Tuesday, August 30, 2011

My Path!

I wanted to draw your attention to today's verse. Proverbs 16:9 says, "A man's heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps."

Isn't this truth an amazing comfort?! I find joy in knowing that the Lord's ways are beyond my understanding. The fact that He is omniscient and knows my future as well as my present, leaves me worrying less about life. My Heavenly Father knows my every step before I even take it, and He will be with me wherever I go. "You comprehend my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways." Psalm 139:3

We each have an idea about how we think our lives will turn out, but it rarely goes the way we plan. When the Lord intervenes, whether we realize it at the time or not, it is a blessing! Jeremiah 29:11 says, "'For I know the plans I have for you', declares the Lord, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future'." Rather than worry about your way, try trusting Jesus and following in His footsteps. The best way to do this is to abide in the Word of God and remain by Jesus' side.
"Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." Psalm 119:105
"Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, for I delight in it." Psalm 119:35
"You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11 (I LOVE this verse!!)

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Monday, August 29, 2011

Ask!

"Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:24

"...for your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him." Matthew 6:8

"Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you." Matthew 7:7

"And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive." Matthew 21:22

"If you ask anything in My name, I will do it." John 14:14

These truths should be a comfort to us all, Friend! The Lord designed us. He knows the desires of our hearts! Have you asked anything of Him lately? How do you ask? Do you pray for His perfect will to be done in your life? There may be things that we want, but sometimes those things are not in accordance with His plan. The Lord is not in the business of ignoring His people. He will always give an answer and we need to learn to find joy in whatever His response. He always want what's best for His people and desires our joy to be full!
"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your cares on Him for He cares for you." 1 Peter 5:6-7

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Sunday, August 28, 2011

Out of the mouths of babes!

 My heart is filled with indescribable joy hearing the name of Jesus on Karis & Kelsie's lips!

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Saturday, August 27, 2011

Complaint Department!

I must confess that a joyful spirit has been hard for me to maintain lately. It seems that once you purpose to do something good, you better be prepared to get attacked. Ever since deciding to find joy in every circumstance, I have felt prone to complain and get irritated at things that usually don't bother me. The devil has been trying so hard to make me upset and I'm afraid he has succeeded this week.

I'm going to jot down my weaknesses because you're my witness, and it's good for me to SEE how ridiculously selfish my complaints are. These are the things that have recently been getting on my nerves...
- my wedding ring broke in an unusual spot and the jewelers told me it was a manufacturers defect.
- I've been blaming my husband for things he can't fix...work schedule, finances, etc.
- The grass is turning brown due to no rain.
- We are having to endure 109 degree weather and I am stuck indoors with two restless toddlers.
- My house is a mess!
- I have misplaced an article of clothing and can't find it anywhere.
- my computer has electrical issues and constantly goes offline when I Skype with family in Reno.
- my car makes a constant ticking sound. Ian thinks it's the AC we just replaced. Fantastic!
- the cat has decided that she's a dog and now licks.
- all the college students are back in town and I have to drive even more defensively than before.
- my coffee maker broke.
- the dog snores!
- people keep asking me if my 16 month old identical girls are twins. Really?

Pathetic, isn't it? I constantly tell my children, "No whining, or we need discipline." Hmmm, guess who needs a healthy dose of discipline in my house? Me!

Satan has been filling my days with little irritants, causing my perspective to be skewed and my hunger for the Word to wane. My "gripe" list will only diminish once I become firmly grounded in the Scriptures and allow the Lord to correct my behavior. Philippians 2:14 says, "Do all things without complaining or disputing." With this truth in mind, I press on. Tomorrow is a new day and the beginning of a new week. I pray for you the same prayer that I pray for myself; that we focus on the good that we've been blessed with and remain thankful & joyful in spirit!

"...the joy of the Lord is my strength." Nehemiah 8:10
When we are weak, we need to draw from the Lord's strength and recapture our joy. It takes continual effort. Friend, I urge you to keep this verse in your armory and use it when you, like me, feel tempted to complain.

