Bible League: Living His Word Always be filled with joy in the Lord. I will say it again. Be filled with joy.— Philippians 4:4 ERV Do you know what makes a baby happy? The embrace of her mother. Do you know what makes a toddler happy? A cookie. Do you know what makes a young boy happy? Fishing with his grandpa. Do you know what makes a teenager happy? Nothing. They're pretty much unhappy all of the time. Let's face it, human beings are pretty fickle, aren't they? We're happy when things are going our way, and we're miserable when things start to go the opposite direction. Stock market up? Happy! Stock market crashes? Miserable! Get a raise at work? Happy! Company downsizes? Miserable! Favorite sports team winning? Happy! Favorite sports team is the Chicago Bears? Miserable! I think you get the picture. The Apostle Paul told the church at Philippi to always be filled with joy in the Lord. He even repeated it to make sure he got his point across to them. "Be filled with joy." How can we be filled with joy when there are so many things in life that can make us miserable? When we look at the world around us, there is so much misery, heartache, and pain. How can anyone find joy amidst such unhappiness? We must be careful not to confuse happiness with joy. Happiness is dependent upon circumstances. Joy is dependent upon the Savior. Circumstances and situations will change, sometimes in the same hour or day. Take the cookie away from the toddler, and you'll see happiness turn to misery quickly. Watch an athlete turn the ball over that leads to the opposing team scoring, and you'll see an entire stadium full of fans go from happiness to misery in an instant. Watch the stock market take away half of someone's retirement, and you'll see misery in action. The thing about joy is that it is steady and constant, even in the midst of unhappiness. Why? It is because joy is dependent upon the Savior and the salvation that He gives to us. The Word of God says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Hebrews 13:8). His love and grace never change. The salvation He imparts doesn't change. He doesn't change the rules in the middle of the game. Joy comes from knowing that Jesus has saved you from your many sins by faith, and He won't change His mind about it! Even if the circumstances of life change and go from happy to sad to miserable, His offer of salvation will never change. That, my friends, is why we, as followers of Jesus, can be filled with joy. Let me say it again, be filled with joy! When we focus on the Savior and not on the circumstances, we will experience a joy that cannot be taken away from us. It is a joy that will last forever. Will we still have unhappy days from time to time? Yes. But the joy of our salvation will never wane. So let us focus on our Savior, Jesus Christ, and the joy His salvation brings to our lives. By Shawn Cornett, Bible League International staff, Illinois U.S. Bible in a Year Old Testament ReadingJoshua 23, 24 Joshua 23 -- Joshua's Farewell Address NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Joshua 24 -- Joshua's Summary of Israel's History; Joshua's Death NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB New Testament Reading Luke 6:27-49 Luke 6 -- Lord of the Sabbath; The Twelve Apostles; Beatitudes; Love for Enemies; Do not Judge; Tree and Fruits; House on the Rock NIV NLT ESV NAS GWT KJV ASV ERV DRB Reading Plan Courtesy of Christian Classics Etherial Library. Tyndale Life Application Daily Devotion The LORD will work out his plans for my life—for your faithful love, O LORD, endures forever. Don't abandon me, for you made me. Insight Every person dreams and makes plans for the future. Then they work hard to see those dreams and plans come true. But to make the most of life, we must include God's plan in our plans. Challenge He alone knows what is best for us; he alone can fulfill his purpose for us. As you make plans and dream dreams, talk with God about them. Morning and Evening by Spurgeon Songs 5:6 I called him, but he gave me no answer.Prayer sometimes tarrieth, like a petitioner at the gate, until the King cometh forth to fill her bosom with the blessings which she seeketh. The Lord, when he hath given great faith, has been known to try it by long delayings. He has suffered his servants' voices to echo in their ears as from a brazen sky. They have knocked at the golden gate, but it has remained immovable, as though it were rusted upon its hinges. Like Jeremiah, they have cried, "Thou hast covered thyself with a cloud, that our prayer should not pass through." Thus have true saints continued long in patient waiting without reply, not because their prayers were not vehement, nor because they were unaccepted, but because it so pleased him who is a Sovereign, and who gives according to his own pleasure. If it pleases him to bid our patience exercise itself, shall he not do as he wills with his own! Beggars must not be choosers either as to time, place, or form. But we must be careful not to take delays in prayer for denials: God's long-dated bills will be punctually honored; we must not suffer Satan to shake our confidence in the God of truth by pointing to our unanswered prayers. Unanswered petitions are not unheard. God keeps a file for our prayers--they are not blown away by the wind, they are treasured in the King's archives. This is a registry in the court of heaven wherein every prayer is recorded. Tried believer, thy Lord hath a tear-bottle in which the costly drops of sacred grief are put away, and a book in which thy holy groanings are numbered. By and by, thy suit shall prevail. Canst thou not be content to wait a little? Will not thy Lord's time be better than thy time? By and by he will comfortably appear, to thy soul's joy, and make thee put away the sackcloth and ashes of long waiting, and put on the scarlet and fine linen of full fruition. Daily Light on the Daily Path Proverbs 27:24 For riches are not forever, Nor does a crown endure to all generations.Psalm 39:6 "Surely every man walks about as a phantom; Surely they make an uproar for nothing; He amasses riches and does not know who will gather them. Colossians 3:2 Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth. Matthew 6:19-21 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. • "But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; • for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. 1 Corinthians 9:25 Everyone who competes in the games exercises self-control in all things. They then do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable. 2 Corinthians 4:18 while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal. Proverbs 11:18 The wicked earns deceptive wages, But he who sows righteousness gets a true reward. 2 Timothy 4:8 in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. 1 Peter 5:4 And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, Calif. All rights reserved. For Permission to Quote Information visit http://www.lockman.org. |
    |