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ZECHARIAH 10:7,12

"REJOICING IN THE LORD"

Intro: The prophet is looking ahead to a time yet future when the nation
       of Israel is restored to full fellowship with God. He states two
       principles always true of those who walk with God.

I. "THEIR HEART SHALL REJOICE IN THE LORD."
        A. The Bible distinguishes between the heart and the mind.
                1. The mind is considered more shallow than the heart.
                        a. The mind is subject to change.
                        b. Moods and emotions seem to dwell in the mind.
                2. The heart is more the core of a person's being.
                        a. This is more the seat of a person's temperament.
                           What you  are.
                        b. To have a change of mind is common; to have a
                           change of heart is rare.
                        c. The born-again experience is a change of heart.
                3. "Their heart shall rejoice" speaks then of a nature or
                   disposition.
                        a. The general attitude of a person s life.
                                1. Some have a general attitude of
                                   complaining.
                                2. They can see the bad in anything.
                                3. I'm waiting to see what they find to
                                   gripe about in heaven.
        B. "In the Lord."
                1. We cannot always rejoice in our circumstances.
                        a. As a Christian, I experience the sorrow of
                           separation from my loved ones.
                                1. I have disappointments.
                                2. I experience failure.
                2. I rejoice in the Lord.
                        a. That He loves me.
                        b. That He redeemed me.
                        c. That He will guide me all through life.
                        d. That He bestows rich blessings upon me.
                        e. That He will one day bring me home.
                3. The things in which I rejoice are constant, therefore
                   my heart is constantly rejoicing in the Lord.
                4. A paradox often exists in the believer's life.
                        a. At the death of a loved one.
                        b. At the loss of a job.

II. "I WILL STRENGTHEN THEM IN THE LORD."
        A. There are always God's "I will" for the "they shalls."
                1. As we respond to God, then God responds to us.
                2. How many times in the scriptures do we find, "and if
                   you shall, then I will."
        B. Here God's promise is to strengthen.
                1. One of my greatest problems is weakness of my flesh.
                        a. In spiritual endeavors, I find myself as Peter,
                           "My spirit indeed is willing, but my flesh is
                           weak..."
                2. The burden of life is sometimes too heavy to bear, I
                   feel to weak to go on.
                        a. Then I turn to the Lord and realize He loves
                           me, He saved me, I am His and He is mine, and I
                           begin to rejoice.
                        b. As I rejoice in the Lord, I am strengthened.