Wisdom and Joy

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  It’s a wise thing to do…to saturate yourself with Biblical joy.

            The older I get, the more I desire wisdom.  Knowledge is good; but wisdom is the true gift. God invented wisdom and He is waiting for us to ask for it!  Do you believe that? Read James 1:5: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”

            How encouraging is THAT?  We can rely on God’s promises!  He is as good as His word.  He WILL give us wisdom…if we ask.  The challenge is: when we ask, will we slow down long enough to listen? Will we heed His voice and be obedient?

            In his book The Power of a Whisper, Bill Hybels explains:

“Sometimes wisdom from on high shows up fast and clear, and sometimes the path of wisdom is more subtle. But regardless of whether or not you’ve sensed a clear whisper from God for any given situation you’re facing, you can still choose wisdom’s course.  Although God may not be whispering his specific wisdom to your particular situation, he has already provided you with default wisdom, through the clear, practical principles of wisdom that permeate Scripture.  Make the best decisions you can make, based on biblical principles….”

            Let’s ask God for wisdom surrounded by great big portions of joy!

Replace Anger with JOY!

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  When we are angry, it seems more difficult to swallow our serving of Joy Juice!

            Even those with a calm demeanor and laid-back personality will admit that, at times, they experience anger.  It’s something each of us has to deal with.  That’s why God addressed “anger” often in His Word.

            Look at the wisdom found in Proverbs 29: 11 & 20:

“A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.”
“Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” 

OUCH!  Have you ever spoken harsh, angry words without thinking first?  I think all of us would have to answer “YES” to that question.  When we lose control and end up hurting others….this is wrong! A wise person allows the Holy Spirit to be in control in these potentially hurtful situations.

            Not all anger is sinful and wrong. There are reasons for righteous anger. BUT we are given instruction in the Bible for how to handle our anger.  Ephesians 4: 26-27 tells us:

²⁶ “In your anger do not sin. Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, ²⁷ and do not give the devil a foothold.”

      ³¹ Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. ³² Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ, God forgave you."

            Get rid of anger by replacing it with genuine joy in the Lord.

Humbly Serve His Joy to Others

      Have you had your Joy Juice today? Stay humble and joyful as you avoid the sin of pride.

            Today let’s focus on the five-letter word: P R I D E!  In the good sense of the word, we do want to have a sense of pride as we strive to give God our best efforts.  But we don’t want that pride to turn into something ugly.  Often when we succeed, we forget that it’s God’s favor that helps us.  We want the credit for being successful.

            Thankfully, God provides his followers with concrete wisdom on how to navigate our tendencies toward this ugly personality trait. (Bill Hybels in The Power of a Whisper). Let’s look at three verses that should guide us wisely:

1.      James 4:6 “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”

2.      James 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.”

3.      Romans 12:16  “Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. Do not think you are superior.”

       A word of caution: It’s often easier to see pride in others than it is to recognize it in ourselves.  Perhaps that’s a good reason to have an accountability partner who loves you and will point out the pitfalls of pride as they come near. Someone who speaks the truth in love is a valuable friend. If you don’t already have a prayer partner who serves as your accountability partner, ask God to reveal just the person He has in mind.

      Be humble; and allow God to lift you up as you serve His joy to others.   

In ALL Things God Works for Our Good (& Joy)

          Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Even in the painful trials….maybe especially in the painful times, we need to be consistently seeking joy in the Lord.

            Bill Hybels writes that there are three categories of people in our world: BP, IP and AP. Before Pain; In Pain; and After Pain.  Each of us falls into one of those categories. .

            If you are in the “Before Pain” category, you’ve been spared of tragedies and heartaches.  You know that Romans 8:28 is a great verse and you’re sure it’s true….that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose…You believe the words, but you have not experienced that truth, personally.

                When we are “IP”, IN PAIN , we cling to the truth in Romans 8:28 as a lifeline. Hybels says, “Our God can redeem even the darkest of days for his purposes.  Without this promise, your trials and mine could feel overwhelming, and our pain could feel unbearable.”

                But hold on…there is the third category…AFTER PAIN.  When we’ve survived the painful trial and are beginning to heal & move forward, Romans 8:28 becomes a treasure.  I like to call it a “Joy Jewel”.  There is a special kind of peaceful joy that comes after the pain, because we’ve seen firsthand the truth of His words. We know that we know that He has worked “good” from the pain.  His promise is true.  

              Whether you are BP, IP or AP….you can “JP” and Joyfully Pray for the “good plan” God has for you.

Child-like Faith and Joy

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  You are never too old or too young to drink in the refreshing joy of the Lord.

            Several times in the Bible the faith of a child is mentioned.  Two such passages:

•  Luke 18:17: “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it.”

• Matthew 18:1-3 “At that time the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Who, then, is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven?” He called a little child to him, and placed the child among them. And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Obviously, there is something valuable to be learned from children. Their faith is pure and innocent.  Children are trusting…until they are taught otherwise.  Their hearts are open to receive and give love. Children don’t need “proof” to believe what they are told.  As adults, we are much more guarded due to our life experiences.  

      In a wonderful article by Natasha Crain, she points out ten things we need to remember about FAITH:

1. Faith is what saves.
2. Faith can grow.
3. Faith can fail…if we focus on our circumstances rather than Christ.
4. Faith is a gift.
5. Faith can move mountains.

6. Faith means to trust.
7. Faith is protective.
8. Faith results in action.

9. (Great) Faith is believing before you experience.  

10. Faith is a decision everyone makes.

   

 Whether child or adult, we all need faith in God…which leads to JOY in the LORD!