Humility, grace, and holiness

1 Peter 1:15-16 NKJV — but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

It’s a difficult concept, but we are called to holiness

Yet, it’s imperative that we keep this instruction within the context of the rest of the scripture.

The Bible is clear we are sinful and cannot attain holiness through our own efforts.

Romans 3:10 NKJV — As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;”

As sinful creatures, our first step is not to be holy, but instead to be humble, for it is through humility we recognize our desperate need to be saved.

Each person must begin the journey to holiness through the door of salvation.

Romans 3:23 NKJV — for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Humility leads us to repentance which leads us to grace.

Romans 5:17 KJV — For if by one man’s offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)

Grace, God’s precious gift, brings us to a new relationship with Jesus Christ and a new way of living, and it is through that we begin the journey of holiness.

1 Peter 1:3-7NKJV — Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 that the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of Jesus Christ,

This is the context of the command to be holy.

It is a natural fruit of the Holy Spirit’s work within the heart surrendered and filled with gratitude for the gift of salvation.

My fellow blogger wrote a great post on this same topic.

Ephesians 1:1-2:10 ‘By grace you have been saved through faith… for good works’ (2:8-10). God calls us to live a ‘holy’ life. We cannot make ourselves holy. We are spiritually ‘dead’. We need to be ‘made alive’ – by God. Holiness does not come from ourselves. It comes from the Lord. Long before we ever […]

Saved By Grace, Called To Holiness

Through the indwelling of God’s Spirit, in a new relationship of the redeemed and reborn child of God, our lives should be distinctly different from our former lives as well as those of others around us who have yet to be saved.

It’s not a fabrication of one’s efforts to live a “good life”.

No, it is the natural fruit of a life filled by Jesus Christ.

Romans 13:14 NKJV — But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your gift of grace which brings us salvation. Lord, thank You that You call us to be holy and You work in our hearts to make us new. Lord, thank You that this is a journey and that we can look forward to the destination of Heaven, where we will be free from sin forever and in Your holy presence! Praise the Lord!! Thank You! Lord Jesus, please continue to teach me how to live holy unto You, walking in Your Word, being guided by Your instructions, and daily surrendered to Your lordship. I love You, Jesus. Amen.

Like a little child

“Grammy! I help you!” she said with enthusiasm.

I was surprised, but thought it was sweet.

After retrieving a chair she could stand on, she didn’t climb up, as I expected her to.

Instead she ran over to where we keep our aprons.

“Can you get me that one?” Her little sweet voice displaying her excitement at getting to help.

Auntie had bought her an apron for when they cook together and Faye remembered it.

Faye turned with a big grin and announced, “Like you, Grammy!”

I took it down and put it over her ballerina dress, making a bow with the ties.

Bubba, came round the kitchen island and watched me putting the apron on Faye.

“Me too, Grammy?”

I shook my head and told him I didn’t need more than one helper at a time, while mentally making a note to get another apron.

Instead, I let him wear the hot mits, which he did gladly.

He suddenly turned them into some sort of animal by adding a roar and trying to “chomp” his sister with them, which she responded with a shriek of laughter and ran out of the room.

Despite this minor interruption, she soon returned, climbed up, and asked for something to wash with.

I had set a large metal bowl in her side of the sink and handed her a dish rag.

She happily swirled, scrubbed, and rinsed the rag eventually getting the bowl pretty clean.

By that time I’d finished with my dishes and decided we should scrub the sink with baking soda.

I sprinkled a liberal amount around, showed her how it needed to be scrubbed, and then let her use the spray nozzle to rinse it all down.

When she was finished, she climbed down, dried her hands on a dish towel and went to play.

Luke 18:17 KJV — Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein.

I’m not surprised at Jesus’s words when I watch my grandchildren.

They are enthusiastic about life, teachable, affectionate, trusting, and so ready to join in with whatever we are doing.

The ordinary is thrilling.

They have no room or thought for the mundane, it doesn’t exist.

Apathy isn’t part of their vocabulary nor their hearts.

Yes, they are selfish and self focused, but far more playable are their hearts to learning what is right, true, and good.

They inspire me to be enthusiastic about life and challenging me to be:

Teachable, affectionate, trusting, and focused upon my Father.