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Joyful, Joyful...

Time to dwell on a familiar hymn. Sing it to Him!! 

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; drive the dark of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, fill us with the light of day!

All Thy works with joy surround Thee, earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Singing bird and flowing fountain call us to rejoice in Thee.

Thou art giving and forgiving, ever blessing, ever blessed,
Wellspring of the joy of living, ocean depth of happy rest!
Thou our Father, Christ our Brother, all who live in love are Thine;
Teach us how to love each other, lift us to the joy divine.

Mortals, join the happy chorus, which the morning stars began;
Father love is reigning o’er us, brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us Sunward in the triumph song of life.

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Thursday, August 25, 2011

A word from the wise!

An insert from "Wisdom For The Way" by Charles Swindoll

Sails Set Toward Joy
"A joyful heart makes a cheerful face." Proverbs 15:13
I have discovered that a joyful countenance has nothing to do with one's age or one's occupation(or lack of it) or one's geography or education or marital status or good looks or circumstances...Joy is a choice. It is a matter of attitude that stems from one's confidence in God - that He is at work, that He is in full control, that He is in the midst of whatever has happened, is happening, and will happen. Either we fix our minds on that and determine to laugh again, or we wail and whine our way through life, complaining that we never got a fair shake. We are the ones who consciously determine which way we shall go...
Regardless how severely the winds of adversity may blow, we set our sails toward joy.

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Defense!

No one and nothing can steal your joy without your consent.

Be aware of joy robbers in your life so that you can guard against them. Our eyes must be permanently fixed upon the Lord in order to keep the right perspective. It is so easy to get caught up in the worries of this world, and that is precisely when the devil decides to attack. His goal is to discourage you and cause you to sin. Do not give him that power over you. I urge you, Friend, respond to his baiting with the truth we find in Psalm 91:2,9-11, "I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; My God, in Him I will trust'...Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, even the Most High, your dwelling place, no evil shall befall you, nor shall any plague come near your dwelling; for He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways." If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you have the power of His Holy Spirit within you, and it is from that you must draw when evil is upon you. When things go wrong, don't go wrong with them...choose to do right!

Shout aloud with joy, "O God, You are more awesome than Your holy places. The God of Israel is He who gives strength and power to His people. Blessed be God!" Psalm 68:35
"He only is my rock and my salvation; He is my defense; I shall not be greatly moved." Psalm 62:2
HE is your defender!! 

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

"Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." Habakkuk 3:18

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Monday, August 22, 2011

The Joy of Contentment!

"The grass may look greener on the other side, but it still has to be mowed."

"...Be content with such things as you have..." Heb.13:5
"Now godliness with contentment is great gain; For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out." 1Timothy 6:6,7

Comparison is a joy robber! It leads to discontentment. There is a reason we're called the "entitled" generation. We think we deserve more than what we've got. In order to guard against this tendency, we have to realize that life is a gift, not a right. Adopting this perspective will teach us to be content with what we have. 

Study these truths:
We are not even promised the assurance of tomorrow(James 4:14). 
Every good and perfect gift is from the Lord(James 1:17).
We are but dust(Ecclesiastes 3:20).
All things were made through God(John 1:3).
As sinners, we deserve death(Romans 6:23).
Be content with food & clothing(1Timothy 6:8).
You belong to God. You are not your own(1Corinthians 6:19).

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Sunday, August 21, 2011

You're a branch!

Let's take a look at a beautiful representation of a life full of joy. In John 15:1-11,
Jesus speaks to us in this parable.

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away, and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. If you keep my commandments, you abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full."

- Abide in His love: "be firmly rooted", live, remain, dwell in Him by studying His Word, the Bible. 
- Keep His commandments: "produce fruit". We find the Ten Commandments in Deuteronomy 5:1-22; and in Matthew 22:36-40 we find the 2 commandments on which "hang all the Law and the Prophets" - 1) Love the Lord, and 2) Love others. 

