Pursuit Of His Presence

Psalm 30 

1I will exalt you, Lord,

for you lifted me out of the depths

and did not let my enemies gloat over me.

2Lord my God, I called to you for help,

and you healed me.

3You, Lord, brought me up from the realm of the dead;

you spared me from going down to the pit.

4Sing the praises of the Lord, you his faithful people;

praise his holy name.

5For his anger lasts only a moment,

but his favor lasts a lifetime;

weeping may stay for the night,

but rejoicing comes in the morning.

6When I felt secure, I said,

“I will never be shaken.”

7Lord, when you favored me,

you made my royal mountain stand firm;

but when you hid your face,

I was dismayed.

8To you, Lord, I called;

to the Lord I cried for mercy:

9“What is gained if I am silenced,

if I go down to the pit?

Will the dust praise you?

Will it proclaim your faithfulness?

10Hear, Lord, and be merciful to me;

Lord, be my help.”

11You turned my wailing into dancing;

you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy,

12that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent.

Lord my God, I will praise you forever. 

 

 

Devotional

Joy Cometh

by Kenneth Copeland

“Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” Psalm 30:5
Many believers drag around in defeat day after day, month after month, year after year. You’ve heard them. They sound something like this: “I just can’t figure it out. I believe the Bible. I believe Jesus has set me free from this sickness. I believe He has set me free from this sin...I believe He has set me free from this lifestyle of lack. But I still can’t get the victory.”
The problem is, those people are too spiritually weak to receive what Jesus has given them. They need a tonic that will put some muscle back in their believing. They need something to put a sparkle in their eye, a spring in their step, and give them the spiritual might they need to knock the devil in the head and take back what belongs to them.
And that’s exactly what the joy of the Lord will do. Nehemiah 8:10 says the joy of the Lord is our strength. That verse is literally true. To understand why, you must realize that joy is not happiness. Happiness is a fleeting, temporal condition that depends on the comfort of your flesh. Joy, on the other hand, is a vital spiritual force. It is not based on outward circumstances, but upon the condition of your heart.
Happiness is wimpy. It disappears every time there’s trouble. But joy is tough. If you’ll let it, it will keep flowing in the midst of the most miserable situation. It will enable you to stand as solid as a stump until the time of trouble is over.
I realize if you’re sitting there right now in the midst of trouble, you probably feel like it will never be over. But, believe me, it will! “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.”
If you are a person of faith, it doesn’t matter how dark conditions may seem to be right now, you can rest assured, a brighter day is on the way. That’s because the devil cannot sustain an attack. He doesn’t have the power. So if you’ll let the force of joy keep you strong, you will outlast him and he’ll eventually have to give up and admit defeat!
Remember, the Word promises that joy cometh! And joy is your strength. It’s tough. It will enable you to overcome...and it’s inside of you. Yield to it and your trouble will be over soon enough.
Speak the Word
“The joy of the Lord is my strength. Joy comes to me!” —Nehemiah 8:10
Need prayer? Call 817-852-6000. We’re here for you, 24/7!
Also, visit www.kcm.org/youversion to receive a free gift from Kenneth and Gloria Copeland.