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306 East Main Street - Newport, Vermont 05855 - Phone 802-334-5554 Pastor David Lisner
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NIV)
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306 East Main Street - Newport, Vermont 05855 - Phone 802-334-5554 Pastor David Lisner |
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“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16, NIV) |
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"Discovering Delight"
“But his delight is in the law of the LORD...” Psalm 1:2a(NIV).
Jim lamented, “If God intended for us to be happy, why am I not experiencing joy?” Sadness strikes at the heart of many today; so few know what it means to be content let alone happy!
The temptation to acquire inner joy from hobbies, sports, activities, relationships, a home, vacations, social status, business clout, accomplishments, or materialism knocks on the doors of our hearts. Our culture tells us, “Pile up enough stuff, achieve a special goal, climb the corporate ladder, or attain popularity, and you will be happy.” When the source of our joy stems from pleasures, items, people, or accomplishments, we ultimately find ourselves still in want and often empty as the novelty and thrill of those “things” rapidly fades.
Scripture offers us a brilliant sparkle of hope. In a world filled with hollow promises of happiness, a lasting sense of contentment can be experienced. David, the psalmist, discovered that “the Law” or God’s Word produces delight. To “delight” literally means to derive pleasure.
David “delighted” or found pleasure in Scripture for several reasons: 1) God’s Word helped him to identify the sinful pitfalls in life which could produce emotional and physical pain, consequently, he knew what actions to avoid. 2) He came to know the precious promises God offers, promises of security, help, and restoration. 3) Through the Word, David cultivated a closer relationship with the Lord. For David, biblical knowledge combined with faith translated into a loving intimate relationship with God.
What is the source of your joy? Like David, you too can learn to “delight” in God’s Word and discover great contentment in knowing and experiencing intimacy with the Lord.
Today’s Prayer: Lord, enable me to seek joy in You and not worldly pleasures or things. Teach me your truths so that I might experience your promises and know you more intimately. Amen.
For Further Study: Read Psalm 119:105-112.
The Newport Baptist Church web site was created and copywrited in November 2001. The Newport Baptist Church was created with Microsoft Note Pad. The Newport Baptist Church web site was created by Bob Minnie Web Servant. Thanks for visiting us on the web, and remember Jesus Loves You!!!