“HAVE A GOOD DAY”?

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

  Ask a non-Christian to define a good day and you will typically get:

·         A day that I feel good emotionally and physically.

·         A day that runs smoothly without a lot of stress.

·         A day, successful, that I accomplish goals.

·         A day that I get respect, recognition and appreciation.

  Ask a Christian the same question and you will typically get the same answers.

  It is not a good day and will never be a good day for professing Christians that think like this, yours truly included!

  A good day for a Christian is when whatever happens or does not happen is seen and thought of as the Lord’s day with our fulfilling our mandate to live and rejoice in it! Psalm 118:24 “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”

  A few items that I see as essential to a good day for God’s children:

·         That we exercise healthy reverence (fear & appreciation) for God. (Ex.20:3; Mt.22:33-40)

·         That we gain wisdom. (Job 12:12; Proverbs et al)

·         That we trust that any understanding to be had is through and by God. (Job 28:12-28)

·         That any understanding can only be realized as we depart from evil. (Job 28:28; James 1:5-8)

·         That we don’t demand present understanding of all events. (Job 38:1-41; Isaiah 55)

·         That we accept all days as His day. (Ps.118:24a)

·         That we see God in it. (Ps.118:24)

·         That regardless of events we rejoice in it. (Ps.118:24b; Phil.4:4)

·         That understanding comes by circumspect fear and love. (Prov.1:7; 2Pet.3:10-11; 1Jn.4:1-21)

·         That we live knowing that life is not about “bread alone”. (Mt.4:4a; Phil.4:11-13)

·         That we manifest living by God’s Word. (Mt.4:4b)

·         That we relate to our fellow man with godliness. (Mt.22:38-39)

·         That we act and react as those indwelt by God’s Holy Spirit. (Jn.1:12; Gal.5:22,23; Eph.5:9)

·         That we don’t make it about us. (Phil.4:5)

·         That we give every care over to God. (Phil.4:6; 1Pet.5:7)

·         That we thereby experience God’s peace. (Phil.4:7,9; 1Tim.2:2))

·         That we fix our thoughts on all that is right and good. (Phil.4:8)

·         That we always check options first with The Guide. (Phil.4:13; 2Tim.3:16-17)

·         That, like them or not, we pray for our leaders. (1Tim.2:2)

·         That we study to show ourselves equipped and approved by God, the Ultimate Judge. (2Tim.2:14-16; 3:16-17; Heb.9:27;11:6)

·         That we seek believer’s maturation in it. (Heb.5:12-14; James 1:2-4; 1Pet.2:1-3)

·         That it does not hinge on our getting respect, recognition, and appreciation. (James 1:9-11)

  So, dear brother or sister in Christ, how now do we define a good day?  EBB4