Tag: great joy
Day 5–Blameless in His Presence!
Scripture reading for June 19: Jude 24-25 “Now to Him Who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of His glory with great joy to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”
I love to give blessings to those I minister to. These blessings are powerful revelations of God’s amazing love to His people. Faith works by love so that faith is increased as we receive these words of blessing from God’s heart as our Father. Blessings also give us vision through declaration and vision keeps us focused forward on God’s plans. So it is good to declare these blessings out loud over your own life and family. As our Father loves to bless His children, so pastors and fathers of children on earth should bless God’s children and declare God’s love and promises over them.
Jude’s blessing declares that God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ are able to keep us from stumbling and present us before God’s glorious presence as blameless and full of joy. This will be the highest blessing that we ever receive. We who have sinned and are worthy of judgment and eternal punishment in the fires of hell are granted deliverance from our earned fate. By grace through faith in the Lord Jesus, we are declared righteous and blameless in His sight. Our own works count for nothing. Christ’s righteousness is our covering and robe as we stand or kneel in His presence, overflowing with thanksgiving and joy. All glory and majesty and dominion and authority are given to Jesus Christ now and forever and ever. Amen! It is finished!
This blessing brings us great peace as faith-filled first responders. Even if we stumble in our personal lives or in service to others, our Lord will keep us moving towards the goal of eternal joy in God our Father’s presence. We can joyfully serve now and live a life that exalts our Lord and Savior, sharing His blessing everywhere we go.
Prayer: Father God, thank You for keeping me from stumbling and picking me up when I have been tripped up. Thank You for vision beyond the troubles and trials of this life to the glorious presence that You will present to us when our work here is done! Amen.
Fellow workers!
Scripture reading for November 27: 3 John
“Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth.” 3 John 2-8
John’s third letter gives us insight into what gives God and pastors great joy. John began with a prayer for the pastor that all would go well with his soul and that he would be in good health. John rejoiced with Gaius, the beloved elder of this church, that the believers were walking in the truth. Faith always pleases God and is a source of joy for church leadership.
John had encouragement for the church there as they were showing hospitality to some strangers. These were brothers who were fellow workers in Christ’s kingdom and they had given John a good report on the generosity and hospitality of this church. John confirmed their good deeds and generosity and suggested that this church send these brothers on their way in a manner worthy of God Himself. These workers were living by faith and accepted nothing from the Gentiles that they might preach the Gospel to them. When believers support these missionary workers, they share in the harvest that is reaped and bring God’s joy, blessing and provision flowing back towards them. This world view would bless the church and God!
Are you sometimes reluctant to support those who are missionaries and may be strangers to you? Are you aware that when you support missionaries, you actually share in their work and bring joy to God by your faith? Is it also wise to seek the recommendation of elders concerning missionary workers?
Prayer: Father God, I want to please You and bring joy to those in church leadership. Help me to discern those who are reaping a harvest and sowing the Gospel from those who may be deceivers. I desire to prosper and be in health because of a healthy soul that is generous towards kingdom workers. Amen.
Fellow workers for the Truth
Scripture reading for November 30th: Ezra 5-6, Psalm 95, 3rd John
3rd John: 2-8 “Beloved, I pray that all may go well with you and that you may be in good health, as it goes well with your soul. For I rejoiced greatly when the brothers came and testified to your truth, as indeed you are walking in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are, who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God. For they have gone out for the sake of the Name, accepting nothing from the Gentiles. Therefore we ought to support people like these that we may be fellow workers for the truth.”
John loved the people that God had assigned oversight to him for their souls. His prayer for them was for health and prosperity as their soul prospered. Soul prosperity comes when we follow Jesus in obedient faith and support Jesus’ workers in order that the Gospel is preached to all the world. John commended this church family because they were walking in the truth and supporting those who were preaching the Gospel message. He told them that as they gave support, they became fellow-workers with them for the spreading of the Gospel. Some can go and others can send, but all share in the work and the rewards.
Psalm 95:1-3 “Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the Rock of our salvation! Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and great King above all gods.”