Reminding me to:

Pattern myself after my Lord and Savior.

Put on the garment of salvation which He paid for.

Blot out apathy, rejoice in the ordinary, and renaming the mundane: opportunity.

What a great gifts God has given me!

That I have His Word and Holy Spirit to train and guide me, and His gift of children and grandchildren who bring me inspiration.

Matthew 18:1 KJV — At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?

Matthew 18:2-5 KJV — And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your salvation. Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for showing me so many things through Your scripture in my every day. Lord Jesus, please continue to help me become as a little child, humble, loving, open, teachable. Lord, please help me to be an example of You to both my children and grandchildren. Help me to be a virtuous woman like that in Proverbs, speaking truth, generous, hospitable, industrious, wise. I want to encourage them and live a life to bring You glory, a life that inspires my children and grandchildren to love You. Please be with each one, guide, direct, and hone their hearts, that they might walk in Your ways all their days. Lord, thank You for Your many gifts and blessings. Thank You for Your faithfulness. Thank You for Your love. In Your name I ask these things, Jesus. Amen.

Truth

God’s Word is truth and we find the answers to life’s questions within.

Psalm 25:5 NKJV — Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; On You I wait all the day.

This leading and being taught by the Lord is a journey.

Psalm 25:10 NKJV — All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies.

He’s infinite and we are finite, thus we can be blessed with continually learning from the Lord throughout our days on Earth.

Psalm 33:4 NKJV — For the word of the LORD is right, And all His work is done in truth.

He is God Almighty and He’s given us such an awesome gift in His Word, for through it’s pages are righteousness, truth, and the knowledge of the gift of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Psalm 40:10 NKJV — I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth From the great assembly.

Not only should we enjoy regular time in the Word, we should speak of it with others.

For it is a gift far too precious not share.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your gift of salvation, righteousness, and truth. Lord, please continue to encourage each one of us through the washing of Your Word upon our souls. Lord, help us to be diligent to etch the Word into our hearts, to apply Your standards to our lives, and to encourage those around us to do the same. Thank You for Your wonderous works and Your great love for us. I love Your Word, Lord. Thank You for it. Amen.

Whose servant are you?

Saturday we held a birthday dinner for our son.

Our goal for this event was to encourage our son in righteousness and at one point my husband asked all the men present to come up and pray together over our son.

Because we wanted him to understand that with privilege (adulthood in this case) comes great responsibility.

Romans 6:15-16NKJV — What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?

Every single person has a choice to make: whose servant will they be?

For scripture is clear, if we choose to walk in sin, we are choosing death.

If we choose to believe on Jesus Christ and obey Him, we are choosing righteousness.

When I was a young adult I thought this choice was a once and done thing, but as I read my Bible I learned it’s a daily, sometimes moment-by-moment choice.

Walking in obedience to Jesus means knowing His will for my life, including my attitudes and actions.

The truth is if I’m not purposefully choosing to obey the Lord, I’m choosing to obey sin.

There’s no middle ground.

Joshua 24:15 NKJV — “And if it seems evil to you to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for the truth and discernment You give us through the scriptures. Lord, thank You for showing me that if I’m not choosing to obey You, I’m choosing to obey sin. I don’t want that nor the consequences of that in my life. I don’t want to walk in rebellion nor face the judgement which comes from rejecting You and Your gift of salvation. Thank You for that beautiful wonderful gift! Lord, You alone know the hearts of people. You are the One who sees our motivates and hears the things we speak in our hearts. Lord, I want to speak truth in my heart every day, all day long. Lord, I want to honor You with my actions, my attitudes, and my words. Please help me to be obedient to You in all things. Thank You, Jesus. Amen.

Wheelbarrow

This wheelbarrow was a gift from my husband a few years ago.

One might think it a strange thing to give, but I was thrilled to receive it.

I’d been hauling things in five gallon buckets since our last wheelbarrow broke beyond repair.

We’d been doing some digging in our yard and had uncovered so many rocks.

If you can imagine the time and effort it was requiring for me to move rocks with a five gallon bucket, you should have an understanding of the blessing of a wheelbarrow.

I’m even more thankful for it here as I clean out pens or cages and haul the refuse to the compost or into the garden.

