Are You a Joyful Giver?

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  I hope you’ve decided to develop the good habit of drinking that Joy Juice each morning of 2015!

             This week we have talked about ways to live a JOY-filled life.  We’ve made our New Year’s Resolutions, we’ve examined our attitude to make sure we are striving toward having the attitude of Christ, we’ve talked about the benefits of laughter.  

            Here is another suggestion that will bring us much JOY.  It’s the opposite of what we often hear from the world.  If we want to experience real joy, we need to give, give, give! Yes, you heard me.  We should develop a habit of giving.  Jesus did; and He encouraged His followers to do the same. 

            Jesus gave His life selflessly and sacrificially. Are we willing to give to the point of sacrifice… of our time, our comfort, our convenience, our resources?  Giving can be as simple as a smile or a hug or that well-timed word of encouragement but it can also be costly. Are we willing to go the extra mile and give of our time, our resources, our comfort? It’s not always convenient!  2 Corinthians 9:7 says:  ^“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”

            In 2015 let’s determine to be a “cheerful giver”!  Let’s ask God to show us how we can be a blessing to others.  When we are God’s messenger of joy, our own “joy bank” will be overflowing.    

May 2015 be a year for giving. Father, open our eyes and our hearts to needs of those around us and use us as Your instrument of joyful blessings.  

Be Cheerful! Dance Your Joy Jig!

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Is that you I hear giggling as you slurp your Joy Juice this morning?

            Laughter is so good for us! Learning to lighten up and laugh is one of the keys to enjoying life.  Studies have been done to prove that laughter boosts our bodies’ immune system and reduces hormones that trigger stress.   One Stanford University scientist conducted a study that showed that the immune system of those who laugh a lot releases more disease-fighting t-cells than those of “non-laughers”.  T-cells are major weapons in fighting off sickness and disease. 

           

            It makes me want to laugh at the simple fact that science is now “proving” what the Bible has told us for years….”A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.” (Prov. 17:22)  A cheerful attitude really does lead to a healthier life!

            So take this advice from Dr. Joyce….start taking your “JOY” medicine daily…24 hours a day, if need be.  Learn how to laugh.  I once heard a pastor remind his church family that it’s easy to “sit, soak and sour” if we’re not intentional about our spiritual condition.  So, let’s keep a cheerful heart in all circumstances. Rely on God to help you see the humor in even the tough times.  Feel free to go to THE Doctor for your prescription of JOY JUICE as often as is needed.

Find something to laugh about today…every hour of the day!  It will improve your health, physically, mentally and spiritually. You might even find yourself dancing a Joy Jig!  

Drink Your Joy Juice...With a Good Attitude!

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Hope you’re drinking it with a good attitude! 

            We all want 2015 to be a year filled with abundant joy, don’t we?  We know that we will have to face some difficult circumstances. BUT we can still experience joy if we will follow the instruction of  Philippians 2:5: “Your attitude should be the same as Christ Jesus.”

             Would people describe you as having “the attitude of Christ”?  One of love, humility, forgiveness, obedience, service.   Airplane pilots often use "attitude" to describe their horizontal relationship with the runway. If their attitude isn’t aligned properly, the plane will make contact with the ground at the wrong angle and it will cause them to crash. In essence, our attitude is our inward disposition toward other things, such as people or circumstances. As with an airplane, attitude is applied whenever we must deal with something other than ourselves. According to God’s word, when you become a Christian, a part of your new creation is the development of new attitudes — your attitude should become like that of Jesus. ( Dr. Dale A. Robbins)

            Set your attitude barometer to be like Jesus; allow Him to adjust your flight pattern and enjoy the journey of 2015.   Let’s fly through the new year on wings of joy!  

Be A Joy Consultant!

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Are you facing this new year with a cheerful outlook and sharing your Joy Juice with others?

             We all have a fundamental need for joy in our lives. But some of us find it harder to practice than others.  Rick Warren tells of an article in US News & World Report about some corporations who hire “joy consultants” to build up joy in their employees.  When they are “joyful”, they are more productive. “It’s true that you have more energy, more creativity, and more productivity when you have joy in your life.” (Rick Warren)

            One thing that is certainly our enemy when it comes to losing our joy is when we concentrate on the mistakes and regrets of our past.  Did you know there is a verse in the Bible that tells us not to do that? In Philippians 3:13-14  Paul says: “I do not consider myself to have embraced it yet. But this one thing I do: Forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I keep pursuing the goal to win the prize of God's heavenly call in the Messiah Jesus.”

