As a YMCA club member, or as a member of any other club, you have privileges that non-members don’t have. You have the security access code to the front door, and you have access to everything inside. I’m sure you are reminded of this special privilege every time you pass someone working out in the rain, or battling the very hot sun. As Christians, we also have some very special privileges, but do we always focus on the right ‘source’ of our joy? Meditate with me on the special reminder given by Jesus in today’s Scripture.

DATE POSTED Friday, 2021-08-20
WRITTEN AT: Hattiesburg, MS

BY: Ed Algreen

SCRIPTURE FROM: Luke 10:17; 20
TRANSLATION: The Passion Translation (TPT)

BIBLE TEXT: 17 When the seventy missionaries returned to Jesus, they were ecstatic with joy, telling him, “Lord, even the demons obeyed us when we commanded them in your name!”  20 …. your real source of joy isn’t merely that these spirits submit to your authority, but that your names are written in the journals of heaven and that you belong to God’s kingdom. This is the true source of your authority.”

APPLICATION: Jesus called 70 missionaries to go and evangelize their community. Based on what they told Jesus brought them joy, I wonder what they must have shared with their audiences that they ministered to? The response given by Jesus to these missionaries on their return caused me to look inward and evaluate what truly blesses my heart when I share Christ. For you see, I believe that we all tend to look way too much at self-promotion, self-praise and self-gratification. Imagine visiting a sick church member in the hospital, and your biggest praise item, as a lay person, about the visit revolved around a family member asking if you were the pastor? Of course it caused your head to ‘swell’ and you stood in awe about how important you must have appeared to them, but imagine telling Jesus about your visit. Based on our Scripture today, might Jesus ask if we shared the story of His sacrificial love with the sick person and their relatives? Or perhaps He may ask if we were sure to share our personal testimony of how Jesus rescued us from the deep sin sickness of this world and gave us a brand new life to serve Him faithfully for as long as we remain on earth? Friends, I believe that as we persistently study God’s Word, we will discern how God is constantly seeking to draw us closer to Himself, so that we may serve Him and show forth His love in every aspect of our lives. When He rescued us from our sinful state, and brought us into the light of His glorious power and might, was it because of anything we deserved? So when we talk to others about the joy inside of us, should we share about anything we brought on? Or should we instead talk about the wondrous, sacrificial, limitless, unconditional love of Jesus, who saw us where we were, and brought us into His marvelous presence, so that others will see the purity of Christ, and not the failures of sinful man? Friends, we have nothing to personally brag about that would save a person from the pit of Hell, unless we brag about the Christ who died so that we might be saved from our sin and fit for the Kingdom of Heaven. As Christians, we should be seeking our strength in Jesus, so that we might share the source of our strength with others who are weak. We should find our joy in the One who promised us life eternally in Heaven! We have something to share with those who are down and out, and without any joy. The unsaved may look at us as coequal, and so they should, but we can always share with them the source of our hope and the everlasting promise of heaven, because of Jesus. You see, it’s all about Jesus – not us.

BLESSING(S) NOTED: We have a joy to share with unbelievers – it’s Jesus! He saved us, He helps us maintain a happy balance each day in the strength of our Master, and He has a home prepared for us when we say goodbye to this world!

PRAYER: Thank You Lord Jesus for saving my soul. May the joy that I find in You, Lord, be very evident to unbelievers and may I always make it clear to them the Source of that joy. You are the Rock of every believer, may we freely share the eternal source of our strength with those who desperately want restitution from their troubled lives. You’re all we need precious Lord. Please direct us each and every day to the foot of the cross where we may surrender ourselves in return for life eternally in heaven with You. Please touch lives today oh Lord. AMEN!