Go Into All the World....and Share His JOY!

          Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Don’t hide it from others…share it!

            We've talked this week about “hiding God’s Word in our hearts”, so that we will be prepared for whatever 2014 brings.  We know that God will always be there for us, but we want to “do our part”, as well.  So we’re aiming toward reading, studying and memorizing more scripture this year, right?

            We are reminded that God’s mercies are new every day; we can depend on His faithfulness.  But we must also remember that we are to obey his commands, and we can’t obey them if we don’t know them…thus the importance of  studying and meditating on the Scripture.   When we begin to focus on God, we’ll be able to “taste” and “see” that the Lord is soooo good to us.  This should fill our hearts with JOY and make us contagious Christians! 

            Mark 16:15 tells us that Jesus said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.”  Who was Jesus talking to? First, he was speaking to his disciples.  He was giving instructions for them to tell everyone that HE had paid the penalty for their sin and that those who believe in him will be forgiven and live eternally with God. (from footnote in NIV Life Application Study Bible)

            But do you realize that the command is for US, too?  We, as believers, are disciples of Christ.  That means we should be sharing our faith with everyone who God brings across our path.  Many times we share using words; other times it’s our actions and our attitudes.  Showing love, forgiveness and mercy toward others is a good way to reflect the JOY of Jesus!

            May we each desire to “go into all the world” and share the JOY of Jesus!

Taste Your Special Serving of JOY!

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  This fresh batch for the New Year is extra tasty!

            “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusts in him.” Psalm 34:8

            What a verse to hide in our hearts! The Lord has given us five senses and he tells us in this verse to use two of them to experience His goodness.   Both “taste” and “sight” are mentioned. 

            Let’s talk about “taste” first.  Today, let’s not put anything into our mouth without noticing it. .  When tasting something you enjoy, whether it’s a steaming cup of delicious coffee, or a ripe, sweet and juicy orange, concentrate on the sensation of the liquid filling your mouth and passing over those taste buds that God so strategically placed on your tongue. Notice the temperature.  The texture.  The flavors.  Let it linger in your mouth while you enjoy what you are tasting.  Thank the Lord for your sense of taste, and thank Him for His goodness.  Ask Him to make you aware of what His goodness tastes like. 

          Next begin to notice what you see.  Ask the Lord to show Himself to you through the beauty of His creation: the gorgeous sunrise or sunset, the miracle of a new baby, the beauty in a bouquet of flowers. Observe your surroundings with a fresh perspective.  Thank God for your gift of taste and sight; and notice Him communicating to you His goodness in ways that will bring you great joy!

            Taste and see that the Lord is good…drink and enjoy the beauty of your special serving of  JOY JUICE today! 

Obey God and Find JOY!

     Have you had your Joy Juice today?  As we begin 2014, let’s talk about hiding God’s Word in our hearts so that we may aim toward a year of joyful obedience. 

           There are many verses in the Bible that instruct us to obey our Heavenly Father.  One is found in  Jeremiah 7:23.  He says:

 “Obey me, and I will be your God and you will be my people. Walk in all the ways I command you, that it may go well with you.”

            God loves us!  He wants our year 2014 to “go well”.  We are to obey His commandments. That doesn’t mean simply going through the motions, the rituals so to speak.  It’s a matter of the heart.  We should love Him so much that we WANT to obey Him.  Knowing that He would never ask us to do anything that would harm us should be a motivator to stay steeped in His Word so that we will know what his wise commands are. 

            Sometimes we go running to Him like a child jumping into the arms of a loving father. Other times we are so weak, that He has to scoop us up and pull us to his bosom.  Either way, we can feel those strong loving arms around us in every type of situation.  Even when the unexpected heartbreak comes, it can “be well with us” because of our relationship with Him…a relationship of peace, strength and joy.

            May we obey God by walking in His ways and drinking in the joy He has prepared for us this new year!

