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Posted by
Dion Todd March 24, 2017 -
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Devotional
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For John the Baptizer came neither eating bread nor drinking wine, and you say, 'He has a demon.' The Son of Man has come eating and drinking, and you say, 'Behold, a gluttonous man, and a drunkard; a friend of tax collectors and sinners!' Luke 7:33 WEB
There was always a gloomy feeling that settled over you when you entered the church sanctuary. Everyone was somber with long faces like they were in mourning, but it was not a funeral. The elders, certainly looked elderly. The paintings of Jesus on the wall made Him look sad and He was always in a manger, or hanging on a cross. The church was cold, quiet, and highly religious. It was institutionalized religion and it had become a franchise.
When I read the Bible, I could not help but think, 'We seem to be missing something.' Jesus lived a colorful life, a full human life. He laughed with people, He loved people, He wept over people. Jesus had friends. He fasted often, but at other times, He ate well. The pharisees stood outside and watched Him eat with tax collectors and sinners (Matthew 9:11).
Jesus gave His disciples nicknames like the 'Sons of Thunder' (Mark 3:17). He rejoiced in the Holy Spirit (Luke 10:21). The kingdom of God is righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Romans 14:17) and I believe that Jesus walked in that realm. The joy of the Lord is our strength (Nehemiah 8:10) and I believe that Jesus was strong in joy.
The great reformer Martin Luther, became a monk and wore himself out with praying to saints, fasting, and confessing to his superiors, yet it gave him no peace. Then one day he found true grace, left monkery, married a nun, and changed the known world. He raised ten children and concluded that 'Marriage is a far better school for character than any monastery."
The Lord Jesus wants you to live a full and wonderful life just like He did. There will be times of laughing, and times of weeping. There will be times of fasting, and there will be times of feasting. There is a time to be born, and a time to die. Allow room for joy in your life and balance the drudgery. Don't allow cold, dead, religion to sap the joy from your life for it was our God that invented sunshine.
Prayer: Heavenly Father, please restore the joy to my life and let me feel Your touch once again. Help me focus on what is important to You, and guide my heart. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray.
Note: We recently have added two new authors to our member author page: Jim Jarrell and Ticardo Williams! All the authors are active members of the wonderful RHM community. We invite you to visit the page, as well as have a look at their book offerings, which you can find linked after each of their introductions! You can find the page linked under the Announcements area of the home page here. Have a blessed Friday and weekend :)!
Prayer: Heavenly Father, please restore the joy to my life and let me feel Your touch once again. Help me focus on what is important to You, and guide my heart. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen <3 Thank you
Yes Lord, amen.
In the,name of Jesus I pray, thank you Lord. Please restore joy to my life and let me feel your touch once again, Amen. Thank you Pastor Dion.
Amen!
It seems to me that so many people do not understand, God is in the RESTORATION BUSINESS! The Kingdom of God is Righteousness, Peace and Joy in the Holy Spirit! If we allow God to restore our lives through the Holy Spirit, our lives will become full of joy, it can not help but do so! Thank for you insight Pastor Dion! God sent His only Son to show us how and it is recorded in the BIBLE!
Wow! this is great and really speaks to me! thank you!
Amen! Thank You Pastor Dion. This is a really great message.
Thank you thank you for this sweet reminder this morning! My heart is full of joy and so grateful for our Savior!!!
Thank you Pastor Dion. I will fast now. The spirit spoke to me the moment i was reading your post. Pray for my family please!
Yvonne Elvira Salas
Prayer: Heavenly Father, please restore the joy to my life and let me feel Your touch once again. Help me focus on what is important to You, and guide my heart. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen! <3
Thank you for your devotion today Pastor Dion. :-)
Amen! Pastors prayer, Heavenly Father, please restore the joy of my life and let me feel your touch once again. Help me focus on what is important to you, and guide my heart. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray Amen!!
Amen.
Praise God! Thanks Pastor Todd! Heavenly Father, please restore the joy to my life and let me feel Your touch once again. Help me focus on what is important to You, and guide my heart. In the Name of Jesus Christ I pray. Amen.
Also, thank you so much for the great introduction and the place on your author's page! I'm still trying to learn how to use this sight. I may have someone who can help me Sunday. You all continue to be Blessed in Jesus' Name!
Dear Pastor Todd,
i am a Roman Catholic. I go to mass 2 to 4 times per week. I can't help but feel a slight criticism for Catholism in today's post. But that's ok. I can accept your opinion and still take the joy and good out of your post. Not all Catholics are sad gloomy and intitutionlized. Some go to mass like me and balance the cross with the joy of living in the spirit. In the catholic faith we have seasons. This season is lent for us. During lent is a time and fasting and increase in prayer etc. After Easter is a season of joy and living in the spirit celebrating the resurrection. Even during This season of Lent. I rejoice in my small acts of fasting. They are so little of a sacrifice that I can still rejoice and live a life of joy.
Thank you Pastor for your message of living in joy. Please remember your Catholic. Brothers and sisters that love our savior Christ too.
Hi Michelle, I wrote this devotional about the memories that I had while visiting a Baptist church, but it sounds like you have seen it to. It does not matter what denomination it is, once you remove the relationship and turn it into "just do what we tell you" then we have missed the point of the gospel and are teaching people the traditions of men. We need to teach them to hear His voice for themselves and that they may know Him personally with no middle man.
We once visited a Catholic church in Mt. Pleasant that was on fire for Jesus, and I have seen Baptist churches that taught the people to seek Him as well. It is not about a denomination, but if the shoe fits.... This is all just my opinion. Be blessed.
I reread this and didnt see the word Catholic anywhere. I have seen this same thing in a Lutheran church and in a Baptist....it can happen anywhere and in any denomination! Some are so full of such strict rules that it is hard to feel joyful in your faith. Thank you for this great reminder that God wants us to live a joy filled abundant life!