CENTRAL TRUTH: We experience joy as we use our time, talent and treasure to accomplish Christ’s will for New Covenant Bible Church.
BIBLE PASSAGE: Romans 15:13-16
Having total trust in God is what gives us a hope and a joy that only can be found in Jesus Christ (Romans 15:13).
One of my favorite Scripture verses is ”’For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future’” (Jeremiah 29:11 NIV). Our personal relationship with God is a source of joy if we are obedient to God’s word (Psalm 19:8; 119:14). To have God’s joy in our lives, we must know and obey Jesus’ commands. As Jesus tells us: “If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love…I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete” (John 15:10-11 NIV).
One of our greatest sources of joy is serving other believers and seeing God work in their lives. May we always have the heart to do this. For where our treasure is, our heart is also.
Throughout life, we will experience hurts, pain, struggles and uncertain tomorrows. We may suffer and experience tragedy, yet we can face the future expectantly with joy in our hearts. As long as our hope and trust is in God, we will have joy in our lives. And a future that is more wonderful than we can ever imagine.
If you have not done so yet, please open your Journey Guide to the corresponding devotion in the Reading Journal section. Journal your thoughts in response to the questions found there, spend some time in prayer, and take a couple of minutes to review this week's Memory Verse.
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Today's Author
Bruce Anderson
My name is Bruce Anderson. Jan
and I have been married for 36 years and are blessed with three married
children, Melissa, Matthew and Jonathan, and three grandchildren under
the age of four. Grandchildren have a way of keeping us young while
making us exercise.
We have attended New Covenant for 10 years since moving to Cedar Rapids when I joined a local banking organization. A little known fact about our family: Our three children are all in health care: a physical therapist and two doctors. What that really means is: 1) I can’t eat what I want; 2) I must always be losing weight; 3) I must exercise at least four days a week. And if the children can’t get me to do what they think I should be doing, they ask their mom to shape me up. Such is life!
Great devo Bruce! And your family provides you a high level of accountability for your health and fitness - what a deal!
I wrote in my daily reading guide today: As we trust Christ in our sanctification, service, and sacrifice he fills us with his joy and peace.
He really does have a plan for us, even when things look chaotic and out of control - he still knows what he is doing and is working things together for our good for his plan.
Today I am resting in this fact. Praise him!
Posted by: Tye Male | March 10, 2008 at 07:43 AM
The Embracing Faith Campaign causes me to deal with some serious questions in my life:
- What is the fair and reasonable “dollar number” of my contribution?
- Will I really experience “joy” as promised?
- Will I really experience “peace” as a result?
- Will my “hope” be increased?
- How many more sermons must I hear to be convinced? (The commitment was due yesterday!)
- Who else can help me make the tough decision?
- How self-centered are all the above questions? Oops, I shouldn’t drift into negative territory here. But it is there, nevertheless, and I have to deal with it. I recognize all too soon that question number one should really be “What is my FAITH “dollar number?” Where is my faith hang-up?—that’s the big question!
As so many times in my life, the Word of God gives me the answers. In verse 13 I read about joy, peace and hope. And the big word that makes it all happen is ”TRUST” in Him. Great! Now I am reassured. I know how to receive the items on my gimme-list of joy, peace and hope.
A big question still remains: “Am I spending a lot of money to get a lot of joy, peace and hope for myself, or am I spending a lot of money in obedience to Christ, to make a lot of room for those who are not yet here, for those future seekers looking for Christ in a home church called New Covenant?
I should know better by now than to ask this question. According to verse 14, I should consider myself sufficiently versed in Scripture to know the answer.
It is time to stop pussyfooting around, looking for loopholes.
It is time to step out in faith and trust and take the challenge head-on.
Posted by: Richard Kramer | March 10, 2008 at 11:44 AM
What a promise, peace and joy and a HOPE. Being Bi-polar, there was a time when it was impossible for me to have hope. Coming from a Christian that may sound heretical, but chemically, in my brian, I was unsound and it was so dark, I had no hope for myself and had to rely on the hope of others. I knew that all the thoughts of my mind were lies and this was difficult to deal with. I just had to trust that the hope others had was the truth, for I had no connection to it.
Now as medication, counselling and healing has kicked in and I have found hope touching my own heart, it is enough to bring tears to my eyes to know hope again. What a glorious promise to know, and to KNOW for oneself that hope is real and given to us by our Precious LORD. Thank you LORD Jesus for this gracious promise.
A hope and a future. AMEN.
Posted by: Lyndee Crow | March 10, 2008 at 12:29 PM
I was impressed at how Paul was given the task of preaching to the Gentiles. It is so neat that the hope of Christ is for everyone!
Posted by: Martha Troxel | March 10, 2008 at 02:57 PM