THE SOURCE OF ABUNDANT JOY

THE SOURCE OF ABUNDANT JOY

"In all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved
us . . ." (Romans 8:37)

"Paul was speaking here of the things that might SEEM likely to separate
a saint from the love of God. But the remarkable thing is that NOTHING
can come between the love of God and a saint. The things Paul mentioned
in this passage can and do disrupt the close fellowship of our soul with
God and separate our natural life from Him. But NONE OF THEM is able to
come between the love of God and the soul of a saint on a spiritual
level. The underlying foundation of the Christian faith is the
underserved, limitless miracle of Calvary; a love that is not earned and
can never be. Paul said this is the reason that "in all these things we
are more than conquerors." We are super-victors with a joy that comes
from experiencing the very things which look as if they are going to
OVERWHELM us.

Huge waves that would frighten an ordinary swimmer produce a tremendous
thrill for the surfer who has ridden them. Let's apply that to our own
circumstances. The things we try to avoid and fight against --
tribulation, suffering and persecution -- are the very things that
produce ABUNDANT JOY in us. "We are more than conquerors through Him"
"in all these things"; not in spite of them, BUT IN THE MIDST OF THEM. A
saint doesn't know the joy of the Lord in spite of tribulation, but
BECAUSE of it. Paul said, "I am EXCEEDINGLY joyful in all our
tribulation" (2 Corinthians 7:4).

The undiminished radiance, which is the result of abundant joy, is
nothing built on anything passing, but on the love of God that nothing
can change. And the experiences of life, whether they are everyday
events or terrifying ones, are powerless to "separate us from the love
of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:39)."

Good words this morning from MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST written by Oswald
Chambers -- available at the KESWICK ONLINE Bookstore
(www.americaskeswick.org) or by calling the Keswick Bookstore
(732-350-1187 ext 31).

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