God's Gift of JOY

Have you had your Joy Juice today?  If you don’t have enough in your personal pantry, just ask for the gift of joy.

            On some days you may be reading this blog or listening to my radio broadcast and your life situation may be anything BUT JOYful.  You may think, “Joyce, that’s easy for you to talk about joy, but you don’t understand the complexity of my circumstances.”

            Well, you are so right! Many of you are hurting; many of you may be shedding tears even as I write this devotional.  While my heart aches for you, I truly do not understand your personal situation.  What I do know is that we serve a God who knows ALL and He cares for you.

            Though we may not always be happy, I’m determined that we can still have joy!   Jesus wants to give us the GIFT of JOY.  Look at the passage in John 15:11: “I want to give you my joy so that your joy may be complete.” Did you hear/see that?  He says that he wants to give us HIS JOY so that OUR JOY may be complete. 

            When you find yourself in the depths of despair and depression and you just can’t find any joy in your life, please know that you can go the Giver of JOY and ask for your special gift.  Ask the Lord to make that verse in John 15:11 come to life for you.  Your gift is beautifully wrapped and awaiting your opening. It’s the best gift you could ever receive…the gift of immeasurable, indescribable JOY.

            Tear into the package of God’s Word and find that gift of JOY that has your name on it! 

Contagious Symptoms of JOY

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Please drink it so faithfully that you’ll find yourself with the contagious symptoms of JOY.

            Have you been bitten by the “Joy Bug”?!  I hope and pray that you get caught up in the epidemic of JOY.   The “Joy Bug” is no respecter of persons:

• Age
• Gender
• Education
• Wealth or lack thereof….none of that matters.

But there is one common indicator…Every person who “catches” this joy germ, has to have been exposed to JESUS!  Do you know Him as your personal friend?  Until you allow Him into your heart and life, there’s no way for you to experience the contagious symptoms of genuine JOY.

      Yes, we might be happy when things are going our way; when we have something new; when our relationships are trouble free, when we’re enjoying the things that give us pleasure.  But what happens when we lose these things? We, also, lose our happiness.  The JOY of Jesus is not contingent on external circumstances.  It’s the security of an unconditional love and acceptance of Christ.  He has promised never, NEVER to leave us and that includes the bad times, as well as the good.

            Hebrews 13:5 is a joyful promise to each of us…God says: “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

            Catch the contagious “JOY germ” and be the cause of an epidemic of JOY in your home, at work and throughout your community!

Laced with Grace.....and JOY, of course!

Wanted to ask you to hop over to the "Laced with Grace" blog on Thursday, Sept. 29th.  I've been invited to guest blog.  What an awesome opportunity!

http://lacedwithgrace.com/ 

You Got the JOY GERM?

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Catch the JOY GERM and be coughing up kind words and thoughts, regardless of your circumstances.

 

            Many of you have caught the JOY GERM and you know exactly what I mean when I say that having the JOY of  Jesus in your heart, changes your life dramatically.  It the same kind of JOY that Peter was talking about in 1 Peter 1:8 when he said:

“Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see how now, you believe in him and filled with an inexpressible and glorious JOY!”

            Let’s be reminded that there is a big difference in JOY and HAPPINESS!  Happiness depends on what’s happening around you and to you…it’s contingent on your circumstances.  But JOY is about a personal relationship with Christ.  It’s knowing that NO MATTER what’s going on, Jesus is there to walk with you through it.

            God has blessed me with much JOY in my life.  But there have been plenty of times that I’ve not been happy!  Like:

• The illness & death of my precious daddy
• Losing a dear friend in a tragic automobile accident
• Hearing news that one of my precious sisters in Christ was diagnosed with cancer
• The betrayal of someone I completely trusted.

We all are going to face trials and tough times in our lives; and we will NOT be happy when those times come!  But we can CHOOSE JOY, if we have a relationship with Christ.  When you’re filled with his inexpressible and glorious joy, you’ll know that you’ve caught the JOY GERM and will be contagiously spreading it to all those you care about.

       Catch the JOY BUG…and experience the Joy of Jesus no matter what’s happening!

The Doctor's Prescription: JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It’s just what The Doctor ordered!

            Already we’ve started hearing our health care professionals advise us to get our flu shots and to take all the necessary measures to stay healthy during the upcoming months.  Though I’m NOT a health care professional, I do have some great advice: If you want to stay healthy spiritually, catch the JOY BUG!

