Posts Tagged "joy"

Do you ever struggle with “knowing the will of God?” “[We pray] that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will (in all spiritual wisdom and understanding) so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, (fully pleasing to Him), bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God.” -Colossians 1:9b-10 (from the Amplified Bible, emphasis added) Ask any Christian if they want to know “the will of God” for their lives and almost all will say yes. Well, good news: here it is, the will of God, plain and simple. What pleases God?  When His people “bear fruit” (produce tangible results) in “every good work,” AND when they “increase in the knowledge of God.” That’s...

What do you do when it just hurts? All throughout history the people of God have struggled with hurt, with pain and uncertainty. It’s never easy to walk through the valley of the shadow, especially because we never DO know how long it will last. And yet, it is in these times of suffering that God offers us a point of light, a beacon of hope to look to & know that He is still with us. It is the cross of Christ. It is the cross that reminds us that He has suffered deeply, painfully, and it was for us. No trite words of “God loves you” can bring peace in the time of pain, but let the blood-stained wood of the rugged cross be your support. Let the nail-scarred hands of the crucified Savior hold you up. Let His wounded head nod in understanding at...

What if “the judgement of God” was cause for rejoicing? “Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who dwell in it! Let the rivers clap their hands; let the hills sing for joy together before the LORD, for He comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.”  -Psalm 98:7-9 “The judgement of God” is not a phrase that usually brings to mind joy and delight…but it should. See it for a moment: that day of reckoning brings fear to some, but creation rejoices, for at last it is set free from the stain of sin that it’s borne so long.  If “the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now,” (Romans 8:22), how...

What truly fills your heart? “Singers and dancers alike say [of Zion], ‘all my fountains are in You.’” -Psalm 87:7 There are a thousand marketing campaigns that tell us where we will find peace and refreshment.  There are billions of dollars spent to try and convince us that this product or that destination, those shoes or these experiences will bring us joy. For the people of God, though, there is a simple answer. Let your heart dwell on the hope of the Kingdom of God, both now and forever, and you will find your heart filled, ready to overflow in song or dance of praise. Set your heart on Zion, and set your hands to work and bring it here. Did you like this post? >> If you haven't already, click here to subscribe and have new posts d

Ever feel like you’re lost in the dark? “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let Your glory be over all the earth!” -Psalm 57:5 Picture the darkness of a cave. You’re trapped, with an enemy outside hunting you down. You are cold, tired, hungry, feeling alone. That’s the scene of this line. The opening of Psalm 57 says it is from David, “when he fled from Saul, in the cave.” David is running for his life, hiding from his enemy, and his response is not to mope at his situation, but to praise his God. The verse before this says, “My soul is in the midst of lions,” the one after, “My soul was bowed down.”  David is struggling, hurting, and he’s not denying or ignoring his pain.  However, he...