Psalm 19:8-16 the precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes. The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous. They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

This world today is full of misery and suffering coming from all sides left, right and centre, everywhere you look there is nothing to cheer you up. The rich, the poor, the wise, the foolish, men and women, the young and the old alike know no real joy. Many are all afraid of their own shadows, they run even when nobody is chasing them, no matter how literate or illiterate they are. This scripture truly speaks about the only sure source of joy and happiness that has been so elusive to the entire world.

I have travelled a little and the majority of people I’ve come across and spoken to are always lamenting about something and I am quite sure that this phenomenon is not isolated to the region(s) I have been visiting, some born again and un born again people have something in common for once apart from their genus, lamentation about lack of this or that.

The people blaming the politicians, the politicians blame the government, the government blames the religious groups, the religious groups blame there perceived opponents and the blame game continues. Parents blame teachers, the teachers blame the children the children blame their parents and the vicious cycle continues, somebody always has somebody else to blame for their unhappiness.

The difference between Christians and non Christians should be the way they conduct their lives, since each is opposed to the other in more ways than one. Where non Christians see impossibilities Christians see possibilities, when the non Christians see luck, Christians see blessings of God because they serve God who is almighty, a God who can shake heaven and earth to provide for His elect.

When non Christians see no hope for their future, Christians see hope and abundant opportunities. The distinguishing factors between Christians and non Christians is that the former sees a glass half full while the later sees an half empty glass, that is the most  important point to note.

God’s precepts are the source of their joy, not their knowledge or interpretation of their situations. Their (Christians) peace and joy are pegged on God. When they learn to base all of their understanding in the commandments of God they end up a very happy people. Not how faulty one is, such faults are filled with the joy of the Lord. ‘They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb’ that is how important Godly counsel is to everyone who embraces it.

Who and what makes these Christians such a unique people, who only see the good things in life while the rest of the world citizenry does not have any reason to smile at all? The reason is simple; they have surrendered to the One who is able when they aren’t! One Who can when they can’t, One Who gives them power to even to acquire power and wealth when the rest of the world is feeling sorry for themselves.

It is unfortunate and dangerous for people to live outside God’s presence and precepts, and still expect to live fully productive, this can’t be possible. Man was not created to function by himself but in the presence of a superior being. What I am saying is that man has a proclivity to worship a higher super natural being even if it means the wrong one.

Some people pretend to live in God’s presence and yet continue to live by their own judgements and standards; this makes them even more miserable than before. One must choose a standard by which to live by without confusing or mixing the two that is, own standards and God’s standards.

Some Christians unfortunately want to have all that God can offer and all that the world can offer. God never operates under such terms; one has to make a choice, whether to live fully according to God’s standards or world standards, there is no in-between (fence-stranding) in this matter.  When one lives a double life they become the most miserable, pitiable, unfulfilled lot.

Isaiah 48:22

“ There is no peace,” says the LORD, “for the wicked.”

The reason why Christians remain miserable is because they don’t embrace the full power that God has availed to them; instead they keep their own judgments and thoughts. The scripture quoted above is very clear about those who can never enjoy life as they should. There is peace in understanding, following through all precepts of God.

I really don’t know what is so difficult in following up on God’s promises to us, when we follow them we are joyfully blessed, when we don’t we remain miserable and unfulfilled. It is wickedness not to believe in God and His only begotten Son Jesus Christ. Jesus is the source of true and everlasting happiness to many for He helps those who need His assistance whenever they pray unto Him.

Obedience to the Word of God avails all the power and endurance one needs to overcome the trials and tribulations of this world for they are very many. We know that having the word and acting on it brings us much joy and happiness in the knowledge that though we are full of faults God does not regard our fault as we were made complete by faith in Jesus Christ. Therefore it is important that all Christians world over should walk in the joy or the Lord and not in their imperfectness.

We therefore live in the correctness of the precepts of God and not in the faults and flaws of our characters and personalities. What truly impresses God is our ability to receive, believe and act on His word, He does not the focus of how well or bad we can or can’t do what we do. Many people try to impress God with list of their accomplishments to no avail; He is only impressed by the work of His Son Jesus Christ on the cross.

John 16:22
Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.

Yes we may have sorrow in the present time and form, Jesus acknowledges so, He does not deny that there is sorrow in the world. When we see ourselves through the eyes with which Jesus sees us we are able to overcome the sorrows and be joyful. The Bible says rejoice and again I say rejoice. One is tempted to ask “should I rejoice even when I suffer loss, even when everybody and everything is against me?

The one and only answer to this dilemma is YES, for your circumstances do not count but what does is the Word of Jesus Christ.  All Christians therefore should cease their melodramatic, ineffective efforts and take up the word of God live by it and they will be blessed by God for it. This Word guarantees peace of heart and mind to the believer even when situations are against him/her.

The worst enemy to every Christian’s potential today is not unbelief; it is their quest to reason with the Word of God, they are miserable because of their self interpretation of the Word of God. They will continue to suffer in misery until they surrender to the precepts of God. Remember that Abraham did neither argue nor seek independent interpretation of the word he received from God to move out his father’s household, he just obeyed and it was accounted to him for righteousness. The Bible says so. Not I.

Therefore as Jesus promised His disciples then, He so promises us today too, that the joy He brings cannot be taken away from us by anybody or anything. No situations, trials, tribulations or circumstances can ever deny or snatch our joy and peace from us. It is ours because we have been given the power to retain it as guaranteed by our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ.

Let me pray with you ‘Father in the name of Jesus Christ I thank you for this wonderful gift and assurance that the joy You’ve given us cannot be taken away by anybody or anything because it comes from you. I thank you Lord, for giving my readers this wonderful gift of joy and peace of heart. Help them to understand, believe and live according to your will and not their understanding of the situations confronting them. Help them prevail upon every challenge, test or trial, it’s in Jesus name I pray and believe. Amen.

This devotional was written by Bishop Joseph Koburu Mukiira of Maximum Victory and Joy Worship Centre Nairobi, Kenya and brought to you courtesy of Journey 2 Joy International Ministries Inc. USA.

©All rights reserved by Bishop Joseph Mukiira

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