JOY IN THE MORNING ...

JOY IN THE MORNING

TEXT: JOHN 16:16-24

Key Verse: “And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you” (John 16:22)_

Pain sometimes offer proceeds of joy. Weeping may endure for the night, but joy will definitely come in the morning.

Jesus Christ referred to His death which was only a few hours away and His resurrection which was to follow His death when He said to His disciples “a little while and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while and ye shall see me”. Although Jesus had often told them about this matter in plain terms that he would be killed and would rise again the third day, yet the disciples remained confused. The world would rejoice because they hoped they had conquered Him. It was expedient for Jesus to part a while with His disciples through the painful and shameful death on the cross, in order to open the floodgate of temporary and eternal joy to them and all humanity through His resurrection.

To all believers, the death and resurrection of Christ bring joy, soccour and hope of eternal life with Him. Therefore, no matter what pains, affliction, persecutions or sorrows may come our way, we must remain focused and steadfast in following and serving the Lord because the perils and deprivations we suffer will not last long. Earthly joys will wane but the joy which Christ offers His victorious servants is everlasting. Let us keep this hope alive by faithfully serving the Lord till the very end.

Christ’s resurrection assures us of our future glorious resurrection to life. It gives us hope of reunion with our loved ones who died in the Lord, that the grave will have no power over them. Christ arose; we now live by His power of resurrection. This power can quicken you from spiritual deadness as a sinner or slumber as a backslider to life in Christ when you truly repent of your sins. It can revive our spirits and quicken our mortal bodies to vitality as believers. So, rejoice and appropriate His power of resurrection for victorious living today.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Only the redeemed will see the King.
COVER to COVER: JUDGES 6-7.

PONDER: Antidote for Sorrow

1. At times God may decide to put honey you need in the rock expecting you to dig through and get it. A lazy student will remain in ignorance v16-18.
2. Sorrow and tears are heralds of testimonies if they are accompanied by travail in prayers v20,21.
3. Despite the Lord's prayer, the disciples never prayed to the Father directly until after the resurrection of Jesus v24.
4. Fullness of Joy and testimony is in the "asking" v23,24.

HYMN: It is morning in my heart

1. All the darkness of the night has passed away,
   It is morning in my heart;
   I am living in the sunlight of the day,
   It is morning in my heart.

Chorus:
It is morning, it is morning in my heart;
Jesus made the gloomy shadows all depart.
Songs of gladness now I sing,
For since Jesus is my King
It is morning, it is morning in my heart.

1. I can hear the songbirds singing their refrain
   It is morning in my heart
   And I know that life for me begins again
   It is morning in my heart.

1. Christ has made the world a paradise to me,
   It is morning in my heart;
   Every duty in the light of love I see,
   It is morning in my heart.

PRAYER POINTS:

1. Lord take me deeper in the school of "asking"
2. Give me Spirit of revelation and diligence to always dig into your mind.
3. Lord, turn the darkness of my life into morning today.
4. Let the blessings of the retreat be permanent for all recipients.