“Joy in Living”

 Psalm 30:1, 12

I will exalt you, LORD, for you have rescued me.

You refused to let my enemies triumph over me.

O, LORD my God, I will give you thanks forever! (NLT)

     What an honor and privilege it is to be able to sing this song in truth.  What an incredible blessing it is to know that the victory is yours no matter how this fallen world tries to hurt or discourage you. All of God’s children have a glorious future ahead of them—one so glorious that our finite minds can’t even begin to comprehend.   Our God is not only the Creator, but He is our Savior as well; One who loved His creation so much that He had a plan in place before He created the world—one that would save us from the grips of eternal death and damnation, and give us a glorious new life that would never end.  Our God is a mighty and gracious Savior, who is our faithful Shepherd. He neither grows weary or gives up searching for those who are lost and want to be found.  And when He finds them, He does whatever it takes to bring them Home safely.

    There are many lost souls, like myself, who have had the Enemy come within striking distance of completely destroying our lives, our hope, and our souls.  What an amazing joy it brings when you know that all of your sins have been forgiven and forgotten by the God of creation.  It is the inner joy of forgiveness and redemption that makes a Christian stand apart from the rest of the world, because just as Christ Jesus was resurrected from the grave and given a glorious new body that is void of pain, suffering, death and decay, so too, will all those who live in His Name.  Our eternal new life in the new Heaven on earth will be void of sin and its consequences and everyone will be abundantly happy without tears of frustration and grief.  It will be a glorious eternal life because we will be walking hand in hand with God in the light of the Son.  There is nothing of this world, nor is there anyone but Christ Jesus that has the ability to fill us with this kind of joy.  It is only through the amazing grace and living sacrifice of our Lord God and Savior that we can experience true and lasting joy while living in a world that is consumed with the pleasures of sin.

                                               A Whisper of Hope

Shout for joy, dear child…singing songs of thanks and praise to your Savior.  I came to into this dark world, not to judge, but to save.  I came to suffer and die so you could escape the decadence and find peace for your soul and joy in your heart.  This Good News is for all people, especially for those who are looking for joy in all the wrong places.

Isaiah 61:10

I am overwhelmed with joy in the LORD my God!

For He has dressed me in the clothing OF salvation

and draped me in a robe of righteousness.  (NLT)

                    I will turn their mourning into joy.

                                 (Jeremiah 31:13)