            The “JOY BUG” is no respecter of persons. 

• Age doesn’t matter…you are susceptible if you are young, old or somewhere in between. 
• Gender is not important---male and female alike can catch it under the right conditions. 
• Education level is not a factor;
• Nor is wealth or the lack thereof!

            There is only ONE common indicator…Every person who “catches” the JOY GERM has to have been exposed the JESUS! In John 14:6, Jesus says: I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.

            Accept Jesus and joy will be oozing from you even in times of heartache and trial; you’ll start coughing up kind words, instead of angry ones in the heat of irritation; instead of beads of perspiration popping out on your brow, you’ll be having hot flashes of JOY which causes you to glow and radiate his love toward others. 

            Stay healthy spiritually by exposing yourself daily to the JOY of Jesus by studying His word and communicating with him through prayer.  Remember HE is the way, the truth and the life…and the giver of indescribable JOY!

            Be contagious and spread the JOY of the Lord throughout your community!

Catch the JOY Germ!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It’s just what you need to stay SPIRITUALLY healthy!

            When fall and winter approach we begin to dread flu and cold season.  We do everything we can to avoid contracting the germs and viruses that cause us to become sick. 

• We wash our hands more often,
• Avoid those who are sneezing and coughing,
• Wipe off surfaces with disinfectants 
• and a number of other precautionary measures…just trying to stay well.

            But there’s one “germ” that I hope and pray more people “catch”.  I like to call it the “JOY GERM”!  If we are bitten by the JOY bug, we’ll start regurgitating the JOY of the Lord everywhere we go.  And if enough of us catch it, there will be such an outpouring of JOY that the only way we could describe it, would be to call it an EPIDEMIC OF JOY! 

One dictionary describes an epidemic as: affecting many persons at the same time, and spreading from person to person in a locality where the disease is not permanently prevalent.

What a blessing if many persons at the same time would accept the JOY of the Lord.  God wants to pour out a double portion of his JOY into our lives.  When we’ve been bitten by the JOY bug, we’ll be on a mission to “spread it from person to person in localities where JOY is not permanently prevalent.”  And that will lead to an epidemic of JOY!

            As Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us: “The JOY of the Lord is our strength!”

            Catch the JOY of the Lord and be contagious everywhere you go!

He sees! He knows! He gives JOY!

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  It doesn’t matter if you drink it while sitting, standing or on the run.  All that matters is that you drink it faithfully!

He's EVERYWHERE!          

       No matter where we are or what we’re doing, God is there!  That can be reassuring...or it can be unsettling for some.  Many times we don’t live as if we believe He's everywhere!  He hears our words; he sees how we react to others. He watches every second of our lives.

            While not one of us is perfect, God does expect us to give our best.  He created us, so He knows we will make mistakes in our own efforts.  That’s why He wants us to rely on Him every step of our way.

            Let’s go to that beautiful book of Psalms again; Chapter 139, verses 2-4. We read: “You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I’m far away. You see me when I travel and when I rest at home. You know everything I do. You know what I am going to say even before I say it, Lord.”

            God knows us even better than we know ourselves.  AND He still loves us.  Now, that should make you feel very special! Remember even the very hairs on your head are numbered by Him! He’s with us through every situation, waiting for us to call on Him for wisdom, direction and protection.

           Doesn’t if fill your heart with gratitude and joy to be loved unconditionally?  Share His love with others today!

Your JOYful Purpose

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  There’s a serving that was created especially for you!

        
God created each of us for a purpose! 
He gives us

• special talents
• abilities
• interests
• strengths and 
• experiences 

in order to accomplish that purpose in us and through us. 

Why then, do so many people miss their purpose?  Could it be that we are not willing to let HIM do the leading?  Do we close our ears to His voice because we are selfishly pursuing what we think is best?  Or maybe we just don’t believe that we are important enough to be used by Him.  We may feel worthless or at least not as good as other people. 

STOP right there!  When we start comparing ourselves to others, we headed for trouble.  God never intended us to be anyone other than ourselves!  We’re not in competition with anyone else…especially when it comes to God’s love and purpose for our life!

            Romans 8: 28 reminds us: "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose." 

And the following verse tells us that we are to be

"conformed to the image of His Son."

