Hang Out with Humble, Joy-filled People!

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  If you are drinking it faithfully, you’ll find yourself on the road to overcoming pride!

            We know that we all have a sin problem….and one of those sins is our pride!  We will not overcome this pride issue until we understand the sinfulness of pride.  Pastor Joe Thorn points out that many people tend to treat the sin of pride like a neighborhood dog. We know it can bite us, but for some reason we don’t think it will. The truth is, it will devour us. Until we understand the danger of this sin, and begin taking it seriously, we will never overcome it. (http://www.joethorn.net/2007/09/04/overcoming-our-pride/)

One suggestion to help us overcome the pride issue in our lives is to surround ourselves with humble, Christian men and women.  Instead of seeking the company of those who value material wealth, possessions, social status or power, we need to align ourselves with those who exhibit humility and godliness. Find people who look like Christ---who have the attitude of Jesus----which is humility.

As we read and study the Holy Bible, we find a variety of men and women who learned the hard way to be humble.  Some never learned…and pride was their downfall. But one of my favorite examples is Paul.  He came to understand his need for that “thorn in the flesh” that God sent to keep him humble. And he could proclaim, “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.”  1 Tim 1:15

While drinking our JOY JUICE today, let’s JOYfully thank God for the thorns which keep us humble!

Be An Example of JOY

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Don’t let pride get in the way….drink it regardless of who’s watching!

            Peer pressure is always a challenge.  From youngsters to seniors, the influence is always there.  The Bible never uses the term “peer pressure,” but it does tell us how we should face the many trials that will come our way…and these frequently include pressure from our peers. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

            Often when people succumb to peer pressure it’s because they allow pride to take hold and rule their thinking.  They don’t want to appear “different” or “uncool”.  They want to fit in with the crowd.  In other words, their thinking has “conformed” to “the pattern of this world.”  But when we completely “sell out” to God and are faithful in our prayer time and bible reading…we will be transformed by the renewing of our mind.   That’s when it we will experience a boldness to stand up for our convictions.”

            No matter what your age, at times you will feel the pressures of the world pulling at you.  Let’s get into the habit of never making a choice without first consulting God!  He always has the answer and will help us to stand up to peer pressure!

             Speaking of peer pressure and pride, offer the JOY of the Lord to your friends and watch the transformation begin!

A Prideful Attitude Does NOT Equal JOY

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Humbly, yet faithfully, drink in the joy of Jesus and be on guard against PRIDE!

            Throughout Scripture we are told about the consequences of pride. Proverbs 16:18-19 tells us that “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall. Better to be lowly in spirit and among the oppressed than to share plunder with the proud.” That's just one of the many passages in the Bible that warns us about pride.

            A prideful attitude does nothing to build up and edify.  Just the opposite is true. Pride keeps people from humbling themselves before God and realizing their need for salvation. Pride in children keeps parents from seeing their children's faults and disciplining and correcting them to make them better. Pride in self keeps us selfish and self-centered. Only God knows how many nations, marriages, families, churches, businesses, lives have been wrecked by pride.  

Jesus’s example shows us what to do to avoid the dangers of sinful pride. Philippians 2:5-7 says, 

 Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
  Who, being in very nature God,
      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
  but made himself nothing,
      taking the very nature of a servant,
      being made in human likeness.
 
In other words,  we should put away selfish pride and drink the JOY JUICE of Jesus with an humble attitude!

Be Poor in Spirit...and JOYfully Put Away Pride

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Let’s not get prideful as we drink it!

            Though we want to “do everything as unto the Lord” and strive to do the best we can in every area of our lives, we don’t want to become prideful. There is a difference between the kind of pride that God hates (Proverbs 8:13) and the kind of pride we feel about a job well done. The kind of pride that stems from self-righteousness is sin, and God hates it because it is a hindrance to seeking Him.

