Joy In The Lord

 

Jesus said to them, “Can the groomsmen fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they can’t fast. – Mark 2:19

 

This was our Lord’s answer to those who thought His religion was too bright and optimistic – that it didn’t have enough days for fasting in it. They thought that religion was only genuine when it made people sad, and that its quality was just in proportion to its gloom. But Christ‘s reply showed that mournful faces are no essential indicators of a reverent and contrite heart. Should His disciples be mournful and sad when He was with men, filling their lives with the gladness of His presence? Should Christians claim to be heavy-hearted, looking as though life is not worth living, when in fact they are really filled with joy, and when there is no excuse for sorrow? Why should anyone who has been saved by the Lord Jesus and who is rejoicing in the fact they have eternal life, go about in sackcloth and ashes? Is there any godliness in a sad face? Does God love to see his children looking miserable? Is human joy displeasing to our Father?

All these questions are answered here in our Lord’s words. He does not wish His disciples to go mourning and fasting when they have no excuse for it. His words are a defense of Christian joyfulness. Christ wants His friends to be happy. There is a complete contradiction in a sad and downcast Christian life. By its very nature true religion is joy-filled! Our sins are forgiven. We are adopted into God’s family. We are heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ. The covenant of love arches its shelter over us continually. All things in this world work together for our good, and then glory waits for us beyond death’s gate. With all this to look forward to, why should we be mournful and sad?

While we enjoy the smile of Christ, the consciousness of his love, the assurance of his forgiveness, and the hope of heaven and eternal life, what should make us sad? We should have radiant faces.

Preserved and Delivered

By David Wilkerson
[May 19, 1931 – April 27, 2011]

“The Lord shall deliver me from every evil work, and will preserve me unto his
heavenly kingdom: to whom be glory for ever and ever” (2 Timothy 4:18).

The word preserve here means “to guard, protect, keep, make safe, hedge about.”
God is saying, “I’m going to guard you, protect you, keep you, make you safe,
hedge you about so the devil cannot touch you. I Myself will deliver you into
My heavenly kingdom.”

Do you see what a liar the devil is? He says he is going to get you but all the
while, God has promised to keep you!

Not long ago, I had an incredible experience. I had risen early to pray and was
sitting in my living room with my Bible. Suddenly Satan began to intrude into my
mind. He screamed vile, threatening curses at me: “You are going to be
destroyed! You’ve spent a lifetime serving God for nothing and now I’m going to
get you and cast you down in your final years.”

I saw before me all the evangelists Satan had brought down in recent years. The
devil shouted, “I got all of them and they loved Jesus just as you do. Why do
you think you’re so special? You’re no good, nothing but a liar and a cheat,
and I’m going to shut you and your ministry down for good!”

It was the most devastating attack I have ever felt in my life. I was
overwhelmed—the attack literally took my breath away! But then the Spirit of
the Lord came upon me and I stood up in a holy anger, bound Satan and cast him
out of my presence.

“Devil, you’re a liar and the father of all lies!” I rebuked him with God’s
Word—and God’s Word delivered me from all fear!

Beloved, God wants to do the same for you. Will you let Him? Listen again to
God’s Word to you: “He preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them
out of the hand of the wicked” (Psalm 97:10). The Lord will guard you, protect
you, keep you, put a hedge all about you—until the day Jesus returns!

Read this devotion online: http://sermons.worldchallenge.org/en/node/23304?src=devo-email