 

            So there we are!  That’s our purpose: to be like Jesus!  Each of us will pursue our purpose in different ways. We don’t have to travel the exact same road as someone else.  But we do need to walk in the footprints of Jesus.  That’s when we’ll discover our JOYful purpose.

            Find your special purpose by faithfully drinking the Joy Juice of Jesus!

God Thinks of YOU with JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Drink it and be assured that you are special in God’s eyes!

            Do you ever question your value? If you do, open God’s Word to the beautiful book of Psalms. In Chapter 139 read the heartfelt words in verses 13-17. Offer them as your personal prayer of thanksgiving. The psalmist wrote:

"You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous – how well I know it.

You watched me as I was being formed in utter seclusion, as I was woven together in the dark of the womb. You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed.

How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!” (Ps. 139:13-17)

         Just reading those words should be a powerful reminder of how much God loves you.  You are special to Him…so special that every moment of your life was ordained by Him even before you were born!  When you begin to feel worthless, remember that God is ready and willing to work within you.    But He doesn’t force Himself upon us.  Accepting His love is our choice.  Make that JOYful choice today!
          
      How precious are God’s thoughts of you…accept his love and joy; then share with others along your way.

Discipline=Love=JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  There’s a special serving that was made especially for YOU!

            How many of you remember hearing your parents say, “This is going to hurt me a lot more than it does you?”  Then they would proceed with punishment for your “crime”.  If you’re a parent yourself, you now understand what they meant by that statement. Often children misinterpret discipline as their parents being mean and unloving…but it usually means just the opposite.

            Good parents won’t let their children act “any ole way”.  They want them to learn acceptable behavior, and that sometimes means discipline.  A parent’s job is to train, model and correct their child in the formative years so that they will grow into a nice, productive adult who can get along with others.

            Hebrews 12:5 -6 addresses this from the spiritual standpoint:

My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.

            Sometimes our Heavenly Father sees that we need discipline.  Though it’s not pleasant, we must remember that this act is a sign of deep love for us.  We should grow up spiritually and understand that when God corrects us, it is proof positive of His love. 

            Even when we’re being disciplined, we can still drink our JOY JUICE because we know that our Father loves us greatly.

             

In Times Like These, We Need JOY!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It’s guaranteed to make you feel special!  And that’s a JOYful feeling!

            We all enjoy feeling special. But many people don’t! In this world of problems and challenges, there are countless individuals who are depressed and despondent.  At times each of us experience discouragement and may even think of giving up.  It’s at times like these…when we feel like throwing up our hands in desperation… that we should cry out to God.

            Just like the old hymn says:

In times like these you need a Savior

In times like these you need an anchor

Be very sure, be very sure

Your anchor holds and grips the Solid Rock

          That Solid Rock…is Jesus!  When our faith is in Him, we can know that no matter what’s going on…in good times and bad…He holds us in His strong arms.  He is our firm foundation.  Be reminded often that He loves us so much that He gave His life to save us. Now, doesn’t that make you feel special?  That’s what the JOY JUICE of Jesus is all about.  Have a great big serving today!

            It is my prayer that each of us understands that we are special in God’s eyes.  When you accept His love, you’ll be able to sing “In times like these my anchor holds tightly because of the JOY of the Lord.”

Too Much JOY...NEVER!!!!!!!!!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Drinking large portions is NOT hazardous to your health!  As a matter of fact, you never have to limit your servings of Joy Juice!

            There are many things that are not good for us in large quantities. 

• To maintain a healthy lifestyle, we are encouraged to limit our sugar intake and junk food.
• Even with an exercise program, we have to limit ourselves to a routine that our doctor recommends. 
• Too much work or too much play can even be detrimental. 

Balance in most areas of our lives is extremely important. However, there is one area that we never have to worry about limiting…and that’s the area of having too much JOY!  I’m not talking about sticking our head in the sand and being in denial of difficult circumstances. But what I am inferring is that we can never have too much faith.

  “The JOY of the Lord is our strength!”  Nehemiah 8:10 reminds us.  When we cling to that verse, we’ll be able to face each new day, struggles and all, with a fresh determination. 

            So instead of focusing our thoughts on all the bad issues of the day; rather than concentrating on all that’s wrong in the world; instead of sitting, soaking and souring--- let’s CHOOSE to drink our JOY JUICE by recalling the words of  Proverbs 3:5:

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding."

            

            If we’ll live by that truth, we will experience unlimited JOY in the Lord!

