Day 12 of 12 Reasons to REJOICE!

“Working together with him, then, we entreat you not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says, “At the acceptable time I have listened to you, and helped you on the day of salvation.” Behold, now is the acceptable time; behold now is the day of salvation. We put no obstacles in any one’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, tumults, labors, watching, hunger; by purity, knowledge, forbearance, kindness, the Holy Spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God, with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as imposters, and yet well known; as dying, and behold we live; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always REJOICING; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.” (2 Corinthians 6:1-10)

Thank you all so much for accompanying me on these 12 days of Christmas. I hope and pray that the word rejoice has found as much new meaning in your as as it has in mine, and remember to always REJOICE!

Day 11 of 12 Reasons to REJOICE!

“Let love be genuine; hate what is evil, hold fast to what is good; love one another with brotherly affection; out do one another in showing honor. Never flag in zeal, be a glow with the Spirit, serve the Lord. REJOICE in your hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. Contribute to the needs of the saints, practice hospitality.”(Romans 12:9-13)

Day 10 of 12 Reasons to REJOICE!

“ So you have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts will REJOICE, and no one will take your joy from you. In that day you will ask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything of the Father, he will give it to you in my name, Hitherto you have asked and nothing in my name; ask and you will receive, that your joy may be complete. (John16: 22-24)

Day 9 of 12 Reasons to REJOICE!

“Beloved, do not be surprised by the fiery ordeal which comes upon you to prove you, as though something strange were happening to you. But REJOICE in so far as you share in Christa sufferings, that you may also REJOICE and be glad when his glory is revealed. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or a thief, or a wrongdoer, or a mischief-maker; yet if one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed but under that name let him glorify God.”

(1Peter 4:12-16)

Day 8 of 12 Reasons to REJOICE!

“Preserve me, O God, for in thee I take refuge. I say to the Lord, “Thou art my Lord; I have no good apart from thee.” As for the saints in the land, they are the noble, in whom is all my delight. Those who choose another god multiply their sorrows; their libations of blood I will not pour out or take their names upon my lips. The Lord is my portion and my cup; thou holdest my lot. The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; yea, I have a goodly heritage. I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. I keep the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad, and my soul REJOICES; my body also dwells secure. For thou dost not give me up to Sheol, or let thy godly one see the Pit. Thou dost show me the path of life; in thy presence there is fullness of joy, in thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.”(Psalm 16)

Day 7 of 12 Reasons to REJOICE!

“Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! REJOICE and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! The Lord has taken away the judgments against you; he has cast out your enemies. The king of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; you shall fear evil no more. On that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: “Do not fear, O Zion; let not your hands grow weak. The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; he will REJOICE over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult over you with loud singing as on a day of festival.” (Zephaniah 3:14-17)

Day 6 of 12 Reasons to REJOICE!

“Through him we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand, and we REJOICE in our hope of sharing the glory of God. More than that, we REJOICE in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us. God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” (Romans 5:1-5)

Day 5 of 12 Reasons to REJOICE!

“And we exhort you, brethren, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. See that none of you repays evil for evil, but seek to do good to one another and to all. REJOICE always, pray constantly, and give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit, do not despise prophesying, but test everything; hold fast what is good, abstain from every evil.”  (1Thessolonians 5: 14-21)

Day 4 of 12 Reasons to REJOICE!

“Blessed are you when men hate you, and when they exclude you and revile you, and cast out your name as evil, on account of the Son of man! REJOICE in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.” (Luke 6:22-23)

Day 3 of 12 reasons to REJOICE!

“Sing to the Lord, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the people! For great is our Lord, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be held in awe above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are idols; but the Lord made the heaves. Honor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place. Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples. Ascribe to the Lord glory and strength! Ascribe to the Lord glory due his name; bring an offering, and come before him! Worship the Lord in holy array; tremble before him, all the earth; yea the world stands firm, never to be moved. Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth REJOICE, and let them say among the nations, “The Lord reigns!” Let the sea roar, and all that fills is, let the field exult, and everything in it! Then shall the trees of the wood sing for joy before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth? O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!” (1 Chronicles 16: 23-34)