reminded recently, in the mist of chaos, Habakkuk said, “Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.”

            Will you rejoice today? No matter what comes your way? Hey, friend, God’s been God!

REJOICE IN THE LORD

Adversities do not make the man either weak nor strong, but they reveal what he is. -Faith Forsyte

James 1:2-5 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Life is going sweet and all of a sudden BAM! Something comes into your life that rocks your world. How do you respond? Like the kid in the line at Wal-Mart when Mom says, "No your not getting that candy bar?" Do you pout and whine like a baby? Do you go off stomping your feet kicking whatever comes in your path? Do you explode your top, cursing and blessing out anyone and everyone that comes your way?

Yeah I know your too old for that but what if it's a diagnosis of cancer? What if grandma/ pa has went home to be with the Lord? What if your car breaks down on the way to work? What if, what if, what if? We could go on and on but when we get down to it, how are you preparing for when adversity comes into your life?

If we could slice back the layers we present to people what would we find? Would it be the abiding presence of the Lord Jesus? Would it be a peace that settles us when adversity comes? Or would it a work of the flesh like those listed in Galatians 5? Sooner or later you will be put into life's press and what will come out?

I AM THANKFUL!

He who sincerely praises God will soon discover within his soul an inclination to praise goodness in his fellow man. --Oliver G. Wilson

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

There are so many things we could thank the Lord for on this Thanksgiving Day in America. For those of our friends not in the United States, this list applies to you as well. For the sake of time I will narrow it down to three:

We ought to be thankful for His Word. Psalm 119:14, I have rejoiced in the way of thy testimonies, as much as in all riches.

We ought to be thankful for His Work. Psalm 145:10, All thy works shall praise thee, O LORD; and thy saints shall bless thee.

We ought to be thankful for His Will. Romans 12:2, And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

What will you give thanks for on this Thanksgiving Day 2018?

REJOICE, IT’S MONDAY!

Those that make God their Joy may rejoice in hope for he is faithful that has promised. -Henry

This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

Yes, it’s Monday again and we ought to rejoice on this day just as much as we did yesterday. We have the same opportunities today to worship Him, praise Him, and share Him as we did yesterday. Why not start this week off right by giving a testimony of what He did yesterday and continue each day this week by doing the same?

Yes, you can share it right here:

GOD'S BEEN GOOD!

Earth, with her thousand voices, praises God. –Coleridge

Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright. Psalm 33:1

            Several years ago I went out for an early hunt. I got to my tree seat and it was pitch black. As the sun began to come up, I was looking up to the sky and I saw the dark tree limbs clapping in the wind. I was sitting there thinking about how even those trees where singing a song unto the Lord.

            In Luke 19 the Pharisees wanted the Lord to rebuke the multitude of disciples that were saying, “Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord; peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.” But Jesus Himself said, “I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.”

            Friend, we all have something we can praise the Lord for! Even if it’s nothing but the device you’re reading this post on! God’s Been Good in our lives!