October 15 – Rejoice When?

“Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” – 1 Peter 4:12-13 (ESV)

 

Suffering is no fun. But there is a suffering that comes to every faith believer. It’s an unjust kind of suffering. All who truly follow Christ, are recipients of accusations, slander, maligning, and unwarranted actions by others who do not know Jesus as Savior and Lord. As we factually consider the causes and actions and lay them out, our reaction typically is; “They have no right to think or say that. We’ve done nothing to deserve this treatment. Yet it happens. It’s just not fair!” Why do we react that way and cry out for fair dealing? We do so because it’s easy to expect that our life of following Christ to be free of such treatment – it should be easy. For a while in our western world we have happily gone along with that assumption. However, our promise in 1 Peter 4:12 is that fiery trials will come and we shouldn’t be surprised when they do. As the Apostle Peter wrote, we should not think “something strange” was happening to us. Instead, if our suffering is a response from the world to our boldly professing the name of Jesus as Lord and Savior, our reaction should be rejoicing.  

 

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September 16 – Doubtful? May It Never Be!

 “For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.  And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.” – Romans 5:11  (NASB)

Promises of peace, grace, hope, love, and deliverance from wrath are ours forever because Jesus, the Son of God condescended and stepped into this world and became for us the bearer of our sin. So, what then is to be our reaction? Are we to continue in doubt? Hold misgivings that God has us secure as his forever adopted children? Are we to question if we’ve done enough, been good enough to earn these gifts because of our good works? Just as the Apostle Paul declares seven times in his letter to the Romans “may it never be!”*  Our God is a faithful God.  If our salvation depended for one second on our personal righteousness, we'd be lost forever.  But it doesn't.  It depends on God's love anchoring us in a permanent relationship of peace, grace and hope. And the God who loved us enough to save us when we were enemies, loves us enough to keep us now that we are friends, and has proven it by depositing his Holy Spirit in us, (Ephesians 1:13). This fills our heart with joy⸺for “exult” means to rejoice jubilantly. The end of the whole discussion is this produces joy, right?  

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* (Romans 3:4; 3:6; 3:11; 6:2; 6:15; 7:7; 7:13: 9:14.)

September 1 – Peace In A Peaceless World

“Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” – 2 Corinthians 13:11 (ESV)

We are living in a contentious world and it is no surprise or anything new. Yes, we like to think there have been time that the people of this world were more at peace but not truly. An honest realistic look at history from the time of Genesis 3 our world has been a place with more danger and more conflict than peace. The peace we experience worldwide is temporary, existing in small parts of the world. We may have peace between ourselves for a season but sin destroys that too. As believers in our Lord Jesus Christ we can have peace with God and can have sustainable peace and harmony between each other. It is our calling and it honors God bringing Glory to Him. The apostle Paul in this verse exhorts faith believers in Corinth to aim for restoration of peace. We start by having an attitude of thankfulness and rejoicing. We will accomplish our aim as we comfort one another and agree with one another, we will live in peace – that means giving up the selfishness and striving for our own way within Christ’s fellowship of believers. This promise is for such harmony with God’s love.

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July 7 – Because This World, Is Not Our Home

“Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” – Matthew 5:11-12  (NASB)

Do you have a heavenly perspective regarding your future beyond this world? Jesus in our verses actually is promising those listening the consequences of being a follower of Him. We’re promised insults, mocking, being reviled and ostracized. The promise is still working out today. Today, many are secret about their faith in Jesus. Secret and silent because who likes to be insulted and we are enamored by what we have here. However there is a wonder ahead for all who believe in the Son of God as Savior. The old spiritual that sang: “everybody talking about heaven ain’t goin’ there.”  Today it’s more like, “everybody goin’ there ain’t talking much about heaven anymore.” Heaven is real, it is a wonderful reward from God and it is beyond description. When asked how he was, the sixth president once replied, “John Quincy Adams is well, sir, very well. The house in which he has been living is dilapidated and old. He has received word from its maker that he must vacate soon.  But, John Quincy Adams is well sir, very well.” So, we look to heaven where we will have that eternal weight of glory, and that new house from God.   

