This is the Day Rejoice

Paulette's vibrancy faded - laughter gone, simple tasks exhausting, the world distant. What looked like deepening depression was a large benign brain tumor silently pressing for years. Through mystery, misdiagnosis, Rob's steadfast care, devoted family, two brain surgeries, surgical error, infection, a car accident, reconstructive procedures, and even titanium discs turned into earrings, God's good and sovereign hand guided every step.

Through it all, Paulette and Rob Hasting remained steadfast in the Lord. Paulette's personality and joy returned after surgery. Today they embrace their new normal - vision challenges, a hollow forehead, annual scans - with gratitude, praising God for trials that deepened their faith, their marriage, and their trust in His providence.

"This is the life God has ordained for us. We accept it, embrace it, and glorify Him in it."

A testimony of hope, endurance, and unwavering trust in God's sovereign plan.

You don't want to miss this episode with special guests, Rob and Paulette Hastings, who share their story in the hopes that it will encourage others to be steadfast in the Lord, through whatever trial he has ordained in their lives today.

Listen here and read the entire account at ThisistheDayRejoice.com

Fun family traditions, incorrect nativity scenes, sneaky Elf on the Shelf antics, confusion about Santa Claus, the evil King Herod, and trying to spot the Star of Bethlehem again - all this and more in this special Christmas episode with Elizabeth Giles and Monika Walker. Join us as we briefly look at these major Christmas themes, through a biblical lens.

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Resources:

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God, through Christ, covered all our offenses against Him, and there are many! Why would we think we could or should do differently? It was His glory to do so, and the same is true for us. To cover another's offense is to love them as Christ loves us.

1 Corinthians 13:7 says that love "bears all things, believes all things [assumes the best], hopes all things, endures all things." The opposite of this is repeating the offense to others or rehearsing it in our minds, stirring up our emotions. That causes division between friends! That is not how God treated our horrendous offenses against Him. As imitators of Christ, we must follow His example, not our flesh.

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When this is the day you are offended - in any way, big or small - do as Monika taught and use discretion. Haste leads to sin. Use discretion even in deciding which feelings you allow to reign.

Be patient and prayerful, even in those quick moments when your temper flares and your emotions grow hot. Remember how the Lord deferred His anger - and He has perfect and righteous anger, while we do not!

God told us that our mind is kept in perfect peace when it is fixed on Christ. Fully trusting Him, thinking on Him, with our mind, will, and emotions all fixed on our glorious Lord and Savior.

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Resources:

Wait: Waiting on God in a World that Won't Wait by Smedly Yates

An Easy Guide to Missing Heaven by Don Green

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We want everyone to have a free, printable bookmark, to help you spend more time rightly seeking to understand God's Word. Click here for your free instant print.

We must never, ever grumble.

Grumbling starts with what we dislike or reject. We nurse it, replay it, let it spin in our minds - fueling argument and rebellion. That only breeds more sin.

Because of the gospel, believers have zero excuse to grumble—none.

Paul tells the Philippians: in light of the gospel, work out your salvation without grumbling or disputing. Stay faithful. Shine brightly in a crooked, dark world.

The contrast between believers and the world should be stark.

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When this is the day you see discontentment, grumbling, complaining, murmuring, and disputes in your life - via thoughts or words - examine your heart as you go before the Lord and consider what your perspective on any little issue is. Is your perspective one that trusts that God works all things together for good for those who love God and who are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28), or is your heart out of order, placing your own desires as greater than the almighty, good, holy, and sovereign Creator of the universe?

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What's Good:

A quote from John Bunyan in his book Grace Abounding: "I still find to this day this abomination in my heart… I am apt to complain because I have no more, and yet am ready to misuse what I have."

Visit our shop for super one-of-a-kind designs that promote gospel centered conversations. From unique shirts to gorgeous wall prints, collectible coffee mugs and more!

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This Is The Day Rejoice WebsiteFacebook | Instagram | Pinterest

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We want everyone to have a free, printable bookmark, to help you spend more time rightly seeking to understand God's Word. Click here for your free instant print.

Honoring your parents doesn't stop when you turn eighteen. Obedience may end, but honor lasts a lifetime. We are called to honor both our father and our mother - and that includes your husband's parents - your mother-in-law and father-in-law. Your husband is commanded to do the same. Together, you are to work to honor your parents.

But what if they aren't believers, or if they are difficult to honor? Romans reminds us that, as much as it depends on us, we should live at peace with everyone. That includes challenging in-laws, if you have them. In our relationships with our in-laws, we must strive for peace - both when we have offended them and when they have offended us. Our responsibility is to work diligently and humbly to resolve conflicts and maintain peace.

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When this is the day you find yourself in conflict with your mother or father-in-law, remember that you cannot change them - you are accountable to the Lord for your own ways. Your ways, not theirs.

So instead of focusing on their sins - and they may be many or grievous - turn your attention to your own heart. Prayerfully examine yourself and see if there is anything you need to repent of; we almost always find something. There may be sins for which you need to ask their forgiveness, and there are almost certainly sinful thoughts and attitudes for which you should seek forgiveness from the Lord.

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Resources:

Visit our shop for super one-of-a-kind designs that promote gospel centered conversations. From unique shirts to gorgeous wall prints, collectible coffee mugs and more!

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This Is The Day Rejoice WebsiteFacebook | Instagram | Pinterest

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We want everyone to have a free, printable bookmark, to help you spend more time rightly seeking to understand God's Word. Click here for your free instant print.

