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Joyful in the Lord

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Ive often talked with people who feel dragged down by lifes disappointments. These people seem to have lost the purpose and vision for their lives. Do you feel the same way? When we lose the vision of how God wants to use us, we lose joy. And without joy, we cant bless others in the Lord. So, how do you recover a joy thats lost and cant be found?

Let me tell you about the famous servant of God, George Mueller. Mueller was a pastor and evangelist in England in the 1800s. He and his wife started an orphanage that cared for thousands of homeless boys and girls. Mueller wrote a lot about being happy. Do you know what his secret to happiness was? Time with Jesus!

“My first duty in the morning,” he wrote, “is to be happy in the Lord. If Im happy in the Lord, I can face anything during the day.” To be happy in the Lord, he spent time each and every morning on his knees reading the Scripture and praying.

Jesus Himself said if we remain in him our “joy will be complete.” The more time we get to know Jesus, the happier we become. And we begin to realize Gods plan and purpose for our lives – which is reaching our world for Jesus Christ!

The Harvest Great, the Workers Few

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Our Lord Jesus saw much suffering as he traveled from town to village during his brief time on earth. “The harvest is large,” He told His disciples,”but there are few workers to gather it in.”

David Livingston, one of historys greatest missionaries, decided at the age of six that he would work for the Lords harvest in Africa. A doctor, a scientist, and explorer, he spent his life in Africa in Gods service. “I have seen the smoke of a thousand villages,” he said,”where the word of God has never been.”

The world today remains filled with villages, towns and cities that hunger to hear the Good News. As we Christians grow in our faith, we just cant keep the Good News to ourselves. Jesus gave us the Great Commission in Matthew 28: “Go, then, to all peoples everywhere and make them my disciples.”

God doesnt ask us for heroic actions like those of David Livingston – only that we be obedient and find our own place in the world to be ambassadors for Christ.

I once met a Peruvian lady in, of all places, a reception hosted by the Royal Family in England. She told me she was in Great Britain for one reason – to harvest British souls for Christ!

The Lord had led her halfway around the world because the harvest was great and the workers were few.

Reaching Widows

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My wife and I know a woman in England, named Emma. She felt God asking her to befriend an elderly neighbor, who was a widower. It wasnt easy, because this old man was pretty arrogant and rude. Apparently, no one liked him. But at one point he became sick, so Emma visited him in the hospital. Over time, this belligerent man was softened by Emmas kindness.

One day, Emma shared with him about her relationship with Jesus Christ. Then she asked if he would like to receive Jesus, by faith, into his life. Without hesitation he said, “Yes!” That 84-year-old man died shortly after his conversion, but now hes in heaven!

It certainly wasnt comfortable for Emma to reach out to that elderly man. But God called her out of her comfort zone, and she obeyed. Imagine what would have happened if Emma hadnt followed Gods leading. That man probably would have died without knowing Jesus Christ.

In Luke Chapter 10, Jesus told His followers to first, love God “with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength,” and then, “love your neighbor as yourself.”

Is there a widow in your neighborhood, or community, whom you could befriend? It often takes so little to show them Christs love. And yet, as Emma can testify, your simple act of kindness can have eternal results!

Freedom from Sins

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I have a friend in England named Jim Perry. Jim and his wife

Veronica are believers, and love the Lord Jesus. But it wasnt always that way.

Jim was into the occult for many years. At times he wanted to get out, but didnt know how. Jim was miserable, haunted by the things done at the satanic gatherings.

Then, Jim met Veronica, who was a serious follower of Jesus. Jim says that Veronica had a peace about her that he had been searching for for years.

So when Veronica invited Jim to hear me speak at a stadium in London, Jim accepted. That night, Jim heard about the forgiveness and love that Christ offers – even to the vilest offender as he called himself.

On his second visit, Jim decided to trust Jesus Christ as His Savior, and he finally received peace from God and liberation from demonic forces and perversions.

Jesus offers that same peace to you and me this Easter season. Because He rose from the grave and is alive today, He has the power to forgive and purify us and set us free. Theres no more guilt, no more shame.

Psalm 34:5 says “Those who look to Him are radiant; their faces are never covered in shame.”

If youve never opened your heart to Christ, I hope that youll do it this Easter season. Remember, Jesus Chris is alive, and He offers you complete peace with God. Isnt that what youre searching for?

The Vilest Offender

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Growing up in Hastings, England, Jim Perry had only limited exposure to church.

By the time he was 15, Jim enlisted in the British military. The year was 1963, and it was there that he had his first experience in the world of the occult. Sadly, Jim became entrenched in occultism for the next 20 years. It almost killed him.

Then, in 1983, some Christians moved into the community house where Jim lived. They started praying for him. During this same time, my team and I were in London holding a 6 week-long evangelistic festival.

One of the Christians living in the house, a woman named Veronica, decided to take a risk and invite Jim to hear the Gospel. To her surprise, Jim accepted.

Jim says that he heard a message that night that astounded him. He heard that Jesus loved him and had defeated Satan on that Cross, and would forgive his many sins. He knew deep down that this was the truth. So Jim made the decision to no longer live for the darkness, but for the light of Christ.

Because of Veronica’s faithfulness to pray for Jim, he is now in the Kingdom of God! And she later married Jim! And, they started three local churches!

James 5:16 says “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.” Don’t give up praying for people you know, no matter how far away they seem from the Lord. Like Jim, you never know when they will finally decide to follow Jesus Christ.