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February 4 – From Despair to Desires and Delight

“But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness; My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, Because He has dealt bountifully with me.” – Psalm 13:5-6 (NASB)

This psalm, written by King David is a prayer for help in time of trouble. Before he became King he frequently faced such troubles which threatened his life. “How long?” he asks will the Lord seem to forget him and turn away from him. But David shifts radically from turmoil to tranquility in the space of this short Psalm (6 verses). One commentary describes David’s attitude being in three levels. The first two verses he was expressing Despair for he was below “sea level.” Verses 3 and 4 he is at “sea level” expressions of Desires. In the last verses, which are our selection today, David’s expressions are of Delight and rejoicing in a “mountaintop level.” Why can he move so quickly from “How long?” to “I will sing?” The answer for him is the same for us – Trust. David trusted God’s steadfast love. He believed God’s promise of forever love. Another way to say this would be that David understood and believed in God’s mercy, His lovingkindness. It is the also a promise we can trust in. God does and will deal abundantly with us His children because of His lovingkindness, His  mercy, His steadfast love.

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December 5 – Knowing God is Great

“But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!”” Psalm 40:16 (ESV)

 

“The Greatest of All Time” or “The Great _______,” fill the blank. Being great at anything seems to be a driving passion of many people. Not all who are declared to be Great or the Greatest actually are.  But there is one who is truly Great and is worthy of calling him Magnificent. So we are called, if we seek God and love the salvation God has provided for us we should shout, “The LORD be magnified!”  God wants all of us who follow Him to find real joy in doing so and real joy in living for Him. He wants the Christian life to be a life full of true joy. He wants us to be satisfied in Him so much that we are also satisfied in our life. Our verse also reminds us when we are happy in living for the Lord, it results in much praise to God. When we enjoy the Christian life we will want to exalt the Lord. We will want that His name receives much glory and praise. Today, let's seek Him and rejoice and be glad in Him.  Let's also say with the Psalmist, “GREAT IS THE LORD!”

 

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October 7 – Rejoice and Don’t Stop

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. The Lord is near.” -  Philippians 4:4-5 (NASB)

On the matter of rejoicing, Paul the Apostle was unable to say it just once – or even twice. Four times his use of ‘rejoice’ comes in imperative statements – even twice in one which is part of our verse today. Four other times in declarative clauses, Paul testifies to his own rejoicing. But in verse 4 of the 4 chapter in Philippians, Paul is driving home the importance of expressing our joy. But Paul didn’t tell his readers to be happy. He encouraged them to rejoice in the Lord. There are circumstances in which we Christians are not happy. But we can always rejoice in the Lord and delight in Him. Such action is not an emotion but more a state of mind created by our will when we choose to rejoice. Perhaps some will disagree yet it is Paul himself who exemplified inner joy when external circumstances—such as persecution, imprisonment, the threat of death—were against him. Nurturing gentleness means contentment and generosity toward others. It is having mercy or clemency toward the faults and failures of others. Being patient with someone, even submitting to injustice or mistreatment without retaliating. As always, The Lord is near – it’s a promise.

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October 5 – When Rejoicing Seems Impossible

“Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you.” – Philippians 3:1 (NASB)

Sometimes, although we know we are to live with a spirit of joy and rejoice in that, we find it difficult. Circumstances hit us like a blind-side sacking of a quarterback. We feel crushed and our energy is sapped to nearly negative numbers. Paul’s familiar theme throughout the epistle has already been heard. But this time he adds “in the Lord.” This is the sphere in which a believer’s joy exists—a sphere which is unrelated to the circumstances of life, but related to an unassailable, unchanging relationship to the sovereign Lord. Some will title this letter by Paul to the Philippians as the ‘Joy Letter’ and it is not far off. The word “rejoice” is used eight times and “rejoiced” once by Paul. It seems from this repeated emphasis that the Christians in Philippi  needed this word of encouragement and we often need this as well. Most of God’s people need this challenge frequently. It’s so easy and natural for us to let circumstances discourage and drag us down. The cure for discouragement is to rivet one’s attention on the Lord and rejoice in Him. We can rejoice in the Lord even when situations make rejoicing seem impossible. It is not.