A wheelbarrow is a simple tool which makes my life easier everyday and I’m so thankful to both my husband and the Lord for His provision.

As I was thinking about the blessings of being able to use my wheelbarrow it occurred to me that it’s such a blessing because I use it.

If I were to ignore the benefits of using it and continued to haul everything in five gallon buckets, I’d not appreciate the gift.

But it’s ridiculous to try to use five gallon buckets to move soiled hay or manure when the wheelbarrow is available.

God’s Word, salvation, and the Holy Spirit are the most incredible gifts.

Yet, how easy is it for us to return to the “old ways” of doing things rather than avail ourselves of these precious gifts?

For those who have yet to believe in the Lord Jesus as their Savior, they are missing the most important gift anyone was ever offended: forgiveness from sin.

For those who believe and have accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior, if they are not in the Word their maturing in Christ will be extremely slow and difficult, for without the Word their spirit is starving.

For those who have both believed and are in the Word, it is folly to ignore the Holy Spirit and His place in our lives, for He was sent to Comfort and convict of sin, righteousness, and judgement.

John 16:7-8 NKJV — “Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. “And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

To be truly grateful for these gifts of God we must regularly be recognizing the importance of each and diligent in our application of God’s blessings.

If I never used my wheelbarrow I’d not be blessed by the benefits it offers to my day.

As a believer if I forget the sacrifice of my Lord Jesus, or put off time in His Word, or grieve the Holy Spirit by choosing to live counter to the Word, I’m missing the incredible blessings God has bestowed.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for salvation. Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit. Lord, please continue to hone my heart that I might not forget these glorious blessings in my life. Lord, cut down anything that might eat away my time and waste my attention. Lord, please reveal my heart, that when I fall into sin I’m might repent of it quickly. Lord, please continue to grow my through Your Word and direct me. Thank You for teaching me so much. Thank You for Your wonderful gifts! I love You, Lord. Amen.

What did it cost God to extend grace?

His only Son.

1 John 4:9 KJV — In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

God is a good judge.

He looked at our sins and pronounced us guilty.

Nehemiah 9:33 NKJV — However You are just in all that has befallen us; For You have dealt faithfully, But we have done wickedly.

The punishment He warned us about in the Garden of Eden, we chose.

Genesis 2:16-17NKJV — And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.”

He didn’t leave us to our condemnation.

From the time we first sinned, God had a plan to extend grace.

Genesis 3:15bNKJV — “…He shall bruise your head, And you shall bruise His heel.”

He’d send His son to die in our place.

And those who believe on Jesus Christ will be saved.

John 3:18 KJV — He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

For those who have accepted salvation through Jesus Christ, the Son of God, it is cherished and extremely valuable.

May we never forget what Christ paid to extend the incredible gift nor allow this life to cheapen the truth of it’s worth.

God paid the highest price to extend us grace and forgive our sins that we might not be condemned.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your sacrifice. Thank You for Your faithfulness to do whatever was required to extend us grace. Lord Jesus, may we never become callous to Your incredible gift nor cheapen the value by intentionally ignoring You and Your Word. Lord, please help us to be purposeful, mindful of the gift, grateful for Your sacrifice, and humbled by what our sins cost You. Lord, You suffered and died, then rose again, defeating sin and death forever! Thank You! What an awesome God You are! What a wonderful gift we have through Your sacrifice! Lord Jesus, let the whole World look on Him whom they have pierced and recognize the truth. Lord Jesus, You are worthy of praise, honor, and glory! Amen.

Kingdom People

Jesus spoke about the kingdom of heaven often and His teachings are instructions for those who follow after Him.

And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:
Matthew 5:1‭-‬2 NKJV

Taken individually, the words following, are full of instruction, and taken collectively, they are a path of progression.

Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 NKJV

One cannot accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior if one does not realize the state of their soul.

It takes those who know they are poor in spirit to seek the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn, For they shall be comforted.
Matthew 5:4 NKJV

Mourning for the lost condition of one’s soul is the beginning of repentance.

For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted;…
II Corinthians 7:10a NKJV

Truly, Jesus’s salvation and the promise of eternal life comforts the soul of the one who realizes their spirit’s need.

