There was an incident that happened long ago, that we can learn a valuable lesson from. It is recorded in the book of Nehemiah.
There was a time, when God’s people had backslidden and eventually many were attacked and killed, and the rest were taken away captive to Babylon. The Lord said it would be for 70 years. When their time was up, the Lord made the way for them to be able to return to their homeland. But it was not easy. Nehemiah, led a group there to help rebuild the city wall of Jerusalem. They got it done but with extreme opposition. They also needed to restore their temple and its aspects. The temple had been utterly destroyed and all within it had been carried away or destroyed. With their return, singers and porters were appointed as well as Levites for ministry. When it came time in the fall for Rosh Hashana and the Feast of Trumpets, it was requested of Ezra to read from the Book of the Law of Moses and the people listened attentively and in one accord. Upon hearing it, they realized their great need to get right with God.
And the Lord did not want them to mourn or weep and further said:
There is a time and place for everything. A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to sow and a time to reap. The Lord was pleased with their hearts and hard work. He wanted them to shake off the heaviness and sorrow and be lifted up in strength and joy. The Tanakh, New JPS version, puts the last part of verse 8 above like this:
If anyone ever needed strength, these people did. Sometimes, it is not just a matter of choosing to rejoice in the Lord but in first choosing “not to be sad.” Sometimes, many of us need to seriously make the choice that we do not want to be sad or depressed. Living with sadness, frustration and heaviness can all too often become part of our lifestyles. In order to overcome it, we must address “sadness” for what it is in our own particular circumstances. The heaviness of sadness can drag a person so low they do not even want to get out of bed or pick their feet up when they walk. This is not the life God wants for us. When we reject sorrow and we choose to rejoice in the Lord despite the pain or circumstances, everything changes. Sorrow cannot stay. Peace comes. If we stay with it, joy will manifest. The more we praise the Lord from deep within and trust in Him for help in our circumstances, the stronger we will become. Two of my favorite songs that lift me up are “Nothing But The Blood Of Jesus” and “Victory In Jesus.” We each need to have our own special songs. The main thing is to get singing! Get back to being thankful for the good and stop focusing on the bad, especially on the parts that we cannot change. Let us send heaviness and despair down the road. Let us get our eyes back on our sovereign Lord who turns all things for good for us in the long run. When we rejoice in the Lord our God, this is where our strength comes from! Eli Cockrell
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AuthorsSince we became Christians, the authors of this site, over the decades, with the help of the Holy Spirit, have learned deeper biblical truths and how to have a closer walk with Christ. Through the websites that we are writing on, we try to share with the readers who might be interested, messages about living life with Jesus Christ as Lord. BLOG LIST BY DATE
