A Merry Heart

Prov.15:13,15- A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance:…he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast.

We have just finished celebrating the birth of Christ and the words, “Merry Christmas” will be stored away until next year. To make merry is to give cheer and create an atmosphere of celebration. A merry heart will cause one to smile and bring cheer to others. We rejoiced because God sent His Son to earth to be a Savior and give hope to a world without hope. It is amazing what a twinkle of eyes and a smile on a face can do to lift the hearts of others. People all around us face things in life that are daunting and uncertain, but a merry heart can bring cheer to all who despair. The life of a Christian should not be one on doom and gloom. Yes we face trails and live in difficult times. but God is able to make our heart merry even when Christmas is over. 

His Merciful Kindness

Psalm 117:2 For his merciful kindness is great toward us: and the truth of the Lord endureth for ever. Praise ye the Lord.

It is hard to focus on the things that are good in life when all seems to be going wrong. A loved one is sick and maybe even terminal, relationships are strained between those who were once friends, the cares of life to provide food, shelter, security have been threaten. Where is the kindness of the Lord? Why is His presences seem to be so far away? We only need to look beyond the surface of our troubles to see that God’s merciful kindness is great toward us. I take no pleasure on looking on others that may be suffering, therefore I should be thankful. For even in their suffering, God has a plan for each life. Regardless of my plight in life, I only need look to God and be thankful for who He is and what He has given. Tho I may walk through the valley of shadow of death, I will fear no evil or think no evil, for He is with me. He is my Jehovah, my provider, my shield and defender. In whom shall I fear. When the last page of my life is written, may it be said, that God is good and His kindness is from everlasting to everlasting. 

All Things Are Passed Away

2 Corinth 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.

The old things before coming to Christ are those things that kept us from being one in Christ. What are those old things? We all have things in our past life that were contrary to God’s will and His purpose. The old habits of sin and living each day thinking only of ourselves. Paul also refers to the old things as the old man. The old man desires to hold on to the old things. The new man who is now in Christ now sees the world through a different lens. His ideas are no longer shaped by the viewpoint of a Godless culture, but are formed by understanding the principles of God’s word. All things in life are now based on what God’s word has to say. The things we now do, we do for the sake of glorifying Jesus and living our lives in His footsteps. We follow a different path, our hearts no longer seek to please self, but to reach out to please others with love and kindness. This is the transformation that take place in a person’s life when he becomes a new creature in Christ, and all things are passed away, and all things become new.

The Lord Is In This Place

Gen 28:16 …he said, Surely the Lord is in this place…

The presence of God is everywhere, He is not restricted by time and physical boundaries, He is omnipresence. But, there are times in our lives that His presence is especially noticeable. We sense His presence in the place of worship, He comes in a special way during times of private devotions, when it is just you and God. In the solace of your heart, His Spirit sweeps over you as a sweet aroma fragrance. You bast in His love and His glory is all around you. Jacob was afraid when God came, He was running and He knew that God knew what he had done, but we need not fear. We can come boldly to the throne of God and bow before Him and let His grace fill our lives. Yes, God is everywhere and knows everything, but having Him visit your heart and touch your soul is greater than gold and the honeycomb. Surely the Lord desires to visit you in a special way. 

Seeking The Lost

Luke 19:10 For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.

We all are lost. We entered this world not knowing that sin is rooted in the heart of all that are born to this life. Our personality may be formed and taught to be pleasant, good natured, and even kind, but the nature of sin still lives within each one of us. Like sheep without a shepherd, we wondered about life trying to find our way. The great shepherd of our soul, the Son of God came to earth as a man to seek and save us who are lost. The problem with most people is that they don’t think they are lost. They don’t accept that they need a God, for they are a God unto themselves. God sent His Son to give His life for the world. His coming was not just for a selected few who He choose to save. Being saved is to believe that we are lost and to believe that we can be found by believing in the only begotten Son of God, Jesus.

Self Made Man

1 Corinth 15:10  But by the grace of God I am what I am:…

There is no such thing as a self made man in God’s kingdom. We are but dust of the earth and nothing but mud. The world give accolades to those who take account of their own life and by the might of their will and determination make themselves successful in the riches of this world. Such is admirable, but success in the eyes of God is not measured by popularity or the gain of material things. Many have come to realize that there is more to life than what appears on the surface. The greatness of a person’s life happens when God is given control of one’s life. It is the grace of God that truly makes us great in this world and the world to come. We may never be notices or have a large bank account, but God, who is rich in mercy has made it possible for us to be the person He desires us to be. We must be willing to give what we have to Him, and He will do the rest.

Passing All Understanding

Philippians 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

We go through life not understanding many things. We ask ourselves, “I just don’t understand why, If I only understood the reason?”. Life and the unexpected happens and life throws a curve ball. We are tempted to think that God does not care. Some lash out at God for allowing unwanted things to cross their path. Then Jesus comes, and peace like a river attend our way. The peace of God over shadows the things in life we don’t understand. It exceeds our understanding or the need to understand. His peace keeps us from despair and defeat. Our hearts and mind reach out in faith, believing that God has all things in His control. God sends us the assurance that all is well. We become anxious for nothing, giving thanks in everything. We give thanks for the peace that floods our soul even when we don’t understand. 

Filled With The Holy Spirit

Acts. 9:17 …the Lord, even Jesus, that appeared unto thee in the way as thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mightest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost.

The Bible is filled with scripture where believers in Christ are filled with the Holy Spirit after they have turned their life over to Christ and their sins have been forgiven. The Day of Pentecost is a historical event that demonstrates that the Holy Spirit desires to indwell all believers to equip them to live a victorious life in Christ. Empowering them to preach the gospel of Jesus without fear of man. This is the foundation principle of holiness. A Holy God through the Holy Spirit, living in and through those who name the Name of Christ. There is no formula, or procedure manual showing how this takes place. It is  base on Bible teaching, that God will not dwell in an unclean vessel. The vessel must be sanctified before it can be filled. This is the Wesleyan doctrine. Believe in the Lord Jesus and be saved. Consecrate and surrender your life to the will of God, and the Holy Spirit will come to all who trust and obey.

He Dwells Within Us

1 John 4:13 Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

How do we know that God can live within us? How do we know that we are part of the branch, living in the vine? Jesus promise that the Comforter would come and would dwell with us and in us after He would ascend and go to the Father, He would lead and guide us into all truth. We don’t fully understand how God, who is one can be three. Many analogies have be given to demonstrate this wonder, but they seem to come short of the mystical possibility that God manifest Himself in three personas, each part of the Godhead, and yet individual entities. The Spirit of God bears witness, or testifies with our spiritual nature that we are of God. All that confess that Jesus is Lord and believe that He came to die for our sins can have this witness in their heart. The Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, Elohim, have condescended to earth to dwell with in our hearts. Emmanuel, God is with us, can be a reality within each one of us if we but let Him in.