Barbara's Banter

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because I have victory in Jesus. I’m reminded of this every time I sing the classic hymn “Victory in Jesus” written by Eugene Bartlett (1885-1941). Song origins fascinate me and this one is no exception.

Bartlett was born in Missouri but raised in Arkansas. He was an educated man and prolific song writer who co-founded Hartford Music Company in Arkansas. Most all of his songs were in the Christian sector except for a few county songs such as “Take an Old Cold Tater and Wait” recorded by Little Jimmie Dickens. I throw this little tidbit in because I remember seeing Little Jimmie sing this song when I was a child. You see, I’m from the “neck of the woods” where Bartlett called home.

Bartlett wrote over 800 songs but probably his most famous hymn is “Victory in Jesus” which was the result of a difficult time in his life. In 1939, Bartlett had a stroke that left him partially paralyzed and virtually bedridden. Although he missed traveling and performing, Bartlett continued to study his Bible. As he dealt with his physical pain and limitations, he also looked forward to the eternal victory he knew was approaching.

 “Victory in Jesus” was the final song Bartlett wrote. It became his best known and most embraced hymn. Its down-to-earth message continues to remind us of  Christ’s sacrifice, our salvation, and the heavenly home we have waiting for us.  

What does victory in Jesus actually mean? To me it means Jesus fought the battle against sin and death for me through His life, crucifixion, and resurrection. My old identity is gone and I have a new identity in Christ. His victory was my victory. So now I have the freedom to live a meaningful life with His guidance and His strength holding me up. Plus, He gives me blessed assurance of an eternal life with Him forever, which gives me hope in a hopeless world. 

“But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory
through our Lord Jesus Christ.” ~1 Corinthians 15:57

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because I can ask God for wisdom and He will give it to me.

We are told that wisdom is a key to happiness (Proverbs 3:13). Wisdom is the ability to discern and judge what is good or true. Perhaps that’s why the Bible says wisdom is better than gold (Proverbs 16:16). Most of us lack wisdom but not to worry. We are told to ask God for it and He will generously give it to us (James 1:5).

One way He gives us wisdom is through biblical instruction. We are told the beginning of wisdom is learning to acknowledge and respect God (Proverbs 9:10). We learn that wise people are humble, not know-it-alls (Proverbs 11:2). A wise person listens to advice and instruction (Proverbs 19:20). The book of Proverbs alone is full of advice for those who seek wisdom.

The author of Proverbs was Solomon, and although he is considered the wisest man who ever lived, there is one wiser. His name is Jesus. Jesus spoke about the queen of the south coming to hear the wisdom of Solomon, then went on to say, “…and, behold, a greater than Solomon is here (Matthew 12:42).” He was referring to Himself. What an understatement!

Jesus is wisdom personified. He is the very wisdom of God (1 Corinthians 1:24). Staying close to Jesus gives us access to all His treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Colossians 2:3). Jesus said, “Whoever hears these sayings of mine and does them is like a wise man who builds his house upon a rock (Matthew 7:24).” Our Rock is Jesus Christ, so we should implement what we learn from Him into our lives.

God is eager to give us His wisdom. We just need to ask and look in the right direction!

“If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God who
gives to all liberally without reproach…” ~James 1:5

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because God’s timing is better than mine.

Today we live in a world that wants quick fixes and instant solutions. However, God will not be rushed because our spiritual growth depends on His loving attention to the details in our lives and His perfect timing.

God knows the desires of my heart. It’s important for me to align my desires with what God wants for me. Only He knows the best way and time to reach those goals. God’s timing is better than mine because I want what I want right now. That’s not always what is best. Sometimes there is much spiritual growth in learning to wait on God.

Many in the Bible had to wait. Abraham and Sarah waited for Isaac’s birth. Noah waited for the flood. Moses waited to get out of the wilderness. Joseph waited to get out of prison. Job waited for deliverance. David waited to become king. After Christ’s death, believers had to wait for the Holy Spirit to come. We are now waiting for Christ’s return.