           

            We have a choice every day.  We can be weighted down by our past and regrets  OR we can choose to let God have control and look joyfully ahead, pursuing God’s purpose for our life.  

             God, we know that you have a plan for each of our lives.  Give us the strength  to refuse to live in defeat and discouragement.  Help us to release our past to you and move forward toward a future filled with abundant joy in You.

Put the past behind and move joyfully closer to Jesus!  

Start the New Year with a Joyful Perspective!

             Have you had your Joy Juice today?  I hope you have an abundance of Joy Juice to begin this New Year!

            If I could have one wish for each of you as this new year begins, it would be that 2015 will be filled with JOY and contentment.   Though we don’t have control over most of the circumstances in our life, we do have control over the way we react them.

            We can choose to be grumpy and complain when things don’t go our way; or we can face each challenge with a smile and know that it didn’t catch God by surprise!  We can approach a problem with doom and gloom, focusing on all the negatives…or we can look toward the “light” and trust that God has it all under control.

            In John 16:33 Jesus reminds us: “In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”  In other words, Jesus will not abandon us. If we can remember the truth that the ultimate victory has already been won, we can claim the peace and joy of Christ even in the most troublesome times. 

            So start out this new year with a JOYful perspective.  When you find yourself in a difficult situation, choose to walk through that time with a JOYful outlook, because Jesus is walking right beside you, holding your hand.

Look to Jesus for a joyful perspective and trust Him in times of trouble as well as times of triumph. 

A New Year to Grow in Faith and Joy

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today? A new year has begun and I hope we have all resolved to drink our Joy Juice faithfully, right?

            If we had a choice, I believe that each of us would choose to have nothing but happiness and joy throughout this New Year, 2015.  We’d like no sickness, no problems, no financial difficulties…just pleasure and comfort.  That sounds like a wonderful life, doesn’t it?

            But----would we grow spiritually or simply become stagnant?  I’ve found that the times that I grow the most in my relationship with the Lord is often during the tough times….times of adversity.

            Let’s face it!  This New Year will come with challenges.  We must realize that sometimes God uses adversity to teach us, mold us, transform us into the person He created us to be.

          Charles Stanley says that when the tough times come, we should:

“Thank God for this unique opportunity to grow spiritually.  You are not simply to endure suffering; you are to grow and mature through it. The best way to develop this attitude is to thank Him every day for the spiritual growth in your life.”

            The Bible tells us in 2 Cor. 12:9 that “God’s grace is sufficient”.  So in this new year, let’s thank God every day for our spiritual growth!  If we’ll do this, our JOY will increase, right along with our faith!

Don’t dread what each day might bring.  But be prepared to learn what God wants to teach us about His grace and joy.  

Resolve to be Joyful in 2015

           Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Happy New Year!  Let’s begin  2015 with a great big healthy glass of Joy Juice!

             Have you made any New Year’s Resolutions?  Some of us may be determined to lose weight, start an exercise program, or at least begin eating healthy in 2015.  Others may decide to tackle a project that we’ve been putting off.  Whatever it may be, a new year’s resolution usually is our attempt at improving ourselves and accomplishing more that we did in the past year.

            I’d like to challenge each of us to make some spiritual resolutions for the new year.  Here are a few that we could put on our list:

1. Make God our top priority.
2. Develop a daily quiet time for prayer and Bible study.
3. Before making any decision, ask for God’s guidance.
4. Share your faith with others.

         Our list could go on & on, but I think you get the picture.  Make your own personal list of things you would like to change or improve in your spiritual life.  There will be days in this new year that are real challenges. And on those days, we might feel ourselves sliding backwards.  When this happens, let’s pull out our list and ask God to give us the wisdom, strength and the JOY to never give up!

May God fill us with His wisdom and joy as we seek to become more like Him in this new year!  Make sure ‘spreading the joy of the Lord’ is near the top of your New Year’s Resolution list!