Share the Joy of Your Salvation


“He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things 
He planned for us long ago.” (Ephesians 2:10b NLT)

If you want to get your joy back, you 1) admit it’s gone, then you 2) analyze the cause. Then, 3) correct what’s wrong, and 4) get an attitude of gratitude.

There are three more steps to recovering your joy that we’ll talk about today.

First, you have to spend time with God every day. It may be hard to imagine that God wants to spend time with you. He’s got a whole lot of things going on, doesn’t He? But throughout Scripture, God invites us to come into His presence. And there’s a joy that comes when we spend time with God in a daily quiet time, because we learn to hear His voice and find out what He wants us to do with our lives. The more time you spend with God, the deeper your friendship with Him develops.

Second, you need to find a way to give back. The Bible says this in Ephesians 2:10: “He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago” (NLT). In tough times, it’s very easy to get self-centered. But the truth is, the more you focus on yourself, the more joy you lose.

I’ve traveled around the world, and I’ve been in many closed countries where people are persecuted for their faith in Jesus Christ. You know what I’ve discovered? The persecuted Christians are the most joyful people in the world. Why? Because it means something to them. They’re not casual, “take it or leave it” Christians. The right to worship and their freedom in Christ means something to them. And, they’re far more joyful.

You need to find a way to give back. Once you take the focus off yourself, you’ll find your joy returning.

Finally, to recover your joy, you need to tell somebody about Jesus. Nothing will restore your joy faster than becoming concerned about the salvation of a friend. The Bible says that every time somebody accepts the Lord, they throw a party in Heaven. Did you know that? Luke 15:7 says, “There is more joy in heaven over one sinner who changes his heart and life” (NCV). The day you stepped across the line, they threw a party in Heaven for you. And the day you help somebody come to know the Lord, there’s going to be a party in your heart. The joy returns as you share with others.

Pray this prayer today: “Father, help me to return love for hate, joy for grief, and kindness for apathy. May the joy of the Lord be so evident on my face that people will want to know why and know the hope that is in me. Help me to be obedient to what You have told me to do. Help me to focus on Your blessings in my life so that I will have an attitude of gratitude for Your faithfulness. Restore the joy of my salvation so that I can share that joy with others and help them to find their own joy through a relationship with You.  Thank You that I can have hope and joy through Jesus Christ. Amen.”


~ Written by: Rick Warren ~
~ Modified by: Oleg Fab ~

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Obedience Without Anxiety

Image
“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank Him for all He has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6-7 NLT) If you feel overwhelmed or confused about a decision that you’re trying to make, you’re probably caught up in yourself and not God’s voice. The Bible says, “God is not a God of disorder but of peace” (1 Corinthians 14:33a NIV). He is not the author of confusion. So if you’re feeling confused, guess what? It’s not God’s voice speaking in your life. If you’re a parent, do you want your kids to feel pressure or confused when you ask them to do something? No. You want them to understand what to do and then respond in obedience. God the Father wants the same thing for and from us. The only time pressure could be legitimate is if God’s told you to do something, and you keep saying “n
Read more

The Light in the Dark Times

Image
“We were crushed and overwhelmed beyond our ability to endure, and we thought we would never live through it. In fact, we expected to die. But as a result, we stopped relying on ourselves and learned to rely only on God, Who raises the dead.”  (2 Corinthians 1:8b-9 NLT) Did Jesus suffer? Was He sometimes lonely? Was He tempted to be discouraged? Was He misunderstood, maligned, and criticized unjustly? Of course! None of us are exempt from suffering, loneliness, discouragement, or unjust criticism, because God is developing within us the character of Christ, and, in order to do this, He must take us through all of the circumstances in life through which He took Christ. Does this mean God causes tragedies? No. God is good, and He will not cause evil or do evil. But God can use dark and stressful times for good. He'll use them to teach us to trust Him, to show us how to help others, and to draw us closer to other believers. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 1:8b-9,
Read more

Why Nagging Never Works

Image
Have you noticed how many difficult people there are in the world? Do you feel like you have to deal with most of them some days? You know what rude acts bug me the most? People who call me and then say, “Who is this?” People who honk their horns in traffic jams. People who cheat in the 10-items-or-less grocery line. People who steal your parking spot. The list goes on, and I’m sure you can relate. So, how should we respond in love to difficult people? Proverbs 16:21 says, “A wise, mature person is known for his understanding. The more pleasant his words, the more persuasive he is” (TEV). The more pleasant you are, the more persuasive you are. And, you’re never persuasive when you’re abrasive. Nagging doesn’t work. The way you say something determines the way it’s received. If you say something offensively, it’s going to be received defensively. That’s why love is all about your words. Love is truthful, but it is also tactful. Tact and tone always go together. It matters
Read more