True Peace

On this journey, we come to witness how inadequate we are to handle all the situations that come our way.  At some point we realize that things we longed for years, fought hard to get and achieved things didn’t satisfy or fulfill your expectations.  At some point we realize we cannot fill the lingering void in our heart on our own.  Earning money, fame, relationship, power and other things may satisfy for a short duration of time, but we ultimately find that the empty longing inside us always returns.  The world proclaims that money, fame and relationship gives you everything but there is something which world can’t give and it is peace and salvation, which is given free from Christ our Lord.  It is at this point we discover the strength to fill this void can only come from the One who placed it there. We discover the love and the power of our risen Lord and Savior; we discover Jesus.

Paul knows the worthiness of salvation and the inner peace he attains when he walks in the way of Jesus has set before him. That is why he throws out the strong words in Philippians 3:8

“Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ”

God created us to have a relationship with Him and to experience true, lasting peace in this life. That “missing peace” inside every man, woman and child are caused by our separation from God which is a direct result of our sin.  Here’s what the Bible says in Isaiah 59:2

“But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.”

Romans 3:23 says it like this “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

Jesus Christ died on the cross and paid the penalty for our sin, to restore our lost relationship with God.  Read what the Bible says in the following verses

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” (John 3:16-17)

You can have more degrees than a thermometer . . .  it is NOT enough. We must act upon it by trusting Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior, believing in Him by faith, and receiving His free gift of salvation.

“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.” (Rev 3:20) It is all up to us (our will) to open the door of our hearts to Jesus who gives you peace and salvations.  If he is inside your doors Satan can never drag you out.

Amen, amen, amen!

Learning to be Joyful

Life is filled up with both ups and downs and sometimes we fall upon hard times. Irrespective of what troubles you might encounter we are assured of having a mighty God who is bigger than our problems. Trusting Him blindly in the times of troubles brings you a Joy in hope that my God will take care of everything.  He will hold us in the hollow of His hand and when we ask, He will help us through the hard times. If you are struggling today, trust in Him and get closer to witness His care and grace over you. Let’s get more into the Word of God to learn to be Joyful even During Troubling Times.

Some may ask the question, “How can you remain joyful”? The Word of God holds several verses that make you stronger in times of trials.

In Philippians 1:12-26  is joy in ministry.  The highlighting factor is Paul’s declaration, “I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice”.  He wrote that statement in the midst of some very difficult circumstances.  Even though experiencing such trouble in his life, Reverend Doctor Paul was able to rejoice in the ministry.  It is all because of the love and faith which he had with the God.  If you are having a “pity party”, you need to check your “Spiritual Barometer”, and make adjustments to your love and faith towards God

The Believer’s Joy amidst Difficulties

A believer’s spiritual depth could be easily measured by what it takes to steal his joy.  Joy is part of the fruit of a Spirit-controlled life (Gal. 5:22). We are to rejoice always (Phil. 4:4; 1 Thess. 5:16).  In all circumstances the Spirit of God produces joy, so there ought not to be any time when we’re not rejoicing in some way.

Satan uses his weapon of bringing in the problems and taking away your joy and your closeness to God.  However, never let your circumstances overcome your soul with bitterness and negativity.  There is one thing which will take away this joy, and it is sin.  It’s then we cry out like the psalmist, “Restore to me the joy of Thy salvation” (Ps. 51:12).  Nothing short of sin should steal our joy.  This Christian journey should not be static; it should be fluid and always flowing.  Oh, but change, confusion, trials, attacks, unmet desires, conflict, and strained relationships can throw us off balance and rob us of our joy if we’re not careful.

We ought to expect trouble.  Jesus said, “In the world you [will] have tribulation” (John 16:33).  The apostle James said, “Consider it all joy … when you encounter various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance” (James 1:2-3).  God has His own profound purpose in our afflictions, but it’s never to take away our joy. To maintain our joy we must adopt God’s perspective regarding our trials. When we yield to the working of HIs Spirit in our lives, our difficulties will not overwhelm us.