Friday, November 4, 2022

Pastor's Ponderings, November 4, 2022

God’s Joy Is Our Strength

 

What brings you joy today?  Is it your career, your family, your resources, contacts, education or is it the God of your salvation? Today, we have another opportunity in which to enjoy and encourage ourselves. We have much to be thankful for and to be happy about, but we tend to focus on the bad things, the failures, disappointments, discouragements, detours, and distractions.  

 

The Bible says we should rejoice (Philippians 4:4).  This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it (Psalm 118:24).  Some may say that we are being cockeyed optimists. We should be realistic.  They say our enemies are about to launch nuclear weapons. They declare our country is headed toward a Handmaid's Tale’s dystopian future.  This is not to say that people are not suffering horribly because of man’s inhumanity to man.  But God is still good.

 

Leona Von Brethorst wrote the lyrics to, “I Will Enter His Gates.”  Some of the lyrics are, “I will enter His gates with thanksgiving in my heart; I will enter His courts with praise. I will say this is the day that the Lord has made. I will rejoice for He has made me glad. 

 

Today let us remind everyone that God oversees our world. His joy is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10). God commands us to rejoice and be very glad even when we are being attacked (Matthew 5:12). Let us all rejoice in Him today. .

 

Philippians 4:4

New International Version

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

 

Psalm 118:24

King James Version

24 This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

 

Nehemiah 8:10

New International Version

10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

 

Matthew 5:12

New International Version

12 Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.



 

 

 

 

 

 

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