Waiting builds patience, appreciation, trust, and faith. While we wait we can busy ourselves doing what God would have us do: pray, study. serve, yield, obey, etc. When God brings forth His will, we can be very thankful. After all, God makes all things beautiful in HIS TIME!

“He had made everything beautiful its time…” ~Ecclesiastes 3:11

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because with open arms I can receive every good gift God wants to give me.

Of course, in order to be ready and receptive for the blessings God wants to bestow on me, I need to get rid of some stuff to make room. God says He wants to do new things in my life (Isaiah 43::19). He also wants me to let go of the old things to make room for the new ones (Isaiah 43:18).

Here’s a little exercise called “release and receive.” I put all my anxieties, fears, and hangups in my arms and release them up to God. He’s much better equipped to handle them than I am. Then I fill my arms with the good things God wants me to have and draw them close to my heart such as His wisdom, His love, His joy, and His grace. Then I can more readily reflect the fruit of His spirit to all I meet (Galatians 5:22-23).

It’s true that every good and perfect gift comes from God (James 1:17). However, we must make room to receive them. 

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above
and comes down from the Father…” ~James 1:17

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because vengeance belongs to God not me (Romans 12:19). This is great news because I do not need to worry about getting even with someone who has wronged me. God will take care of it.

We’ve all been in situations where we feel we have been treated unfairly which leads to resentment. Resentment is defined as bitter indignation. The Bible has nothing good to say about being bitter and resentful. In fact, it says be careful not to let a root of bitterness spring up and cause trouble (Hebrews 12:14-15). If it does spring up, we are instructed to put it away (Ephesians 4:31).

When we’ve been hurt by others, we want to see those people suffer the way they made us suffer. This is not what God wants, so He takes the burden of revenge off our shoulders. God’s way is not to repay evil for evil (Romans 12:17). We don’t need to fret and worry about these matters because God will take care of them for us (Romans 12:19). We must trust Him to do so in His time and in His way.

They say that revenge is sweet. That’s true only when it’s left in God’s hands. Only He can do what is best for everyone. 

“Beloved, do not avenge yourselves…for it is written, ‘Vengeance
is Mine, I will repay,’ sayeth the Lord.” ~Romans 12:9

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because although I don’t know what today holds, God does. There may be some surprises around the corner. When they come, I want to be sure to thank God.

Maybe I’ll receive an unexpected call from a friend or a text message of encouragement. Perhaps someone will hold the door open for me. I might be at a long line in a grocery store and a friendly clerk will say, “Come with me and I’ll check you out over here.” My favorite song may come on the radio and I can sing at the top of my lungs. What about that parking space that magically appears? Is the sun shining? Am I enjoying the weather? Did my neighbor share some oranges from his tree?

Even surprises that may not be as pleasant are opportunities to trust God. Life is unpredictable and an  unexpected event may surprise us, but God is never surprised. God is always in control and working for our good. There are lessons we can learn from Him in the unexpected twists and turns of life.

We don’t know what each day holds, but God does! We may encounter a few surprises. So let’s rejoice and be ready to  yield to God’s agenda, not ours.

“A man’s heart plan his way, but the
Lord directs his steps.” ~Proverbs 16:9

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because I’ve already decided to fill it with some laughter.

Believe it or not, laughter is good for our health. Studies show that laughter can boost the immune system, provide higher pain tolerance, increase respiratory capacity, reduce heart attack risk, help control diabetic blood sugar levels, relax muscles, decrease stress hormones, and curb allergy symptoms.

Voltaire once said, “The art of medicine consists of keeping the patient amused while nature heals the disease.” Or more simply put, “A cheerful heart is good medicine (Proverbs 17:22).” Laughter is good medicine especially coupled with a positive attitude. Humor can even give us a healthy sense of perspective on our problems, so we don’t look at small annoyances as life-shattering events.

