“4 I prayed to the Lord, and he answered me, freeing me from all my fears. 5.Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces” (Psalm 34:4-5 NLT).
The song-writer was right, “O, what peace we often forfeit, O, what needless pain we bear, all because we do not carry everything to God in prayer.” “Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.”
As I write this thought, I am in the midst of preparing Sunday’s sermon. This week I am speaking on the ministry of the Holy Spirit and in my text Jesus reminds His followers of coming persecution. The world is no friend to the Christian. So many struggle today because they have forgotten this basic truth. We live in the world, but we are not to be of the world; we live in the world but the world is not to live in us. Now because we live in a fallen world, we suffer. There are those misguided souls today who believe and teach that faithful Christians should have no problems. While that skewed theology may sound inviting, it has no basis in Scripture, no basis in truth. God’s people have suffered since Cain killed Abel! So do not be surprised if you are suffering. Jesus said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NLT).
Again I remind you that in our passage in Psalm, David rejoices not because he is delivered from troubling circumstances but because he is freed from fear of those circumstances. Paul said, “For to me to live is Christ and to die is gain.” (Philippians 1:21 NIV). How would you deal with a guy like that? How could you discourage him? If he lives he’s happy in Christ and if he dies he is happy with Christ. That should be the attitude of every believer! “Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy.” Nothing can shake the believer whose eyes stay fixed on Christ.
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