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June 14 – Trust and Rejoice

“For our heart rejoices in Him, Because we trust in His holy name.  Let your steadfast love, O LORD, be upon us, even as we hope in you.  ”  Psalm 33:21-22 (ESV)

There is joy in the Christian life and our verse reminds us that we rejoice because we trust in Him, in His name. Why is  it that trusting the Lord results in joy? Because He is trustworthy. When we trust the Lord we are trusting someone who is dependable. Because we can trust in His name we have a certain hope in what He has promised This whole Psalm, when we read through it, is packed with the magnificence of our Lord God. He looks down from heaven and watches over us. He knows everything we are going through, every challenge we face, every need we have. That is why, when we trust in Him it brings joy to our hearts.  And when we look to Him for help and He responds by giving us what we need, our hearts respond and rejoice. That had been the experience of the Psalmist and it can be our experience too.  Let’s join with the Psalmist and say as he did, “Because of Him we are happy! We are trusting him. And we trust his holy name.”

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June 07 – Enemies To Friends

“For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” – Romans 5:10-11 (ESV)

Before most of us came to believe by faith that Jesus Christ is our savior, we lived thinking that we’re pretty good people. We even believed a God exists. All we had to do was live a good life. However, we remained enemies because by not believing, we were rejecting God. We were at odds and in conflict with God. Our promise today is: God provided a way for all who would believe to be reconciled to Him while still enemies. He made a way for us to have peace. This was accomplished by the death and resurrection of God’s Son, Jesus Christ. Since reconciliation was provided by Him for all who believed, all can trust absolutely in the truth that they will be saved by Christ. The promises don’t end with that. Our reconciliation comes with our rejoicing in God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Imagine being in a serious conflict with someone who spent all his time doing what you need to cross over and join their side. Imagine all he does is to make a way for you to be able to be his friends and brother/sister with him. Forgive and forget – that’s His way.

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May 13 – Eyes Opened Through Faith

"Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see Him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” 1 Peter 1:8-9 (NASB)

Peter, the disciple of Jesus, became one of the foremost apostles who helped spread the news of the early Christian Church. He also was used by the Holy Spirit to write some of the books in the New Testament. Peter walked with Jesus and heard him teach and watched him do miracles and heal all who came to Him with physical or spiritual need. Many times Peter ate meals with Jesus and talked with him face to face while breaking bread together. Peter wrote these words in his first letter to believers in the new Church. In the same way we have never seen Jesus as Peter did but we love Him and we believe in Him. These words are also given to us and can be applied to us personally. We can experience the “inexpressible joy and be filled with glory” because we have believed in Jesus the Christ – even though we have never seen Him.  Our faith has opened the eyes of our hearts and minds to believe in Him as our Savior and Lord.  It is hard to express sometimes but in our hearts we know He is true. It’s a joy to have that assurance.

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April 19 – Penetrating Question

“Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength, And He has made my feet like hinds’ feet, And makes me walk on my high places.” -  Habakkuk 3:18-19 (NASB)

Our verse comes from the book of Habakkuk. We find promises that are apropos to our times. On today’s social media, we may encounter a good deal of complaining about how “things aren’t how they used to be or should be.” And the appeal of many is “How do we get back to the way it was?” This was the prophet Habakkuk’s complaint. Sin was abounding (just as today) and God seemed both indifferent and idle to Habakkuk. He questions if it was God who was to blame? “Why do You make me look at injustice?” (Habakkuk 1:3 NASB) He doubles down with an even greater question for God: “Why do You tolerate wrong?” (Habakkuk 1:13 NASB) Does this sound like the cry of many modern Christians?. “Why is God allowing the destruction of our country?” Mostly we blame the other side of the political divide. Habakkuk describes dire circumstances (v.16-17) for himself and Israel.  But he doesn’t state that he would merely endure this distress. He sets our example and said he would rejoice in the Lord and be joyful. God is the inexhaustible source and infinite supply of joy. God my Savior is literally, “the God of my salvation.”

