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He is Near

He is Near

Words of Faith 9-6-19

Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2019

Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com

Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL

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Philippians 4

[4] Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! [5] Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.

 

       Did someone ask if there was a place for joy in this alien living?  Here it is, and a double portion!  Every word is important.  The first word is active. The Message renders it this way: "Celebrate God all day, every day. I mean, revel in him!"  You see, joy is the fruit of the spirit, but rejoicing is still a choice we make. 

       Joy is something deep and abiding that grows in us, but the choice to rejoice is how we respond to His invitation.  He invites us to dance.  He leads and even teaches us the steps, but we still must choose to accept His invitation and dance!  He will not drag us out onto the dance floor. 

       The words "In the Lord..." are also important.  We rejoice not in our circumstances, but "in the Lord" (though in the midst of our circumstances).  We affirm that the bigger reality in our lives is the Lord.  God is bigger than the circumstance, the Roman jail, the persecutor, the problem, the task. 

       Letting "your gentleness be evident to all" may be our most powerful witness. It is not our words, but what people see when we are under pressure.  Gentleness means appropriateness or moderation.  The NASB says, "let your forbearing spirit be known.”  The Message implores us to "make it as clear as you can to all you meet that you're on their side, working with them and not against them. Help them see that the Master is about to arrive. He could show up any minute!"

        The Lord is near.  Not only His coming but His immanence.  His Holy Spirit.  He is near, and that is reason for rejoicing.  In any situation, the Lord is near, close, immediately available.

        So, what is your choice for today?  Are you just doing alright... "under the circumstances?”  Well, what are you doing under there?  God is near.  Choose rejoicing.  Cooperate with his Spirit of celebration. Join the dance.

 

Lord, I sure can't fake it.  So, my only rejoicing will be in You and of You.  I choose today to celebrate Your presence in my life all day.  Let my forbearance, and moderation, and fairness be clear to those around me.  Stick close to me as I choose to stick close to you.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

 

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The Words of Faith devotion is published five days a week by E-mail, and our website, and our church app, excluding Federal holidays. Please feel free to forward this devotion to a friend who might be blessed by this devotion. Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2010 Jeffrey D. Hoy. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to forward this copyrighted material or use portions of it with appropriate notation of the source for non-profit purposes.  

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