Thursday, 31 May 2012

Acts 16:16-40


  "…Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength."
{Nehemiah 8:10b} (NIV1984)

Strength is linked to joy! Our spiritual strength is dependent upon the joy we have. We are commanded to be STRONG; strong and courageous, strong in the Lord, strong in His grace, strong to the end. 

Strength is dependent on joy. We see this so clearly in Paul’s experience in jail in Phillipi. Who would sing in a situation like that? Someone who had joy in the LORD! Look and ponder at the outcome. How many times, have the saints of God been in dire and desperate situations, and yet joy bursts forth and they remain strong to the end. 

How many times have we been in situations that are terrible? The Spirit moves our mind to consider what the Lord has done for us, and joy breaks through the clouds of doubt and despair. Oh Friend, let us fix our eyes on our Lord. Let us remember the wonderful salvation He wrought in our lives. No storm cloud can be so dark as to stop the Son from shining in our lives. Try it this week. Make up your mind now, before the dark times hit. When the darkness comes, turn your mind towards Him, joy will come to your heart, though the troubles remain- they will pale in comparison to the beauty of the Lord and His salvation- and you will be strong to the end. The joy of the LORD is your strength!

No comments:

Post a Comment