Category: Joy

Celebrating National Coffee Day

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Joy

Yesterday was a special day—National Coffee Day!!  Now’s that a sure celebration waiting to happen!!  So as I poured my first cup, I celebrated as I added my always present favorite cream peppermint mocha and took a sip!  Then I poured another cup into my UK Wildcats mug just as I had done before and celebrated once again!  This same event happened a third and fourth time as the morning moved along.

To add happiness upon happiness, I received an email from my favorite coffee source, Dunkin Donuts, inviting me to stop by their store and enjoy a free cup of the new brew of dark roast!  So, as I drove from one hospital visit to the next, a stop at DD caused another celebratory moment!  Since I love coffee so much and drink it from morning until night, I celebrate all day!!

As I prepared one of my cups yesterday morning and took a picture of it for Facebook and Instagram, the thought occurred to me, “This thing of celebrating should be an every day event for the followers of Christ!”  Yes, I really do love my coffee, and I love to celebrate, but genuine rejoicing and celebration is the grace gift of every believer in Christ!  We should celebrate all day, every day, throughout the day, . .  . just like drinking coffee!!

Why should we celebrate?

  • We have been born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:3).
  • We have an inheritance reserved in heaven for us that is incorruptible, undefiled and will not fade away (1 Peter 1:4).
  • Our salvation is secured by the power of God forever (1 Peter 1:5).
  • We can rejoice in the midst of suffering (1 Peter 1:6-9).
  • We can rejoice that trials have a “shelf-life” (1 Peter 1:6).
  • The character of our faith in trials will one day testify of Christ (1 Peter 1:7).
  • The more we know of Christ and abide in Him, the more we have to celebrate and be joyful (1 Peter 1:8).
  • We can enjoy our salvation today (1 Peter 1:9).
  • God’s Word is eternal (1 Peter 1:25)

I have just mentioned a very few reasons to celebrate!  So, if you are a born again believer, a true follower of Jesus Christ, today is a day of celebration of all we have in Christ for time and eternity!  So, take a drink of coffee and celebrate!

A Broken Down Shuttered House

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Death, Heaven, Hope, Joy

Recently while visiting with a dear saint of God, I listened as she reminisced about her old home place and said, “The last time I was there, the house was run down and the grass had grown up around it.  Why, it didn’t even look like it used to.  Even the church I attended is not as pretty as it used to be, and they only have one or two services a month.”  As I sat there looking at what age and the curse of sin had done to this dear lady, pinching its wrinkles in her face, causing her to use a walker for stability, and making her wish for times of fellowship at church and in town with her friends, this passage of Scripture  came to my mind.

For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. 2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, 3 if indeed, having been clothed, we shall not be found naked. 4 For we who are in this tent groan, being burdened, not because we want to be unclothed, but further clothed, that mortality may be swallowed up by life. 5 Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 6 So we are always confident, knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord. 7 For we walk by faith, not by sight. 8 We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. (2 Corinthians 5:1-8)

While listening, I could not help but notice the twinkle in her eye accompanied by the precious smile etched on her face as she recounted days gone by.  Within moments, she said, “So many people are unhappy these days.  Me? I’m happy.  I’m content.  I’m ready to go Home whenever the Lord is ready to call me.”  It did my heart good to listen to the lilt in her voice and to see her God-prepared confidence that someday soon she would exchange the old broken down shuttered house for a glorified habitation not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.

The Power of the Cross

by Dale, posted in Discipleship, Evangelism, Joy, Salvation

Yesterday, we saw God work in so many ways throughout our Sunday at church, at home, and in our church’s neighborhood!  The greatest event of the day was a lost soul walking the aisle to receive Christ as her Savior.  The invitation was given prior to observing The Lord’s Supper.  While this dear lady was being shown the gospel from the Word of God and receiving Christ as her personal Savior in a side room of our auditorium, the congregation began to partake of the bread and sing “The Power of the Cross.”  To be singing these words and knowing a soul was being set free from sin, death, and hell by the wonderful work of Christ was a glorious moment indeed!!

So, to begin your Monday, listen to this song and consider the words.  Rejoice in the Lord and share with someone today who has never heard about our wonderful Savior!!  And when you do, make sure your countenance reflects the joy in your heart just as these students are doing.