Follow these guidelines and...

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Psalm 5:11!

"But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name be joyful in You."

Dwell on this truth!

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Friday, August 19, 2011

Busy?!

"For he will not dwell unduly on the days of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart." Ecclesiastes 5:20

Joy is produced in you by the Holy Spirit. Without Him, one cannot know true joy. When we continually dwell on the Lord, it will become difficult for us to be anything but joyful, because we are drawing from the source.

The volume of this world gets louder each day and it constantly tempts us to feed our desires for things that waste away. When you ask someone "How are you?" 9 times out of 10, the answer will be "Busy". Being the Mother of 16 month old twins, I understand that answer and I concur! We are busy, but what with? I urge you Friend, to purposefully find ways to be spiritually fed. Every moment is an opportunity to surrender to God's perfect will. Be intentional about allowing Jesus to interrupt your day.

I'm sure you know what it's like to have a close friend! Someone whom you ache to share all the good and the not-so-good things that happen to you on a regular basis. Well, imagine having your very best friend with you all the time! Would you acknowledge their presence? Would you talk to them? Or would you completely ignore them? They probably wouldn't be your best friend for long if you treated them as if they didn't exist. Jesus Christ is Omnipresent! He NEVER leaves! Even if you don't take the time to talk to Him, He is always ready and willing to embrace you when you need to run to Him. Friend, the hard part for us is realizing that we NEED to run into His arms daily!! We tend to forget that every moment belongs to Him. Instead of putting on blinders, the moment our eyes open each day, we should see Him and live like He's right beside us. Why? Because this friend, that is Jesus, chose to endure a brutal death for you! Would you cherish a relationship with someone that chose to lay down their life for you, or would you act like it was no big deal? What is His price worth to you? That is a choice that we all make daily, and let me be the first to say that I do not treasure the Lord as I should. He deserves much more than my time. He deserves to be adored!!! Having this perspective will help you find your Joy! Longing to spend time with Almighty God will make us more like Jesus. In studying His character, we will learn to see things through His eyes and react the way He would. Seek Christ and He will keep you busy with the joy of your heart! He IS the Joy of your heart!!

"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20

A relationship with Jesus Christ goes beyond the bonds of even the best friendships!!

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Heir Conditioning!

"and if children, then heirs-heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together." Romans 8:17

Ever since creating this blog, I have noticed a rise in opposition from the evil one. He is desperately trying to discourage my decision to remain joyful by constantly throwing difficult things my way. As if he whispering, "How about now? Will you joy in THIS?" 

Here in Central Texas, temperatures have exceeded 100 degrees for the past 45 days. Last Monday was an all time record high of 112! Needless to say, it's HOT! Well, today our air conditioning died. We didn't realize that it wasn't working until the latter half of the day because the fan was running, so it sounded like it was fine. But when the thermostat is set at 74 and the temperature inside the house is 83 and rising, there is a problem! Of course being after 6pm, no repair man will come until the morrow. Dollar signs begin flashing in our heads and all we can do is sigh and ask ourselves, "what's next?" 

Attitude Check!!! It's SO easy to become angry when things like this happen, but I have to keep reminding myself that ALL things, good and not so good, happen for a reason. Opposing issues condition our character! I heard it once said, "You can determine the caliber of a person by the amount of opposition it takes to discourage him." The other thing I need to remember is that Jesus knows how hot it is! I have invited Him to live in my home and in my heart, and He was there with us today when it happened. He always provides!! I write this post from my the home of my in-laws; a pleasant escape from the heat & sweat! 

I am so thankful that there is a place prepared for us to go when we should bear the heat no more. Being Heirs to the Kingdom of God makes this statement true for my future home, as well! So, when I think about the current temperature of my home, I think of Heaven, a place to which I'm sure the thermostat will never need adjusting!! ;) 

"If you faint in the day of adversity, your strength is small." Proverbs 24:10

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Sweet Hymn of Joy!