(THE DATES ARE LISTED IN FORMAT DD/MM/YYYY) "PEACE TO THIS HOUSE" 26/1/2021 OUR CHOICES MAKE THE DIFFERENCE 5/1/2021 "COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY-LADEN" 8/12/2020 BEING THANKFUL 22/11/2020 WHAT DEFINES OUR LIVES AND US? 31/10/2020 IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD 18/09/2020 "THE REST" WE FIND IN THE LORD 13/08/2020 HOW WE CAN FILTER OUR IN-TAKE 24/07/20 JESUS IS OUR ANCHOR IN STORMY TIMES 9/07/2020 CHOOSING TO REJOICE 23/06/2020 STRESSFUL TIMES AND OUR EMOTIONS 26/05/2020 BIRTH PAINS OF A ONE WORLD ORDER 12/5/2020 TEST ALL THINGS 22/04/2020 IN STRESSFUL TIMES 31/03/2020 STANDING FIRM IN UNCERTAIN TIMES 15/03/2020 GOD SENDS HIS ANGELS TO HELP US 28/02/2020 GOD KNOWS! 14/01/2020 OUR SAVIOR HAS MADE THE WAY 23/12/2019 FALL IS IN THE AIR 30/09/2019 WHY IS IT SO CHALLENGING TO REMAIN CONSTANTLY VICTORIOUS IN OUR CHRISTIAN WALK? 18/7/2019 LITTLE THINGS 01/07/2019 IT MIGHT BE THE RIGHT TIME FOR SOMETHING TO CHANGE 17/5/2019 FULL JOY 6/3/2019 HAVE YOU EVER BEEN UNEQUALLY YOKED? 1/2/2019 LIFE AND LIFE MORE ABUNDANTLY 15/1/2019 FIGHTING THE GOOD FIGHT 4/12/2018 THE PRODIGAL SON 11/10/2018 WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE 9/19/2018 HOW DID JESUS ANSWER TO TEMPTATION 26/1/2018 GOD'S LOVE IS IMMEASURABLE 6/6/2018 THE DEVIL HAS NO AUTHORITY OVER CHRISTIANS 18/5/2018 THEN THEIR EYES WERE OPENED... 26/3/2018 ENDURANCE! 15/02/2018 CHRIST IN US THE HOPE OF GLORY 25/1/2018 THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 12/19/2017 OUR JOY IN THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH 6/12/2017 MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN TODAY 15/11/2017 THE SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 18/9/2017 IS BAPTISM BY WATER A COMMAND OR NOT? 26/8/2017 THE DANGER OF UNHEALTHY FEAR 26/6/2017 HEALING IS GOD'S WILL 26/6/2017 WHAT DO WE TRUST IN? 13/6/2017 "NO ONE AND NOTHING CAN SNATCH US OUT OF THE HAND OF JESUS OR FATHER GOD!" 11/4/2017 "BE WATCHFUL AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN..." 7/3/2017 "GRACE UPON GRACE"24/2/2017 TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, FROM HIM MUCH WILL BE REQUIRED 6/2/2017 WHAT MAY HARDEN THE HEART?31/1/2017 WHO PAID MORE? 30/1/2017 IT IS HARD KICKING AGAINST THE GOADS 30/1/2017 JESUS SET ME FREE... AGAIN! 10/1/2017 LIVING TO PLEASE GOD! 6/12/2016 NO ONE IS ABLE TO SNATCH US OUT OF GOD'S HAND! 2/12/2016 WHY DO WE HIDE GOD'S WORD IN OUR HEARTS? 9/11/2016 GOD'S WORD IS POWERFUL 1/11/2016 DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE 24/10/2016 TRULY BELIEVING - ELIMINATING DOUBT 15/10/2016 ARE THE OLD TESTAMENT PROMISES FOR US, THE GENTILES, TOO? 14/10/2016 CHOOSING FAITH INSTEAD OF DOUBT 11/10/2016 LORD GOD IS MY REFUGE! 6/10/2016 GOD'S PROVISION FOR THE AGED 17/9/2016 DOES IT MATTER HOW WE LIVE? 7/9/2016 PAUL'S THORN IN THE FLESH 26/8/2016 "WALKING ON WATER" 23/8/2016 WHATEVER IS TRUE... 5/8/2016 LIFE WITH JESUS IS WONDERFUL 29/7/2016 ANSWER TO PRAYER 23/7/2016 WHY PRAY? 22/7/2016 HAPPY OR SAD? 21/7/2016 THE IMPORTANCE OF TRULY ”KNOWING” GOD 21/7/2016 WE NEED GOD'S PRESENCE 21/7/2016 GOD WILL NEVER FORSAKE US! 21/7/2016 THE TRUE MEANING OF FOLLOWING CHRIST 21/7/2016 THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD 21/7/2016 FLESH OR SPIRIT? 21/7/2016 Archives
January 2021
