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Touching lives with the truth of God's Word.

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Location: Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Sunday, June 16, 2013

Experiencing Supernatural Joy

In John’s Gospel, Jesus expounded His declaration that He is the vine and we are the branches: “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11).

This text indicates that the joy of the Christian is not the natural joy of human life. It is a supernatural joy insofar as it has a supernatural source. It is the work of Christ within us. Though Jesus spoke of His joy being in us, it is still our joy once it is in us. He is its source and its power, but it is still our joy.

Jesus also spoke of the end or purpose of His joy remaining in us, namely, that our joy may be full. The term full speaks of a degree, in this case an ultimate degree. There is no more joy than full joy. Yet we can experience partial joy or less than full joy, not because there are fluctuations in Jesus’ joy, but because there are fluctuations in the degree of our abiding in Christ.

We cannot fall out of Christ, but in the process of sanctification we experience greater and/or lesser degrees of clinging closely to Him. Here our wills are important in that we are called to abide in Christ.

Ask God for supernatural joy to flood your life

Thursday, June 06, 2013

GOD IS FAITHFUL

Your love, O LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. [Psalm 36:5]

No matter what happens in the world around us, we can walk through life with confidence because our God is faithful. When He speaks we can know that what He says is true. He never breaks a promise and He never changes His mind. He is trustworthy; He is dependable and faithful when all around us is like shifting sand. He is not a man that He should lie. Not only does He speak the truth always, but He is absolute and eternal Truth. We can trust Him today, tomorrow and every day.

Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands. [Deuteronomy 7:9]

Because of the LORD’S great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. [Lamentations 3:22-23]

God, who has called you into fellowship with his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, is faithful. [1 Corinthians 1:9]

You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. [Joshua 23:14]

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. [Hebrews 10:23]

It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High, to proclaim your love in the morning and your faithfulness at night. [Psalm 92:1-2]

Not to us, O LORD, not to us but to your name be the glory, because of your love and faithfulness. [Psalm 115:1]

There is a living God; He has spoken in the Bible. He means what He says and will do all He has promised. [Hudson Taylor]