Home
GRATEFULNESS VERSES GRUMPINESS
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalms 118:24)
I was standing in line waiting to get my prescription for my malaria medication for my African Mission trip. There was a lady behind me talking to another lady about the way things are today; as I was forced to listen by proximity to her. Every word that came out of her mouth was negative or negatively sarcastic. She did not have one good thing to say about anything; the more she talked to more I realized how glad I am to know Jesus. In one way it was taxing to my soul and in another way it was a reminder of how blessed I am to have Jesus in my heart.
O the joy of a blessed consciousness and a heart of gratefulness. I can say with all my being I am blessed in this day that God has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it! Just to know that I am ranked among the redeemed is blessing enough to rejoice and praise the Lord of Salvation. We are spared the wrath that will come upon the children of disobedience. I am not bound by a spirit of dissimulation or the anger or hardness of heart that the world adheres to. I can rejoice that I have been spared the righteous judgment of God through the precious Blood of the Lamb of God; Jesus Christ my redeemer!
(5) Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
(6) Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
(7) Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.
(8) I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
(9) Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
(10) Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
(11) Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Psalms 85:5-11
O the psalmist knew the heart of God, he knew of his tender mercies and his grace. Like the psalmist I too will give praise, for I know my God; for once I was dead in trespass and sin; once I was destitute of love; I was filled with pride and anger filled my soul; in my rebellion I defied him and folly was the course of my life. The grave it beckoned me, the devil persuaded me and my days were filled with wanton sin! Yet one night at an altar of prayer, he met me there; with a repentant soul and tears that did flow, but O the joy that filled my soul. Surely mercy and truth met together, his salvation was near as the fear of God filled my mind; yet when I stood to my feet I knew salvation and testified to his goodness.
(10) Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
(11) Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. Psalms 32:10-11
A wicked people know not joy, for real joy is not in the sensuality of the world. Lewdness and lasciviousness only bring pleasure for a season then bring the chains of bondage and despair. Carnal life cannot find contentment or real gratefulness; it tends to the cynical and critical and is void of hope. One who decries everything can never know the peace which transcends comprehension. Lambasting everything in life can never bring resolution; hidden hatred is exposed by the utterances discontentment. Where is real joy in the midst of a heart filled with fault finding and undermining. It is the source of separation and division and tears relationships apart and divides people by character assassination and the deflation of a moral society which should be built upon unity in the community. O that the wicked could see themselves in truth; and come to know my Savior in Spirit and Truth. Brethren let us rejoice and be glad for great is our God and he is worthy of our praise; let us shine the light of cheerfulness in the midst of the gripes, the grumps, and groans of a perverse and wicked generation. We are instructed also in the word of God.
(24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
(25) Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
(26) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
(27) Neither give place to the devil.
(28) Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
(29) Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
(30) And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
(31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
(32) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:24-32
As I stood there listening to all the negativity, I prayed a silent prayer. Brethren, let us pray for those who do not know the joy of Jesus. Brethren, let us keep the faith today by setting a watch over our hearts, minds, and mouths. Let us not grieve the Holy Spirit but as much as lies within us; let us speak of things which bring light and life. Selah
Shalom, Agape, & Amen!
D.R. Ritchie (Emissary)
This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalms 118:24)
I was standing in line waiting to get my prescription for my malaria medication for my African Mission trip. There was a lady behind me talking to another lady about the way things are today; as I was forced to listen by proximity to her. Every word that came out of her mouth was negative or negatively sarcastic. She did not have one good thing to say about anything; the more she talked to more I realized how glad I am to know Jesus. In one way it was taxing to my soul and in another way it was a reminder of how blessed I am to have Jesus in my heart.
O the joy of a blessed consciousness and a heart of gratefulness. I can say with all my being I am blessed in this day that God has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it! Just to know that I am ranked among the redeemed is blessing enough to rejoice and praise the Lord of Salvation. We are spared the wrath that will come upon the children of disobedience. I am not bound by a spirit of dissimulation or the anger or hardness of heart that the world adheres to. I can rejoice that I have been spared the righteous judgment of God through the precious Blood of the Lamb of God; Jesus Christ my redeemer!
(5) Wilt thou be angry with us for ever? wilt thou draw out thine anger to all generations?
(6) Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
(7) Shew us thy mercy, O LORD, and grant us thy salvation.
(8) I will hear what God the LORD will speak: for he will speak peace unto his people, and to his saints: but let them not turn again to folly.
(9) Surely his salvation is nigh them that fear him; that glory may dwell in our land.
(10) Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.
(11) Truth shall spring out of the earth; and righteousness shall look down from heaven. Psalms 85:5-11
O the psalmist knew the heart of God, he knew of his tender mercies and his grace. Like the psalmist I too will give praise, for I know my God; for once I was dead in trespass and sin; once I was destitute of love; I was filled with pride and anger filled my soul; in my rebellion I defied him and folly was the course of my life. The grave it beckoned me, the devil persuaded me and my days were filled with wanton sin! Yet one night at an altar of prayer, he met me there; with a repentant soul and tears that did flow, but O the joy that filled my soul. Surely mercy and truth met together, his salvation was near as the fear of God filled my mind; yet when I stood to my feet I knew salvation and testified to his goodness.
(10) Many sorrows shall be to the wicked: but he that trusteth in the LORD, mercy shall compass him about.
(11) Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, ye righteous: and shout for joy, all ye that are upright in heart. Psalms 32:10-11
A wicked people know not joy, for real joy is not in the sensuality of the world. Lewdness and lasciviousness only bring pleasure for a season then bring the chains of bondage and despair. Carnal life cannot find contentment or real gratefulness; it tends to the cynical and critical and is void of hope. One who decries everything can never know the peace which transcends comprehension. Lambasting everything in life can never bring resolution; hidden hatred is exposed by the utterances discontentment. Where is real joy in the midst of a heart filled with fault finding and undermining. It is the source of separation and division and tears relationships apart and divides people by character assassination and the deflation of a moral society which should be built upon unity in the community. O that the wicked could see themselves in truth; and come to know my Savior in Spirit and Truth. Brethren let us rejoice and be glad for great is our God and he is worthy of our praise; let us shine the light of cheerfulness in the midst of the gripes, the grumps, and groans of a perverse and wicked generation. We are instructed also in the word of God.
(24) And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
(25) Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.
(26) Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:
(27) Neither give place to the devil.
(28) Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.
(29) Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.
(30) And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
(31) Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:
(32) And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you. Ephesians 4:24-32
As I stood there listening to all the negativity, I prayed a silent prayer. Brethren, let us pray for those who do not know the joy of Jesus. Brethren, let us keep the faith today by setting a watch over our hearts, minds, and mouths. Let us not grieve the Holy Spirit but as much as lies within us; let us speak of things which bring light and life. Selah
Shalom, Agape, & Amen!
D.R. Ritchie (Emissary)