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January 2 – Lending to God Permanently

“And Hannah prayed and said, “My heart exults in the LORD; my horn is exalted in the LORD. My mouth derides my enemies, because I rejoice in your salvation.”” 1 Samuel 2:1 (ESV )

Hannah was a godly woman and one we learn from her faith and her life story. The verse we have today is the beginning of her song and prayer of thanksgiving after she had placed Samuel with the priests in the temple. Hanna says “I have lent him to the Lord. As long as he lives he is lent to the Lord.” This was an offering of her son to God’s service. It was also the plan of God for Samuel. Hannah had long prayed for a son and once God answered that prayer, she wanted to give him back. This prayer is one of the earliest poems in the Old Testament. It was well known in the days of Jesus. Mary, incorporated Hanna’s prayer into her own song of triumph, the Magnificat. God indeed hears our earnest prayers and answers them according to His will. For Hannah, who pleads with God and receives her request. It was the most natural thing for her to do. She received God’s promise of a positive answer to Her prayer. She rejoiced in the salvation God provided to her and gave back her gift. Let’s rejoice in His salvation today.  

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December 4– Knowing God is Great

“But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!”  Psalm 40:16 (ESV)

The psalmist in this verse was expressing his wish for all of us but what he said was in line with God's plan for us and His will. Yes, God wants all of us who follow Him to find real joy in doing so and real joy in living for Him. He wants the Christian life to be a life of true joy. He wants us to be satisfied in Him so much that we are also satisfied in our life.  This is difficult to maintain because we fight against an enemy who wishes us to be depressed, dejected, and sad.  God is more powerful and a higher authority. He is on our side. Our verse also reminds us what happens when we are happy living for the Lord. It results in much praise to God.  When we enjoy the Christian live we will want to exalt the Lord. We will want that His name receives much glory and praise. And, that too is pleasing to the Lord who is truly worthy of your praise. Today, let's seek Him and rejoice and be glad in Him.  Let's also say with the Psalmist, “GREAT IS THE LORD!”

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December 2 – Thanks. Prayer. Rejoice.

“See that no one repays another with evil for evil, but always seek after that which is good for one another and for all people. Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.”  1 Thessalonians 5:15-18 (NASB)

If we include the last instruction in verse 14 of this chapter, we learn to “be patient with everyone.”  And so, the next instruction teaches us that retaliation is not an option for a Christ believer. Paul the Apostle, writing this letter to the Church in Thessalonica is keenly, from personal experience, aware of the normal reaction we have when others do us wrong. It does not matter who does the wrong, believer or non-believer, we do not repay a wrong with a wrong. This is so very different than what we learn from the world. “If someone hits you, you hit back, harder.” That is the normal way most of us might have thought. But our promise today can be found in the next three instructions. Let’s look at them in the reverse order given in the verses.  Give thanks for everything and in everything – God wills that to be our pattern. We give thanks for everything by praying on a regular basis. Make prayers a practice and that is where we can honestly give thanks all the time. What will be the result in our lives, in our attitude, in our perspective on life?  We will rejoice always. 

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August 14 – Regardless Of Our Circumstances

“Though the fig tree should not blossom And there be no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive should fail And the fields produce no food, Though the flock should be cut off from the fold And there be no cattle in the stalls, Yet I will exult in the Lord, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation.” Habakkuk 3:17-18 (NASB)

We might think we find happiness from the things in the world, and when things are going our way, we find ourselves glad. But such things do not last. Today’s verses might sound like circumstances many are facing these days.  Many have been decimated by the effects of the choices which authorities have made to manage the health crisis at the world’s door*.  Our verse is from a prayer written by the prophet Habakkuk in an Old Testament book of the same name. It mentions the possibility of severe hardships we might face. When we do, faith becomes a matter of devoted allegiance to our God.  It is then we must have confidence in Him regardless of our circumstances.  The promise for us here is that Our Lord is a source of real joy for those who know Him.  Our circumstances change and when they do, let's  say, along with Habakkuk, that although all our resources and reserves are gone, “yet I will rejoice in the Lord” Lasting joy is found in trusting the Lord. The prophet experienced this true joy and that why he wrote this prayer.

