Passage of the Day:
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup; you make my lot secure. 6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. 7 I will praise the Lord, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. 8 I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.9 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, Psalm 16:5-9.
Reflection:
The Amplified Version of the Bible includes all the possible interruptions as Aramaic, Greek and Hebrew is translated into English. As more modern translations of the Bible continue to water down the English language, fruits of the Spirit once considered vital such as gladness and benevolence have been forgotten. Gladness is a byproduct of joy which comes from the realization that our sovereign God works all things together for the good for those who believe.
Prayerful Action:
Because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, 6 being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus, Philippians 1:5-6.
Preparing Your Fields to Bear Spiritual Fruit:
As a child, I remember singing the song,”I’ve Got That Joy Down in My Heart.” Now as an adult, I’m finally learning to grasp the meaning of this joy. This internal gladness comes from standing on God’s promises in the Bible. As you live and learn as a Christian, seeing some of these promises come to fruition in your life, spiritual gladness is strengthed. While I still experience low points in life, verses like 1 John 5:13 reminds me that my faith in Christ has not been a waste of time.
Song of the Day:
The next time you experience a spiritual dry spell, look for hope in God’s promises in the Bible to refill gladness in your heart. As I continue to cope with the loss of my father, I claim the promise of Philippians 1:6, knowing that God is not done with me yet.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 