November 3, 2018 CAC LIVING WATER DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE : TOPIC - WHEN JOY IS LACKING...
THE LIVING WATER
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Saturday, November 3, 2018
TOPIC - WHEN JOY IS LACKING...
Read: Philippians 4:1-18
MEMORISE: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4).
EXPOSITION
A lot of people think happiness and joy are quite synonymous. On the contrary, they are not similar in meaning. While to be happy entails feeling of pleasure and satisfaction for seeing something in the physical realm, joy is deeper than happiness because it is not based or biased on any physical thing that generates pleasure. Joy is a principal fruit of the Spirit, which Christ’s followers are expected to manifest. Although, happiness is an integral part of joy, only the Christians can actually be joyful and happy, even in the face of difficulties.
Consider Paul in our text. He, despite going through torture, sufferings and afflictions foe defending Christ’s course, remained unperturbed, and was still charging the Philippian Christians to be joyful. Is it not ironical, humanly speaking: the detained suspect sending message of consolation to the free ones outside who should in the first place be consoling them?
When you newly acquire a choice automobile or a landed property, it is naturally expected that you have happiness and joy. However, all those may vanish in a jiffy, if devil strikes, God forbid! Things that are ephemeral can never bring joy, only salvation that Christ brings does (Psa. 51:12a). The joy of the Lord is undoubtedly the believers’ strength (Neh. 8:10). This is why Apostle Paul enjoined and emphasized this to the Philippian brethren (Phil. 4:4).
Do not allow your joy in Lord to be stolen by the devil, because if this is allowed, that will be the beginning of frustration and stress. And if these consequently set in, backsliding beckons! You would tend to ask unasked questions! There may be insults and assaults. There may be tribulations and persecutions. There may be tests, trials and temptations. There may be loss of dear ones and properties, and all the rest but what matters most is joy being intact (cf. Rom. 8:35ff). Be ever joyful.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Lord, fill me with the Spirit of joy.
2. Lord, let Your joy take over my life that nothing I pass through here would be strong enough to separate me from Your love.
3. Lord, fill the hearts of brethren who are being unjustly detained or imprisoned, with Your joy so that they can turn the sad situations to opportunities to win souls to Your kingdom.
Click to read yesterday and previous days of CAC Living Water Daily Devotionals here
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Jeremiah 27 - 29
Author: CAC WORLDWIDE
Remain Blessed!
THE LIVING WATER
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
Saturday, November 3, 2018
TOPIC - WHEN JOY IS LACKING...
Read: Philippians 4:1-18
MEMORISE: Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! (Philippians 4:4).
EXPOSITION
A lot of people think happiness and joy are quite synonymous. On the contrary, they are not similar in meaning. While to be happy entails feeling of pleasure and satisfaction for seeing something in the physical realm, joy is deeper than happiness because it is not based or biased on any physical thing that generates pleasure. Joy is a principal fruit of the Spirit, which Christ’s followers are expected to manifest. Although, happiness is an integral part of joy, only the Christians can actually be joyful and happy, even in the face of difficulties.
Consider Paul in our text. He, despite going through torture, sufferings and afflictions foe defending Christ’s course, remained unperturbed, and was still charging the Philippian Christians to be joyful. Is it not ironical, humanly speaking: the detained suspect sending message of consolation to the free ones outside who should in the first place be consoling them?
When you newly acquire a choice automobile or a landed property, it is naturally expected that you have happiness and joy. However, all those may vanish in a jiffy, if devil strikes, God forbid! Things that are ephemeral can never bring joy, only salvation that Christ brings does (Psa. 51:12a). The joy of the Lord is undoubtedly the believers’ strength (Neh. 8:10). This is why Apostle Paul enjoined and emphasized this to the Philippian brethren (Phil. 4:4).
Do not allow your joy in Lord to be stolen by the devil, because if this is allowed, that will be the beginning of frustration and stress. And if these consequently set in, backsliding beckons! You would tend to ask unasked questions! There may be insults and assaults. There may be tribulations and persecutions. There may be tests, trials and temptations. There may be loss of dear ones and properties, and all the rest but what matters most is joy being intact (cf. Rom. 8:35ff). Be ever joyful.
PRAYER POINTS
1. Lord, fill me with the Spirit of joy.
2. Lord, let Your joy take over my life that nothing I pass through here would be strong enough to separate me from Your love.
3. Lord, fill the hearts of brethren who are being unjustly detained or imprisoned, with Your joy so that they can turn the sad situations to opportunities to win souls to Your kingdom.
Click to read yesterday and previous days of CAC Living Water Daily Devotionals here
EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Jeremiah 27 - 29
Author: CAC WORLDWIDE
Remain Blessed!
November 3, 2018 CAC LIVING WATER DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE : TOPIC - WHEN JOY IS LACKING...
Reviewed by Muyiwa Abodunrin (Muyilight)
on
November 03, 2018
Rating:
Reviewed by Muyiwa Abodunrin (Muyilight)
on
November 03, 2018
Rating:
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