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  JOY IN THE PRESENT
  by Mary Wilder Tileston
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Summary: Joy is a gift from God that can be found in the present moment,
even in difficult circumstances, when we seek to be with Him.

Topics: "Heavenly Joy", "Gods Presence"
Scripture References: Psalm 37:11, Matthew 5:5, John 14:27, Romans 14:17, Philippians 4:7, Revelation 21:4

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DESCRIPTION
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Mary Wilder Tileston preaches about the promise of inheriting the earth
for the meek, who will find delight in the abundance of peace. She
emphasizes that joy is a gift from God, comforting us in our darkest
hours and opening heaven before us to rejoice in His presence. Tileston
highlights that being with God, in any form or circumstance, is to
experience a taste of heaven. She challenges the notion of postponing
joy in Christ until the afterlife, encouraging believers to seek and
find glimpses of glory and joy even in their current lives.

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CONTENT
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The meek shall inherit the earth, and shall delight themselves in the
abundance of peace.

--PSALMS 37:11

Joy is Thy gift, 0 Father!

Thou wouldst not have us pine;

In darkest hours Thy comfort

Doth aye most brightly shine;

Ah, then how oft Thy voice

Hath shed its sweetness o'er me,

And opened heaven before me,

And bid my heart rejoice!

--PAUL GERHARDT

TO be with God, in whatever stage of being, under whatever conditions of
existence, is to be in heaven.

--DORA GREENWELL

I perceive we postpone all our joys of Christ, till He and we be in our
own house above, thinking that there is nothing of it here to be sought
or found, but only hope and fair promises; and that Christ will give us
nothing here but tears, sadness, crosses; and that we shall never feel
the smell of the flowers of that high garden of paradise above, till we
come there. Nay, but I find it possible to find young glory, and a young
green paradise of joy even here. We dream of hunger in Christ's house,
while we are here, although He alloweth feasts to all the bairns within
God's household.

--SAMUEL RUTHERFORD

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Source: https://sermonindex.net/speakers/mary-wilder-tileston/joy-in-the-present/
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