Something To Think About?

     For every CHRISTian the joy of THE LORD is our strength.  Another Pastor said, “One of our greatest gifts as a believer is joy.  The joy of THE LORD produces strength in us that lifts us above the storms of life and enables us to walk on top of the troubled waters.”  Yes, and Hallelujah. 

     You see, this is how we can continue when we want to give up and just fall down.  This is how we can still smile when the troubled, stormy waters appear as though they are going to overtake us.  This is how we make it through each day when our hearts are so heavy within us, that we feel we cannot take it one more day.  This is how we rise above all the things that came to hurt us, break us, and even kill us.  It is the joy of THE LORD – that is where our strength lies!

     I know I stand because of the strength of THE LORD within me.  This is why all CHRISTians are still standing today.  You never know what struggles someone else might be going through or went through until they tell you.  Our GOD our LORD is our joy and in that joy is our strength and nothing else will do. 

     People around us are wondering at times how are we standing in all that we are facing when we are standing in the fiery furnace of trials and tribulations. 

     What they don’t see is that our GOD of hope fills us with all joy and peace and belief, so that by the Power of THE HOLY SPIRIT we may abound in hope when everyone else is giving up.  (Romans 15:13) 

     JESUS gave us a promise in John 16:22, “And you now, therefore, have sorrow, but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man can take from you.”  You see, one day we will no longer ever suffer through the sorrows of this world, and nothing will be able to take our joy from us.  Oh Hallelujah.  This is a promise to all believers. 

We understand that as believers, we are to count it all joy when we go through it in this life. (James 1:2).  If we did not go through the valleys and if there were no mountains that we face in this life, how would we truly understand the faithfulness of our LORD and SAVIOR?  So, we count it all joy when we go through trials, tribulations, and afflictions in this life – for we know that it will all work out for our good one way or another.  The joy of THE LORD is our strength, and nothing else will do.

      Let us never forget, as the Children of GOD that we are to rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, and be constant in prayer (Romans 12:12), remembering we are all strengthened with all might according to HIS Glorious Power to all patience and longsuffering with joyfulness (Colossians 1:11)

     The joy of THE LORD is where our strength is, and don’t you ever forget it!

Amen.

With love in CHRIST JESUS