Happy "LEAP with JOY" Day!

Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Leap into action and get your serving, now!

2016 is Leap Year!  Today, Feb. 29th is LEAP DAY!  Don’t you think it’s fitting that we talk about “leaping with joy”?  There are many reasons we should! :

1.      Certainly first on our list should be that Jesus came so that we may have life and have it more abundantly!

2.      We can leap with joy because of God’s unfailing, everlasting love.

3.      God’s constant protection and perfect plan for our lives should be a reason to jump with joy.

4.      Start counting your personal blessings and you’ll be overflowing with a joyous heart.

We have a whole extra day in this year! Writer Peter Dell suggests that we should use this extra time to reflect and pray.  He suggests:

• Take some time to think about what God has done in your life this year. 
• Thank Him for the blessings and the miracles. 
• Lift up those in authority over us and the government. 
• Pray for wisdom and guidance for the nation in the coming elections. 
• Spend some time seeking God's will and provision for the needs in your life.
• Seek God’s wisdom in how you can help others.

These are great suggestions and I can just about guarantee that if we will do these things, we will find unexpected, extra servings of joy on this special day.

             Happy “Leap”ing with Joy Day! May it overflow with joy in the Lord!

Follow The Good Shepherd Down the Path of Joy

            Have you had your Joy Juice today?  If perchance, you are feeling weak and tired, let God help you to be strengthened by His joy!

            We’ve talked a lot this week about being busy and tired. The 23^rd Psalm tells us that we should rest by letting the Lord….our Shepherd…lead us by those “still waters” and by lying down in the green pastures He provides.  How does a shepherd lead his sheep? First of all the sheep must recognize the shepherd’s voice; then they must trust him! 

            Phillip Keller gives us insight: "The strange thing about sheep, he writes, is that because of their very make-up it is almost impossible to make them lie down unless four requirements are met.

1.       Because of their timid nature they refuse to lie down unless they are free from all fear.

2.       Because of the social behavior within a flock, sheep will not lie down unless they are free from friction with others

3.      If tormented by flies or parasites, sheep will not lie down. Only when free of these pests can they relax.

4.      Lastly, sheep will not lie down as long as they feel hungry."

            How does this apply to us spiritually?  We must recognize His voice and trust our Shepherd completely, so that we are free from fear. We must allow him to take care of all our pesky problems and our physical needs. When troubles come, it is so easy to get our eyes off God and obsess over our problems. But as our Shepherd, God faithfully guards and guides His sheep, and provides for us. 

           The Good Shepherd is waiting to lead you down the path of JOY!

Put JOY Top of Your Priority List

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today? Hope it was on the top of your list of things to do this morning!    

            I’m a list maker!  Are you?  I like to make a list and check it off!  It makes me feel as if I’ve accomplished something when I see all the things marked off the list.  Do ever do that?  Maybe we need to make lists for another reason: to help us prioritize what is truly important.

            Here’s something to think about: Can you sense that your priorities are out of order?  If GOD is not first, then all the rest will keep us running without a purpose.  When we allow God to be in charge of our schedules and He is at the top of our list, then we experience a spiritual peace and rest which leads to a special kind of joy.

            Remember the words of the 23^rd Psalm? “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures.  He leadeth me beside the still waters.”  

Doesn’t that scripture give you a vision of peace and rest….to lie down in green pastures and to stroll beside the quiet, still waters?  That’s where God wants to meet us each day.  Let’s put at the top of our “to do” list: SPEND TIME WITH GOD.  If we are intentional about this, we will see a definite shift in our priorities. 

            Take the time to “lie down in those green pastures” and experience God’s rest as you stroll along the path of joy with Him.