How to see these times

Friends,

When the time comes for the Lord to bring judgment against the world, everyone will be affected ... even the Believers. He will pour out His wrath over the entire earth, and no one will be exempt from its effects.

Revelation 16:1 [NKJV]
Then I heard a loud voice from the temple saying to the seven angels,
“Go and pour out the bowls of the wrath of God on the earth.”

All will interpret the events that represent God's wrath. Some will interpret them through the eyes of ignorance, unable to fathom what good is being done. Others will interpret these events through eyes filled with rage, deception and envy. They will accuse God of being less than perfect.

We, who are followers of Christ, have His promise as a guide. We can see what is happening through the filter of Jesus' faithfulness, justice and wisdom. Fear will not rule our hearts. Courage, Love and Joy will reign, even in the darkest of days.

Be encouraged, Jose

Shame is removed and replaced

Friends,

The wounds of our lives can leave a deep and persistent scar. But we have been given a new life ... the old man is crucified with Christ ... and in that life we are privileged and graced with great love and healing.

Isaiah 61:7
Instead of your shame you shall have double honor,
And instead of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion.
Therefore in their land they shall possess double;
Everlasting joy shall be theirs. [NKJV]

Honor and affirmation are bestowed upon the children of God by our Father. No lies of Satan, nor any attacks from his foul host, can take those away. He will attempt to steal it, but Christ will not allow the enemy to possess what has rightfully and legally been give to the Christian.

Honor is yours, brothers and sisters.
Joy is yours!

Remember.

Be encouraged, Jose

Break forth!

Friends,

We have every reason to praise Almighty God. Simply for who He is. There is none like the Lord.

Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth;
Break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises.
Psalm 98:4 [NKJV]

The circumstances of life are not the reasons why we do or do not rejoice in the unending love and generosity of our Father.

Be encouraged, Jose

Spreading Joy

Friends,

A truly joyful person brings joy to those around them. Regardless of whether that individual is happy, sad, tired, energetic, quiet and thoughtful, or boisterous and talkative. Joy is more than a fleeting emotion. It fills a person ... and overflows.

Genesis 21:6
And Sarah said, “God has made me laugh, and all who hear will laugh with me.”

Among the many benefits of walking in the Spirit of God is the fruit of Joy. It cannot help but be shared.

So walk after the Spirit this day and be filled with joy. And fill those around you with the Joy of the Lord!

Be encouraged, Jose

A joyful investment

Friends,

Each day, we owe it to ourselves to be reminded of just what we have in Christ Jesus. We defeat the enemy, little by little, when we recall the abundant blessing that has been purchased on our behalf.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace which He made to abound toward us in all wisdom and prudence,
Ephesians 1:7-8 [NKV]

In Christ, we have redemption. He gained it by the power of His blood. And this is no small thing. He has made this grace to be abundant towards us, His people. Its value is beyond measure and imagination. Its power is eternal and enduring. And finally, the Lord did not do this thoughtlessly or carelessly. He did it according to the wisdom of His perfect will.

Brothers and sisters, have you considered this blessing today? Have you really taken the time and energy to understand what it truly means? To do so is an investment in joy.

Be encouraged, Jose

At His appointed time

Friends,

It seems we are all in a rush to reach the next point in our lives. A teenager wants to be an adult ... now. An expectant mother wants to give birth, and her excitement turns the waiting into torment. Dad grows impatient with the traffic that delays his homecoming. A suffering old timer just wants the pain to yield to the peaceful return to his Lord.

Luke 4:29b-30 [NKJV]
...and they led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city was built, that they might throw Him down over the cliff. Then passing through the midst of them, He went His way.

The crowd had had enough of this Jesus of Nazareth. But had they gotten their way, it would have shattered the legitimacy of Christ's claim that He is the Lamb of God. It was not Passover. The Sacrifice had not yet been made ready.

And Christ could have chosen any time to remove the limitations and frailties of His humanly form. But to do so would have doomed us all. For Jesus to have stopped short of the Cross would have been an act of disobedience to the Father's will. And He would have been therefore been unable to pay the price for your sin and mine.

Brothers and sisters, nothing can happen outside of Almighty God's good time. He has made an appointment for every event in your life and mine. There is nothing that can delay that appointment, or make it happen sooner. He is sovereign.

Therefore, there is no need for you and I to rush through life. Relax. Rest in His perfect and total control. Recognize the Lord's dominion over even time. And celebrate the fact that His perfect timing will glorify Him even when time is no more.

Be encouraged, Jose

The source of joy

Friends,

You know how some people so enjoy their jobs that it doesn't seem like work to them? Well, that's not me. I like what I do, and I consider my work to be of value to my clients and their businesses. But it's work. It is not the source of my fulfillment and great joy.

Here is where I find my joy ...

1 Thessalonians 4:17b-18
And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words. [NKJV]

The day will come that we enter in our Lord's presence. And that knowledge is the source of my strength, my endurance and my joy.

