A WORD IN SEASON TO THE WEARY
🌷🌷🌷 August 19 🌷🌷🌷
“…we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:11).
Paul says to the believers who were saved through his ministry, “Ye are our… joy!” (1 Thess. 2:20). When you find that others are saved by your testimony, a great joy comes into you, and your neighbours and friends will also find joy through you. Every time I find someone receiving that joy, my own joy increases. Once, when I was in Yugoslavia, I was going in a train to Belgrade. I saw a very tall man in front of me. I began to pray, “Lord, give me the privilege of speaking to that man about his soul”. Then I spoke to him and straightway he was born again. What a joy came into my heart. Has anybody in your family or neighbourhood found the joy of salvation through you? Do you know the joy of bringing others to Christ?
Also by delighting to do God’s will we find joy. Psalm 40:8, ” I delight to do thy will”. It may take you many days to find God’s will, but, when you find it you will have a peculiar joy in accepting it and in doing God’s will. Is your joy of that nature? Is your joy unspeakable and full of glory? Is your joy full? Do you find a heavenly song on your lips all the time? Even though I cannot sing a single note outwardly, I can sing in my soul the whole day. Oh be sure you find that joy. Right now, this moment, that joy can be yours. Only the Lord Jesus can give that joy, which does not depend upon teachers, preachers or other people, but on the Lord Himself. If we humble ourselves and call upon Him, He forgives us immediately and that experience will begin that joy in your heart.
That joy begins in heaven, “likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth.” It does not begin on the earth. Repentance means right about turn. Before a man repents, he has his face towards the devil, and his back towards God. By repentance he turns his back towards the devil, and his face towards God. That is called repentance. Such a work takes place only by the Holy Spirit, and not by man himself. Joy begins there! Heaven is first filled with joy, and from there that joy is poured into the person who repents. That is why no man can take away that joy. It begins in the presence of God and goes on flowing from there, and no man can take it away, “your joy no man taketh from you” (John 16:22), no, not even your enemy, nor your neighbours, nor friends, nor any power on earth. Have you repented? What happened when you repented? Was it whole-hearted repentance, or are you still hankering after sinful and shameful things? That is why your joy is not full. Your repentance is not complete. Your face is turned both ways. Some people are like that. They seem to be happy everywhere. When they come for worship, they are very happy. When they go into the world they are still happy. Wherever they go they are happy. They are blind and deaf spirirually. They are the agents of the devil. Oh, please make sure that you have repented truly and sincerely.