           Please don’t limit your intake of JOY JUICE….and be sure to generously share with others along your way!

God's Understanding Brings JOY

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It will help you to understand that there are no limits to God’s love and goodness!

            The older I get, the more things I realize I truly don’t understand.  Technology is one of those areas that “challenge” me.  Thank goodness, I have young friends who are not intimated by all the new avenues of social media. And they are patient with me as they try to teach a grandma some new tricks!  I’m AM picking up a little new information from time to time…but I still don’t understand it all.

            Technology is not the only thing I don’t understand.  My list is yea long….including

• how the human body works
• the vastness of our universe
• how an ugly caterpillar can turn into a beautiful butterfly. 

What I have come to understand through the years is that I don’t have to understand everything, because I have a God who does! 

         Psalm 147:5 says it best: Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limits.

             While we are limited in countless ways, we can depend on our God whose understanding of ALL things is limitless.  Isn’t that a secure feeling?  We don’t have to worry and fret; we don’t have to be anxious about anything because our God is great and mighty.  And HE understands it all.  Oh, what JOY comes from that knowledge and truth!

            Though we are limited in our understanding, remember: God is NOT.  So drink that JOY JUICE confidently, trusting in our Great and Mighty God.

           

Come Home...to JOY!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  There are NO limits to how much you can have!

            There are numerous scriptures that speak of God’s limitless love. It’s truly hard to comprehend just how much He loves us.  But I think it’s also important for us to realize that just because His love is unconditional, that doesn’t give us the freedom to continue living a life of blatant sin.

            As Pastor James May writes: "I can always count on His great love, His mercy and His grace. Even when I am rebellious against Him, trampling his love into the dust, and running with all my might from His perfect will for my life, chasing after the things of the world…His love is still there.

 (However, I realize that) I can lose God’s favor by running from Him. He can lift His hand of blessing from my life. I can suddenly realize, like the Prodigal Son, that I have strayed far from home and I am trapped in the hog pen of sin and shame. But no matter how far I have gone, I am so glad that I can turn back toward home and know that God still loves me; His greatest desire is to see His wayward sheep come home."

            Does that describe you or someone you know?  Share God’s love today with those who have fallen into the “hog pen” of sin and shame.  If it’s you, please know that your Father is waiting with open arms to welcome you back.  Come home….to JOY!

            May I remind you that “home” is where you find the limitless love of God. The door is always open and there’s an abundance of JOY JUICE ready to be served.

Lavished in Love and JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Lavish yourself with as much JOY in the Lord as you can hold.

            I love the scripture in 1 John 3:1 that says:
How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

            Lavished---such an expressive word.  It means: very generous; characterized by extravagance.  So to put our scripture verse in context---God loves us extravagantly; generously! His love is limitless!!!

            Yes, we sometimes make mistakes… poor choices that disappoint Him. He is not always pleased with our actions and reactions.  Our words and thoughts often are less than godly.  But His love is unconditional and He continues to lavish that love on us.

            When I hear or read the word “LAVISH”, joy rises up in my heart---realizing that our Father in heaven is ready and willing to pour out his JOY JUICE richly, abundantly into each of our lives!   How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!

            Continue to remind yourself of that truth throughout the day…and then tomorrow and the next day and the next.  Pretty soon, you’ll be overflowing with the JOY that can be found only by accepting His great love!  Remember there are no strings attached.  Just be loved!

            Allow yourself to be lavished in His love as you drink in the JOY JUICE of Jesus!

NO LIMITS on God's Love and JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  You never have to worry about limited servings of JOY JUICE!

            In so many areas of our lives we have limits. 

• We have speed limits for how fast we can drive. 
• There are limits to the quantities that we can purchase of certain sale items. 
• Our budget limits our spending.
• And I don’t know about you, but my knowledge and intellect are very limited in MANY areas.

            But there is one thing that we can rest assured that there is NO LIMIT to…and that’s the love of God!  Listen to the passage in Ephesians 3:17-19:

…and I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

God’s love is unlimited, immeasurable, indescribable, unconditional!  I don’t think we will ever truly grasp how wide and long and high and deep is our Savior’s love.  He willingly gave His life for you and me.  That’s supreme, sacrificial love.  And we should never take it lightly.

            Let’s lift our hearts in joyful praise as we thank Him for His limitless, inexhaustible love…which, of course, leads to much JOY!

