The Joy Of Faith

THE JOY OF FAITH

People who look on Bible religion as gloomy and joyless would do well to study the Book of Psalms.

It is worth note that in this one book of Scripture the words "joy," "joyful," "glad," "gladness," "rejoice," occur more than ninety times.

The Faithful sees the rainbow in the cloud, and hears the Savior’s voice in the storm.

Ps 5:1-11 NIV

5:1 For the director of music. For flutes. A psalm of David.

Give ear to my words, O LORD, consider my sighing.

2 Listen to my cry for help, my King and my God, for to you I pray.

3 In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation.

4 You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell.

5 The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong.

6 You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.

7 But I, by your great mercy, will come into your house; in reverence will I bow down toward your holy temple. 8 Lead me, O LORD, in your righteousness because of my enemies — make straight your way before me.

9 Not a word from their mouth can be trusted; their heart is filled with destruction.

Their throat is an open grave; with their tongue they speak deceit.

10 Declare them guilty, O God! Let their intrigues be their downfall. Banish them for their many sins, for they have rebelled against you.

11 But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them

"The Contents of the psalm is basing our hope on God's holiness.

a) To Trust God Supremely

b) Start the Day off Right

The psalm, so far as the sentiment is concerned, may be properly regarded as divided into four parts:

I. A Sincere prayer for

a) God to hear him;

b) to attend to his cry,

c) and to deliver him,

d) In his troubles his first act would be each day to call upon God.

C. S. Lewis wrote: “The moment you wake up each morning, all your wishes and hopes for the day rush at you like wild animals. And the first job each morning consists in shoving it all back; in listening to that other voice, taking that other point of view, letting that other, larger, stronger, quieter life come flowing in.”

Reuben Archer Torrey (January, 1856 – October, 1928), was an American evangelist, pastor, educator, and writer. Torrey wrote: "Oh, men and women, pray through; pray through! Do not just begin to pray and pray a little while and throw up your hands and quit; but pray and pray and pray until God bends the heavens and comes down."

What did R. A. Torrey mean? I suspect he meant that we must pray and keep on praying until we get an answer from God. Perhaps the idea of “praying through to the end of a matter.” Pray until you get an answer. I do think we often give up too quickly when it comes to praying about things.

II. An expression of unwavering confidence in God Care and Mercy

When you reclaim your mornings for Christ:

You say “Good morning Lord” instead of “Good Lord, it’s morning.”

When you reclaim your mornings for Christ:

Your words no longer fall on deaf ears but they rise in eagle wings..

When you reclaim your mornings for Christ:

You no longer wander aimlessly but instead you follow faithfully

When you reclaim your mornings for Christ:

You no longer while away the hours, now you redeem the time for eternity.

When you reclaim your mornings for Christ:

You are no longer rejected like an orphan, but you are accepted as a son.

When you reclaim your mornings for Christ:

You no longer live in fear getting caught but you stare fear down by the power of the cross.

When you reclaim your mornings for Christ:

You are no longer looked at with suspicion but you are called and then commissioned.

When you reclaim your mornings for Christ:

You are no longer satisfied with survival, you hunger for revival.

When you reclaim your mornings for Christ:

It’s no longer who I am, but Whose I am.

It’s no longer where I’ve been, but where I’m going.

It’s not about who I know, but Who I follow.

III. Prayer to God, in view of all this, for his guidance and protection in his perplexities, Ps 5:8-10.

He felt himself surrounded by dangers; he was in perplexity as to the true way of safety; his enemies were powerful, numerous, and treacherous, and he beseeches God, therefore, to interpose and to deliver him from them-even by cutting them off.