Be encouraged, Jose

Morning Joy

5 For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning.
Psalm 30:5 (NKJV)

We all feel the heat, the pain and the season of endurance. Seasons that seem forever, seasons that seem like we are forsaken and abandoned. Yet we are not alone, because our Creator's hand is all over us. We only need to look up and see the end game scenario.

Never despise the lonely and abandoned seasons, keep your faith in the Lord steadfastly and Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:6 NKJV)
These will keep you intact until the morning joy.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Praise Forevermore

Friends,

As we wrap up the week, and slow down for Sabbath rest, let these words be on our hearts, minds, and lips ...

I will praise You, O LORD, with my whole heart;
I will tell of all Your marvelous works.
I will be glad and rejoice in You;
I will sing praise to Your name, O Most High.
Psalm 9:1-2 [NKJV]

Be encouraged, Jose

Faultless Presentation

Friends,

When we miss the mark, keep this in mind...

Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling,
And to present you faultless
Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
Jude 1:24, NKJV

Our Lord keeps us upright, even through the relentless attack of the enemy.

Our Lord removes every stain, every mis-step, every slip-up.

Our Lord does this with exceeding joy.
Joy that cannot be described.
Joy that cannot be replicated.
Joy that can only be found in the presence of His glory!

Be encouraged, Jose

Celebration Time

Friends,

For too long, far too many of God's people have lived in a state of sadness. They do not find joy in their lives ... in their family, in their work, even in their relationship with the Lord. They have allowed the opinions and the pressures of the world steal that joy. At those times, a person likely feels as though the Lord is far away. But He isn't.

And Jesus said to them,
Can the friends of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them they cannot fast.
Mark 2:19 [NKJV]

In scripture, fasting is often associated with mourning, sadness and grief. If Jesus was indeed absent from his life, then a man would certainly have very good reason to be sad and grief-stricken.

But the believer is never without Christ. He arose from the dead. He lives inside each one of us. He makes His home in our hearts and in our praises. He will never leave us. He is not only the of life, He is our breath of life.

As long as we have Jesus with us, we have reason to live a life of celebration and joy.

Be encouraged, Jose

A commandment to save

Friends,

Everyone has their own point of view of God's law. While the only one that matters is, of course, God's ... in our frail human imagination, we come up with all kinds of responses to His commandments. Emotional responses. Intellectual responses. Pious responses. Cynical responses. Reverent responses. Angry responses.

But when we see what God says about His commandments, perhaps the response will be one of gratitude ...

Psalm 71:3
Be my strong refuge,
To which I may resort continually;
You have given the commandment to save me,
For You are my rock and my fortress. - [NKJV]

The LORD has given "the commandment to save" you and me. Not just any commandment ... but THE commandment. And its purpose is clear and concise: to save.

The Law is not burdensome or troublesome. It is not there to trip us up or to bring on condemnation. It is there to save us.

Study His Law and you will find this to be the truth.

Be encouraged, Jose

Childlike

Friends,

Among the greatest wonders and joys of childhood is the recurring thrill of discovery. Spend an afternoon with a four year old child and you will frequently be reminded of things around you ... things that have blended into the background for you, but are fresh and new to the eyes of a child.

Assuredly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will by no means enter it.” -- Luke 18:17 [NKJV]

These 23 words harken us back to that time of amazement and wonder. We came upon something new and exciting. And we couldn't wait to share it with someone. We could watch it for hours, examining it from every side and marveling at every nuance.

Our Lord is calling us to see the Kingdom in that same way. To trust in its genuineness. To be in awe of the grace and forgiveness that Christ has bestowed upon us. To once again be amazed.

Be encouraged, Jose

When your friends are suffering

Friends,

The Lord uses many arms to comfort us when we are struggling. He comes to us, of course, in prayer. He speaks to us through His word. And, at times, He sends one of His children to be the bearer of strength and the provider of edification.

Unfortunately, when we are sent to represent the strong arms of Christ, our thoughts and words are vulnerable to being infiltrated by the enemy. And instead of being a source of comfort in times of trouble, we turn into the foot that kicks a brother when he's down. Our brother Job experienced this firsthand.

Job 6:15 [NKJV]
But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,
as the streams that overflow

Now, the "brothers" he was describing weren't really brothers -- or even friends -- at all ... and they certainly weren't there to represent God. They accused Job relentlessly, peppering him with insult after bitter insult. Nevertheless they serve as a cautionary example for those of us who are God's ambassadors on this earth.

Ephesians 5:19 [NKJV]
Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord

These words from Paul should be at the forefront of our heart when we go to offer comfort to one who is suffering and struggling. Instead of harsh accusations, we are to bring the word of God. That is truly the only genuine source of peace, strength and joy for the heart that is hurting.

Be encouraged, Jose

What is rightfully theirs

Friends,

We live in a world that uses envy to manipulate our desires. Politicians stoke the fires of class envy to breed resentment and anger. Advertisers incite jealousy to push products that we don't really need. And the fall of man was a direct result of one man's uncontrolled desire to usurp God's authority to himself.

Exodus 20:17 [NKJV]
You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's.

