“Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.”

Philippians 4:4

Rejoicing is a lost art today. People complain about their work, the weather, their sports team, the economy, the government, or their family. If it’s not one thing, it’s another. Have you ever met those people who seem to have nothing going right in life? You might ask them how they’re doing, then regret asking when they tell you everything that’s wrong!

We all know things go wrong in life. If we wanted to, I’m sure we could all list things we wish were going differently for us. However, rarely do people focus on all that is going right in life. How about the fact that we all woke up this morning? We are all still breathing, living human beings. The difference between an optimist and a pessimist is their paradigm of life.

What paradigm, or view of life, do you have today? Do you see life as a giant series of events that go wrong? On the other hand, do you see it as a divinely guided series of events that ultimately lead to a home in Heaven? God desires that you view life as a God-designed plan personally for you.

The greatest joy that can be had is in living for a higher purpose, a purpose given by God. When we focus on ourselves and the pains and trials we endure, our joy is diminished. Only as we look toward Christ and live out His perfect will for our lives will the trials be seen as opportunities to praise God.

Even in his day, Paul realized the pessimistic view some people had on life, and reminded Christians to be joyful, “Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.” Notice that Paul didn’t simply tell the believers at Philippi to be happy. He told them to rejoice in the Lord. —-

Because God created you, you can rejoice. Because God loves you, you can rejoice. Because God sent His only Son to die on Calvary for you specifically, you can rejoice. Because death means an eternity with God for believers, you can rejoice. Because God has ordered your life, you can rejoice. Because even in difficult times God is working through your trials, you can rejoice. Because no matter what happens on earth God is still on His throne, you can rejoice.

Have you rejoiced yet today? Have you praised God for the fact that you’re alive? Don’t take each day on earth for granted. Take time now to rejoice in the fact that God loves you and is watching over you right now. Rejoice always because God is your Heavenly Father.–By Dr. Paul Chappell

It is written: “…ye have not, because ye ask not. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.” (James 4:2-3) Charles Haddon Spurgeon wrote: “A mere formalist can always pray so as to please himself.”

The goal of prayer is not to formulate words pleasing to one’s self and to other men. The real goal of prayer is to reach the ear of God. The Pharisees are masters of well-ordered words to be heard and to be praised of men, but they pray to be heard of men not of God. Richard Cecil wrote: “A man may pray night and day and deceive himself.” The vain and repetitious prayers of men never deceive God. God judges the thoughts and the intents of the heart, and only holy thoughts and godly intents reach the ear of God.

James gives us two major hindrances to God-ward prayer – not asking, and asking amiss. First, are you personally in a prayer relationship with the heavenly Father? Secondly, the word “amiss” means wickedly or wrongly. Why do you want God to hear you? Are your prayers filled with honorable intentions and pure pleadings?

In this fast paced society usually the first to fall victim in a believer’s day is his prayer closet. Often he makes himself too busy to commune with God. Oh, he has time to read every word of the daily paper and enter into lengthy discussions of its contents; but he does not have time to read the Holy Scriptures and enter into a discussion with the Author. God’s plan is very simple – ask and receive, do not ask and do not receive. It is seemingly simple, but real prayer takes time to search the heart and lay it bare before the Father. It is not what is upon the lips that are weighed but what is revealed out of the heart. Precious care must be taken to unwrap the burdens of the heart. Asking to receive requires quality honest time with the Giver.

E. M. Bounds wrote: “A revival of real praying would produce a spiritual revolution.” Oh, what answers we would receive from God if we would put the daily paper down, turn off the TV, radio, CD player, computer, telephone, and earnestly whisper into the ear of God and intently listen to Him upon devoted knees. Heaven and earth will be moved when it is met with a revival of REAL praying! Let us sincerely pray for a spiritual revolution to begin!!! –By Dr. M.J. Seymour

Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven.–Proverbs 23:5   The worldwide economic meltdown that began in 2008 resulted in the greatest evaporation of wealth in history. By February 2009, tens of trillions of dollars in value had disappeared from markets around the world. A month later, a prominent Wall Street money manager pled guilty to stealing upwards of $50 billion from investors.

It seems almost inconceivable that trillions of dollars can vanish without a trace–but they can. There is nothing wrong with saving and investing for the future, but money can never be the ultimate source of our security. Our security must be in something eternal, not something temporal. Money is temporary; God is forever: “The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms” (Deuteronomy 33:27a). Money is a foundation that can be washed away, but nothing can remove the “everlasting arms” of God from underneath our lives. He is an immovable foundation.

Save money? Yes. Trust in money? No. Put your faith in the only object worthy of your trust: God Himself.(Turning Point)

The real measure of our wealth is how much we’d be worth if we lost all our money.
John Henry Jowett

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.” Ecclesiastes 3:1-8

Our Christian lives are a series of changing seasons.

Throughout history, people have resisted changes to their everyday lives. For instance, when the railroad system was developed in America, many people vehemently opposed it. Here’s a letter written to President Andrew Jackson on January 31, 1829:

As you may know, Mr. President, ‘railroad’ carriages are pulled at the enormous speed of 15 miles per hour by ‘engines’ which, in addition to endangering life and limb of passengers, roar and snort their way through the countryside, setting fire to crops, scaring the livestock and frightening women and children. The Almighty certainly never intended that people should travel at such breakneck speed.

Signed,
Martin Van Buren
Governor of New York

Even Governor Van Buren, a future President of the United States, opposed what now we can say was a very important step in our nation’s transportation development. It seems that with every major change in history came some resistance. While not all change is good, good change is beneficial.

In our lives as Christians, there needs to be a “changing process” every so often. As our verses show, we live through different seasons in our lives. There will be times of growing, sowing, reaping, repenting, building, and repairing. Our Christian lives are a series of different seasons.

Take a moment to think of the season you’ve been in recently. Perhaps you’ve endured a trial and have since come through closer to God. Maybe you’ve experienced blessings and have had much for which to thank God. Or perhaps you’ve encountered a time of backsliding, a falling away from God’s will.

What season are you in right now? If you are facing a difficult season, know that God doesn’t bring seasons of difficulty or stretching and growing into your life for no purpose. There’s always a reason! And as Ecclesiastes explains, your season of difficulty will not last forever. There will be seasons of blessings coming as you remain faithful to Him.

If you’ve experienced a season of blessing recently, take time to thank God! He has blessed you and deserves to be thanked because of it. Just as a season of difficulty will not last forever, so a time of blessing will end. Rather than spending the time of blessing away from God, make sure to stay close to Him so that when difficulties come, you can thank Him just as you did during the blessing season.

Or have you strayed from God recently? God never desires that you would turn away from Him, but He offers you forgiveness and restoration if you turn back to Him. You are never too far gone that God will not forgive you.

Which season of life are you in today? Thank God for His guidance and love no matter the season you face, and remain faithful to Him no matter what’s going on in your life right now. By Dr. Paul Chappell