Jeremy McGarity
·
April 15, 2020

Remedies for Robbery

In Skyline Church’s new daily devotional, Today Matters, (which you can see on our YouTube page "Skyline Church San Diego") we’ve been walking through the book of Philippians and talking about things that rob our happiness. It seems that when our routines are disrupted (as they have been the past several weeks), it’s a lot easier to lose our happiness. So, let’s talk about the remedies for things that rob our happiness! 

One of the main ways we can lose our happiness, is forgetting what God has promised. If our forgetfulness is the virus, what’s the cure? Philippians 2:16 tells us to "...hold tightly to the Word of life." 

Although you may know a few of the literally thousands of promises God has for us, I want to remind us of some that can make a real difference in the level of your happiness TODAY!

  1. God has promised us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11)!
  2. We can be assured that He will be with us in the valleys of life (Psalm 23). 
  3. We’re guaranteed that in our study and meditation of scripture, His word will never fail (Luke 1:37) 

Philippians 2:16 is a practical cure to combat our forgetfulness and maintain a happy  heart. Isn’t it interesting that if we choose to dwell on a worry, it won’t get smaller? It’ll grow! But, the same practice can be used in our faith. If you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate. Worrying is taking a negative thought and thinking about it over and over and over again. But when you take a passage in the Bible, and you think on it over and over … that’s called meditation! God has promised many wonderful benefits to those who meditate on His Word.

People want to be successful today, just look at the market glut of "success" books everywhere. The books talk about the next fad, the next cure, the next miracle pill that's going to give you the success and happiness you really desire. Yet God says, "Here's how to be successful." Joshua 1:8 is just one of the many promises that reminds us that meditating on scripture is a healthy habit.

"Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do."

This is the key to success in your life and mine, not worry, not the next fad book, but by immersing ourselves in God's Book. As we do this, the joy robbers are jailed and our happiness increases. We can get the most joy out of God's Word by doing these five things: Hearing, reading, studying, applying, and meditating on the Word. When you do all five of these habits, you are "Holding tightly to the Word of Life" (Phil. 2:16).

I want to encourage you to have joy in this crazy coronavirus season. I know it's not easy, no one wants to be quarantined or without our normal freedoms. But, God doesn't say, "Only when things are good, have joy." No, He says, "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer" (Romans 12:12).  He also reminds us to be joyful always (Philippians 4:4) because we know that it will produce perseverance!

“And perseverance produces character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us” (Romans 5:3-5). Be transformed "by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). The Bible is saying that we have to change our whole mindset! Embrace God’s Word through meditation today, and be washed by the water of the Word (Ephesians 5:26). It’s through Scripture that we can and will take back our joy. 

It’s been said, “a short pencil is better than a long memory.” Ask yourself these questions and take the time to write down the answers. 

  1. Are you allowing yourself to get down? How will you break this cycle? What is one habit you can start today that will help increase your joy?
  2. What are some times in your life where God came through for you and proved Himself faithful to you in the past? 
  3. Are you forgetting the promises of God? Which ones do you need to be reminded of?

Write these things down and hold tightly to them (Philippians 2:16) as you walk forward into the unknown. He is with you! And so are we. Let us know how we can come alongside you by filling out a Connection Card at SkylineChurch.org. We love you and are so thankful for you!

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