Our Lord is a kind and generous Father. He never begrudges His children anything that is good for us. He loves to give and give and give. So much so that He sent Christ to satisfy His justice, so that He could give eternal life to you and to me.

There are things, however, that are not ours to have. When we pursue those kinds of things, we are making a conscious choice to become our own god, to determine for ourselves what is good for us. When we see it in those terms, it seems so obvious that this is really, really bad idea.

The challenge today, then, is to see covetousness in its truthful light. To see it as the horrible sin that it truly is. To turn away from that sin and to accept and be content with what our loving God and Father provides for us.

Be encouraged, Jose

Relentless pursuit of Him

I will bless the LORD who has given me counsel; My heart also instructs me in the night seasons. I have set the LORD always before me; Because He is at my right hand I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will rest in hope. For You will not leave my soul in Sheol, Nor will You allow Your Holy One to see corruption. You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:7-11 (NKJV)

My soul blesses the Lord for strength and divine direction. If all men knew their charts and course of life.... How full will the joy of living be. But not even knowing it should be reason to live life more according to God's divine direction for us. Living by His instructions brings too many benefits to be easily passed up.

The Lord is a rewarder of them that 'diligently' seek Him, not just to quench the thirst, hunger or need for a season, but for a more intimate relationship. In His words are assurances that are invaluable and priceless. When we seek Him continuously and relentlessly, He's able to show us the path of life where true pleasures abound forever more. Relentless pursuit of Him is simply living smart.

Be encouraged,

Afolabi

Affliction is no match for Delight

Friends,

As believers, we know our place at God's right hand is assured for all eternity. Yet we must live through this world, according to the laws of time, space and gravity. We travel this life according to the promises made to us by Christ Jesus. And in His word, He promises affliction. While none of us necessarily enjoy and look forward to affliction, we have a surefire means to experience them without despair or fear ...

Psalm 119:92
Unless Your law had been my delight,
I would then have perished in my affliction. [NKJV]

When God's law ... His very word ... is our delight, then affliction cannot have any lasting effect. It might temporarily distract us, inconvenience us, or even cause us great pain and distress. However, it cannot defeat us.

By focusing on the Word of God -- by taking advantage of every opportunity to study His word, search His word, and obey His word -- we will enjoy daily victory over the daily afflictions that are part of this life.

Sisters and brothers, delight in God's law.

Be encouraged, Jose

Responding to Repentance

Friends,

Every act of true and genuine repentance is a great victory. It means that the Spirit has overcome the flesh, that Kingdom of God is advancing against the forces of Hell. No wonder Christ describes the scene in Heaven as a great celebration ...

Luke 15:10
Likewise, I say to you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. [NKJV]

As we discussed earlier, Jesus is both describing Heaven's response and commanding it. And this command applies to you and me in the here and now.

When we are saved, we are given a specific place in the heavenlies. We are seated there, wrapped in Christ. We are no longer citizens of the kingdom of darkness. We are now made citizens of the Kingdom of God.

So, when Christ says, "There is joy in the presence of angesls", He is commanding you and me to rejoice in the repentance of those around us. This may be difficult, since our flesh will remind us of that person's imperfections and mistakes. But we know that the enemy is a liar. And we know that the old things have passed away; and that the Lord has created a new heart in that person ... just as He has in you and me.

Let us rejoice on this day. Someone has come to repentance. And even more, let us seek true repentance on this day for our own sins and stumbles. And then let us rejoice again.

Be encouraged, Jose

Are you forgiven?

Friends,

Believers have reason to be joyful every moment of every day. It doesn't matter what transpires in the political, economic, military, or even social realms. Those events are hear and gone like a wisp of smoke. Therefore, we who follow Christ do not depend on them for happiness or comfort.

Our greatest joy comes from these words ...

Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you.
Matthew 9:2 [NKJV]

The Christan's sins ... all of his sins ... have been forgiven. If you do not have this assurance, then know that, today, the Lord stands with arms open wide, ready to forgive you. By His grace, you will learn to obey Him, to hear Him, and to pray to Him. And by that same grace, which is sufficient for all things, you will receive comfort, joy and a peace that is beyond all understanding.

Be encouraged, Jose

The tyranny of greed

Friends,

Just in case.

Just in case we need a reminder of how devastating the pursuit of material possessions is to our souls ...

Indeed, because he transgresses by wine,
He is a proud man,
And he does not stay at home.
Because he enlarges his desire as hell,
And he is like death, and cannot be satisfied,
He gathers to himself all nations
And heaps up for himself all peoples.
-- Habakkuk 2:5

Note how the Lord connects the enlargement of desire with death. Just as death is always taking and is never satisfied, the greedy heart cannot be satiated. Death will continue to consume men until every person of every nation has succumbed. Greed will drive men to consume to destruction of their souls ... and beyond.

We need not live this way, brothers and sisters. We have the ultimate source of satisfaction in Christ Jesus. He is every thing and all things. He alone can satisfy every longing of our heart. We need not leave the home He has built for us to find Him.

Be content with Christ, because there is nothing and no one greater.

Be encouraged, Jose