Taking Time To Rejoice

Taking Time To Rejoice
Randall Caselman
11/19/97

Taking Time To Rejoice

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say Rejoice!

Philippians 4.4

Paul saw Christianity as a religion of rejoicing. For those of us reading this verse there are many reasons we have to rejoice and celebrate. For instance:

Celebrate God's grace. Because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ... For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith, and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.... God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Regardless of what happens to us in this life, regardless of how dark the day, how lonely the night, how sad the moment, regardless of how far we may wander from His side: We must never forget the love and grace of God.

Rejoice and celebrate our knowing Jesus. Not everyone can rejoice because they are sure of their salvation, the forgiveness of sins and certainty of heaven. But we can if we have responded to His love and grace.
Paul says, we are children of God by faith, for as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ, have been clothed with Christ. Do you believe in Jesus? Have you confessed Him as your Savior? Have you put Him on in New Testament baptism? Then rejoice!! There is now, therefore, no condemnation to those who are in Christ.
Most of us are children of God, but we have sinned again and again... Right? Here is more good news from the Word, If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. Take time to confess and rejoice!

Rejoice in relationships. I believe God created us for relationships, a right relationship with Him and right relationship with one another. In His wisdom, He created the family and placed us in one. Aren't we glad He did? He created the spiritual family, the church, and gives us an opportunity join His family through obedience.
Have you ever noticed how closely our relationship with God is tied to our relationship with one another? 

        • No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love         is made complete in us.

        • Friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God.

        • Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.

        • By this all men will know that your are my disciples, if you love one another.

        • Now abides faith, hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.

        • Whoever loves God must also love his brother.

Our real challenge is to stop spending so much time on those things that are not really important. And start spending more time with people, more time with family, more time cherishing those moments with our spouse, our children and grandchildren, more time cultivating good friends, more time serving the Jesus in others.
Praise God for making fellowship and friendship with Him and with one another possible.

We can rejoice in the promise of heaven. Let not your heart be troubled: you believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
I believe heaven is best described by what is not going to be there. This same John in Revelation chapter twenty-one says, in heaven there will be: No more hurting, no more pain... No more sadness and tears... No more death and dying. In heaven there will be no more separation... No more saying good-bye. We will live forever, we will survive the grave, our family and friendship circle need not be broken. We can live together forever. Rejoice!!
Isn't it time we gave more thought to living in such a way that we can be together in heaven... Forever!
Solomon wrote, There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven: a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot... A time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance.
Isn't it time for rejoicing?

—RANDALL CASELMAN