HEAVEN'S JOY

Tuesday's Devotion (4-11-06)

"I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance." Luke 15:7 (KJV)

Do you watch sports? Basketball, Football, Hockey, Wrestling or anything that involves teams or leagues? I watch professional wrestling. There are two companies on television for pro wrestling, one being the WWE and the other being TNA. Well, when a wrestler leaves one company and goes to other then sometimes you're happy about it. You're happy because you think that the guy belongs in the other company. And when you're watching the show the new guy on the show has the spotlight. Why? Not because he's better than all the other guys, but because he is where he belongs. He's on the team that you want him on. With basketball and all that, they have drafts I think. In the drafts certain players go to different teams than what they were on before. My point is that when a big star jumps to another team or even another game entirely, then a big celebration is going on some where. Someone is happy about it. Well, when sinners repent and turn to God... A big celebration is thrown in Heaven for that one person! Not because the one person is better than the others, but because FINALLY that one person has come home where they belong. In God's eyes we are the stars that He watches, and He's waiting for us to join His team.

As with anything though, if you make one team happy then you make another team furious. If you join(ed) God's team, then you better be prepared to be attacked by Satan's team. Some people are advertising God's side to be "easy." Whether you're on God's team or the Devil's team, neither team is easy to be on. But there is a winning team, and that's God's team! On God's team you have hope and you have inner peace, and you have eternal life. On Satan's team you have nothing except pain and despair. Jesus is where it's at, with Jesus is where we all belong... BUT don't be fooled, you will still go through hard times. The key words are, "go through," though. You will walk right THROUGH the fire and you will prevail when you're on Jesus' team! Just remember that, you walk THROUGH the fire you don't fly over it. It's like that song on the Rocky movie, "There's no easy way out, there's no short cut home..." There's one way home, that's Jesus Christ... and it isn't always easy. If someone tells you that following Christ is easy and that you should have no trials, then maybe that person needs to look at their own walk with the Lord. Because the Lord does send us down the hard road at times, but only to make us stronger. Just don't forget through it all that YOU ARE HEAVEN'S JOY!

Prayer: Dear Heavenly Father, thank you for this message and for all things. Please forgive us of all our sins and we forgive all those who've wronged us. Help us to always be on your team Lord, and may we realize how important we are to you. Give us great faith and give us peace. In Jesus name. A-men!

God bless!

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