Tag: shout for joy
Not destined for wrath
Scripture reading for November 20th: 1st Thessalonians 5, Psalm 81, Proverbs 14
1st Thessalonians 5: 5-11 “For you are all children of light, children of the day. We are not of the night or of the darkness. So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, are drunk at night. But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation. For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so we might live with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.”
Paul called the Thessalonian believers to walk in the light of Jesus Christ and His soon return. He contrasted those in the world with sleepers at night in darkness. These also got drunk at night, because of living in darkness without the light of Jesus Christ. Believers were children of light and daytime. They were awake to spiritual truths and filled with the Holy Spirit instead of drunk with alcoholic beverages. They realized the truth of salvation from the coming judgment of the wicked and their eternal damnation. Through Jesus Christ, the future was bright with God’s eternal light and promise of eternal life with Him! Fruit flows from within our lives as we live as children of the light. We sing with joy and shout in victory!
Psalm 81:1-3 “Sing aloud to God our Strength; shout for joy to the God of Jacob! Raise a song; sound the tambourine, the sweet lyre with the harp. Blow the trumpet at the new moon, at the full moon, on our feast day.”
Prayer: Father God, thank You for the Light of Truth in Jesus Christ. Thank You for revealing eternal life and escape from wrath through repentance and faith. Use believers and me to encourage others and build them up in their faith as the day of Christ Jesus draws near. Bring holy conviction on those who are foolish and have not given thought to their ways. I shout for joy to Jesus Christ my Lord!
Proverbs 14:14-15 “The backslider in heart will be filled with the fruit of his ways, and a good man will be filled with the fruit of his ways. The simple believes everything, but the prudent give thought to his steps.”
Calling all sinners!
Scripture reading for July 4th: Luke 5, Psalm 132, Proverbs 8
Luke 5: 27-32 “After this He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And He said to him, “Follow Me.” And leaving everything, he rose and followed Him. And Levi made Him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at His disciples, saying, “Why do You eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.””
No one can come to Christ unless they are called. God, Who is Wisdom, sent His Son, Jesus Christ, Who was made Wisdom from God to call lost sinners and broken ‘children of men’ to follow Him. Those humble enough to listen and respond find joy and rejoicing in God’s House and look forward to table fellowship with Jesus. He blesses the poor with salvation and takes care of their needs. He brings beauty for ashes and the oil of joy instead of mourning and death. But in Jesus’ time on earth, religious folks stood in judgment of His call to sinners. They refused to listen to the fact that all have sinned and need a physician! Are you listening today? What is your response to Jesus’ call?
Psalm 132:13-16 “For the Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place; “This is My resting place forever; here I will dwell, for I have desired it. I will abundantly bless her provisions; I will satisfy her poor with bread. Her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints will shout for joy.””
Prayer: Father God, thank You for Your call to me in my life as a young child to follow Jesus and to preach Your Good News. My heart is grieved because of many who judge instead of listen and respond. Help me to model Your love and patience and mercy towards the lost. Anoint my life with power and purity to clearly present Jesus Christ, Son of God and Savior. May heaven rejoice with each new saint born of God!
Proverbs 8:4-5 “”To you, O men, I call, and My cry is to the children of man. O simple ones, learn prudence; O fools, learn sense. Hear, for I will speak noble things and from My lips will come what is right.””
Maintain your confidence in Christ!
Scripture reading for March 7th: Hebrews 3, Psalm 47, Proverbs 16
Hebrews 3:12-15 “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end. As it is said, “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.””
The Psalmist knew the power of worship to help God’s people maintain their confidence in the King of all the earth. Worship involves the whole person: spirit, soul, and body! We clap our hands and shout with our voices as an act of worship with our bodies. We experience the joy of God’s presence with us and in us in our souls. Our spirit chooses to humbly reverence (fear) the great God of heaven and His Holy Word. As we worship, God is magnified to us. We become aware of Who He is and Whose we are! He speaks to our hearts and encourages us. Worship keeps our hearts soft and pliable and full of joy! We are blessed!
Psalm 47:1-2 “Clap you hands all peoples! Shout to God with loud songs of Joy! For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great King over all the earth.”
Prayer: Great God of Heaven, King over all the earth, I reverence You and choose to worship You with all my heart, soul, mind and strength of my body! You, Alone, are worthy! My confidence comes from the joy of Your presence with me and from the precious promises of Your Word. I have discovered Your amazing love and goodness and my life is blessed! Amen!
Proverbs 16:20 “Whoever gives thought to the Word will discover good, and blessed is he who trusts in the Lord.”
Persecution and preaching
Scripture reading for April 15th: Acts 8
Key Scriptures: Acts 8:3-8 “But Saul was ravaging the church, and entering house after house, he dragged off men and women and committed them to prison. Now those who were scattered went about preaching the Word. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed to them the Christ and the crowds with one accord paid attention to what was being said by Philip when they heard him and saw the signs that he did. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who had them, and many who were paralyzed or lame were healed. So there was much joy in that city.”
The martyrdom of Stephen, the deacon, caused a great persecution against the church of Jesus Christ. All except the apostles were scattered out of Jerusalem to various towns, regions and villages. Another deacon, Philip relocated in Samaria and quickly began preaching Jesus there. He drew crowds of people who listened to the Gospel message and saw the signs of healing and deliverance that were done through his ministry. From the suffering and scattered church, God brought much joy to the places where they went through the Good News they brought with them. Out of difficulty and trouble came times of refreshing from God’s presence with His own. They took God’s glorious presence with them everywhere they were scattered, and like seed, they grew and produced fruit!
Acts 8:25 “Now when they had testified and spoken the Word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, preaching the Gospel to many villages of the Samaritans.“
Faith confession and prayer: Lord Jesus, You worked all things for good and Your glory, even persecutions and martyrdom! Work in me and our troubled world as I share the Good News and carry the testimony and presence of Jesus Christ. Let there be much joy from healings and deliverance and salvation!
Psalm 20:5 “May we shout for joy over your salvation, and in the Name of our God set up our banners! May the Lord fulfill all your petitions!”