Prayer: Father God, we praise You with great joy, singing, and giving to Your sacred work! Thank You for encouraging me to give generously to support Your workers who share the Gospel and quarry ‘living stones’ from the lost of this world. I can’t always go, but I can joyfully give that Your work proceed. I say ‘amen’ to this prayer for prosperity and health as my soul prospers through Your amazing grace!
Ezra 6:22 “And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy, for the Lord had made them joyful, and had turned the heart of the king of Assyria to them, so that he aided them in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel.”
A Savior/Shepherd is born!
Scripture reading for March 14th: Numbers 26-29, Luke 2
Luke2:8-11 “And in the same region there were shepherds out in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with great fear. And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ the Lord.”
Moses, a shepherd himself, spoke to the Lord about his appointment of a man who could lead the flock of Israel after he was taken home to God. The Lord appointed “Joshua” (whose name corresponds to “Jesus”) to shepherd His flock. Then the Lord revealed the birth of His Son almost 1500 years later, to shepherds who were keeping the flocks of sheep used in temple sacrifice. They were filled with great fear, but the angel exhorted them to “fear not” because of the Good News of a Savior Who came from God’ The Great Shepherd of all sheep would be born in a manger and His first visitors would be lowly shepherds! Mary and Joseph were both of the lineage of David, another great shepherd who lead the flock of God.
Luke 2:52 “And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature and in favor with God and man.”
Prayer: Father God, Your planning and symbolism are humbling and amazing! You give grace to the humble and You demonstrated humility by sending Your Son from heaven’s glory to a manger in a cave. I am humbled that You would do this for my salvation from the bondage of sin and for the whole world. Open doors today that I might share this Good News of a Savior and Great Shepherd to lost sheep.
Numbers 27:15-18 “Moses spoke to the Lord, saying, “Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint a man over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, that the congregation of the Lord may not be as sheep that have no shepherd. So the Lord said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him. Make him stand before Eleazar the priest, and all the congregation, and you shall commission him in your sight.”
Walk it out!
Scripture reading for November 29th: 2nd John
Key Scriptures: 2nd John 4-8 “I rejoiced greatly to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as we were commanded by the Father. And now I ask you, dear lady–not as though I were writing you a new commandment but the one we have had from the beginning–that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments; this is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, so that you should walk in it. For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not confess the coming of Jesus Christ in the flesh. Such a one is the deceiver and the antichrist.”
In this short letter, John writes to ‘the elect lady and her children.’ Most commentators believe that John was writing to a female church leader and the church members. His greatest joy came from finding some of the church members walking in the truth and loving each other. Jesus taught that the simple command to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbor as ourselves was the greatest commandment. He emphasized to His disciples that they were to walk out their love for one another and by this all men would know that they were His disciples. We are to love those made in God’s image. Jesus Christ came to earth in a fleshly body and demonstrated God’s love through healing, relationships, and teaching. Deceivers tried to deny Jesus was a man in a human body. This is the spirit of antichrist. Don’t even welcome them into your homes.
2nd John 9-11 “Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house or give him any greeting, for whoever greets him takes part in his wicked works.”
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for perfectly walking out a life of obedience to all God’s commandments and summarizing them in the simple command to love one another and love God. May I bring joy to Your heart and church leadership by my walk of truth and love. Help me today to discern those with the antichrist spirit in the church and world and avoid their false doctrines.
2nd John 3 “Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father’s Son, in truth and love.”
Prayer shakes the earth!
Scripture reading for December 10th: Nehemiah 10-13, Revelation 8
Key Scriptures: Revelation 8:1-5 “When the Lamb opened the seventh seal, there was silence in heaven for about half an hour. Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and seven trumpets were given to them. And another angel came and stood at the altar with a golden censer, and he was given much incense to offer with the prayers of all the saints on the golden altar before the throne, and the smoke of the incense, with the prayers of the saints, rose before God from the hand of the angel. Then the angel took the censer and filled it with fire from the altar and threw it on the earth, and there were peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning, and an earthquake.”
