All posts tagged: joy

7 Joy Boosters 

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Too often we run around looking for joy in all the wrong places. We dig up wells that end up being “broken cisterns.” Remember, “we have no good apart from Him.” The sorrows of those who run after idols, pleasure and other gods will multiply. If there’s a lot of drama in your world, it’s going to drain out all your joy. Sometimes you have to stay away from all those divas, drama queens and kings in order to keep your sanity. Joy is a choice. So make that choice today. Don’t let the devil steal it. Don’t let those circumstances take your eyes of Jesus. Choose to react differently. Choose to praise instead of pout. Choose to stay positive. If you keep your mind on the Word, He will keep your heart full of joy. Meditate day and night on His Word. Let the Word of Christ dwell within you richly, and you will experience the fullness of His joy. I love the word “GAZE.” It means to look steadily and intently. No wonder …

Evangelism & Joy

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Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Psalm 51:12, 13 There is an undeniable link between sharing our faith and the level of our joy. We often focus on joy as a motivator for sharing our faith and long to see it expressed upon the conversion of a person. But how much impact does joy have in the process of sharing our faith? Can people feel it? Can they feel what we have? Does anyone recognize it? If I made muffins and believe my muffins are not only the very best muffins you will ever eat, but the only muffins with ingredients to make you thin, but I exhibit zero excitement about my muffins and I’m not a pound close to being thin; would it matter to anyone how good I think my muffins are? In the same way, if I believe Jesus Christ offers the very best life you could ever have in …

Micah’s Declarations

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Don’t spend your day singing the blues? My oldest daughter stepped into the car on her way to school the other day, singing her blues: “I am having a bad day.” I had to tell her that sometimes we have to remind ourselves; speak to those negative FEELINGS that are shouting at us in ALL CAPS the things God says about us. I promise, it won’t be long until things come into alignment with the Word of God. Let Micah’s declarations become your confession: I’m filled with power, I’m filled with the Spirit of the Lord, I’m filled with justice I’m filled with might I’m filled with boldness Micah 3:8

He daily bears my burdens

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There is a phrase I love to use every moment I get the chance. It is not just a slogan or a catchy phrase for me – it’s a deeply theological truth that I believe with all my heart. ‘God is Good’ The bible says, “You are good and do good.” ‭‭Psalm‬ ‭119:68‬ ‭ESV‬‬ I believe this with every bone within me. God is Good! It is from this vintage point that I try to convince people who struggle with pain and suffering in this life. Too often we blame God for our misfortune, and accuse him of cruel indifference. But scripture is clear: “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” ‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭4:15‬ ‭ESV‬‬ I am so glad that God suffers with me in my confusion of pain and suffering. I am so glad that God suffers with me in my struggle against sin. I am so glad that God suffers with me …

7 Tested Ways to develop Endurance

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For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. James‬ ‭1‬:‭3‬ NLT Some of the greatest athletes of our time, never would have made it without a certain level of endurance. Not only physical, but also, as we have seen in recent years, mental toughness. Some of our heroes and heroes of faith would never have made it, had it not been for a certain level of tenacity, spiritual endurance developed along the way. Endurance is like a muscle.  It grows with a proper use of exercise or training and it shrinks for the lack of the same. Endurance is not only “the ability to withstand hardship or adversity; the ability to sustain a prolonged stressful effort or activity, but it is also the ability to improve. It is not a matter of if our faith will come under immense testing and trial, but a matter of when. During these times, there are seven thing we can do to keep our edge and win in the battle.  Look with …

Bust the bloomin’ drum

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John Stott tells of an English Salvation Army drummer who was beating his drum so hard that the band leader had to tell him to pipe down a bit and not make so much noise. In his cockney accent the drummer replied, “God bless you, sir, since oi’ve been converted, oi’m so ’appy, oi could bust the bloomin’ drum!” If you’ve never known this joy – let today be the day that experience it. Open up your heart to Jesus. By grace and through faith and repentance, your life will never be the same. If you’ve lost that joy, either through sin, suffering or sorrow – let today be the day you find it again – by putting you trust in Him again, and crying out to him, your voice will be heard. If you are still undecided, not very sure about this. I employ you to taste and see that The Lord is good. Take that leap of faith. Source of Information: (Christianity Today [6/12/81], p/ 19.)

Comfort Foods

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Comfort, comfort, comfort! Who doesn’t like to be comforted? The problem is we often seek it in all the wrong places. For me, finding comfort in food is my drug of choice when I am seeking comfort in difficult times. For some, it might be alcohol,  drugs, or some kind of temporary fix to cause you to forget your pain. Still for others, it is an escape into a world of fantasy,  entertainment,  the adrenaline of a fast life or a lustful, soulful,  sexual experience. In any case, we usually, if not always come away more empty than we went in. But it’s time for you to see and taste of the “sweetest of love, where your heart becomes free and your shame is undone. “ We find those in the comfort that comes only from the Father of all comforts.  If you are tempted in any way today,  to go looking for comfort in all the wrong places,  know that you will never be satisfied.  But if you choose to look upon the face …

Joy Is…

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Most of my reading and preaching this month has been about Joy. I just completed a three part Christmas Series on Joy at my Church. And you can discover how to increase your joy here. In this post, I want to, at least try to answer the question – “What is Joy?” I made a statement during one of my sermons about joy that left a lot of questions. I could hear the murmuring in the congregation while I tried to explained what I meant. Let me share it with you and you can leave a note about your feelings or thoughts about it: Joy is not affected by afflictions; it’s only affected by sin. Sin decreases joy; affliction increases it. I believe joy is … An indestructible Assurance in who God is and everything He promised. This includes the following: The assurance of his covenant relationship with each and everyone of us. The assurance that comes from the joy of His salvation within us. That he is able to save to the uttermost. That …

Singing with the Enemy

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Every day in December – leading into Christmas, I have planned to have or experience joy in every area of my life.  As bold and ambitious as that is, I am very hopeful and confident that nothing will derail me from knowing indestructible joy – every day in the month of December – even in difficult times. So here is a story that will help you do just that.  I started a 23 days devotional a few days on YouVersion.  This post contains the 3rd day notes from “Joy! to the world countdown to Christmas, which was written by Carol McLeod and Just Joy Ministries Here is the story British soldiers were spending Christmas Eve 1914 on a French battlefield during World War I. After four months of fighting, over a million men had perished in the bloody conflict. The bodies of dead soldiers were scattered between the trenches of the opposing armies. It was in the middle of a freezing battlefield in France, that a miracle occurred! British troops watched in amazement as candle-lit trees …