               Psalm 10:4 explains that the proud are so consumed with themselves that their thoughts are far from God: “In his pride the wicked does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God.” This kind of haughty pride is the opposite of the spirit of humility that God seeks.  We should strive to be “poor in spirit”…That means to recognize our spiritual bankruptcy and our inability to come to God aside from His divine grace. ( http://www.gotquestions.org/pride-Bible.html)

            So often we stumble because of prideful thoughts.  If we do not identify pride as a stumbling block to our spiritual growth, we will fall face first into destruction.  Pride is something that EACH and every one of us has to deal with….no matter how young or old, rich or poor, no matter which church (or if) we attend.  Proverbs tells us that pride breeds quarrels (13:10), leads to disgrace (11:2), punishment (16:5), destruction (16:18) and ends in downfall (18:12). 

            May each of us be “poor in spirit” as we put away pride, so that we will inherit the kingdom of God!  What a JOYful day that will be!

There Is No "I" in JOY!

            Have you had your JOY JUICE today?   I’m so proud of you if you have!!

            It’s nice to hear the words “I’m proud of you!” isn’t it? Especially, when they come from someone we love and admire.  Children especially need to hear encouraging  words. They like to make their parents and teachers proud.  And in this sense of the word, pride is good!

 But often we get snared in the trap of sinful pride.  Look at the word PRIDE; in the very center is the letter “I”.  How appropriate! You see, the meaning of sinful pride is preoccupation with self….ME, MYSELF, and I!

In Proverbs 6:16-19 we read:   "These six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren."

The number one thing on this list of sins God hates is the sin of pride. Let’s remember that pride is the sin that led Israel to reject all the prophets that God sent to warn them of their evil ways. Pride is the sin that caused the Pharisees to reject Jesus.  Pride is the sin of the church of Laodicea that led to their incredible blindness. Are we so different from those prideful people we read about in the Bible?

 Let's all be reminded of the importance of keeping the JOY JUICE of Jesus within easy reach!  We never know when we might need to wash down a prideful thought or word!

Get Rid of the Weeds that Choke Out JOY

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  Is your life packed so full that you can’t see the JOY Jesus wants you to have?

            Our minds are often crowded with thoughts, concerns, worries. Sometimes we are consumed with good plans; other times we are apprehensive and fearful. 

            When we are always “on the go”, running and racing and moving in fast motion,  we are not going to hear God. We experience the barrier of “busyness” which separates us from the will of God.  Be reminded that “busyness” is not always the same thing as being productive!  Rick Warren warns: “If you keep going, going, going but you aren’t spiritually growing, growing, growing, you are busy, not productive!”

            Jesus teaches us in Luke 8 that distractions are like weeds that grow in our  minds and hearts…just like weeds grow in a garden.  These weeds will keep us from hearing the voice of God in our lives.  Here are three weeds to be cautious of:

1. Worries… The Greek word for worry means “pulled in different directions”. When we worry, we can’t hear God!
2. Riches…We can be so consumed with making a living and accumulating material things, that we can’t hear God.  What is your priority?
3. Pleasures…God gives us pleasures….and that’s great! But if we get so busy pursing PLEASURE rather than GOD, then we will not grow close to Him.  We will not recognize His voice.

      Be reminded that it takes no effort to grow weeds.  Weeds are a sign of neglect! Let’s focus on Jesus and be filled with JOY in relationship with Him.

Good Fruit....JOY!

          Have you had your JOY JUICE today?  What kind of fruit flavor do you enjoy the most? 

            We’ve been talking a lot this week about hearing God and how important it is to slow down long enough to seek His will in our lives.  When we do make spending time with Him a priority, then we will begin to bear fruit!  THAT, you see, is where the JOY JUICE comes from….from the fruit of JOY.

             Fruit is mentioned quite often in the Bible. In the New International Version (NIV), the word fruit appears more than 150 times. We see it first in Genesis 1:11, the first book and chapter of the Old Testament, and its final occurrence is in Revelation 22:2, the last book and chapter of the New Testament.  If we find it so often throughout the Bible, from start to finish…then it must be really important!

            When people observe your life, do they see good “fruit” or bad “fruit”? 

            Matthew 12:33: Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit.

  

As faithful Christians we should be producing plenty of good fruit to share with others every day!

And of course, that includes sharing your JOY JUICE squeezed from the fruit of the Spirit!

            Ask the Lord to plant His fruit in the garden of your heart; let Him water it with the Living Water and watch the crop abound!