Joy in the sorrows -- Above and Beyond

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Subject: Joy in the sorrows

Author:
Vicky

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Date Posted: 03:13:25 03/16/06 Thu

Good morning y'all. I want to look this morning with you at Psalm 16. I cannot tell you how many times in the last several years I have read this chapter. It has meant a lot to me as I have charted some difficult waters over the years. The FATHER has used this chapter to encourage my heart and remind me that MY LOT IS SECURE IN HIM (v. 5).
This morning HE has said something else to my heart from this chapter. Let's look at two verses.
Psalm 16:4 & 11. Let's take a couple of minutes this morning and compare these two verses and see what the LORD has for our hearts today.
The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods.
YOU have made known to me the path of life; YOU will fill me with JOY IN YOUR PRESENCE, with eternal pleasures at YOUR right hand.
Did you catch the contrasting words in these two verses. Did you notice the difference between sorrow and joy. Ladies, I lived for a long time in verse 4 of this chapter. Let's stop and think about these words: The sorrows of those will increase who run after other gods. Ma'am, are your sorrows increasing this morning?
The first sentence of verse 4 burned in my heart...and then I thought back to my own life. I remember when I was at the lowest place in my journey...I WAS RUNNING AFTER OTHER "gods." And one by one GOD began stripping them away from my life. As each one was stripped away the sorrow became greater until I was at the end of myself.
It was at this place in my life where I finally said, "GOD, I only want to know you and love you. I don't want you to DO anything in my life; I only want to see WHO YOU ARE."
Do you want to know what I found at this place...HE WAS WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR ALL ALONG. HE wanted to give it to me, but I was TOO BUSY CHASING OTHER "gods" to receive what HE had been offering.
Drop down to verse 11. YOU have made known to me the path of life; YOU will fill me with JOY IN YOUR PRESENCE, with eternal pleasures at YOUR RIGHT HAND. Ladies, there is a direct correlation between JOY and the presence of the FATHER...just as there is a direct correlation between SORROW and other "gods." Trying to fill our lives with ANYTHING other than JESUS WILL LEAD TO SORROW.
I ask you right now to stop and take a look at your life. Are the sorrows increasing? Does it seem that everywhere you look is another heart ache? Are you able to find any joy in the midst of the heart ache?
Would you stop this morning and ask the FATHER to fill your heart with a burning desire to KNOW HIM. Don't misunderstand, we will have heart aches when we are walking with HIM, but HE FILLS OUR HEARTS WITH JOY even in times of broken heartedness. The point I believe that the FATHER was driving home this morning was that it was not until I was able to let go of the other "gods" in my life that HE was able to give me JOY in the midst of pain. I have experienced heart ache since Feb. 2002 BUT I have been able to experience the heart ache standing in the PRESENCE OF MY FATHER...this is a huge differential.
As I have written this morning my prayer is that if you are facing sorrow and have no joy that you will take some time and spend it with the FATHER...ask HIM to show you what the other "gods" are; Ask HIM to help you lay them down, or ask HIM to strip them away. Whatever you do today, leave the other "gods" behind and start the journey where HE leads you into HIS PRESENCE. In HIS PRESENCE no sorrow is too great.

I hope this has helped you in some way today. My heart is that GOD would use my words to make HIS HEART more clear to you. I pray that today I have been faithful to lift HIM up before you.

Have a great day and know that I have asked HIM to meet you where you are today. Thanks for coming today and letting me share my heart with you.

ONLY and ALWAYS Because of JESUS-
Vicky
Psalm 119:10

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