Celebrating My Mom....JOYfully!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  I’m celebrating by drinking mine today in honor of my mom, because today is her birthday!

            Many of us are blessed with wonderful mothers. I would love to be able to tell you all the things my mom has taught me, but I could never list it all!  So I’ll just try to honor her today by telling you a few of the ways her life has demonstrated JOY:

1. My mother grew up during the Great Depression.  She and her family didn’t have much materially, but she says they had all they needed…..love and faith.
2. She makes us smile when she talks about first meeting my daddy! To this day she still has a sparkle in her eyes and sweet joy overflows from her heart when she speaks about him.
3. Mom and Dad were married for 56 years! What a blessing!  My mother loved being a wife and mother, so our home was filled with lots of joy.
4. As they raised a son and two daughters, we all knew that there were limits!  And if we passed over those limits, we WOULD be punished!  But, we saw that as love.
5. Most of all, I honor Mom today because of the shining, radiant Godly example she is!  She’s been through her times of trials and difficulties, but she is always quick to tell you that “the JOY of the Lord is her strength!”

  Celebrate the important people in your life by honoring them and telling them how much they are loved.  It will bring JOY to them…and, also, to you!  

Drink in the JOY Before Time Runs Out!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Time passes so quickly!  Drink in the JOY of the Lord and take advantage of each day to the fullest!

             When I was a young chick, I’d hear people talking about how quickly time flies but I truly didn’t understand what they were talking about.  However, as a "GiGi", I can attest to how rapidly the years go by!

            James 4:14 speaks of the brevity of life. The passage reads, “Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.”

How true!  Even those who reach the age of 80 – 90 or even 100 will tell you that their life was like a vapor!   So…..what can we do to make each day count?  These suggestions come to my mind:

• Spend more time with Jesus so that you’ll be in tune with His plan for your life here on earth.
• Share your faith with others by living it out in a contagious manner, every hour of every day.
• Love your neighbor as yourself and treat them the way you want to be treated.
• Find the humor in things instead of sulking and becoming bitter.
• Commit to seeing the good in people and look for the joy in each new day.

Be reminded of how precious each day is.  Focus on the JOY of the Lord and you’ll find yourself enjoying your time so much more!

Firstfruits & JOY!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Drink it first so that you’ll be prepared for what’s in store for you today!

            We never know what our day will bring!  It could be a day filled with challenges; it may be just a normal, hum-drum day; or it may be a day filled with unexpected JOY! 

            What’s the first thing you think about when you wake up?  Do your thoughts immediately turn to negative things or do you first of all thank God for another day to serve Him?  He wants our “firstfruits”!  The scripture in Proverbs 3: 9-10 says: 

Honor the LORD with your wealth,
   with the firstfruits of all your crops;
 then your barns will be filled to overflowing,
   and your vats will brim over with new wine.

            Honoring the Lord with our “wealth” means much more than just our money and our material possessions!  It’s honoring Him with ALL that He’s blessed us with…our ability to think, our talents, our skills, our hearts’ desires.  The “first” of everything should be given back to Him.

  At the beginning of each new day, we should take the first few minutes to honor and praise Him! When we get into the habit of doing that, our spiritual barns will be filled with JOY in the Lord and we will find ourselves “overflowing” into other’s lives with His love.  I like to think of the “new wine” that’s mentioned in that passage as the JOY JUICE of JESUS! 

            Honor the Lord with your “firstfruits” and you’ll find yourself drinking some mighty delicious JOY JUICE!

Orange Juice or JOY JUICE???

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Some people like orange juice as a healthy part of their breakfast; some like grape, others prefer apple or a combination of flavors.  But no matter what your favorite may be, don’t forget that you need your Joy Juice for spiritual health!

            Some of the best tasting juice is squeezed fresh from the fruit and served immediately! May I suggest that when we allow God to lead us through the Garden of His Word and speak to our hearts, we can squeeze delicious Joy Juice from the scriptures that will be just what we need to get us through the day!  Sure, we can drink in some good stuff that someone else has squeezed….like listening to good teaching and preaching, but there’s something extra special about our own personalized serving that God has prepared for each of us individually!

