Daily Devotional for Saturday July 14, 2018

The One Thing You Can Never Let Anyone Steal

(Psalms 16:11, 126:5; Isaiah 12:3; Romans 14:17; John 16:33)

***DAILY PERSONAL PRAYER FOR YOU: Dear Lord, thank you for JOY. Even in the midst of the challenges of life, I can still have JOY in my heart because of my Lord and Savior. Help me this day to pass that joy on to others who are hurting. May I never forget that regardless of the day to day issues of this life, because of you I will always have that JOY! In the name of Jesus..AMEN!!!

I realize that as many of you wake up and read this message today, you have allowed people or the circumstances in your life to steal your joy. DON'T LET ANYONE OR ANYTHING STEAL YOUR JOY!!! If you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you have the assurance that when this brief journey here is over you will be forever with the Lord. That fact alone is the reason you should always have joy.

Do you know how many people are waking up this morning who will die and spend eternity in hell because they have rejected Jesus Christ? Many of those people have been deceived into following a false religion, many have simply chosen to live their lives acting like God doesn't exist, and sadly, many simply don't care. Let me assure you that no matter how deeply someone believes in a false religion, how great the material possessions a person may have, without knowing Jesus Christ by faith there can be no real joy in this life.

People choose to live every day without Christ and deal with the trials and tribulations of life on their own. Deep down they know something is missing. Deep down they know there has to be more to this life. No matter how wonderful your family may be, no matter how much wealth you can amass, no matter how successful you may become, the fact is living your life without Christ leaves you empty and void of true joy.

This is a simple yet very profound message for you today. Don't let anyone or anything steal your joy. No matter how much someone you care about may hurt you, you can still have joy. No matter what someone you work with or go to school with does to you, you can still have joy. If you are fighting a health battle today, you can still have joy. If you are hurting financially, you can still have joy. If your marriage is in trouble, you can still have joy. If you need a job, you can still have joy. If you are battling an addiction, you can still have joy. DON'T LET ANY PERSON OR ANY CIRCUMSTANCE STEAL YOUR JOY!

I love you and care about you so much. I realize many of you are dealing with serious issues with people in your life today. I am fully aware that many of you are fighting great battles in your life today. The message that I want you to hear loud and clear is that no person or no circumstance can take away your joy. That joy comes from the promise Jesus gave His disciples and us just a few hours before His death. He said that in this world we would have trials and tribulations, but to be of good cheer, for HE HAS OVERCOME THIS WORLD.

That my friend is where our joy comes from. From that precious promise that no matter who or what may be going on in our life, because we know Jesus Christ by faith, we not only have the assurance of eternity with Him, but the promise of His strength,, His peace, and HIS JOY during this brief journey! Because you know Jesus, you have the Holy Spirit that supplies you with God's power. Because your know Jesus, you have the peace that passes all human understanding. Because you know Jesus, you have unspeakable JOY!

I will be praying for you today. As a child of God, a follower of Jesus Christ, that joy is yours always. It is like if someone gives you a car and adds on a top of the line stereo system. If you don't play that stereo system it is YOUR FAULT. If you don't have the joy of the Lord in your life today, it is YOUR FAULT. For those who know Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior you should always have joy in your life. Don't ever let anyone or anything steal your joy!!!

In His love and service, Your friend, brother, and co-laborer in His work, Bill Keller