Unlimited Grace and JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Drink as much as you’d like!  There is no limit to how much you can have!

            God’s love and grace are unlimited! It’s hard to absorb that truth! God looks at us through eyes of grace…..He doesn’t judge us on our performance.  We could never meet His Holy standard, so what a loving blessing He offers us with His grace.

            Sarah Young in her book Jesus Lives imagines what God would say to us on this subject. Listen as if God were speaking directly to you:

            “Here is what I see as I view you through eyes of grace: You look regal, for I have clothed you in My royal righteousness.  You are radiant, especially when you are gazing at Me.  You look lovely as you reflect My Glory back to Me.  In fact, you delight Me so much that I rejoice over you with shouts of JOY!  Because I am infinite, I can see you simultaneously as you are now and as you will be in heaven.  The present view helps Me work with you on things you need to change. The heavenly vision enables Me to love you with perfect, everlasting love.”

            Much of this comes straight from scripture.  He covers us in His grace because of his unfailing love for each of us.  Doesn’t it encourage you to know that He doesn’t give up on you, but loves you with an everlasting love?!

           Be reminded that God loves YOU! It’s evident by his amazing grace that He JOYfully pours out into your life each day!

God's Riches At Christ's Expense = JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It tastes even sweeter when you serve it with GRACE!

            James 4:6 tells us: “But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says:
   ‘God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.’”

Grace is God's unmerited favor. It is kindness from God we don't deserve. There is nothing we have done, nor can ever do, to earn his favor. It is a gift from God.

I have heard grace explained by using this acronym: 
God's
Riches
At
Christ's
Expense

            In other words, Christ paid with his very life, so that we might become heirs of the Kingdom…..children of the King.  And as His children, we inherit the King’s riches!  Like ETERNAL LIFE with Him!  Doesn’t that make you want to sing with JOY?

Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that will pardon and cleanse within;
Grace, grace, God's grace,
Grace that is greater than all our sin.

            The words of the beautiful old hymn says it well.  Won’t you accept His forgiveness and grace today?  HE’s the only way to experience a JOYful eternity.

            Sing of God’s grace because of the JOY He has brought to your heart!

GRACE, PEACE, JOY!

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  And are you drinking it gracefully!?

            As I was reading my Bible, I found a verse that made me think of YOU!

  2 Peter 1:2 says “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!” Why did I think of you?  Because that’s my prayer for my listeners and readers: that you would experience grace and peace AND JOY….in abundance!  Listen to the verse as I read it again: “Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord!   “

            Many people want an abundance of God’s grace and peace, but they are unwilling to put forth the effort to get to know Him better through Bible study and prayer.  To enjoy the privileges God offers us freely, we must seek the knowledge of Him, as Peter states in that verse.  It’s not hard…just a few minutes a day reading His Word and spending time communicating with Him in prayer. You can’t get to know someone if you never spend time with them!

            Now, what does abundant GRACE and PEACE have to do with JOY?????  Everything!!!!!  They are like fingers on the same hand…..the loving hand of God! So pull out your Bible right now and feel His tender hand caressing the hurt spots of your heart.  Accept His grace so that His peace can take control of your life….which will lead to that JOY of the Lord that we’re always talking about!

            Let's pray for each other...that abundant grace and peace will be ours ….and, of course, the sweet JOY that accompanies them!

Grace and JOY to You!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today? When you’re full of JOY, you’ll be more aware of God’s grace.

            Grace….we hear the word used often.  Sometimes its used as a girl’s name; at meal- time, we say “grace” by asking God’s blessing on our food.  When someone moves with poise and confidence, we say they are “graceful”. But what do we really mean when we talk about GOD’S GRACE?

            It must be really important because “grace” is mentioned at least 170 times in the Bible. Simply put: Grace is God's unmerited favor…God doing good for us that we truly do not deserve.  God's grace offers us eternal life and a promise of heaven--- and it’s all because of the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ.

            Lysa Terkeurst writes: “Grace doesn’t give me a free pass to act out how I feel, with no regard to His commands.  Rather His grace gives me consolation in the moment, with a challenge to learn from this situation and become more mature in the future.  Grace is the sugar that helps the bitter pills of confession and repentance to go down without choking.”  

            That’s why the writer of Hebrews says in the 4^th chapter, verse 16, “Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.”

            God’s GRACE and JOY go hand-in-hand!  Share both with others today!

JOYfully Recall God's Faithfulness

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  If we will remember God’s faithfulness through the years, we will be overflowing with JOY in Him!

            Why is it that we often forget what God has done for us in the past?  Especially when we are facing a new “trial”….  Maybe we get caught up in the present circumstances and are focused on how we can solve the problem ourselves.  Instead, let’s choose to remember the faithfulness of God!  

            Psalm 77 is a beautiful psalm in which the writer so eloquently expresses that we can find God’s comfort through the difficulties of life by remembering how He has helped us faithfully in the past.  When we get discouraged and feel like giving up, we should recall the miracles and previous unexpected blessings that God has poured out on us….and this will give us the courage to continue.

            In verses 13 & 14 of Psalm 77 we read:  “Your  ways, O God, are holy.  What god is so great as our God?  You are the God who performs miracles; you display your power among the peoples.”

            God’s power is what we should depend on…..not our own! He is capable of handling whatever comes our way…and He is trustworthy.  Thank Him in the midst of the trial for His power, His protection and His love.  You might just find that your heart does an about-face and goes from being filled with anxiety to a heart of peaceful JOY!

           Let’s choose to recall God’s faithfulness; and get ready for a great big serving of JOY JUICE!

           

"Create in Me a Pure (Joyful) Heart"

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It’s created with pure ingredients and is sure to help you have a JOYful heart!

            Many of us may recall the prayer effort of intercession for our country led by  Dr. Charles Stanley a while back.  He challenged us to pray for 20 weeks…that’s 140 days…..about a variety of issues related to our country. This is a habit that all Christians should continue…praying for our nation every day.

            Dr. Stanley suggested that we begin our prayer commitment by reading Psalm 51 in personal preparation.  This psalm was written by David and is a plea for mercy, forgiveness and cleansing.  David realized that his heart needed to be right with God and the words of this psalm indicate a broken, repentant heart, acknowledging the sin in his life. 

            Listen to David’s words in verses 10 – 12: “Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.  Do not cast me from your presence or take your Holy Spirit from me.  Restore to me the JOY of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.”

            Like David, we should be on our knees before God asking for a pure heart.  Twice in this short psalm David asked for JOY because he had lost it due to his indulgent sin.  That’s so indicative of what’s happening in our country today.

           Let’s join together asking God to give us pure, repentant hearts and a personal, JOYful renewal!

May the JOY of the Lord Be Our Strength

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Sometimes we have to humble ourselves before we can enjoy the delicious taste!

            2 Chronicles 7:13 – 14 says: “If my people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

            Do you think our “land” needs healing?  We don’t have to look far to see that people throughout our country are suffering in countless ways.  From natural disasters to those of our own making, people all across America are hurting.. 

            Let’s go back to that verse again in 2 Chronicles……..IF my people (IF is a big word) IF my people will do what?   IF we will:

1. Humble ourselves
2. Pray
3. Seek God’s face
4. Turn from our wicked ways

THEN…THEN He will hear us, forgive our sin and will HEAL our land!  God is willing to do His part, but we must do our part….not out of obligation, but out of love for him, love for others, love for our country. 

             Let’s humble ourselves before God in prayer, seeking His face, asking for forgiveness and wait expectantly for Him to heal our land!  May the JOY of the Lord be our strength!!!!!