Blessed are the meek, For they shall inherit the earth.
Matthew 5:5 NKJV

Once a person has realized their spiritual need, repented, and found comfort in Christ’s salvation, they begin to learn the ways of Jesus, following in His footsteps and inheriting the promises of God.

Psalm 76:9 KJV — When God arose to judgment, to save all the meek of the earth. Selah.

Psalm 149:4 KJV — For the LORD taketh pleasure in his people: he will beautify the meek with salvation.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, For they shall be filled.
Matthew 5:6 NKJV

Like newborn babes, the new believer is in need of frequent feedings upon the milk of the Word of God.

1 Peter 2:2 KJV — As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:

As the child matures and eats solid food, so too should the new believer grow and mature, daily being filled by God’s Word, for the Bible is such a meal to the soul that old and young can be satisfied.

John 6:27 KJV — Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Blessed are the merciful, For they shall obtain mercy.
Matthew 5:7 NKJV

As the heart of the believer learns the costly price God paid to extend mercy and grace to us, we better grasp the enormity of it’s gift.

God’s mercy is too precious to horde and it flourishes as it is spread.

2 Samuel 22:26 KJV — With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful, and with the upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright.

Blessed are the pure in heart, For they shall see God.
Matthew 5:8 NKJV

As we grow in our walk with Jesus, our understanding of God grows.

LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? Who shall dwell in thy holy hill? He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart.
Psalm 15:1‭-‬2 KJV

Blessed are the peacemakers, For they shall be called sons of God.
Matthew 5:9 NKJV

True peace only comes from God Almighty.

It is a fantasy to think that peace on earth can be achieved without the Creator, especially since He made it good in the beginning, we sinned and evil entered this world.

Yet, as we follow after Christ, accepting our need for Him, repenting from our sin, humbling ourselves, being fed upon His Word, and choosing to be merciful as He is, then we can become peace makers, for our lives have become a testimony to the One who brought true peace, which comes through the reconciliation of our souls through His attornment.

James 3:18 KJV — And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 5:10 NKJV

From the beginning, those who rebel against God sin against those who have chosen to do right.

1 John 3:12 KJV — Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother’s righteous.

Psalm 37:12 KJV — The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth.

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.
Matthew 5:11 NKJV

John 15:20 KJV — Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

Those who follow after Christ should understand that in this world we will have trials and tribulations, for if it hated and killed our Lord and Savior it will hate and kill those who follow, but this world is not our home, nor our final destination.

With acceptance of Jesus Christ we are looking forward to eternity, life everlasting in heaven.

Matthew 5:12 NKJV — “Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

As citizens of heaven, whose journey is guided by the Comforter, and being instructed by the scriptures, we have much to rejoice over.

Not only are we given all we need for this journey, Christ already paid for our entrance into eternity with Him.

Philippians 1:21 KJV — For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You. No one has ever done as much for me as You have. Nothing on this earth compares to the promises I have in You. Thank You for teaching me daily and showing me the path, through Your example and Your Word. Lord, I don’t know what lies ahead, but I do know Who is already there. Thank You for the security of salvation and the blessings of Your promises. They make the day-to-day things so much easier, for I know I need not try on my own. I can wait patiently for the Master and walk steadfast in His direction. Please, Lord, please continue to hone my heart that I might not sin against You. Please continue to shine through me each day, that I might honor You in all things, bringing glory to Your name. I love You, Jesus. Thank You! Amen.

Good Friday

She was sitting one seat away from me.

Her dark eyes and dark hair were contrasted by her creamy smooth complexion.

She wasn’t looking at me, but there wasn’t a doubt in my mind that she was talking to me.

She leaned a bit forward with a frown just creasing her brow and asked,

“Why is it called Good Friday if it’s the day Jesus died?”

I was surprised.

I’d only met this girl recently, she’d asked to sit by me while waiting for another practice on the Youth Worship team.

I was sitting, just crocheting and enjoying the music.

So, after a bit of chit chat where I found out what grade she was in, where she lived, and that she was very new to our church, she asked this question.

I smiled and looked right at her.

“That’s a very good question.”

She turned her eyes briefly to mine, questions still creased her face, then went back to watching the adult team practice their songs.

But I knew she was listening.

“I don’t know the history of when or why it began being called Good Friday, but I’ve always been told that it was Jesus rising from the dead that made it good.”

