From: August 8, 2024
“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness” (Psalm 30:11 ESV).
David knew what it meant to mourn a loss or grieve a disappointment. He had sat weeping in sackcloth to express his repentance for sin, crying out to God for forgiveness. David knew grief.
Yet, David also knew that the Lord could turn his grief into gladness. For he had experienced the touch of the Lord that changed his “mourning into dancing.” Not just that his grieving was abated, but that it was replaced with abounding joy. The Lord not only stripped away his sackcloth of sorrow, but clothed him anew in a garment of gladness.
Are you grieving a loss today? Bring it to Jesus. Are you bound up in the sackcloth of sorrow? Ask Jesus to exchange your grief for a garment of gladness. Leave your burdens with Him. Let Jesus turn your mourning into dancing.
PRAYER: Dear Father, when we are down and filled with sorrow, we look to You. For You are able to raise us up and to fill our hearts with joy. Yet we are a forgetful people. We forget to bring our burdens and sorrows to You. Today, we remember. We bring our worries and cares, our sackcloth and sorrows to You. Will You exchange them for Your peace and joy. Will You turn our mourning into dancing? In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 8, 2023
“Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful” (1 Corinthians 4:2 NLT).
Paul called himself a servant of Christ and a steward of God’s mysteries. A steward is a manager who serves on behalf of the owner. Managers in business are judged by their success. But Paul said that stewards of God are judged by their faithfulness. In God’s Kingdom, faithfulness is success.
It’s not how much or how many you have, but what you do with what you have. The world teaches us to keep desiring more. Yet, the Lord asks us what we have done with what we already have. The Lord is looking to find one that is faithful. And to that one, the Lord will say, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things” (Matt. 25:23).
PRAYER: Dear Father, we want to be faithful to use whatever You have entrusted to us. You have given us all that we need to fulfill Your purpose in our generation. Strengthen us by Your Spirit to be faithful until the Day of Christ’s return. In His name we pray, amen.
From: August 8, 2022
THE NEW SPIRITUAL REALITY: WE ARE GOD’S FAMILY!
Paul reminded the Corinthians of their spiritual relationship to him. He had become their spiritual father because he was the one who had first preached the Gospel to them. Yet, they were treating him disgracefully by comparing him to other preachers, such as Apollos, who had come after him. It was not Paul’s injured pride that motivated him to write this corrective letter to the Corinthians. But it was the Spirit who inspired him to show them that it was their fleshly pride that led them to compare and boast based on outward appearance.
There is a new spiritual reality that comes from believing the Gospel. We have become God’s children. We have become members of God’s family. Those who have taught us of Christ, and continue to mentor us, are as our spiritual fathers and mothers. Those who we fellowship with in Christ are as our brothers and sisters. And those who we share the Gospel with are as our spiritual sons and daughters. Remember this when pride tempts you to compare and complain. We are God’s family!
PRAYER: Dear Father, we are amazed that You have adopted us as Your own children through faith in Jesus. You have made us one with You and with one another. Fill our hearts afresh this day with Your love that we might treat each other according to this new spiritual reality: We are Your family! In Jesus’ name, amen.
From: August 8, 2016
David knew what it meant to grieve a loss. Yet, he experienced the touch of the Lord that could change his “mourning into dancing.” Not just that his grieving was abated, but that it was replaced with abounding joy. Are you grieving a loss today? Bring it to Jesus. Leave it with Him. Let Jesus turn your mourning into dancing.
From: August 8, 2015
Paul called himself a “steward of God’s mysteries” (1 Cor. 4:1). A steward is a manager who serves on behalf of the owner. Managers in business are judged by their success. But Paul said that stewards of God are judged by their faithfulness. In God’s Kingdom, faithfulness is success. It’s not how much or how many you have, but what you do with what you have. The world teaches us to want more and to keep raising the bar for success. Yet, the Lord asks us what we have done with what we already have. The Lord is looking to find one that is faithful.
From: August 8, 2014
Paul rebuked the Corinthians who claimed to be followers of Paul or Apollos. He was not interested in the approval of men. His desire was to be found faithful by the Lord Jesus. He saw no value nor credibility in the evaluation of others or even his own self-evaluation. He recommended that we all wait until the Lord’s return to see what secret motives would be revealed and what praise offered. In the meantime, stop comparing one brother or sister with another. After all, anything good comes from God. And in the end, Christ deserves all the praise.
From: August 8, 2012
David knew what it meant to grieve the loss a loved one. Yet in the midst of grieving he learned that he could exchange his mourning for joy in the Lord. Are you grieving a loss today? Bring it to Jesus. Leave it with Him. Let Jesus turn your mourning into dancing.