Faith Rejoices Evermore

Psalm 27
13 I had fainted, unless I had believed to see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.
14 Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.

Faith does not rise from petitioning and crying out before The Lord with teeth still clenched and desperation. Faith rises with joyful, restful assurance that God is indeed already doing exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or think.
Faith does not dig in and fight in prayerful frustration trying to force through its own desires. Faith fervently casts and commits the trials, cares and burdens of life to the Almighty God knowing soundly that this is the day that He has made and that He, The Lord, is truly making all things beautiful in His time. That He is Sovereign, Good and working out His will in our lives. At times we must toil and persist and follow our Shepherd into the valley or into the presence of our enemies but faith is always resting in the presence of the Shepherd.
Faith does not strive, work harder and increase self effort to achieve. Faith surrenders to The Lord and casts itself upon His loving kindnesses, tender mercies and compassions and rejoices in being submitted to God and remaining as the apple of Jehovah Jireh’s eye.
Faith rejoices evermore, in all things, in sacrifice and blessing because faith knows, remembers, hopes in and walks before The Lord God Almighty, The Ruler of Heaven & Earth, The Redeemer and Saviour! Faith is rightly related to Jesus and rightly identified with His death and resurrected life! Identified with Him and by Him!

Luke 18
8 … When the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on the earth?

Only A Little To Offer

John 6
9 There is a little boy here, who has [with him] five barley loaves, and two small fish; but what are they among so many people?

Matthew 14
18 He said, Bring them here to Me.
…
21 And they that had eaten were about five thousand men, beside women and children.

A little boy, gave a little gift. No one knows his name. No one knows his life story or his testimony. He was just a little boy with just a little to give.
His gift was not praised or appreciated. What he had to give was questioned and looked upon as useless/hopeless. Even by Jesus’ chosen disciples.
It is really not important who gave, it is not important what his gift was but it is of utmost importance who it is given to!! He gave his little to Jesus! He gave it all to The Lord.
We don’t need to over romanticise his gift either. He did not give all his earthly possessions, we don’t know if he even gave all his food for the day… He gave a packed lunch. He simply gave what he had in his hand. But he gave it all and without reservation or condition.
No one knows the name of the little boy with the despised little gift… But we rejoice and glory still today in the testimony of abundance that Jesus created with the little that was given into His hands!

Exodus 4
2 And the Lord said to him, What is that in your hand? And he said, A rod.
…
17 And you shall take this rod in your hand with which you shall work the signs [that prove I sent you].

Oh may we give our little to The Lord, without reservation or condition, without desire for recognition or glory, and may we refuse to doubt what God can accomplish if we would be faithful to give our little things, just whatever we have, to The Lord Jesus Christ! In our hands it is indeed a small and useless little thing but in the hands of The Living God it will be a precious testimony to His glory!

The Little Things

Luke 16
10 Who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much…

The very little things. They’re so little. Things that seem unimportant, things that are so menial, boring and basic. They are little things. So little we often miss them, we forget them or we hide them away. We may find them tiring or inconvenient. However, it is these little things that make up the mighty work and testimony of God in a believer.

James 4
14 … What is the nature of your life? You are [really] but a wisp of vapor (a puff of smoke, a mist) that is visible for a little while and then disappears [into thin air].

Let us be found faithful with the little lives that we have. May we never lose the joy of simply having the opportunity to faithfully serve The Lord. No matter the outcome, it is a joy and precious privilege that He would entrust us with His mina, His life, His word and His Spirit! Continue in well doing. Hide yourself in the secret place of His presence. Stay faithful in the little for little is much when God is in it.
Oswald Chambers: My personal life may be crowded with small petty incidents, altogether unnoticeable and mean, but if I obey Jesus Christ in the haphazard circumstances, they become pinholes through which I see the face of God, and when I stand face to face with God I shall discover that through my obedience thousands were blessed.
The world observes God in the greater works but it is in the little things that we can know Him.

Rejoice Always, With Thanksgiving.

Philippians 4
4 Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!

