Praise

I would like to talk to you today about joy

in the Lord. There are three kinds of joy

for the believer. First, there is the joy of

one’s own salvation. I have heard people

say “Let so and so do it. He has been a

Christian a long time.” But I have found

that many ‘old’ Christians have lost some

of that first love and their joy no longer

overflows. If I want something done for

Jesus, or sweet fellowship, or a visit made,

I like to see the bubbling-over enthusiasm

They are happy about anything and see

God in everything! John writes that he

had no greater joy than to see his disciples

walk in the truth. New believers, walk in

the light that you have, and you will still have

the joy when you are an old Christian.

Some years ago, I helped pull two teenagers

from a car that had crashed head on in front

of my house. Two were dead at the scene and

the third would die later. I had already

completed my devotion on “Praise.” Later

that evening, I searched my heart and asked,

could I really praise God in this situation?

God’s spirit spoke within, “My child, yes, my

child, you can trust me.” At that moment, the

joy of the Lord flooded my soul, as I

understood just a little more of the joy God

has available for the believer in every

circumstance.

Father, thank you for the heavenly joy that

passes earthly understanding.

Amen.