For His Joy

Saturday, August 10, 2024

Good morning, Lord

Verse of the Day: Philippians 2:13  For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.

Memory verse: Psalm 90:14

14 Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.  

Today's reading: Psalm 81-83 Romans 11:19-36

Reconciled For His Joy

Romans 5:9–11

9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. 11 Not only that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

On August 6, 2024, we talked about justification and how God has made us 'right with Him' through Christ Jesus' sacrifice. Today we hear Paul say in Romans 5:9-11 that since we were justified by Christ's blood, we have been:

> saved from the wrath of God. When we say we are saved, that is what we mean-saved from the wrath of God which all sin and sinners have deserve-but-in Christ, we are saved From God's wrath-a horrible thing. By faith in Christ, we are delivered from this dark fate.

> Through Christ, we are made acceptable to and reunited(reconciled)  with God through his death and 'much more'(Paul says) we shall be saved by His life.

> Verse 11 gives us what Paul says is 'not only that'-we rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

After all God has done for us, Paul says that we rejoice in God through Christ Jesus our Lord. The results of what God has done for us is our rejoicing in Him through Christ.

Are we full of joy because of what God has done for us in Christ? If we are not, we are falling short of experiencing all that God has for us. We don't have to understand what all the words mean-words are just words until we seek and allow the Holy Spirit to make them come alive in us.

John 15:10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Abide in His love and obey Him-this is our full joy in Christ.

...because He loves us...

Father in Heaven,

In Your name I rejoice through Christ Jesus-I desire for this to be true in my heart and mind-give me this bread today-to rejoice as I obey. Forgive me for falling short of this joy because of my sin.

Glorious Father and friend,

In the name of Christ Jesus,

Amen