Tag: shout for joy
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!”