            In Paul’s letter to the Christians in Colosse, he encouraged the church to grow and bear fruit.  He said in verses 10 -12:

            “And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father…”

             Let’s ask God to serve us daily a personal serving of JOY JUICE.  It’s sure to strengthen us and help us to grow in our JOYful walk with Him.

           

In the Fruit Garden, Find JOY!

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  If you can’t find any, just go to the Fruit Garden where there’s always a fresh batch!

            In the Old Testament the grapevine and the abundant harvest of grapes from a single vine symbolized Israel’s fruitfulness in doing God’s work on the earth.  At the Passover meal, the fruit of the vine symbolized God’s goodness to his people.  Now, listen to the words of Jesus in John 15. 

“I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener.  He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, so that it will be even more fruitful…

    “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

How can we bear spiritual fruit?  By remaining in Christ and allowing Him to dwell in us.  These verses tell us that our Father cuts off the branches that bear no fruit…and that even those that do bear fruit, he prunes so that they will be even more fruitful.  Cutting or pruning symbolizes pain.  Being a follower of Christ requires separating ourselves from some of the influences of our past…allowing Christ to take the place of old desires and pleasures. 

This isn’t a sad thing because the joy we experience from a genuine relationship with Jesus far outweighs anything that the enemy can offer!

            Remain in Jesus and allow Him to dwell in you.  You’ll be amazed at how much fruit will blossom and develop because of The Master Gardener’s tender love and care!

Eat the JOYful Fruit of Your Labor

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Which flavor is your favorite?  In case you can’t guess, mine’s the fruit of JOY!

            We talk often about the fruit of the Spirit as explained in Galatians 5.  In Psalm 128 we find fruit mentioned again.  The Psalmist wrote: “Blessed are all who fear the LORD,   who walk in obedience to him.  You will eat the fruit of your labor;  blessings and prosperity will be yours.”

            We will "eat the fruit of our labor"! I think what the writer was saying …under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit…is that if we live a life of obedience to the God, following His commands and loving Him with all our heart, then we will be blessed!  That’s a reason for joy!

            Obedience should come from a heart of love.  The Bible outlines values and principles such as loving God and man, serving others, honesty, integrity, prayerful communication with Him.  All of these are important characteristics and should be a part of our spiritual growth process.  He promises that when we do walk in obedience to Him, we will be rewarded with the fruit of blessings from Him.

            Now, we won’t all be rich in material wealth.  We will have our individual needs. There will be days of sickness and heartache. But the promise is that we will receive blessings through those times…strength from Him, needs met just at the right time, people brought into our lives that can support and encourage us.  That’s what the fruit of JOY is all about!

            Let’s pray for one another to walk in joyful obedience to our wonderful Heavenly Father…so that we might eat the fruit of our labor!

SUPER-natural JOY!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It’s the healthiest drink I know!  No sugar, no calories, no artificial flavoring! It's 100% SUPER-natural!

            So often at the beginning of each new year, we make resolutions. Many of us want to change our habits and try to make healthier choices.  One of the foods that we need to include in a healthy diet is fruit.  But today let’s talk about making fruit an important part of our spiritual diet, as well.

            Time and time again fruit is mentioned in the Bible.  The passage that immediately comes to our minds is Galatians 5:22-23.  Though these verses are very familiar, we should never let them lose their importance in our lives. Listen with fresh ears as I read:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Against such things they is no law.”

            The fruit of the Spirit…that's the spontaneous work of the Holy Spirit in our lives.  If we allow Him to and are committed in our walk with God, these character traits will become byproducts in our lives.   If we want the fruit of the Spirit to grow in us, we must join our lives to God…come to know him, love him, remember him and imitate him.   (Bible footnote)

           Do you desire to have this kind of fruit?  It’s the only way to experience the genuine JOY that comes from knowing Christ.  Ask for your generous serving today!

           

Radical JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Your friends are looking at your example.  Demonstrate how life-changing it can be to faithfully drink in the JOY of the Lord!

            Life-changing…that’s what faith in Jesus is! When we accept Jesus as our Savior and Lord, we can stop dwelling on all that’s wrong and simply trust God!  We can choose JOY!  Angela Thomas calls this “radical joy”.