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* Coronavirus disease 2019 is an infectious disease caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.  It was first identified in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei, China, and has resulted in an ongoing pandemic as of the date of this posting.

August 10 –Turning Anguish into Joy

I will rejoice and be glad in your steadfast love, because you have seen my affliction; you have known the distress of my soul, and you have not delivered me into the hand of the enemy;  you have set my feet in a broad place. -Psalm 31:7-8 (ESV)

These words, written by the psalmist David, describe a great change in his experience. We notice that he had suffered anguish in his soul and he described it as an affliction. It sounds as if he had been suffering for several reasons and for some time. There are these occasions in our life when we experience anguish because of things that have happened or even not happened. Our trials and testing bring suffering over our sense of wellbeing. Our expectations are not fulfilled and we need help restoring our joy.  When David wrote these words his circumstances had changed and he was in a different situation. His soul had been delivered, as it were, from the anguish and he was rejoicing. So, what had made the difference? It was the realization that God had been loving him and had been watching him. Just that knowledge transformed his anguish into joy. Let's be glad and rejoice in God's love, even when afflicted because God is still in the business of delivering us OUT of the hand of the enemy. 

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July 22 – Worth Waiting For

“And it will be said in that day, “Behold, this is our God for whom we have waited that He might save us. This is the Lord for whom we have waited; Let us rejoice and be glad in His salvation.””  - Isaiah 25:9  (NASB)

It is pretty easy and common for Christians today to think that every promise from God to the nation of Israel belongs to all people.  He oversees their land as he does for the people of Israel. There is no division or difference between any who believe in Jesus.  We are all one and the same people of God.  It is also true that prophecies given directly to the people of Israel in olden times were first for Israel and not specifically for all believers globally. Although the primary application of this prophecy in our verse of promise today was for the people of Israel who would trust in their Lord, we believe that it applies to us, too. When we do trust in Him, He proves faithful to His promise. As we realize that He does come to help us, we recognize Him as our God. We trust in our Lord for the salvation from sin that He offers. When He saves us, we learn to acknowledge Him to be the One He claims to be. Does not this give us true joy? Recognize today that “He is the Lord” and rejoice in His salvation.

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June 10 – A Process to Hope

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. -  Romans 5:3–5 (ESV)

As we take a look at our passage, we find why Paul, in verse 8 used the present tense telling us the God demonstrates His love through Christ’s death for us while we were still lost and separated from Him.  Paul teaches us in this passage that “suffering produces endurance.” We cannot learn to endure, to hang on to our confession unless it is tested.  If it  is never tested, we may not be certain it is strong enough.  Paul continues that our “endurance produces character” in us.  Our character is the mental and spiritual qualities which make us strong in our faith to face trials.  With strong character developed from successful endurance, we can bear the trials and temptations. And “character  produces  hope.” A hope that will not shame us for trusting God.  The goal of everything God takes us through is this kind of hope. He wants us to feel steadfastly hopeful through all tribulations.  Our hope does not disappoint because God’s love has been poured into our hearts. The tense of this verb means that God’s love was poured out in our hearts in the past (at our conversion) and remains present and active.

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Material for this blog was gleaned from Dr John Piper’s Desiring God 

April 12 - Resurrection Sunday

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”  -Matthew 5:11-12  (ESV)

These words from the mouth and heart of Jesus were spoken to a multitude including his newly called band of disciples.  Likely they were more directed at those who would follow him for the next three years than at the large multitude.  They were part of the Sermon on the Mount and incorporated into the Beatitudes. Let’s look at these words in light of Resurrection Sunday.  Followers of Jesus, the Son of God, who believe what Jesus taught, do share in in all things glorious. This includes persecution, slander, defamation, lies about character. How Jesus was treated by the apostate Jewish leaders and reprobate Roman governor is how we are to expect to be treated. Because Jesus was persecuted, we should expect the same.  Because Jesus was crucified, we count ourselves crucified with him and in faith we live for Him. Christ’s resurrection on that Sunday after His Friday crucifixion is something we share.  We too have the new life given to us when we believe.  Now it is only for us to rejoice that we, raised with Christ in faith, can look forward to a great reward in heaven.  

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