Philippians 3:1 Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord!
1 Thessalonians 5:16 Be joyful always.
Habakkuk 3:17 Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, 18 yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
OBSERVATION
There sure are a lot of sucking-on-lemons Christians walking around. Why is it that the one group of people that have the best reason to celebrate are many times the ones that are so down?
We should not have to be told to be happy! Do you realize what has been done for you? Do you realize what you were spared from?
Your joy should not be connected to what you have or what you lost. Paul suffered great loss, he has given up an outstanding reputation in the religious system of the day, a zealous, righteous, circumcised, Pharisee from the tribe of Benjamin. But with all the credentials that he had they were considered worthless garbage to him.
Philippians 3:7 But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.
Your joy should not be connected to the misfortune of your enemy:
Proverbs 24:17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when he stumbles, do not let your heart rejoice,
Don’t rejoice in evil:
1 Corinthians 13:6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
Rejoice through your suffering:
1 Peter 4:12-13 Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
APPLICATION
I will remember how much I have been spared from and rejoice that Christ did this for me; nothing else, no matter how sad should be able to take this joy away from me.
PRAYER
Thank you Jesus, that you loved me enough to take away my impending doom and give me an awesome life with you for eternity.
