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“For the despondent, every day brings trouble; for the happy heart, life is a continual feast.” Proverbs 15:15
Where do you more often than not find yourself? A feeling of despondency - if it can go wrong it will, or a feeling of happiness - no matter what you face you know life is still good. Are you the eternal pessimist or the forever optimist? More often than not we find ourselves somewhere in between, sometimes even sliding back and forth from one feeling to the other. It really comes down to the choices we make in our mind and spirit. Paul says in Philippians 4:8 to “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” It’s amazing how an attitude of gratitude can change our perspective. “Always be joyful. Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus.” 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Let today be a day of continual feasting. Bro. Joe
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“And we can be sure that we know him if we obey his commandments. If someone claims, “I know God,” but doesn’t obey God’s commandments, that person is a liar and is not living in the truth. But those who obey God’s word truly show how completely they love him. That is how we know we are living in him. Those who say they live in God should live their lives as Jesus did.” 1 John 2:3-6 NLT
The certainty of knowing God coincides with how well we obey what He says. When we obey God's word we are demonstrating just how much we love Him. It is in fact a declaration and demonstration of how much we trust Him. Knowing that we are living in God occurs when we live as Jesus lived. “Then the name of our Lord Jesus will be honored because of the way you live, and you will be honored along with him. This is all made possible because of the grace of our God and Lord, Jesus Christ.” 2 Thessalonians 1:12 NLT When we walk with the Lord In the light of His word What a glory He sheds on our way While we do His good will He abides with us still And with all who will trust and obey Trust and obey For there's no other way To be happy in Jesus But to trust and obey ( John H. Sammie, 1887) He is worthy of your trust and obedience. Bro. Joe “Faith is the confidence that what we hope for will actually happen; it gives us assurance about things we cannot see.” Hebrews 11:1 NLT
Faith and Hope go hand in hand. Where there is faith there is hope. When we have hope, faith is needed to help us hold on. What is going on in your life where faith and hope are at work? Where the unseen - the yet to be, the soon to be fulfilled - is an active part of your mind and spirit. Hold fast to your hope and walk by faith. “Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise.” Hebrews 10:23 NLT Bro. Joe “What can we bring to the LORD? Should we bring him burnt offerings? Should we bow before God Most High with offerings of yearling calves? Should we offer him thousands of rams and ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Should we sacrifice our firstborn children to pay for our sins? No, O people, the LORD has told you what is good, and this is what he requires of you: to do what is right, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:6-8 NLT
This scripture gives us three things that we can bring to God:
Sounds like a plan. Do right - Love mercy - Walk Humbly Bro. Joe “When I look at the night sky and see the work of your fingers— the moon and the stars you set in place— what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them? Yet you made them only a little lower than God and crowned them with glory and honor. You gave them charge of everything you made, putting all things under their authority— the flocks and the herds and all the wild animals, the birds in the sky, the fish in the sea, and everything that swims the ocean currents. O LORD, our Lord, your majestic name fills the earth!” Psalms 8:3-9 NLT
There is a song recorded by Casting Crowns titled "Who Am I ?" The first verse and chorus connect with the psalmist's thought: "what are mere mortals that you should think about them, human beings that you should care for them?" Who am I, that the Lord of all the earth Would care to know my name, Would care to feel my hurt? Who am I, that the Bright and Morning Star Would choose to light the way For my ever wandering heart? Not because of who I am But because of what You've done. Not because of what I've done But because of who You are. The thought that God cares as He does is simply overwhelming. When trying to grasp the sheer magnitude of God's love, there can only be one response to the question: "Who Am I?" I Am His. Bro. Joe “Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”” Matthew 28:18-20 NLT
As followers of Christ we all have the responsibility of sharing with others what Christ has done in our lives. We are to simply share the love of Jesus with those that God places in our path. Who will you share with today? Pray about it. Ask the Lord to open your eyes to see who He is directing you to. Ask Him to open your heart to see them as He sees them. Ask Him to open your mouth to say what He wants you to say. Are you ready? Set your mind to it. Go tell. Bro. Joe “The LORD your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”” Zephaniah 3:17 NKJV
Can you hear it? Can you hear the music? Can you hear Him singing? He is here and He is singing. He is expressing His joy and gladness in a spiritual serenade. The Mighty One is singing a love song over you. "He will quiet you with His love." “Long ago the LORD said to Israel: “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.” Jeremiah 31:3 NLT Listen to His love. Bro. Joe “Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress where I will not be shaken. My victory and honor come from God alone. He is my refuge, a rock where no enemy can reach me. O my people, trust in him at all times. Pour out your heart to him, for God is our refuge. ” Psalms 62:5-8 NLT
God is our rock, our salvation, our fortress, our refuge and our hope. He can be trusted at all times and in all things. He is ready and waiting for us to pour out our hearts to Him today. As you wait quietly before Him in this moment, listen to His heart as you open your heart to Him. “My heart has heard you say, “Come and talk with me.” And my heart responds, “ LORD, I am coming.”” Psalms 27:8 NLT Bro. Joe “That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. For our present troubles are small and won’t last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! So we don’t look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.” 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT
It's all a matter of perspective. The troubles we face are temporary. This life is temporary. Fix your thoughts on what can't be seen: hope, heaven, home...the eternal. Let God renew your spirit by renewing your mind. “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” Romans 12:2 NKJV “And now, dear brothers and sisters, one final thing. Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise.” Philippians 4:8 NLT Bro. Joe “Trust in the LORD and do good. Then you will live safely in the land and prosper. Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Commit everything you do to the LORD. Trust him, and he will help you. He will make your innocence radiate like the dawn, and the justice of your cause will shine like the noonday sun. Be still in the presence of the LORD, and wait patiently for him to act. Don’t worry about evil people who prosper or fret about their wicked schemes.” Psalms 37:3-7 NLT
Trust...Delight...Commit...and He will help you. Sounds good, doesn't it. Be still and wait, on the other hand sounds challenging. Don't worry seems impossible. Yet, when we combine all the elements and put them into practice, we experience something amazing. Our hearts becomes aligned with the heart of God. Then trusting in the Lord becomes easy. Delighting in Him becomes natural. Committing everything you do to Him becomes second nature. Being still and waiting is worth every moment spent. Worry....well, worry simply seems to fade away. Bro. Joe |
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January 2019
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