My Soul's Best Friend, What Joy And Blessing

"My soul’s best Friend, what joy and blessing
My spirit ever finds in Thee!
From gloomy depths of doubt distressing
Into Thine arms for rest I flee.
There will the night of sorrow vanish
When from my heart Thy love doth banish.
All anguish and all pain and fear.
Yea, here on earth begins my heaven;
Who would not joyful be when given
A loving Savior always near!

For though the evil world revile me
And prove herself my bitter foe
Or by her smile seek to beguile me,
I trust her not; her wiles I know.
In Thee alone my soul rejoices,
Thy praise alone it gladly voices,
For Thou art true when friendships flee.
The world may hate but cannot fell me;
Would mighty waves of trial quell me
I anchor in Thy loyalty.

Thro’ deserts of the cross Thou leadest;
I follow, leaning on Thy hand.
From out the cloud Thy child Thou feedest
And givest water from the sand.
I trust Thy ways, howe’er distressing;
For I know my path will end in blessing;
Enough that Thou wilt be my Stay.
For whom to honor Thou intendest
Oft into sorrow’s vale Thou sendest;
The night must e’er precede the day.

My soul’s best Friend, how well contented
Am I, reposing on Thy breast;
By sin no more am I tormented
Since Thou dost grant me peace and rest.
Oh, may the grace that Thou has given
For me a foretaste be of Heaven,
Where I shall bask in joys divine!
Away, vain world, with fleeting pleasures;
In Christ I have abiding treasures.
O, comfort sweet, my Friend is mine!"

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

About Time!

"The whole pie belongs to Jesus, so be careful where you share a slice."
Ephesians 5:15-21
Have you ever consciously & intentionally researched how you spend your time? What are you investing in? Do you spend time on things that are eternally significant? Time is an irreplaceable, irrecoverable gift. Be aware of the time you've been given, Friend!
- Our time is short: Psalm 39:4-5 - "Lord, teach me to know my end, and what is the measure of my days, that I may know how frail I am. Indeed You have made my days as handbreadths, and my age is as nothing before You; certainly every man at his best state is but vapor." 
- All things, other than Christ, are unpredictable, unreliable, and unworthy to be sought after. We read in Ecclesiastes 12:1-8, that King Solomon, a wise man that had everything, refers to all as vanity. 
- Our time has a purpose and was bought with a price. The Lord should be our first priority and people, our second! Invest in the only 2 things that truly matter in this life. "Love the Lord thy God, with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind...thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself."(Matthew 22:36-40; 28:18-20).  

This is reason to rejoice, Friend! However you've spent your time thus far, renewing your perspective will cause you reevaluate your priorities, and you will find joy and fullness of life in the days you've been blessed with!!! Live like there's no tomorrow! "You have made known to me the ways of life; You will make me full of joy in Your presence." Acts 2:28

Find Joy in Him, Beloved! 

Monday, August 15, 2011

BIG problems?!

When confronted with a Goliath-sized problem, which way do you respond: "He's too big to hit", or "He's too big to miss"?

1 Samuel 17:32, 36 - "Then David said to Saul, 'Let no man's heart fail because of him; your servant will go and fight this Philistine'. Your servant has killed both lion and bear; and this Philistine will be like one of them." David prevailed over Goliath with a sling and a stone. How do you face problems? What tools do you use to overcome them? Are you prepared to handle difficult things that come your way, or are you often surprised & overwhelmed by them? Friend, the same God that gave David the courage to stand before the giant, is the same God that will help you through whatever problem you face. Trust Him and let Him defend you!

Psalm 5:11 - "But let all those rejoice who put their trust in You; Let them ever shout for joy, because You defend them; Let those also who love Your name Be joyful in You."

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Daily Intake!

Ok Friends, are you up to a challenge?!! What do you say to reading through the Bible in a year? In the sidebar to the right, you will find the scripture chapters assigned to each day in September! They are in chronological order! Starting tomorrow, we will begin reading through the Word of God together!

