Joy In The Presence Of The Lord
Phl 3:8 NKJV Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the
excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I
have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish,
that I may gain Christ.
Evangelist Billy Graham was
asked what he loved most of the many years of ministry God gave
him? His answer without hesitation was the fellowship he had
with Jesus, to sense His presence, to receive some of His wisdom
and to have Him guide and direct him. That had been the greatest
joy of his ministry.
Since Billy was one of my
great examples along with my three mentors that I worked with,
Kathryn Kuhlman, T.L. Osborn and My pastor, Leroy (Tad)
McAnallen. Let me just remark on these four reasons to the
great joy of Billy Graham.
1. His fellowship with Jesus.
Like the gospel song. ‘Fellowship with Jesus, oh what joy
divine.’
A. Where then is real joy found? -- the answer is simple, in Christ
alone.
B. Joy is the by-product of obedience.
C. The joy of the Lord is our strength.
2. Sense His presence.
- Luke 24:32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart
burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He
opened the Scriptures to us?”
A. Psalm 16:11 Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is
fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for
evermore.
B. To be a joyful Christian is to know God’s presence.
3. Receive some of His
wisdom.
- James 1:5 (NKJV) If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of
God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it
will be given to him.
A. The story of Scripture begins and ends with the presence of God.
4. To have the Lord guide and
direct me. Rom 8:14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God,
they are the sons of God.
A. To be a joyful Christian is to know God’s presence.
Then into His hands went
mine,
And into my heart came He,
And I walk in the light divine
The path I had feared to see.
NOW YOU SEE WHY BILLY GRAHAM
WAS SUCH GREAT SOULWINNER!
God bless you and
yours.
On behalf of this generation,
Your friends in the service of Christ,
Tony and Marge Abram
Abundant Life Crusades
www.tonyabram.com or
www.abundantlifecrusades.com