She writes: “Choosing joy is a radical decision to honor God by experiencing the depths of God’s promises to us.  It’s desiring Him above all else, rejoicing in His character, and living joyfully, according to His Word.  Radical joy is sin-destroying, world-changing, wound-healing, other-centered, and mission-minded.”

Now, if all of that is true…why would anyone NOT choose joy???  Could it be…

• Because some days are a struggle and we don’t FEEL joyful.  OR
• Unexpected heartaches come and we are consumed with despair.  OR MAYBE
• Someone spouts off hurtful words which pierce our heart to the core.

Life is a challenge but 1 Thessalonians 5:16 commands us to “Be joyful always.”  Always means always, not sometimes or often or when we feel like it.  HOW can we “be joyful always”.  By obeying the commandment found in Romans 12:2:

“Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.”

            May it be our sincere desire to be transformed into a sold-out Christian, willing to be used by God as a JOYful influence.

Be Radiant with JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Come on and be a good influence by radiating the JOY of the Lord faithfully!

            Psalm 34:5 makes me overflow with joy.  Listen to these words:

Those who look to him for help will be radiant with joy; no shadow of shame will darken their faces.

            When we look to him for help, God promises that we will be “radiant with joy”.   Our hearts will be resting in the truth that He is in control and we don’t have to worry or fret.  That peace that passes all understanding will cover us and we will experience joy in the Lord which causes us to be strengthened and able to RADIATE with love for Him and others. 

God wants us to “look to Him” for everything.  It brings Him joy when we go to him in prayer. We can pray about

·        Which pair of shoes to buy

·        How to be wise in managing our time and finances

·        We pray about the health of loved ones, marriage partners for our children and grandchildren, lost souls

·        We should pray about everything!

         The rest of today’s verse says: “no shadow of shame will darken our faces”! When we allow Him to direct our steps, our choices, our words and deeds, there will be no reason for shame. What an awesome, positive influence on others!!  It’s a JOYful equation: Others look to us---We look to the God---Others learn to look to God because of our influence. 

            Radiate Christ and you will be sharing the JOY of the Lord! Isn’t that the kind of influence you’d like to be?

Pull Out the "JOYscope"!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  You never know who you may be influencing as you drink in that JOY in the Lord!

            Eyes are watching and ears are listening!   Whether you’re a parent or a grandparent, a brother or sister, a teacher or friend, someone is always watching.  Your decisions, your example, your choices are important to them.  They will follow in your footsteps in many areas of their lives.  That can be rewarding OR it can be scary! 

            We may need to take a close look at ourselves under the “JOYscope”.  Do you profess to be a joyful Christian? Does your life exemplify the JOY of the Lord in every circumstance? When you’re having financial problems, do you still give to the Lord…cheerfully?   Do you find joy in relationship with Jesus…even in times of difficulty and sadness?

            I know it’s impossible to always be happy!  God doesn’t expect us to never grieve or never be down-cast.  But we can count on JOY in Him because He is willing to shelter us through the storms of life. Like a father, He delights in cradling us in His arms of love and protection.  Where does that joy come from in the hard times?  From the security of our relationship with Him.

            Psalm 91:1 reminds us of why we can be secure:

 “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty.”

           Let’s be reminded that when we are resting in the shadow of the Almighty, we are being a JOYful influence on others.

Influence with the JOY of the LORD

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It sure will help as you try to influence others throughout the day!

            Dale Carnegie was an American writer, lecturer and the developer of famous courses in self-improvement.  He did training in public speaking and interpersonal skills…out of which was born the book How to Win Friends and Influence People . Though this book was written in 1936, more than 75 years ago, the massive bestseller still remains popular today.  Much of what Mr. Carnegie wrote and spoke about was “influence”.

            God made each of us with a distinct personality.  Some of us are out-going and don’t meet a stranger…we can talk to just about anyone.  Others are shy and reserved and find it a challenge to carry on a conversation even with familiar people.  But we all have one thing in common….EACH of us has influence.  Dale Carnegie suggested that there are several ways to win friends and have a positive influence in their lives, such as being genuinely interested in them and greeting them with a smile, calling them by name and encouraging them.