“Remember, Jesus died on the cross to pay for our sins, all of them, for everyone, and when He rose again on Sunday He gave us the hope of eternal life with Him in Heaven.”

She nodded, “Oh, yeah, I guess that’s right.”

She was still listening although, not looking at me.

“What Jesus did, how He died, and paid such a terrible price for us is hard, and I’m certain the disciples didn’t see it as good at the time, but when He rose from the grave it changed everything.”

“Jesus’s rising from the grave is what makes His death so good, because through it He saves all who trust in Him and put their lives in His hands.”

Her eyes turned back to mine briefly.

The question and frown had been replaced by a look of ponder and she nodded, a slight smile on her lips.

Our conversation turned to other topics and sometimes we just sat silently, but the moment stayed with me and has been a true treasure.

What an incredible privilege to share the truth of Jesus Christ to another!

It makes me wonder if it’s a tiny glimpse into how the women felt who spoke with the angel.

And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
Matthew 28:5‭-‬8 KJV

This Good Friday, I hope we all have the joy of sharing why this day is so good.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your gift of salvation and the privilege of being the ones to share the truth with others! What an incredible blessing that is! Lord Jesus, thank You for this moment with that precious girl from our church. I humbly request that You continue to open her heart and mind to Your truth and that she accepts You wholeheartedly. Lord, help the Word and the music of this Sunday to bring her a deeper understanding of who You are and why You died. Please, let others come alongside her and be there to love and encourage her. Lord, I would love another opportunity to share Your love with her. Thank You for that moment during worship practice. May the whole earth be filled with the knowledge of the glory of Your holy name! Amen.

Spring’s reminder

Matthew 24:32-33 NKJV — “Now learn this parable from the fig tree: When its branch has already become tender and puts forth leaves, you know that summer is near. So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!”

As the trees return from their hibernation, seeds sprout into tiny plants, and bulbs rise from the earth in flower, my heart turns to the greatest story of all time: Jesus’s Resurrection and His promised return.

Matthew 25:31-32 NKJV — “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.
All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.

Jesus made it clear, He will return and judge the Earth.

For those who have salvation through Jesus Christ, it is a return anticipated with great joy.

Just as Spring is a time of new beginnings, so shall the return of Christ Jesus be for those who are saved by His grace.

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed, to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
Romans 3:21‭-‬26 NKJV

May each of our hearts find hope in Jesus’s salvation and joy in His promise.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your salvation! Thank You for the reminder in the leafy shoots of the trees and the tiny plants pushing up through the soil. Lord, thank You that every winter when things seem dead and lifeless, there’s the promise of warmer weather and new life bursting forth. Lord, may these things in nature turn our hearts and minds to Your Word and Your promises. Lord, may we walk with integrity and truth, wise and honorable servants who will be found doing the will of the Master when You return. Thank You that Your Word is truth. Thank You for Your wondrous works. May my life bring glory to Your name, Jesus. Amen.

We have reason to rejoice

1 Chronicles 16:10 KJV — Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD.

It’s not enough to simply seek Him, we should be rejoicing as we do, for He deserves all glory and honor.

1 Chronicles 16:31 KJV — Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice: and let men say among the nations, The LORD reigneth.

Recalling that He made us, and His kingdom has no end are reasons to rejoice.

Psalm 5:11 KJV — But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

These governments and nations we now know are temporary, but God and His kingdom are eternal.

Psalm 9:2 KJV — I will be glad and rejoice in thee: I will sing praise to thy name, O thou most High.

We find both security and joy in placing our trust in God Most High.

Psalm 13:5 KJV — But I have trusted in thy mercy; my heart shall rejoice in thy salvation.

Jesus is our Savior and truly worthy of praise!

Habakkuk 3:18 KJV — Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

No matter the circumstances facing each one of us, we can choose to rejoice in God Almighty, remembering and praising Him.

Dear Lord Jesus,

Thank You for Your Word! Thank You for salvation! Lord, You are worthy of all praise, all glory. I thank You for how You sustain us and provide for us. Thank You that we can rejoice in You and trust in Your Word. This world is not the end and no matter the pain or suffering we experience here, we have so much to look forward to in Heaven. Thank You, Jesus! Amen.