            I think it’s time to sing “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart… because of His unlimited love!

A Cheerful Look Brings JOY.....

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Take a look in the mirror after you’ve had your personal serving and see what kind of expression is on your face!  I’ll bet it’s a great big smile!

            References to JOY are sprinkled throughout the whole Bible, but we’ve focused this week on one chapter in Proverbs, chapter 15.  Our verse for today puts a smile on my face, and I hope it will yours’ as well.  Verse 30 says:

            A cheerful look brings joy to the heart; and good news gives health to the bones. (Proverbs 15:30)

            Susan Vaughn, author of Half Full, Half Empty, says that “there is a powerful link between facial expression and emotion.”  She believes that people who try to act happier actually feel happier.

            While it is important to think and act positively, the Bible tells us that true spiritual joy begins deep inside of us, then spreads to our face! When we’re JOYful on the inside because of our love for Christ, our faces can’t help but show it in the form of a smile. A joyful heart is heart of gratitude!

As the poet, Fitzhugh, wrote:

The smile on the face that reveals true joy
Always comes from deep within;
It springs from a heart that is full of thanks—
That's where our joy must begin.

            A cheerful look brings joy to the heart!  So start smiling NOW!

Drink and share the Joy Juice of Jesus…with a smile!

An "Apt" Reply is a JOYful Reply

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  That’s a great question to ask everyone you see! And when they ask “What’s Joy Juice?” you can tell them all about the JOY of the Lord!

            God made us all with different personalities. 

• The sanguine personality is a sociable person who loves to laugh and has plenty of energy and enthusiasm. 
• The choleric has strong leadership traits, is well-organized and goal-oriented. 
• Then there’s the melancholy who is a sensitive person who is serious and analytical.
• And the phlegmatic is the peaceful, patient, compassionate person.

            No matter which of those describes your personality, we all still grapple at times for the appropriate words, don’t we?…especially in sensitive situations. But if, we will allow the Lord to put His words in our mouths, we will experience genuine joy…especially when the other person recognizes it as a “timely word”.

            Like the verse in Proverbs 15:23 says: A man finds joy in giving an apt reply---and how good is a timely word.

            We must all caution against speaking too quickly. We need to be prayed up, asking God to give us that “apt reply”.  If we rush in with advice before the person is ready, it will not be well received.  God will give us the right words in His perfect timing, if we are listening to His voice.  What a JOYful privilege and responsibility it is to be used as God’s mouthpiece.

            I hope that today’s serving of JOY JUICE has a timely word ...especially for you!

"A Wise Son Brings JOY"

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Make sure to serve some to your children as you’re pouring yourself a serving.  No matter what age we are, we all need the JOY of the Lord.

            Proverbs is overflowing with references to my favorite “J” word.  Just in the 15^th chapter alone there are five verses that talk about joy and cheer and rejoicing.  Let’s look at verse 20 today.

            A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.

A wise son brings joy…..Wise in this verse isn’t talking about “book smarts”.  It’s referring to the wisdom found in the truth of scripture.  Two verses immediately come to my mind.

• One of the Ten Commandments (Exodus 20:12) commands us to: "Honor your father and your mother."
• Then in Ephesians 6:1 we find, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.”

            Just those two verses alone should be enough to explain why a wise son would bring joy to his parents. 

1. He honors and obeys them, doing what they ask with a cheerful spirit.  
2. Even in old age, the parents can count on a wise son or daughter to help care for their needs. 
3. When the family unit is working as it should, there is much joy. 

 But a lot of responsibility rides on the shoulders of the dad and mom in the home.  They should be modeling Godly wisdom before their children.  A home that’s built on the firm foundation of Christ, is a home filled with JOY.

          Let’s pray for wisdom as we sip our JOY JUICE today and ask God for protection of our Christian homes.

A Continual Feast of JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Feast on it daily!

            Most often we think feasting is something that’s reserved for special occasions…like Thanksgiving or a wedding celebration.  But scripture refers to feasting in a different context.

  

Look at the passage in Proverbs 15: 15: "All the days of the oppressed are wretched, but the cheerful heart has a continual feast." 

Ever been "oppressed"?

Being in an oppressed state is not a fun place to be!  I’m sure we can all think of times when we felt oppressed.  One definition of oppression is: “To cause someone to feel distressed, anxious, or uncomfortable.”   Yep, we’ve all been there, done that, haven’t we?  Felt distressed, anxious and uncomfortable.

