BENEFIT OF FAITH-JOY-1 Peter 1:6-9:One of the product of faith is joy.There is a kind of faith that comes with salvation.This joy must be distinguished from the exitement of pleasurable feelings which is caused by successs or good fortune such as when someone win lottery,gets promoted or buys a car.This is a deep-rooted joy that flows from the throne of God.It is a joy that comes by faith.This joy is experienced even in the midst of trials,temptations and tribulations(James 1;2).It is a trial of faith and every trial is a destiny outcry.Even Jesus had to go through suffering for a purpose(Hebrews 5:8-9).That is why Peter described the joy of the believer asinexpressible and glorious(1 Peter 1:8).We can see this joy manifest in the lives of Paul and Silas when they were travails(and Likely execution),filled with this joy,They started rendering hymns knowing that whatever the circumstance in which they found themselves,God must still be exalted.That is why Habakkuk wrote:Though the fig tree shall not blossom,and fruit is not on the vines;the labor of th olive fails,and the field yield no food.The flock is cut off from the fold,and no herd is in the stalls;yet I will rejoice in Jehovah,I will joy in the God of my salvation(habakkuk 3:17-18).Why are you downcast?Have you lost your joy of salvation to sin?Like David,repent,pray for forgiveness and ask God to restore to you the joy os salvation(Psalm 51:12). Ask for the grace to be joyful when your faith is under test in Jesus name.Amen
Posted on: Fri, 26 Dec 2014 00:08:40 +0000