CATEGORIES BIBLE, THE WORD OF GOD ARE THE OLD TESTAMENT PROMISES FOR US, THE GENTILES, TOO? 14/10/2016 GOD'S PROVISION FOR THE AGED 17/9/2016 GOD'S WORD IS POWERFUL 1/11/2016 THE POWER OF GOD'S WORD 21/7/2016 WHY DO WE HIDE GOD'S WORD IN OUR HEARTS? 9/11/2016 CHRISTIAN LIVING "BE WATCHFUL AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN..." 7/3/2017 BEING THANKFUL 22/11/2020 DOES IT MATTER HOW WE LIVE? 7/9/2016 DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE 24/10/2016 FLESH OR SPIRIT? 21/7/2016 FULL JOY 6/3/2019 GOD WILL NEVER FORSAKE US! 21/7/2016 HAPPY OR SAD? 21/7/2016 HOW WE ARE MADE AND CHOOSING HOW WE RECEIVE 24/07/20 IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD 18/09/2020 IS BAPTISM BY WATER A COMMAND OR NOT? 26/8/2017 IT IS HARD KICKING AGAINST THE GOADS 30/1/2017 LIFE WITH JESUS IS WONDERFUL 29/7/2016 LITTLE THINGS 01/07/2019 LIVING TO PLEASE GOD! 6/12/2016 LORD GOD IS MY REFUGE! 6/10/2016 "NO ONE AND NOTHING CAN SNATCH US OUT OF THE HAND OF JESUS OR FATHER GOD!" 11/4/2017 NO ONE IS ABLE TO SNATCH US OUT OF GOD'S HAND! 2/12/2016 OUR JOY IN THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH 6/12/2017 OUR CHOICES MAKE THE DIFFERENCE 5/1/2021 PAUL'S THORN IN THE FLESH 26/8/2016 THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 12/19/2017 THE DEVIL HAS NO AUTHORITY OVER CHRISTIANS 18/5/2018 THE PRODIGAL SON 11/10/2018 THE TRUE MEANING OF FOLLOWING CHRIST 21/7/2016 TO WHOM MUCH IS GIVEN, FROM HIM MUCH WILL BE REQUIRED 6/2/2017 WHATEVER IS TRUE... 5/8/2016 WHAT DEFINES OUR LIVES AND US? 31/10/2020 WHAT MAY HARDEN THE HEART? 31/1/2017 FAITH & TRUST CHOOSING FAITH INSTEAD OF DOUBT 11/10/2016 DON'T WORRY ABOUT YOUR LIFE 24/10/2016 TRULY BELIEVING - ELIMINATING DOUBT 15/10/2016 THE DEVIL HAS NO AUTHORITY OVER CHRISTIANS 18/5/2018 "THE REST" WE FIND IN THE LORD 13/08/2020 "WALKING ON WATER" 23/8/2016 WHAT DO WE TRUST IN? 13/6/2017 WHY IS IT SO CHALLENGING TO REMAIN CONSTANTLY VICTORIOUS IN OUR CHRISTIAN WALK? 18/7/2019 FEAR THE DANGER OF UNHEALTHY FEAR 26/6/2017 GOD, FATHER, SON & HOLY SPIRIT CHRIST IN US THE HOPE OF GLORY 25/1/2018 "COME TO ME, ALL YOU WHO LABOR AND ARE HEAVY-LADEN" 8/12/2020 GOD SENDS HIS ANGELS TO HELP US 28/02/2020 GOD KNOWS! 14/01/2020 HOW DID JESUS ANSWER TO TEMPTATION 26/1/2018 MIRACLES STILL HAPPEN TODAY 15/11/2017 THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 12/19/2017 THE IMPORTANCE OF TRULY ”KNOWING” GOD 21/7/2016 THE SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 18/9/2017 WE NEED GOD'S PRESENCE 21/7/2016 GRACE "GRACE UPON GRACE" 24/2/2017 WHO PAID MORE? 30/1/2017 WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE 9/19/2018 HEALING HEALING IS GOD'S WILL 26/6/2017 JOY, HAPPINESS CHOOSING TO REJOICE 23/06/2020 FULL JOY 6/3/2019 HAPPY OR SAD? 21/7/2016 OUR JOY IN THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH 6/12/2017 PERSEVERANCE AND STRENGTH STANDING FIRM IN UNCERTAIN TIMES 15/03/2020 "BE WATCHFUL AND STRENGTHEN THE THINGS WHICH REMAIN..." 7/3/2017 CHAINS OF SMOKE 11/11/2019 ENDURANCE! 15/02/2018 HOW DID JESUS ANSWER TO TEMPTATION 26/1/2018 IN STRESSFUL TIMES 31/3/2020 THE DEVIL HAS NO AUTHORITY OVER CHRISTIANS 18/5/2018 PRAYER ANSWER TO PRAYER 23/7/2016 WHY PRAY? 22/7/2016 SALVATION THE SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 18/9/2017 WE ARE SAVED BY GRACE 9/19/2018 TESTIMONIES, DREAMS, ETC JESUS SET ME FREE... AGAIN! 10/1/2017 VARIOUS FALL IS IN THE AIR 30/09/2019 HAVE YOU EVER BEEN UNEQUALLY YOKED? 1/2/2019 IT MIGHT BE THE RIGHT TIME FOR SOMETHING TO CHANGE 17/5/2019 OUR SAVIOR HAS MADE THE WAY 23/12/2019 "PEACE TO THIS HOUSE" 26/1/2021 |