            Aren’t we thankful that we don’t have to “do” anything to influence GOD to love us and be our friend?! And the best advice regarding influencing people is to first love them with God’s love. 1 John 4:8 says: “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

 Let’s strive to share God’s love and JOY with others every chance we get!  Influence them with the JOY of the LORD!

Be a JOYful Influence

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  If you want to positively influence others, you should drink it faithfully!

            We hear the word influence used often…referring to how peers influence their friends, the influence of movies and television programs, the influence of music…positive and negative.  Most of us desire to be a good influence on those around us, but often we forget that people are watching and many times our “walk” and our “talk” don’t match.

            What does the Bible teach us about influence?  Well, Jesus himself has a word for us in John 8:31-32:

"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 

We can’t “abide” in His word if we don’t read and study it faithfully. But if we do, what an influence we could be…because of the influence of God’s Word in our lives!  What we believe and apply will show to others.  The truth of God’s Word will set us free from the bondage of the past, bad habits, guilt, anger, resentment….and so much more.  When we are rid of those bad influences in our life, we’ll be filled with His abundant joy!

            Be a Godly influence by abiding in His Word so that you will know the JOYful truth and will be ready to pour it out into the lives of others.

Make Up Your Mind to Choose JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Make up your mind to choose the JOY of the Lord before your day even begins!

            How do we make wise choices?   We can learn a lot by looking at the life of Job.   The day came when Satan was allowed to test Job to the core.  You remember the story…he lost EVERYTHING….His children, his servants, his herds, his properties, his health---everything that he cherished was taken from him.

            What was Job’s reaction?  Did he shake his fist in God’s face?  Did he question why God would allow these tragedies to come into his life?  Job 1:20-22 tells us exactly what he did…

“Then Job arose and tore his robe and shaved his head, and he fell to the ground and worshiped.  And he said: ‘Naked I came from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there.  The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; Blessed be the name of the LORD.’

            In all this Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong."

"In the face of utter calamity and loss, Job’s heart was prepared to worship God NO MATTER WHAT.  He had made up his mind ahead of time to remain faithful. Back when he had his good health, when he was raising his children and watching his blessings increase, back before the testing came—he made up his mind how he would respond to God." (Jentezen Franklin quote from The Fasting Edge)

            Let’s make up our minds to allow God complete control and to praise Him in all circumstances.  We may not always be happy but we can always depend on JOY in the Lord.

Commit to Drinking Your JOY JUICE!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  You have a choice to make…Will you be committed to drinking the JOY JUICE of Jesus or will you refuse?

            In the 24^th chapter of Joshua, the people were challenged to make a choice.  Would they choose to obey the Lord who had proven his faithfulness OR would they choose to worship the man-made idols? In verse 15 Joshua boldly speaks to the Iraelites:

“…if serving the LORD seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living.  But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD.”

            Joshua had made up his mind!  With no uncertainty, he and his household had chosen to serve the LORD.  No matter what anyone else did!  What can we learn from Joshua’s example?  The time will come when we have to choose who or what will control us.  Will we choose God?  Or will we depend on our own limited abilities?  Sometimes we may choose another imperfect substitute. The obvious choice should be to allow God total control of our lives…and we have to daily reaffirm that choice.

            Like Joshua, when we take a bold stand for God, we display spiritual leadership.  Our decision positively affects our family members, our friends, our working colleagues and those over whom we have influence.

            Will you to join me as we daily CHOOSE the JOY of the Lord as our strength!?

Make the Right Choice...REJOICE!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Don’t be fooled into thinking that it’s not good.  It’s truly the best choice!

            Every day is filled with choices….some major, some minor.  It’s been that way since Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They had to make choices, didn’t they?  And they did great for a while…until they listened to that crafty ole serpent!  In the 3^rd chapter of Genesis we read the account of how Satan disguised himself as a serpent and tempted Eve by getting her to doubt God’s goodness.  He implied that God was strict, stingy and selfish for not wanting Eve to share his knowledge of good and evil.  Satan made Eve forget all that God had given her and, instead, focus on the one thing she couldn’t have. (Life Appl. Bible footnote)

      Satan still uses that same tactic today!  He wants us to dwell on the things we don’t have instead of the countless blessings God has given us!  Why does Satan tempt us?  To distract us from following God. Ever since he tempted Eve into sin, he’s been busy working on other people.  He even tempted Jesus in Matthew 4:11.  BUT Jesus made the right choice!