Studies also show that even a forced smile makes a person happier and lessens stress. I can usually find something to laugh about each day, but if I can’t, I can always force a smile. Or I can buy a clown nose and wear it so everyone else can laugh. Remember, we don’t laugh because we are happy; we are happy because we can laugh!

“A merry heart does good, like medicine…” ~Proverbs 17:22

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because I have God’s Word at my fingertips. What a blessing it is to have access to a Bible! However, when something is readily available, it is not always appreciated. It tends to be taken for granted and not valued.

Today we don’t have to wait for Moses to come down from a mountain with a tablet of stone to hear what God has to say. We don’t have to wait for Paul’s next parchment epistle to arrive in the mail. We have access to God, His thoughts, and His example at our fingertips.

We can thank the printing press for making information like this available to ordinary, everyday people. Many were skeptical of this new invention, but actually the printing press was the Internet of its time. Eventually, literacy and access to books became widespread. The Bible was accessible to people like you and me.

The Bible is actually the best-selling but probably least read book of all time. However, scholars admit it has significantly influenced art, literature, and law throughout history. They also acknowledge that it addresses timeless themes of morality, faith, and human experience, keeping it relevant today.

If people have questions, the Bible has answers. God’s Word is truth (John 17:17).  It guides us into a deeper relationship with God, plus leads to happier and more productive lives. What a privilege to be able to read it often, even daily! Justin Peters said, “Want to hear God speak? Read your Bible! Want to hear God speak audibly? Read your Bible out loud!”

Heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s Word will live forever (Mark 13:31).

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and
a light to my path.” ~Psalm 119:105

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because I have nothing to fear.

Let’s face it! We are a fear-ridden society. We all wrestle with fear of rejection, hurt, humiliation, abandonment, disappointment, commitment, criticism, and loss. We fear the unknown, unexpected, future, uncertainty, and death. These fears can paralyze us and keep us from doing what we should or could do.

Ralph Waldo Emerson once said, “Fear defeats more people than any other one thing in the world.” I think there’s some truth there. It certainly hinders us from having the full and productive life God wants us to have (John 10:10).

God anticipated we would have trouble grappling with fear, so He filled the Bible with 365 admonitions to “fear not” or “be not afraid!”

A spirit of fear does not come from God (2 Timothy 1:7). So as we draw closer to God, He calms our fears. When we seek God, He delivers us from our fears (Psalm 34:4). When we truly realize God is our refuge and strength, we know we have nothing to fear in times of turmoil (Psalm 46:1-2). We have no need to fear people (Psalm 27:1). We don’t even need to fear evil or death (Psalm 23:4).

We should never forget that wherever we go or whatever we encounter, God is with us (Isaiah 41:10). So there is no need to fear!

“Fear not, for I am with you…” ~Isaiah 41:10

Today is the day the Lord has made…

I will rejoice today because life is about progress, not perfection. You might say that I’m a work in progress.

When reading “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect” in Matthew 5:48, one might think God wants us to be perfect. They link perfection to lack of mistakes. While that may be true physically, it is not true spiritually.

The Greek word for “perfect” in Matthew 5:48 is “telios” meaning finished, full grown, mature, lacking nothing, or brought to completeness. It has nothing to do with making mistakes or not being good enough. The good news is that we are already perfect in God’s sight. We are reconciled through Jesus Christ and He lives in us. With Christ in us, we are brought to completion and we lack nothing.

While it’s true that God does not require us to be perfect, He does want us to make progress. He wants us to continually grow in grace and knowledge which is a daily process (2 Peter 3:17-18).

Our Christian journey will have many ups and downs, but we don’t need to worry if we yield to God. We are assured that God will be faithful to complete the work He starts in us (Philippians 1:6).

“Being confident in this very thing, that He who has begun
a good work in you will complete it…” ~Philippians 1:6