            GOD will carry us through...

             With the state of our economy and the many challenges our country and communities are facing today, we do often find ourselves in less than desirable circumstances.  BUT our faith in God should be a source of strength and comfort.  Our trust in Him to carry us through the “oppression” and give us hope for better days is enough to put joy in our hearts.  As our verse for today reminds us:  the cheerful heart has a continual feast.

            Let’s pray for our community, our country and all those who are oppressed and sorrowful. But let’s also remember to serve the Lord with gladness of heart and partake of His continual feast of JOY!

             Prepare the banquet table and always be ready to feast on the JOY JUICE of Jesus!

Scriptures Overflow with JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  There’s plenty to be found in the pages of God’s Word. 

            Many of you may be in the habit of reading the Bible every day. That’s a great habit!

• Some like the early mornings for their quiet time. 
• Others find time later in the day.
• Night-owls read God’s Word before they go to bed each night. 

No matter when you find the time, the important thing is that you FIND THE TIME.

JOY RADAR         

         When I read, my spiritual radar is tuned in to the verses that refer to JOY and REJOICING and GLADNESS.  It’s amazing how often those words can be found in scripture.  Sometimes when I least expect it…and maybe need it the most…I’ll read a verse that refers to JOY.

            For example, just this morning I was reading in the 15^th chapter of Proverbs.  In that one chapter alone I spotted five verses that deal with joy and cheer.  Let’s look at the first one today.

            Verse 13 says: A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

 

            A happy heart!  That comes from having a relationship with Jesus. A happy heart is a grateful heart because it holds the JOY of knowing that NO MATTER how much heartache comes our way and tries to crush our spirit, our constant companion, Jesus, is right there with us.

            Drink your JOY JUICE continually so that it’ll seep into your heart and bring cheer and JOY, regardless of your circumstances.

ME FIRST....Give me my JOY!!!!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  ME FIRST…ever heard that?!

            For many years I’ve observed children

• in the classroom,
• at church,
• in my own home and 
• various other places.

One thing is pretty consistent. Most of them like being FIRST!

            Whether it’s to play a game, line up at the water fountain or be served a snack, the tendency for children is to want to be first.  Occasionally you’ll find a kind-hearted kid or one who is so shy that he doesn’t know how to be assertive; but most children,down deep in their hearts, really like being the first one to do something.

Grown-ups like being first, too!

            Are we adults so different?  How many of us get agitated when we have to stand in a long line at the grocery store? Ever been to a social gathering and watched the people line up to fix their plates?  Why do people like to be at the front of the line? We just don’t like to wait!

Me first, God!

When God is answering prayers, we all want to be first on his list…right? We want our requests answered now…not tomorrow, or next week and certainly not next year or longer.  Our impatience many times leads us to poor choices.  We make impulsive decisions based on our lack of trust that God has a divine plan for us…and it’s so much better than you and I can imagine.

So let’s recall often the verse in Matthew 20:16 that says: "So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

 For a JOYful outlook on life, please accept God’s timetable for answering your prayers.  Putting God FIRST is the best path to genuine JOY in the Lord!

"Love Your Brother"...with JOY!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  God loves you!!!  Now, that’s a serving of JOY…don’t you agree?

            Yesterday we talked about the verse in 1 John 4:19 that says, “We love because he first loved us.” Our human capacity for loving (unconditionally) is limited; but God can love through us…if we allow Him to!

            Let’s look at the next verse in that same passage. If anyone says, “I love God,” yet hates his brother, he is a liar.  For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom has not seen. 

OUCH! 

  It’s not always easy to love other people, is it?  What we must remember is that we are all God’s creations; and though we may not love a person’s words or actions or lifestyle, we are to love that person because God commands us to.

            Oh, it’s easy to love some people…those who love us and are good to us.  But where the true test comes is when we are called to love our enemies---those who have hurt us; those with polar opposite views; those who abuse us or take advantage of us in some way.

            As Christians we are to be representatives of Christ.  We can’t control other people, but we can allow God to be in control of our heart, words and actions.  Let’s pray without ceasing for God’s guidance and be 100% sold out by letting Him love through us.

            If you can say, “I love God” and truly mean it, then help yourself to an extra large serving of

                                                     JOY JUICE!