            How can we make the right choices and not give into temptation?

We can:

·        Pray for strength to resist

·        Run from temptation…sometimes literally

·        Say NO when confronted with what we know is wrong.

In other words: Make the right choice and you’ll be able to rejoice!

            Let’s be committed throughout this new year to making wise, Godly choices which will lead to JOY!

Start Your Day by Choosing JOY!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It’s a good choice to start your day!

            Don’t you wish that every choice you made was a good one?  But….we’re human and we ALL make mistakes!  Some of our choices seem easy and good at the time, but later we realize that we rushed into the decision without praying about it. It was only later that we came to understand that it was the wrong choice.

            Many times we intellectualize and analyze to make choices. We think because of our skills and talents we know what is best.  When we exclude God from our decision making, we often find ourselves in very uncomfortable situations! .

            As Christians, we can avoid a lot of unnecessary strife by FIRST seeking God’s wisdom and guidance.  He will NOT lead us astray.  The key is that we must be listening to Him. 

            In Romans 12:9, Paul instructs believers to, “Abhor what is evil.  Cling to what is good.”  That one verse covers a lot of territory, doesn’t it?  We are to hate what is evil…from Satan.  And to cling to what is good and of God.  Sometimes that’s not always easy to distinguish, because Satan is really good at counterfeiting! That’s why  constant communication with God is always the best choice!

            Let's all remember that the JOY JUICE of Jesus leads to good decisions!  Drink it faithfully every day!

Choose JOY...It's the Wise Choice!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It’s your choice whether to drink it or not…

            Life is filled with choices.  Some are minor, simple choices such as what to wear, what to eat for lunch, whether to attend a certain social function.  Others are major decisions about what career path to pursue, who to marry or whether to purchase a new home.  When our choices are life-changing, we tend to give them a lot more thought and hopefully, much prayer.

            How do we make wise choices?  The Word of God guides us and gives us  principles to live by.  If we are diligent in seeking His will for our lives, He will lead us in our decision making process.

            Hebrews 11:6 explains: “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.”

So, if we live by the instruction of that scripture, we will have faith in God, knowing that He will lead us every step of our path.  When we put our trust in Him, it pleases Him and He will reward us for diligently seeking His plan.  No decision is too small or too big to bring before Him.  He never tires of hearing our prayers and He delights in pouring out His blessings into our lives.  That’s the reward of a strong faith in Him.

            Let’s make a choice to strive to please God by earnestly seeking Him.  That’s the way to a new year filled with JOY.

           

A Year of Laughter and JOY

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?   May this new year be filled with laughter and joy as you drink in the JOY of the Lord.

            Once again we find ourselves in the book of Psalms today!  That’s a great place to begin the new year, don’t you think?  Reading about God’s goodness and all the many reasons for being thankful to Him.  I have many “favorite” verses but one that is becoming so special to me is found in Psalm 126:2-3.

“Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, ‘The LORD has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy.’”

Each of us hopes for a new year overflowing with happiness, laughter and joy.  Yet we know that not every day will be a perfect day.  Some will be filled with challenges and expected trials.  It’s at those times that we need to stay focused on God and what He wants to do for us and in us.  When we rely on His strength rather than our weakness; His wisdom instead of our knowledge; His plan rather than our limited resources…then we can still have a song of joy in our hearts.

            In that same chapter of Psalms, verses 5 & 6 remind us:

“Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy.  He who goes out weeping, carry seed to sow, will return with songs of joy…..”

            May 2012 be filled with laughter, healing and much joy because of what the LORD has done for you!

Never Fear!!! The JOY of JESUS is Here!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  There’s no need to fear the new year when you have your daily serving of JOY JUICE.

            FEAR…when you hear that word, what kind of mental picture comes to your mind?  Do you fear losing someone you love?  What about fear over a health condition?  Do you fear the dark or the unknown or being alone?  In all of those circumstances, when we use that word “fear”, we are referring to being afraid.

            But let’s look at the word “fear” in Psalm 128 verses 1 -2.

Blessed are all who fear the LORD, who walk in his ways.

You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours.