A Fresh JOY Each Morning Awaits Us

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  The great thing about this special drink is that its flavor is new every day!

            That reminds me of a scripture in Lamentations 3:22-23:

 ^"It is of the LORD's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."  KJV 

            Such a comforting, encouraging passage to hide in our hearts at the beginning of this New Year! Our shortcomings of 2013 ...are PAST!  And God’s love, compassion and forgiveness can erase them away, and give us hope.

            I think a lot of times our biggest problem is that we can’t forgive ourselves.  All of us have made mistakes, bad decisions, ungodly choices.  But nothing is too bad to bring before Him.  If we come to Him with a broken heart and we are truly repentant of the sins we’ve committed, He is willing to give us a new beginning.  What a good time to get things right with God and ask Him to wipe the slate clean so that you can have a fresh start.  Use him as your guide, your compass, your conscience.  Let the Holy Spirit prick your heart and give you new goals that will draw you closer to Him and will help you to accomplish His will and purpose for your life.

            May I challenge you to memorize those two verses in Lamentations 3… "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."  Hide these words in your heart and experience JOY in the Lord!

           Drink from the fresh fountain of JOY JUICE and be reminded of His faithfulness.

The Best Instruction Manual is Overflowing With JOY!

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  We should start the New Year faithfully drinking it and serving it….especially in our homes.

            As we begin this new year, let’s seek guidance in how to live a more Godly, productive life.  Wouldn’t it be great if we had an instruction manual to tell us how?  Well, good news!  We do!!!!  It’s called the Holy Bible.

            Psalm 119: 11(KJV) says: “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”  How do we “hide” God’s word in our heart?

·        By reading and studying it OFTEN;

·        By memorizing scripture;

·        By applying it daily.

 When we are so familiar with the scriptures that we know them “by heart”, we are able to face the situations that come our way in a Godly manner….because of the knowledge and truth we have hidden in the depths of our hearts and minds.

            2014 has just begun and the year lies ahead of us…full of promise.  We know that all things won’t be perfectly wonderful, but we know the ONE who is wonderfully perfect!  And He will always be there to guide us. On our list of goals for the New Year, let’s place at the top “A deeper relationship with God through Bible study and prayer”.   God’s willing to do his part, if we will only do ours.

            Joyfully anticipate the opportunities that God will give you this year.  When you are sold out to Him and are following His guidelines in the scripture, you can “count it ALL joy” (as James tells us). 

            Drink that Joy Juice as your study your Bible today; it’s the best instruction manual ever written!

Magnify the Love and JOY of Jesus!

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Are you facing this New Year with a cheerful outlook and sharing the Joy of the Lord with others?

            I know that some of you who are reading this devotional message are going through some pretty tough times. I have no way of truly understanding your set of circumstances; but  God does!  And He loves you so much that He will not leave you alone.  Your circumstance has not caught Him by surprise.

            Often I use the analogy of looking at our problems through a magnifying glass. When we do this, the problem looks really big. But most often, that problem hasn’t gotten any bigger….just our perception of it has!  That’s when we should be reminded that instead of focusing on the problem, we should focus on The Problem-Solver!

            We have a choice every day.  We can be weighted down by our problems…trying to handle them alone.  OR we can choose to let God have control.   Let’s turn our magnifying glass toward God and realize just how big He really is!  He has the strength and power to handle all of our problems…if we will release them! 

             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 magnify You, your love, your faithfulness, your sovereign control of our life…..and fill us with JOY! Amen!

May we be so focused on God that His JOY will overflow from our hearts into the lives of others throughout every day of this New Year!  

Take Heart! Jesus Came to Bring You JOY!

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

            If I could have one wish for each of you as this New Year begins, it would be that 2014 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.

            Jesus never promised that once we became Christians we would have no more problems.  In John 16:33 he said: "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.

Drink your Joy Juice faithfully each and every day of the New Year!  That’s how to experience the JOY of the Lord! Let it overflow into others!