REJOICE IN THE LORD

“I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”- Isaiah 61:10–11

An English preacher named William Burt described how he visited the home of a family during his school days. The father he described as a good man but a “chronic growler.” As he sat with the family, their young daughter began describing the favorite food of each of her siblings. The father asked, “What do I like, Nancy?” After a brief pause the little girl replied, “Well, you mostly like everything we haven’t got.” Burt said that from that day forward he resolved to be careful not to complain.

Every Christian endures hardship and trouble. There are no people who float through life without problems. The difference between those who rejoice and those who complain is not their circumstances, but their focus. Some look at their troubles, while others look to the Lord. When Jesus sent the disciples out they returned with great joy over the results they had seen from their ministry. Jesus responded, “Notwithstanding in this rejoice not, that the spirits are subject unto you; but rather rejoice, because your names are written in heaven” (Luke 10:20).

The expression “rejoice in the Lord” is not meant to be a motto or a phrase we use without thinking. It is an instruction. He is the source of our joy, and His promises and faithfulness are the guarantee that we will receive all that He has offered, despite the circumstances of the moment. A Christian who thinks he has no cause for rejoicing has lost sight of God’s salvation. ( Daily in the Word)

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

THE EDGE OF NEED
“And as they that bare the ark were come unto Jordan, and the feet of the priests that bare the ark were dipped in the brim of the water, (for Jordan overfloweth all his banks all the time of harvest,) That the waters which came down from above stood and rose up upon an heap very far from the city Adam, that is beside Zaretan: and those that came down toward the sea of the plain, even the salt sea, failed, and were cut off: and the people passed over right against Jericho.”– Josh. 3:15-16

God does not open paths for us—in advance of our coming. He does not promise to help—before help is needed. He does not remove obstacles out of our way—before we reach them. Yet when we are on the edge of our need—God’s hand is stretched out to help us.

Many people forget this, and are forever worrying about difficulties which they foresee in the future. They expect that God is going to make the way plain and open before them, miles and miles  ahead; whereas he has promised to do it only step by step as they move on. 

There is a Scripture promise which reads: “When you go through deep waters and great trouble—I will be with you.” You must get into the deep waters—before you can claim this promise. Many people dread death, and lament that they have not “dying grace.” Of course they will not have dying grace—when they are in good health, in the midst of life’s duties, with death far in advance. Why should they have it then? Grace for duty is what they need then—living grace; then dying grace—when they come to die. When their feet are dipped in the brim of Jordan, the torrent will sink away!- J. R. Miller

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346

HE KNOWS
“He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee…”-John 21:17

You look into your life today and what do you see there? Failures, broken purposes, promises not kept, commandments violated, purity stained, everything sullied! Jesus comes and looks into your face, with that calm, holy, searching gaze of His, and says, “Do you love Me?” As you are about to answer, you think of all you have done that has been dishonorable and sinful. You are speechless before Him. Yet you are conscious that you do love Him; that in your heart, beneath all your sins, failures, and faults—there is love for Him. What a comfort it is to cast yourself on His knowledge of what is in you! Perhaps men sneer, and say that one who has stumbled as you have done—surely cannot love Christ. But Christ knows the love, even amid the sins and failures.

I am glad that perfection is not the test of discipleship. We may be full of faults. We go on stumbling every day. We do nothing beautifully. We misrepresent the Christ whose name we bear. We hurt the friends we want to help.

Christ knows all these sad failures. He looks at the stained scroll we fold up at the close of the day—with the blots on it. But while He sees the worst, He sees also the best; and He loves on loves unto the uttermost! “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You!”- J. R. Miller

David Stone
Lakeway Baptist Church
5801 FM 1960 E
Humble, TX. 77346