Daily Devotional
Do People See Joy in You?
“Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit.”
Psalm 51:12
June 8, 2023
Ponder This
Joy is important in winning people to Jesus Christ. Did you know we have nothing more winsome and attractive in bringing people to Jesus Christ than the joy of the Lord? A cold, dry faith has no appeal. David, the man who wrote the Psalms, lost his joy when he got out of fellowship with God. When he lost his joy, he stopped being a soul winner. And he prayed in Psalm 51:12-13, “Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, and uphold me by Your generous Spirit. Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners shall be converted to You.” David was saying, “When I get my joy back, I’ll be a soul winner.”
Joy is proof that what we have is real and that it satisfies. Joy is necessary in bringing unsaved people to Jesus Christ. Joy is necessary just to live as a follower of Jesus. The Bible says we are to serve the Lord with gladness. Nehemiah said, “The joy of the Lord is your strength” (8:10). It is joy that lifts the burden. It is joy that takes the pain, the dreariness, and the weariness out of any work. There are times when I get weary in body and weary in mind. I begin to praise the Lord, and His joy floods my soul and my body, and it literally energizes my physical frame. The joy of the Lord gives us strength.
- Who has been an example to you of the joy of the Lord?
- When do you struggle to have joy? How can you submit this to the Lord?
Practice This
Talk to a trusted friend and ask him or her to honestly share how much you display the joy of the Lord. Pray about the things your friend shares and ask the Lord to cultivate His joy in you.
FOR YOUR GIFT TO THE MINISTRY
Front Porch Moments by Gayle Foster
WITH KEY INSIGHTS FROM HER FATHER, ADRIAN ROGERS
I try to unplug each morning with Jesus with just my rocking chair, my Bible, and a pen.
Having a secret place is very important because I know that Jesus is always there waiting for me. I know where I can find Him! His presence is everywhere, but there are places where it is so thick you can cut it with a knife. You may not even have a front porch, but there is a secret place for you as well. God’s invitations are for anyone who will respond. There is no more important request than the one found in Psalm 27:8: “My heart has heard You say, ‘Come and talk with Me.’ And my heart responds, ‘Lord, I am coming.’”