The Power of the Cross

Nothing Ever Can, Nothing Ever Will

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Hope, Joy, Music, Praise & Worship, Suicide

After a long week of sharing my heart and hopefully some help concerning the subject of suicide, I want to end the week on a high note; a note of hope; a note of promise!  We have been singing this song in our congregation since the middle of June.  The lyrics have stirred our hearts, given us hope, and pointed us continually to Jesus Christ!  Rejoice in the truths, raise your hands in praise, and drop to your knees in submission to our God Who always wins!!  Worship here: Nothing Ever Can, Nothing Ever Will

 

“Nothing Ever Can, Nothing Ever Will”

Ross King

1) Every power on earth and in heaven

Is a shadow in His light,

No authority, law or government

Challenges His sovereign might.

 

His reign and rule have no boundary,

All that is, His hands have wrought.

Nothing ever can, nothing ever will

Overcome the Lord our God.

 

2) We are well aware we were orphans once,

Bent and broken in our shame,

Then He sought us out and adopted us,

Now we bear His royal name.

 

Every sin or crime we have ever done

Is no match for Jesus’ blood.

Nothing ever can, nothing ever will

Overcome the Lord, our God.

 

3) We are rescued out of darkest night,

Freed from Satan’s evil hold

And the kingdom of our Savior’s light

Is our soul’s eternal home.

 

Though the enemy tries to steal and kill

What the death of Christ has bought

Nothing ever can, nothing ever will

Overcome the Lord, our God.

 

Bridge

Our God is victorious,

He always wins! He always wins!

In love He reigns over us,

He always wins! He always wins!

Our God is victorious,

He always wins! He always wins!

In love He reigns over us,

He always wins! He always wins!

 

4)  We, the Church, declare: Jesus Christ is King,

For He conquered death once for all.

We will live in light of His victory

Following His gospel call.

 

And when the story ends we know Jesus wins,

For His power cannot be stopped.

Nothing ever can, nothing ever will

Overcome the Lord, our God.

Nothing ever can, nothing ever will

Overcome the Lord, our God.

Laugh Your Way to Health

by Dale, posted in Christian Living, Joy

Invariably, it’s going to happen!  Whenever our daughters are visiting in our home at the same time, laughter will be a major player.  Usually it is at my expense at least once or twice during their stay.  And that’s okay.  I have seen my wife and our daughters laugh so hard that tears stream down their faces.  They will then gain some semblance of composure, and “there she blows!” One of them will burst out into another round of laughter as whatever it was that caused the first round of laughter comes back to mind.  My heart is often lifted by just watching and listening to them go on in their joy and subsequent tears.  Simply put, they are good medicine!  Proverbs 17:22 says, A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.

What causes us to have a merry heart that produces healthy laughter and joy?

1.  Being truly born again; knowing that my eternal home is Heaven, not hell; that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.

Yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation (Habakkuk 3:18).

I will greatly rejoice in the LORD; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with the garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels (Isaiah 61:10).

I will rejoice in thy salvation (Psalm 9:14).

Nevertheless, do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven (Luke 10:20).

2.  Knowing that God has given us laughter.

A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance (Ecclesiastes 3:4).

3.  Having a glad heart that affects our countenance.

A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed (Proverbs 15:13).

4.  The daily presence of God in our lives.

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11).

5.  The promises of God for time and eternity.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

6.  Keeping sin confessed and having a clear conscience

Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.(Hebrews 10:22).

F.B. Meyer has said it well.  “A happy and cheerful heart is a matter of cultivation. We cannot afford to abandon ourselves entirely to our moods. There are times when we feel depressed and sad, for no special reason, except that a mood is on us! It is at such times that we need to anoint our heads, and wash our faces, that we may not be consumed by our fretfulness, or impose our depression upon others, for nothing is worse than to be a wet blanket” (Matt. 6:16-18)!

“We may alter our dispositions and moods by a resolute action of the will. We can refuse to look miserable, to speak mournfully, to be pessimistic, to pass on depression. In a spirit of unselfishness we can put on a cheerful courage, array ourselves in the garments of joy, anoint ourselves with the spirit of praise and thankfulness, and go forth into the world to shed sunbeams rather than shadows on the path of life. Do not nurse your sorrow of heart, lest your spirit and the spirits of others be broken.”

“We can promote a cheerful heart by dwelling on the bright things of our lot; by counting up the mercies which are left, rather than dwelling on what we have lost. When the heart is full of the light and love of God, can it be other than cheerful? How can this be obtained except by a living union with Jesus Christ. In Him there is an infinitude of supply of peace and joy, sunshine and light. Let us open our hearts to him, and put on these things as we array ourselves each morning in our garments” (Isa. 61:3-10).

Thanks, girls, for the laughter!  By the way, reader, how healthy are you today?