"You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore." Psalm 16:11

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Rejoice Always!

"Rejoice always. In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."                   1 Thessalonians 5:16,18.

ALWAYS?! In EVERYTHING?! I must say, I had a tough time putting this truth into practice today. Granted, this story I'm about to share is not really that big of a deal, but it's one of those things that occurs on occasion and attempts to steal my joy. 

I wanted to make mashed potatoes this afternoon, so I went through the motions of pealing, cutting, boiling, draining, mixing, etc. and I used over half the bag because my husband really likes them and I wanted enough for left overs. I whipped them into a velvety smooth texture and began to add the usual yumminess of butter, milk & seasonings. Lastly, to be added was the salt...an over abundance, in fact! Much to my dismay, the salt shaker's rubber cap flew off and dumped over half its contents into my lovely potatoes! The other half went into the stove, on the counter, and all over the floor!! So on top of having to clean up a salty mess, try as I might, I could not salvage the potatoes...All was ruined. SEE?!
Yes, I was frustrated, but before overreacting the way I'm prone to, I remembered this verse in 1 Thessalonians and, as ridiculous as it sounds, I asked myself, "Can I find joy in ruined potatoes?". Dwelling on this verse drew my attention back to the things I should be thankful for...thankful that it wasn't the WHOLE bag of potatoes; thankful that my 16month old twins were napping at the time and not around to eagerly "help" Mommy with clean up; thankful for the visual lesson of "even an excessive amount of a good thing, is bad." It's all about perspective. "If you look for the bad in things, you'll surely find it. So look for the good instead."

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Saturday, August 13, 2011

Pure Joy!

Our word "Joy" is found over 165 times in the NKJV Bible. Joy goes beyond the expression of happiness. True Joy remains in tact despite difficult circumstances. One of the best people to glean knowledge from on this subject would be James. As you will notice in James 1:2-18, he encourages trials to be viewed as a reason for rejoicing, because enduring hardships leads to spiritual maturity.

Whenever I read the first chapter of James, I am reminded of the analogy of silver being refined. Silver must be held in the middle of the fire where the flames burn hottest in order to release its impurities. The silversmith knows that when he can see his image in the silver, it is completely refined & pure. Think on that a moment. When you're going through the fire and "being burned", the Lord is refining & purifying you to become more like Himself. When troubles come, the farthest thing from our minds is to patiently endure. Our typical reaction to is to thrash around in anger & frustration, as would a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. The Lord desires a more mature relationship with us and that's why He allows such testing. I do not know what you are currently going through or burdened with, Friend, but I do know the One who is wanting to refine you and He works all things, including your trials, together for good. God's desire is for you to be "perfect and complete, lacking nothing."(v.4). Despite daily, ever-changing circumstances, the Lord wants you to experience His everlasting Joy!

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Good Morning!

"For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; weeping may endure for a night, but JOY comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5

May I be the first to bid you "Good Morning"! Here I sit at 1:30am in the comfort of my home, and you are on my mind, friend! You're probably wondering why I am not sleeping. I am excited about what the new day will bring and look upon it with anticipation; just as a child eagerly awaits a Christmas gift! What will the Lord bless us with this day?!! "The Lord will give strength to His people; The Lord will bless His people with peace." Psalm 29:11. I so wish for your heart to be comforted & filled with Joy! Wherever you are, whatever the state of your heart and life at present, I pray that God will place His hand upon you and give you peace.

Find Joy in Him, Beloved!

Greetings, Loved Ones!

This blog has been created to be a source of strength and nourishment for those of you that feel as though you have lost or misplaced your Joy. It has also been created as a daily challenge to me. I have a deep desire to further my knowledge of the Holy Scriptures and grow deeper in love with my God and Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. You have just become my accountability partner. Thank you!! Thank you for walking this path alongside me. I pray that you will also be encouraged as we venture on this journey together. My preferred version of the Bible is the New King James Version, to which I will be referencing often. Come along with me...Let's find our JOY!

"Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10