As John looked, the Lamb opened the seventh and final seal of the scroll, thought to be the title deed to the earth. This caused a holy hush that lasted a half-hour to come over all in heaven around the throne. Seven angels who serve God were then given seven trumpets and prepared to sound them. Another angel stood at the altar of incense and with a golden censer, offered incense along with the prayers of the saints before God. The angel then took the empty censer and filled it with fire from the altar and in response to the ascended prayers, cast the coals of fire upon the earth with dramatic consequences. Powerful effects of prayer are felt on earth!
Faith confession and prayer: Lord, we are told in Scripture to be still and know that You alone are God. We are also told to pray without ceasing. Thank You for hearing and answering our prayers that rise with sweet incense before Your throne. Shake the earth and heaven for Your saints!
Nehemiah 12:43 “And they offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy; the women and children also rejoiced. And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away.”
Sharing with the Nations!
Scripture reading for March 5th: Luke 2, Psalm 46, Proverbs 15
Key Scriptures: Luke 2:10-13 “And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom He is pleased!””
Luke tells the story of Jesus’ birth and the announcement of an angel to the shepherds who lived and worked near Bethlehem. They were told not to be afraid but were invited to see for themselves the sign: a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger. Suddenly, the heavens were alive with a mighty angel chorus praising God and pronouncing God’s blessing of peace to those on earth! Shout the good news!
Faith’s confession: Lord, I believe the good news of Jesus Christ! I believe it is for all people of all nations. Use me to share that good news!
Psalm 46:10-11: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!” The Lord of Hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.”
Walk in Truth!
Scripture reading for November 28th: 3rd John
Key Scriptures for over-comers: 3rd John 2-4 “Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. It gave me great joy to have some brothers come and tell about your faithfulness to the truth and how you continue to walk in the truth. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.”
John’s final letter is written to a believing friend, Gaius. This personal letter contains a short prayer for his friend’s health and prosperity. John prays that he may enjoy good health and prosperity as his soul is prospering. John encourages his friend to continue in faithfulness and applied truth. These things bring health, wealth, and joy to a pastor’s heart as well as God’s heart!
Observations for over-comers: Our walk and talk must always line up with the Truth of God’s word and Spirit. This brings well-being and health! “My son, pay attention to what I say, listen closely to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to a man’s whole body.” (Proverbs 4:20-22)
Good Tidings of Great Joy!
Scripture reading for December 25th: Luke 2:8-14
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified! But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you; You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth peace to men on whom His favor rests.”” (Luke 2:8-14)
To the humble shepherds, an angel of the Lord appeared in radiant and blinding glory. They were tending their flocks, protecting them from the predators of the night and the sight was terrifying! The angel reassured them with one of the 365 “fear not’s” of the Scriptures. His message was “good news of great joy” for all people of the earth, Jew and Gentile! (Luke 2:29-32) This “Good News” was that a Savior, Christ the Lord, had been born in the town of David–Bethlehem! This fulfilled what was spoken by Micah the prophet! (Micah 5:2) These shepherds were told they would find this child wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.
A great company of heavenly hosts (angelic beings) appeared with the angel of the Lord to these shepherds. They were praising God and giving glory to God in the highest heaven and proclaiming peace on earth to all men who would believe and receive the “Good News”! Today is still a time of God’s favor and His peace is available to all who will repent of their sins and receive Jesus Christ as Lord! This Good News is for you and all men today!
Walking in the truth!
Reading for December 20th, 2014
Today we have the short letter of 2nd John as our reading. Here are a few Scriptures that speak to me from this short letter. May they minister to your heart as you rest this day.
“Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love.” 2nd John 3
“It has given me great joy to find some of your children walking in the truth, just as the Father commanded us. And now, dear lady, I am not writing you a new command but one we have had from the beginning. I ask that we love one another. And this is love: that we walk in obedience to His commands. As you have heard from the beginning, His command is that you walk in love. “ 2nd John 4-6
‘Many deceivers, who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ coming in the flesh, have gone out into the world. Any such person is the deceiver and the antichrist.” 2nd John 7
“I have much to write to you, but I do not want to use paper and ink. Instead, I hope to visit you and talk with you face to face, so that our joy may be complete.” 2nd John 12
Have a great day of rest–talk to the Lord face to face and be filled with His joy and peace!