“A LIFE OF JOY, PRAYER, AND PRAISE”
by Rev. Stanley Collins Glasgow, Scotland
H ow thrilling it is for the Chris tian in these days of tension and turmoil to reflect on the nearness of our Lord’s return! In times like these, we have a tremendous respon sibility as to the type of life we live. What an important incentive for per sonal holiness! Is it your desire to have your life at all times in the very center of God’s will? The need is to walk in obedience to Him through His Word. Only in this way can we portray the beauty of Christ to oth ers. The one supreme task the Sav iour has given to His church is to get the Gospel out around the world just as quickly as possible. As we consider the will of God for our lives, we know that there may be local situations and circumstances in volved. The ruling matter should be the realization that if you are pre pared to do the will of God, it won’t be long before He indicates what that plan for your life really is. Too many of us want to make sure that God’s will suits our own plans and purposes. This is the real problem in knowing the will of God. The fourth and fifth chapters of I Thessalonians reveal the kind of life the Lord requires. First of all, it is our sanctification which is re quired (I Thess. 4:3). This involves being set apart from all that is un holy, ungodly and unclean, to live a life bringing praise and honor to His name. Then in I Thessalonians 5:16- 18, we find one statement reading, “Rejoice evermore. P r a y without ceasing. In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” Have you re alized that the will of God for us is that we should live lives of joy, prayer, and praise? The crux of the problem is that while so many pro
fess faith yet they give evidence of so little joy in personal living. No wonder what the world sees is total ly unattractive. Some people appear as though they might have been bap tized in vinegar and never recovered from the shock of it. That’s not the way it’s to be. The Christian life is essentially a life of joy. Joy is still the most attractive quality in the Christian life. Keep in mind, however, that joy is not a question of trying to be clever, having a lot of slick answers and witty sayings. It means rather that in our hearts basically and fun damentally we are joyful people. This is because Christ dwells within us through His Holy Spirit. When we become bora again, new creatures in Jesus Christ, God doesn’t give us just so much joy cautioning, “Now, that’s i t ! Hang on to it for it’s all you’ll get. If you’re too heavy on it in the early days, you’ll run out later.” No, of course not, and yet that’s the un fortunate way some people live. Joy is not dependent upon the dollars we have, or the cars we own, or the house we possess. Material things are invalid in accounting for joy. It Rev. Stanley Collins, Supt., Glasgow United Evangelistic Association, Tent Hall Tabernacle, Glasgow, Scotland.
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