If we would learn to obey just this one command… Oh how wonderful life would be!
Corinthians 11:24-25 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. [25] After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me
It is in remembering, rejoicing and singing God’s praises that we find His presence and victory! When we lift up Jesus in praise, He will draw all men unto Himself! It is in remembering Him and all that He is and all that He has done that we find joy and rest, hope and peace! But it is not enough to only remember! There is a victory in the singing! So sing out His psalms and hymns and Spiritual songs! Obedience brings blessing!
Don’t we have so much to sing about?! Don’t we have so much to be grateful for?! Rejoice that your names are written in heaven!! Rejoice in your Redeemer!! Rejoice in His promises!! Rejoice in His provisions!! Rejoice in how much you’ve been forgiven!! Rejoice that He has not dealt with us according to our sins and iniquities! Rejoice that He has not marked iniquity! Rejoice for His everlasting love and this day of Grace! Rejoice in His precious gifts and blessings that add no sorrow!!
God literally dwells in the place where His praises are offered. When we bring a sacrifice of praise, when we sing in the valley and sing in the fire… We bring His presence into our hearts! The darkness will become light, the mourning will turn to dancing as we take our eyes off of our flesh/trials and sing of our Saviour, Redeemer and God! He dwells in those praises! In His presence is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore! In His presence hearts are ministered to!

6 Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God.

This is a description of a truly intimate relationship with God. A relationship of true trust, dependence and submission. A relationship that should be a natural reality to the Born Again believer.
Paul says in “everything”! However dramatic or menial; however insignificant or consequential; whatever the time, whatever the situation, whatever the context. Bring it all before The Lord. Bring every care, every concern, every need, desire, hurt and failure. Come with liberty, come with welcome, come with honesty and humility…
But come with thanksgiving! Bring everything before The Lord but always come remembering all that He is, all that He has done, how He has met every need, how He has freely given Salvation, forgiveness, tender mercies and loving compassions, wisdom, freedom and victory! He has never failed! His arm is not shortened! He has brought you safely this far in His strength (not your own!). He is the sovereign God over all the earth! He is the creator, the maintainer, the beginning and the end!! Hallelujah!! We have very much to give thanks for!!

Give The Enemy No Credit

Job 1:20
Then Job arose, and tore his coat, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped

Job 2
9 Then said his wife unto him, Do you still hold fast to your integrity? curse God, and die.
10 But he said to her, You speak as one of the impious and foolish women would speak. What? Shall we accept only good at the hand of God and shall we not accept evil? In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

Job never mentions the devil. He never gives the enemy any credit and never attributes to him any power or ability. He only sees and only fears His sovereign God who he is intimately acquainted with. Who he has walked with, talked with, trusted and proven!

It’s true that Paul talks of being hindered to the Thessalonians but… He DOES NOT say that the work of God was hindered. He DOES NOT say that his faith in or fellowship with Christ was hindered. He DOES NOT say that God’s sovereign plan was hindered! he only mentions it in passing concerning a personal desire to see them.

Born Again believers, the Temples of The Holy Ghost, who ought to be abiding in Christ and in the secret place of The Most High (where no evil can be!!), often give the devil far too much attention and give not enough reverence to the sovereignty of Almighty God!! The devil cannot touch God’s children abiding in Him without permission and that… Will always be for His glory to be revealed!

The devil has as much power over you as you attribute to him. Yes the devil is a powerful, crafty foe… But He is a defeated enemy before the sons and daughters of God.

Luke 22
31 “Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has demanded permission to sift [all of] you like grain;
32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith [and confidence in Me] may not fail; and you, once you have turned back again [to Me], strengthen and support your brothers [in the faith].”

Jesus is saying that Satan will indeed sift you!! But the sifting is only to reveal the grain! Let the chaff (flesh) be removed and let the glory of God be revealed as we abide in Him and keep looking unto Jesus who is the beginning and the end, the author and finisher, the Risen, Conquering King!! The one who has all things placed under His feet!! ABIDE IN HIM!!! He is the power and the glory! Yield and submit to His sovereign plan and timing. Trust in His faithfulness and loving ways. The sifting is painful but “When He has tried me, I shall come forth as refined gold [pure and luminous].” Job 23:10

Follow in Jobs example. Give the devil no credit. Attribute to him no power. When He is given permission to sift… Then may we be found on our faces in worship before The Almighty, Sovereign God! Hallelujah!!