            These verses bring hope and encouragement….not dread.  The word “fear” in this passage means a healthy respect for God.  It reminds us that we can trust God…always!  We don’t have to be afraid of what might happen in the days to come, because HE is in control.  So in this context, fear is as good thing.  I like to think of it as a spiritual equation:                                                                           FEAR of GOD + TRUST in GOD = JOY in the Lord!

            That’s simple to say, easy to remember and a great way to begin a new year.  Let me repeat it so that you can write it upon your heart and make it your motto for the upcoming days of 2012.   FEAR of GOD + TRUST in GOD = JOY in the Lord!

            Look forward with JOYful anticipation to what this new year will bring as your fear God and trust in His master plan.

Squeeze JOY from the Scriptures!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Drink it in and sing praises to God…that’s the sure way to find JOY in this New Year!

            Don’t you just love the Psalms?  No matter how many times you read them, you can always find something new and uplifting.  It’s like taking an orange and squeezing more juice even when you think you’ve gotten all there is!

            One consistent theme throughout the book of Psalms is praise and gratitude.  And whether we realize it or not, when we have a grateful heart, we’ll have much more joy!  Look at the words of David in Psalm 105:1-3

"Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done.  Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all  his wonderful acts.  Glory in his holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice!"

            It doesn’t take much squeezing of that scripture to get a glass full of JOY JUICE!  And it’s because of the grateful heart of the writer!  David is praising God for his mighty deeds in bringing Israel to the Promised Land.  What an example that is for us.

            As we look back over this past year…and the many previous years…we can see God’s faithfulness, protection, provision and guidance in each of our lives.  Often we focus on the negatives instead of our blessings.  And there are times that we want to blame God when we are simply suffering the consequences of our own ungodly choices.

            In this New Year 2012, let’s find all the reasons to sing praises to our Heavenly Father.  That’s a guaranteed way to have a JOYful New Year!

           

A Fresh Batch of JOY for the New Year!

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It’s a fresh batch….stirred up for the New Year!

            Isn’t it great how God’s Word never grows stale?  It contains fresh revelations for us day by day, and never gets out-dated or goes out of style!  The Bible is not a book that is just a trend or a fad.  It’s proven truth that is timeless. 

            Many Christians believe that the Bible is the inerrant Word of God, yet they don’t read it regularly.  Maybe it’s because of the busyness and pressures of our daily lives.  It could be that our faith is not important enough to us to make Bible study a priority.  Or it simply could be apathy.  If we’re honest with each other, I think we’d all have to admit that we often put other things before our relationship with Jesus.  So what can we do about that?  For starters, we can pray!

            Let’s ask God to give us a desire for learning more about His Word.  We want knowledge, but that alone isn’t enough.  We need to apply these biblical principles to our daily lives.  This New Year would be the perfect time to become more committed to growing spiritually.  Let’s find joy in studying and applying the truths found in scripture.

            Lamentations 3:22-23 says it well:

 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
   for his compassions never fail.
 They are new every morning;
   great is your faithfulness. 

              “Great is His faithfulness”!!!
He has proven His love over and over again.  Doesn’t that fill your heart with JOY?

"Teach Me Your (JOYful) Decrees"

Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  It’s a great way to start the New Year!

            None of us knows what this year will bring.  Hopefully, we’ll have many happy times, filled with laughter and joy.  Odds are, we will experience some tough times, too.  Some “bumps in the road” and difficult times when we are stressed and stretched.

            Regardless of what the new year brings, I whole-hearted believe that we’ll get through the hard times much better if we’ll rely on the Lord and ask for His guidance.  If you’ve not already done so, a good New Year’s resolution would be to lean more heavily on God and less on yourself.  Listen to the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 119:33-37.

Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end.

Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.

Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight.

Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.

Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word.

            Let’s determine to be diligent about making this our prayer throughout the new year. We might be really amazed by the difference it will make in our lives. The closer we are to God, the sweeter that JOY JUICE becomes.  And the great thing about the JOY JUICE that comes from “joy in the Lord”….it has NO CALORIES!  So no New Year’s resolution needed about cutting back on that glorious treat!

           My prayer for you is that God will give you abundant joy in this new year….even in the midst of troubling times….because of your growing relationship with Him.