Joyfully Listen and Cheerfully Obey!

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  God will never force you to drink it, but it’s always there for you in huge servings!

            God communicates with us, His children, in many forms.  Our spiritual ears must be tuned and ready to hear.  And our minds and hearts should be ready to obey.  God can use many different ways to talk with us.  Sometimes it’s dramatic ways; but often it’s when we open the pages of God’s Word to read, study and meditate.  In our prayer time, as we open our hearts before the Lord, we should be careful to listen in addition to talking to Him.

 The more we listen for God to speak, the more quickly we will learn to recognize His voice.  When we hear His familiar voice speaking directly to our heart and mind, we will desire to be obedient because our love for Him.  God’s goal is for us to be so closely connected to Him that we will pay attention whenever and wherever He speaks.  Be listening for that “still small voice”.  “God whispers” add a special touch of joy to each person who hears them.    

            Open you Bible expectantly; pray, believing that He hears you.  Tune your heart and your spiritual ears to hear what He has to say.  Then be committed to following His plan for your life.

            As Romans 10:17 says:

  

“So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.”  May we joyfully hear what God has to say and cheerfully obey.

God's Schedule is Always Joyfully Right On Time!

             Have you had your Joy Juice today?  When you decide to listen to God’s voice and apply His truth to your life, then you can get ready for a double serving of joy!

            Most of us would say that we know it’s important to listen to God.  But do we truly know how to listen?  Do we always recognize His voice?  When we do hear Him, are we determined to obey His leading….even when it’s in a direction very different than what we had planned for ourselves?

            While it is imperative that a growing Christian listen to God, the most important goal is to become a spiritually mature person who rests in a close relationship with Him.  A mature Christian recognizes God’s touch on every area of his/her life and though they know His love is constant and personal, they remain humble…not prideful.  God loves all of His children; He does not play favorites. Unless we consider that EACH of us is His favorite!

            One thing we can be sure of is that God is always listening; but it’s in His timing and in His way that He answers. Our aim should be to focus on developing a respectful relationship with God and be content to wait for His timing to deliver His messages to us.

            God is always right on time! Saturate your heart with His joy and be content to accept His schedule.  

"In All Thy Ways"....Be Joyful!

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  God has created a special serving of joy for you because He calls you “friend”. 

                       

            Did you know that God made you for a close friendship with Himself?  He wants to be in fellowship with you… and that requires a personal relationship. Friends talk with each other often.  And listen to one another. If we will trust God, He will direct each one of our steps.  The challenge is letting go and allowing Him to be in control. As Proverbs 3:6 tells us:

“In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”

            Often we say we want to hear from God and we do ask for His guidance….especially when we are in trouble or have a major decision to make. But let’s examine our motives for wanting to hear God speak to us.

·         Do we seek His voice only occasionally as a last resort? Or do we pray about all kinds of decisions daily?

·         Do we truly, honestly, genuinely want to be directed by God? Or would we rather give him our wish list and let Him fill it? 

·         Are we willing to accept whatever answer He gives? Or do we find ourselves pouting and complaining when He says “no” or “not now”? 

Let’s examine our motives; we may need to ask for forgiveness if those motives are selfish and anything other than trusting God to give us what He knows is best.

            Ask God to give you an openness to hear and the willingness to respond faithfully to the path of joy He has planned for you.