Greetings and Salutations,

Not much has changed in our neck of the woods, a little bit going on in the city, but pretty quiet this time of year.

Just sitting back, this afternoon, and relaxing.

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Habakkuk 3:17-19  KJV  “Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labour of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no meat; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls:

¹⁸ Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation.

¹⁹ The Lord God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds' feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. To the chief singer on my stringed instruments.”

Interesting passage, and it comes from the OLD Testament.

We all too frequently forget that God had a covenant with His chosen people, the Jews.

While they had to work hard to adhere to the laws of God, they knew that in doing so they would eventually see Him.

We on the other hand have but to lift up our Savior, Jesus Christ, and ask his mediation between us and God.

While the Jews knew that death did not bring them before God, the gates of heaven were closed, they did know that after the Christ came God would open those gates and those that had lived for Him would be accepted into heaven.

We on the other hand know that the work has already been done and that to die, in Him, is to walk through those gates and be with Him.

Habakkuk learned early on that no matter his financial or physical condition He can still have the Joy of His Salvation.

Christians around the world have, through the centuries, suffered deprivation, tribulation, hate, persecution, prosecution, incarceration, torture and even death – and STILL they remembered the Joy of their Salvation.

Without them Christianity would have been even more difficult for us.

Many of our brethren are suffering even today AND in America as well as the rest of the world – yet, they stand by God and remember the Joy of their Salvation.

Now, how often do we thank God for our Salvation and remember that Joy we had when we knelt before Him, confessing our sins and asking they be forgiven?

AND the weight off our shoulders was a real feeling, it lifted our spirits, it lifted our shoulders and we truly felt Joy.

No matter how difficult we have it, no matter how picked on we may feel, no matter how hateful others may treat us, when we live for Christ we can still have that Joy of our Salvation.

Luke 6:22-23  KJV   “ Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

²³ Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.”

If we have forgotten that Joy, it is time we meet with God until we receive it.

Later, Art (-: