MY FRIENDS, “OUR GOD WILL FILL US WITH JOY IN HIS PRESENCE, WITH ETERNAL PLEASURES”!!!

Oct. 10, 2014

MY FRIENDS, “OUR GOD WILL FILL US WITH JOY IN HIS PRESENCE, WITH ETERNAL PLEASURES”!!!

“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.” James1:2-4 (ESV)

“It’s one thing to stay faithful to God during trials; that is, to not lose your faith but to cling to the Lord, even in the worst times. But we are told to “rejoice” in our trials. Isn’t that asking too much? After all, at times it can be hard enough just to stay faithful in trials, but to rejoice in them?

Yet, that’s what we are told; how, then, can we learn to rejoice when rejoicing is the last thing we feel like doing?” (Clinton Wahlen)  Severe changes are mounting, life is emptied of most of our resources, hopes and ambitions are fading, and our first reaction of all of our anguish is to rejoice.

My friends, as Christians, victory in Christ must come about when we recognize that if our days are spent in the presence of the Lord, our PASSION must become an attitude, that just being in the presence of God instills into us.

PASSION is that powerful or compelling emotion that tells us God Saves a sinner like you and me. PASSION in knowing God is in control and “He will never leave us or forsake us. PASSION is ”singing because [we are] happy singing because [we are] free [and having faith in knowing] His eye is on the sparrow And [we] know he watches [over His faithful like you and me]”

but we must also understand that “Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we REJOICE IN HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD.

Not only that, but we REJOICE IN OUR SUFFERINGS, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:2 -5 (ESV)

That verse tells us in every situation and circumstances of our life “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:5 (KJV) Death is painful it hurts I am a witness to the pain of death when someone dies you love.

But my friends, if they died in the Lord, in the morning the “Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:

Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.” 1 Thess. 4:16-17 (KJV) Oh what joy in knowing that promise along with all of God’s promises in the midst of the storms in our life.

“Ugandan bishop Festo Kivengere’s account of the 1973 execution by firing squad of three men from his diocese: February 10 began as a sad day for us in Kabale. People were commanded to come to the stadium and witness the execution.

Death permeated the atmosphere. I had permission from the authorities to speak to the men before they died, and two of my fellow ministers were with me. As we walked into the center of the stadium, I was wondering what to say.

How do you give the gospel to doomed men who are probably seething with rage? We approached, as they turned to look at us, what a sight! Their faces were all alight with an unmistakable glow and radiance.

Before we could say anything, one of them burst out: “Bishop, thank you for coming! I wanted to tell you. The day I was arrested, in my prison cell, I asked the Lord Jesus to come into my heart. He came in and forgave me all my sins! Heaven is now open, and there is nothing between me and my God!

Please when you see my wife and children, [tell them to rejoice, Jesus saves.]” (Ray Stamps) My friends that is where all of our joy comes from For our God makes known to [his children] “the path of life; HE WILL FILL US WITH, BECAUSE JOY IS IN HIS PRESENCE. Ps. 16:11 (PSV)

So my friends today. Stay focused, remain faithful, love one another and endure till the end and never forget to STUDY&PRAY