Praying these thoughts will be a blessing to others as they have been to me. I often need these reminders! Most of this post, like my last one, is a compilation of notes taken from sermons by several different faithful ministers of the Lord - I'm sorry that I didn't always take note of their names, but I think each one of them would agree that their name isn't what is important. And what I learned most from each of them, is to be much in God's Word, and trusting in the Lord - Who never fails - rather than man...who will only fail and disappoint. I've added some extra thoughts here and there as needed. I made the notes from the sermons as brief as I could, while hopefully still making them clear.
As I listened to each preacher...and read the works of other faithful children of God from the past, who were victorious even in the midst of great sufferings and trials in their lives, I noticed a central theme of what they each spoke of on the subject of growth in grace and having strong faith and joy in the Lord even during severe troubles - and that is, reading and meditating much on God's Word, and praying about it as we read.
These thoughts below that I took notes of made me think of many things that often are easy to lose sight of when difficult times come, and troubles seem overwhelming - but the Lord is worthy to be praised and to rejoice in Him at all times! The Lord is merciful to me so many times, bringing me to once again remember His precious promises and find my strength and hope in Him when I fail in this. This post is a very good reminder for me. :)
"Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is comely for the upright."
- Psalms 33:1
"Rejoice in the LORD, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness."
- Psalms 97:12
"Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord."
- Philippians 3:1
"Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice."
- Philippians 4:4
REASONS TO REJOICE IN THE LORD:
His holiness. - "Give thanks at the remembrance of His holiness."
We should be glad that the LORD reigns. "The LORD reigneth, let the earth rejoice."
His love. Especially His electing love toward sinners. "Yea I have loved thee with an everlasting love, therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee..."
God's eternal existence. "Before the mountains were brought forth.....even from everlasting to everlasting, Thou art God."
God's Word. "I rejoice at Thy word, as one that findeth great spoil." -Psalms 119:162
We should rejoice in the Lord as our Creator - in Whom we "live, move and have our being." "Let Israel rejoice in him that made him."
Because your names are written in Heaven. "...rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." -Luke 10:20
God's Works.... Psalms 111:2 "The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein."
His Person [and attributes].... Psalms 145:8 "The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy."
Rejoice in Christ. Philippians 3:3 "For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh." "Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:" - 1 Peter 1:8
Our adoption, and acceptance in the Beloved. "For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." -Romans 8:15
The Holy Spirit, the Teacher and Comforter of God's children. "But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." -John 14:26
The shed blood of Christ, and His sinless life and sacrifice. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;" -Ephesians 1:7
His resurrection... "They departed from the sepulchre with fear and great joy."
Salvation. "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation..." God's Words says that the salvation of a lost sinner brings great joy in Heaven.
And a few last quotes that I hope encourages others also (I do not remember the name of each author)...even if you're not experiencing any difficulties right now, God's children all go through their own trials at one time or another, and I hope this encourages you to be hiding God's Word in your heart more and more - as it has been for me.
Shortly after, these unique clouds showed up - thought they looked almost like balls of cotton up in the sky. :)
And a beautiful sunset.
The shed blood of Christ, and His sinless life and sacrifice. "In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;" -Ephesians 1:7
His resurrection... "They departed from the sepulchre with fear and great joy."
Salvation. "I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall be joyful in my God, for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation..." God's Words says that the salvation of a lost sinner brings great joy in Heaven.
And a few last quotes that I hope encourages others also (I do not remember the name of each author)...even if you're not experiencing any difficulties right now, God's children all go through their own trials at one time or another, and I hope this encourages you to be hiding God's Word in your heart more and more - as it has been for me.
"We need the truth of God's Word ingrained in us - 'Let the words of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom'. God's Word stabilizes you and enables you to rejoice in the midst of the fire. Satan wants to distract you from God's Word. We let the words of Christ dwell in us richly, by meditating on, and going over and over it." - Unknown
Rejoice in the LORD, O ye righteous: for praise is
comely for the upright.
-Psalms 33:1
"If you're full of the joy of the Lord, you're full of the strength of the Lord. The joy of the Lord, that strengthens us from day to day, is only going to be found by abiding close to Christ, living near to Him, walking and talking with Him." - J. Wagner
How do we have such joy, even in the midst of troubles and trials...yes, even in the midst of the fire?
"Yes, a true love for the great Book will bring us great peace from the great God and be a great protection to us. Let us live constantly in the society of the law of the LORD, and it will breed in our hearts a restfulness such as nothing else can. The Holy Spirit acts as a Comforter through the Word and sheds abroad those benign influences which calm the tempests of the soul. Nothing is a stumbling block to the man who has the Word of God dwelling in him richly. He takes up his daily cross, and it becomes a delight. For the fiery trial he is prepared and counts it not strange, so as to be utterly cast down by it. " -Unknown (possibly Spurgeon?)
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This is a long post already, but finally... some of God's beautiful works of creation. Recently, the Lord brought a beautiful double rain bow during a storm here. We were able to get some pictures - this one below is a close-up of a pretty little violet down in the grass, with the bow faintly in the sky behind.
And a beautiful sunset.
The works of the LORD are great, sought out of all them that have pleasure therein.
-Psalms 111:2
Because they regard not the works of the LORD, nor the operation of his hands, he shall destroy them, and not build them up. - Psalms 28:5
Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
-Luke 12:27
