Exceedingly Rejoice!

This morning's Points of Power on the Yolanda Adams Morning Show was EXACTLY what I needed today!

I was feeling somewhat (Ok, VERY) glum this morning. Numerous issues seem to be accumulating around me and the family, and all of them tend to drag my spirit down. My wife's exhortation and the words from the radio have helped me tremendously this morning, so I wanted to share a little of it.

I thank God for my wife. She dipped into the Word of God and pulled out a string of "gold nugget" scriptures, each more helpful than the last. I'm so very thankful to be her husband.

Here are some quick notes from the radio show I was able to type as I listened
(I tried to convert everything to first-person, to "make it personal"):

Scripture was Psalm 68:1-3 (KJV) -
Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire,
so let the wicked perish at the presence of God.
But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice.

Joy comes from personal awareness of an expected end. That's why, when everything seems so dark and hopeless around me, I can still have joy.

That's why I can rejoice in the midst, why I can sing in the storm.

I must never forget, each and every day, the outcome is, WE WIN.

And in the day-to-day struggle, God is never away from us. He sees our situations, hears our cries, and most of all, He takes pleasure with us in our victories.

But we need to stay in his presence. In his presence is protection, power, and providence. In God's presence is everything we could ever need.

Nothing catches God by surprise. He's totally aware of our situations, and our pain. He just wants to see how we'll act under our present circumstances. Will we seek Him?

At the end of the segment, Yolanda said she remembers how she felt when a group of people
threw her a surprise party. Her attitude and demeanor instantly changed from whatever it was, to joy and delight. Then she told the listeners that we may only see our present situations, but God's just setting us up for a surprise party!

Thank you Lord!

© 2008 Scotty Ward