Finding Happiness Now and Overcoming the Darkness – Purity 1933
Purity 1933 04/09/2026 Purity 1933 – Audio Podcast
Purity 1933 on YouTube:
Good morning,
Today’s photo of the way back home on Freedom Road comes to us from yours truly, as I captured this simple scene of beauty on my morning walk on April 4th, 2026.
Well, it’s Thursday, and I share today’s pathway photo as a visual reminder or encouragement to stay on or to get on the path of Christian discipleship and not take our blessings for granted.
In truth, Freedom Road was a little muddy in spots this past Saturday and I could have easily lamented over the fact that I had to be careful in choosing my way to avoid getting my feet wet but instead I was focused on the fact that I was finally walking on my favorite country road after months of not being able to because the snow that was piled high all around us in the great white north.
We have to be careful not only of how we walk through life, but also of how we think through life, because the things we hope for and realize can so easily be forgotten and dismissed if we focus on the things that are bad rather than the things that are good. God bless some of my friends, but when we were in the midst of winters cold, they put forth that they were looking forward to spring. Believe me, as a sufferer of seasonal affective disorder, I get it. But yesterday, the same friends who were so desperately hoping for the end of winter’s snow and cold, stated that they were looking forward to “real spring”. And yes, spring has had some cold mornings and small occurrences of flurries and snowfall – but nothing that lasted beyond the early hours of the morning. When you hope for spring in upstate New York, you should count every day that isn’t below 32 degrees as a good day. If we don’t choose to rejoice in the things we hoped for and have received, we will always be looking for circumstantial happiness and fail to truly enjoy and appreciate them here and now. Better days aren’t coming. Better days are here. The question is, are you going to recognize that fact and live in the peace, contentment, and joy that is available to you – here and now – or look to tomorrow or some other day when things are slightly different to finally be able to claim your life to be good?
We have to choose to overcome the darkness by living by faith. While we should look forward to better things coming, we should do so at the expense of today’s happiness.
Speaking of overcoming the darkness of negative circumstances and a negative perspective, today’s devotion from “Living in His Light” by Dr. David Jeremiah addresses living by faith, and I am sharing it on the blog today to encourage us to remember the good news of our new lives in Christ. David Jeremiah writes:
Overcome the Darkness
He reveals deep and secret things; He knows what is in the darkness, and light dwells with Him. – DANIEL 2:22
If you have young children in your home, you probably leave a small light on at night so that if they wake up, they won’t be afraid. It is amazing how even a small light can dispel the dark. The prophet Daniel knew what it was like to be a beacon of light in a hostile environment. His captivity began as a teenager when he was taken to Babylon as a slave. He remained there until his death.
Daniel overcame each test he endured, whether it was eating the king’s food, facing the lions’ den, or avoiding other traps laid for him. What made Daniel such a beacon in a hostile environment? His faith-the light of God dwelt with him.
With a 24/7 news cycle that is predominantly focused on wars, hatred, and discord between people and nations, the world seems very dark today. But Daniel’s remarkable life reminds us that the light of God shines brightest in the dark, and the same God who was with Daniel in a foreign land is with us, too.
Wherever you go, God will go with you. Prepare yourself like Daniel did by spending time in prayer, then go out into the world as a light in the darkness.” – David Jeremiah, from Living in His Light
Amen. At this year’s Easter service, my pastor gave a message taking on the biggest lie of the enemy – that we are saved when our good deeds outweigh our bad deeds.
In a simple message, Roscoe Lilly shared the truth about how we are NOT saved by our performance, but only if we put our faith in Jesus. That’s the gospel, and that’s really news for those who recognize their shortcomings and sin before God. The gospel doesn’t just give hope. It delivers forgiveness of sins, peace with God, and the assurance of salvation and life with God for eternity.
This message was so new and powerful to some of the people who came to our church that 97 people prayed to put their faith in Jesus to receive the gifts of forgiveness, peace, and a new life.
However, as you may know, the real battle of faith comes after you come into the kingdom. The real battle of our faith is to walk in the peace and joy of our salvation after we have been saved.
The world, flesh, and the devil vie for our attention, and when they get it, we lose our peace to fear, anger, or depression as these forces seek to deliver their “bad news” so you can forget about the good news of your new life in Christ.
So, fight the power of lies by living in the truth – that no matter what difficulties we face in life, we can have peace because we are fully accepted by God and will live with Him forever.
This fact of our new lives in Christ is the most important thing about and we focus on it; it can give us the power to overcome the darkness of our pasts, conquer the challenges of the present, and give us an abiding peace and joy regarding the future.
So, practice your faith every day. Pray, talk to God, change the way you think and live by God’s ways, read the Bible, and seek to do what is right. When you walk in your faith, you, like Daniel, will overcome and shine like the Son.
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