Reformation Day can be a fun alternative OR addition to the commercial holiday, Halloween. Hand out gospel tracks and candy bars, share the gospel with the parents of trick-or-treaters, and refresh your memory about Reformation Day, giving praise to God for how he has orchestrated events to bring the faithful church to where it is today.

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When this is the day you are considering whether celebrating Halloween should be "celebrated" by your family or not, do yourself a great favor and read this article by Pastor Travis Allen, which examins on the this subject, the implications of participating, and the implications of abstaining.

Christians and Halloween

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Resources:

Visit our shop for super one-of-a-kind designs that promote gospel centered conversations. From unique shirts to gorgeous wall prints, collectible coffee mugs and more!

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This Is The Day Rejoice WebsiteFacebook | Instagram | Pinterest

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We want everyone to have a free, printable bookmark, to help you spend more time rightly seeking to understand God's Word. Click here for your free instant print.

Paul was wrongly accused of seeking to please men, but it was the Judaizers who compromised the Gospel out of fear of man. Paul feared God, not people, and boldly upheld the truth of salvation by faith in Christ alone. Elizabeth Giles and Monika Walker explore how the fear of man distorts truth - and how we're called to live to please God, instead of man.

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When this is the day you find yourself convicted by your sinful fear of man, take heart. We are not without hope. We are not slaves to sin—we are slaves to Christ. And because Christ conquered sin on the cross, we can come to Him in sorrow, confess our sin, renew our minds with the truth of His Word, and put on righteousness.

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Resources:

"Every basic cult is built on ignoring the context." - Howard Hendricks

"A Case Study in the Conscience" by Pastor Travis Allen on Pillar of Truth

Visit our shop for super one-of-a-kind designs that promote gospel centered conversations. From unique shirts to gorgeous wall prints, collectible coffee mugs and more!

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This Is The Day Rejoice WebsiteFacebook | Instagram | Pinterest

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We want everyone to have a free, printable bookmark, to help you spend more time rightly seeking to understand God's Word. Click here for your free instant print.

Christians are called not merely to hear the Word of God but to live it out faithfully, as James declares: "Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" (James 1:22). The Scriptures pierce the depths of the human heart, exposing our true motives while judging our thoughts, rebuking our sins, encouraging our spirits, and exhorting us toward righteous living and unwavering faith.

To fully grasp this transformative truth, we must rely on faithful translations that honor the original intent. Modern distortions and manipulations can subtly alter meanings, paving the way for misleading doctrines that stray from God's unchanging revelation. So what Bible translation should you use, and which translations should you run from? Join Elizabeth Giles and Monika Walker they dive into an overview of living out the Word and discerning reliable translations.

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When this is the day you're uncertain if your current Bible translation is reliable, do yourself a favor and listen to this episode. We can help!

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Resources:

Visit our shop for super one-of-a-kind designs that promote gospel centered conversations. From unique shirts to gorgeous wall prints, collectible coffee mugs and more!

The Wycliffe Bible Commentary

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We want everyone to have a free, printable bookmark, to help you spend more time rightly seeking to understand God's Word. Click here for your free instant print.

When we're weak and turn to a worldly system for comfort and strength instead of to Christ, we're not boasting in our weakness, as Paul did, but rather in our own cunning and strength.

Self-care is the world's solution to most of women's problems, but it's not biblical - not the way it's promoted by the world. So what's a girl to do? Join Elizabeth and Monika as they filter self-care, through a biblical lens.

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When this is the day you need some self-care, go for it. But first, get on your knees in prayer. Go to the cross before you go to Starbucks. Scroll through the Word of God before you scroll on your phone.

Whatever problems our hearts encounter, the solution is never found in worldly systems or ideals. The solution is ALWAYS found in Christ.

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Resources:

Visit our shop for super one-of-a-kind designs that promote gospel centered conversations. From unique shirts to gorgeous wall prints, collectible coffee mugs and more!

The Scandalous Offense of the Cross

The Biblical View of Self-Esteem, Self-Love, and Self-Image

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We want everyone to have a free, printable bookmark, to help you spend more time rightly seeking to understand God's Word. Click here for your free instant print.

When the world feels overwhelmingly dark and chaotic, one of the best things we can do is turn our focus to the one unchanging Maker of heaven and earth - our holy Lord God. Join Elizabeth and Monika as they explore four attributes of God, thinking deeply about what these characteristics truly mean, so we can rightly meditate on His sovereignty, mercy, providence, and lovingkindness.

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When this is the day your trials abound - when this is the day you're filled with great sorrow, worry, anxiety, or fear - meditate on the lovingkindness of God. It will fill you with great joy to reflect on His lovingkindness. It will temper your sorrow with peace and renew your hope in the Lord.

It will remind you to trust Him - not to fear the trial you're currently enduring or the future trials that may come. You cannot fear the future when your confidence is fully in Him. And how could you not have full confidence in a God who looks down on us - sinful worms - and sees us through the blood of Christ, giving us access to Himself through the work of His Son? A Son who loves us so much that He not only made us in His image, but also saved us from eternal death.

That knowledge should cause us to fall on our knees in worship.

New Dictionary of Theology - Wright, Ferguson, Packer

Tabletalk Magazine

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Resources:

Visit our shop for super one-of-a-kind designs that promote gospel centered conversations. From unique shirts to gorgeous wall prints, collectible coffee mugs and more!

________________________

This Is The Day Rejoice WebsiteFacebook | Instagram | Pinterest

________________________

We want everyone to have a free, printable bookmark, to help you spend more time rightly seeking to understand God's Word. Click here for your free instant print.