HAVE YOU BEEN ROBBED OF YOUR PEACE AND JOY?

BIBLE PASSAGE:
I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
(Habakkuk 3:18)

MEDITATION:
We can find many ways to rejoice, can’t we?
    We rejoice at the birth of a baby.
    We rejoice when two people in love get married.
    We rejoice when our team wins a ball game.
    We rejoice at graduations.
    We rejoice when someone receives salvation.
But do we rejoice in the Lord? Do we find joy in the One who has given
us His gift of salvation? Do we rejoice in Jesus, who went to the cross for
our sins?

Christians are supposed to be happy people, wouldn’t you agree?
Some people can use Christian terminology, but at the same time
are remiss in practicing Christ’s principles and teachings. What
the world needs today is not more Christianity, but more sincere
and dedicated Christians.

The world can argue against Christianity as an institution, but there is
no convincing argument against a person who has been made Christ-like
through the Spirit of God. A person with the true Spirit of God in their
lives will be able to rebuke what opposes God’s principles (things like
selfishness, materialism, justification of sins, anger, bad attitudes, all
things that are outside the boundaries of the guidelines He established
for those who belong to Him).

Jesus said to the woman at Jacob’s well….
    “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
      but whoever drinks the water I give them will never
      thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in
      them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”
      (John 4:13-14)

That sin-sick, disillusioned woman is an example of the human race.
    Her longings are our longings!
    Her heart cry is our heart cry!
    Her disillusionment is our disillusionment!
    Her sin is our sin!
But her Savior can be our Savior!
    Her forgiveness can be our forgiveness!
    Her joy can be our joy!

ACTION:
What is your relationship with the Lord like; what is it REALLY like?
Do you rejoice at the thought of spending time with Him? Do you find
joy in reading His Word, worshipping with others, talking to Him in
prayer, and singing praises to Him?
Paul tells us to…
    “Rejoice in the Lord always.
      I will say it again: Rejoice!”
      (Philippians 4:4)

Or have you allowed other things to steal your joy and peace?
Do you find yourself justifying actions (or inactions) that are
contrary to His will? Have you failed to answer God’s call for
you to serve Him using the spiritual gift He gave you when
you received His gift of salvation? God delights in those who
obey Him, and He wants us to delight in Him, as well.

If God created us in His likeness, then it makes sense that if
He delights in us, we should want to delight in Him, right?
    This is the written account of Adam’s family line.
    When God created mankind, He made them in the
    likeness of God.
    (Genesis 5:1)

    Let them praise the name of the Lord,
    for at His command they were created,
    (Psalm 148:5)

We benefit when we have a delightful relationship and fellowship with the Lord.
    Take delight in the Lord,
    and He will give you the desires of your heart.
    (Psalm 37:4)

    He brought me out into a spacious place;
    He rescued me because He delighted in me.
    (1 Samuel 22:20)

    Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty
    and will lift up your face to God.
    (Job 22:26)

    “He trusts in the Lord,” they say, “let the Lord rescue him.
    Let Him deliver him, since he delights in Him.”
    (Psalm 22:8)

    Praise the Lord. Blessed are those who fear the Lord,
    who find great delight in His commands.
    (Psalm 112:1)

    Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.
    (Psalm 119:24)

    Direct me in the path of Your commands,
    for there I find delight.
    (Psalm 119:35)

    Let your compassion come to me that I may live,
    for Your law is my delight.
    (Psalm 119:77)

    If Your law had not been my delight,
    I would have perished in my affliction.
    (Psalm 119:92)

    Trouble and distress have come upon me,
    but Your commands give me delight.
    (Psalm 119:143)

    I long for Your salvation, Lord,
    and Your law gives me delight.
    (Psalm 119:174)

    For the Lord takes delight in His people;
    He crowns the humble with victory.
    (Psalm 149:4)

    A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes,
    but a person of understanding delights in wisdom.
    (Proverbs 10:23)

    The Lord detests those whose hearts are perverse,
    but He delights in those whose ways are blameless.
    (Proverbs 11:20)

    The Lord detests lying lips, but He delights
    in people who are trustworthy.
    (Proverbs 12:22)

    My son, give Me your heart
    and let your eyes delight in My ways,
    (Proverbs 23:26)

    “Here is My servant, whom I uphold, My chosen
    one in whom I delight; I will put My Spirit on him,
    and he will bring justice to the nations.
    (Isaiah 42:1)

    I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.
    For He has clothed me with garments of salvation and
    arrayed me in a robe of His righteousness, as a bridegroom
    adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself
    with her jewels.
    (Isaiah 61:10)

    Who is a God like You, who pardons sin and forgives
    the transgression of the remnant of His inheritance?
    You do not stay angry forever but delight to show mercy.
    (Micah 7:18)

    The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who
    saves. He will take great delight in you; in His love He will
    no longer rebuke you but will rejoice over you with singing.”
    (Zephaniah 3:17)

Think about this:
    God created us to fellowship with Him. Whenever we are
    not fellowshipping with Him, we are failing in His plan for
    us. Not only that, but we are also missing out on finding the
    real joy we can experience when we are rejoicing in Him.

Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for creating me with a purpose
and giving me joy whenever I fulfill Your purpose for me. I
want to spend more time with You and develop an intimate
relationship with You. I know that my life will be full of joy
when I am rejoicing in You as my Savior! Help me to break
free from the things that are stealing my peace and joy so I
will become closer to You now and look forward to spending
an eternity in Your presence. I realize that my time on earth
is very short when compared to eternity, so I should invest
more time with You and less time on the things of the world.
Thank You in advance for how You will change me so I will
delight in You, my God and my Redeemer!”

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