Joy?????

by Peggy Brown

As I write this, Saturday morning, I am about to embark on an adventure. While Wayne goes on a business trip, I am going to spend a week at the home of a….let’s just say difficult person. I admit, it was my idea, but don’t ask me why I came up with it because I really don’t know. Sue Donaldson blames the Holy Spirit!

The closer the trip gets the more I am;

a) wondering what I was thinking, and

b) thinking about how God wants to use this time for His glory.

It’s funny how my random thoughts have slowly focued into a theme. That theme is JOY. Song titles like “There is Joy in Serving Jesus”, “I Have the Joy, Joy, Joy, Joy Down in My Heart”, “The Joy of the Lord is My Strength” keep popping into my mind. As I went to sleep the other night a little chorus that I learned as a child came into my mind like someone had turned on a tape! It goes like this:

Jesus and others and you, what a wonderful way to spell Joy.

Jesus and others and you, in the heart of each girl and each boy.

J is for Jesus and He gets first place,

O is for others you meet face to face,

Y is for you in whatever you do, put Jesus first and spell Joy!

What is joyful about going into a difficult situation? What does the Bible mean when it uses the word JOY? I went looking.

I found Ps. 21:6 – "Surely you have granted him eternal blessings and made him glad with the joy of Your presence".

And – Ps. 16:11- You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in Your presence, with eternal pleasures at Your right hand.

And- Rom. 15:13- May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

(emphasis mine)

Here’s that Holy Spirit thing; as I look forward to the trip, I realize and acknowledge that it probably won’t be an enjoyable week. It will most likely be trying and difficult. But, that doesn’t mean that I can’t have joy. Joy is NOT feeling good or happy or content. Joy is the result of acknowledging God’s presence with me the whole week. Joy is the result of trusting Him, my hope, for His strength and the power of the Holy Spirit to be His hands and feet (and mouth and attitude) in this situation.

My desire is to show Jesus to this one who doesn’t know Him. My desire is to minister where there is much need and to overflow with hope. Clearly I can’t if I am focused on myself, or my needs. I can only do it if I am focusing on the joy of the Lord. Will you pray with me and for me as I head into this adventure? Pray that my eyes will be off of myself and on Jesus only and that He will be glorified by my life this week!

Thanks!

Lord, You know my heart. You know that I want to be a light and a blessing this week. You also know that it is a difficult thing for me to do in this situation. Help me to focus on You so that what others see is Your joy in me and that in the end, You will be glorified. Amen

Good News of Great Joy

by Sue Donaldson

God’s hospitality can be found throughout Scripture. He welcomed us to His heart and home long ago. One of the more jubilant invitations rang out one cold night to a motley band of shepherds:

“Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people. . .” (Luke 2:10)

The news was great. It was for all people. And it would bring joy.

This week people are singing, “Joy to the World” – they may even know more than one verse – but do they know joy? Do they know God included them in the invitation – “which will be for all the people” (that’s my favorite line – I like a crowd.)

Joy comes from God. If you are feeling less than joyful this Christmas, come to Him. RSVP ASAP. He’s more than ready to give you Jesus. He said so in John 15 – “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full.”

Pastor Tim reminded us yesterday that joy was part of the invitation– “I have come to give you life – abundant life.” (John 10) Sounds joyful to me.

Jesus came as a babe – and that’s the center of our joy.

Dear Father,
Thank You for your gift of Jesus. He is my joy. Fill me with yourself so much so that joy overflows to everyone around me. Amen.

PS
My artist friend Joanie made this wooden wall hanging for me years ago. I had the kids copy it – on paper, not wood – a few years ago as their craft for the Birthday Party for Jesus. Isn’t it great? One of my favorites!

Joy in Trial

by Kate Hasson

This week we had a fire in our home that has left so much smoke and soot damage that we are no longer able to live there. We need to have professional help to clean the mess, our ceiling replaced, our walls cleaned and repainted, and perhaps the carpets redone. Not to mention all the clothes and linens and furniture that will need to be professionally cleaned also. We have been living at my Mom and Dad’s home since Sunday night and by the mercy of some church friends we will be moving into their Mom’s house sometime this weekend and living there for the next 3 weeks. Our insurance adjuster said that the clean-up will probably take about a month.

The first and second day of this whole ordeal were overwhelming and emotional for me. But since then the Lord has been working in me. Its hard to be so needy, and to be taking time, money, home, food and other things from my parents, not to mention adding much noise and chaos to their once peaceful and clean home. I know many are praying for us because God has given me great peace where my heart was once worried. Instead of worrying about our insurance policies and what will be paid for or not, miraculously I feel peaceful and joyous knowing that God is taking care of everything and that my only job is to live one moment at a time thanking and praising His name.

“Do not be anxious for anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6

So here is my “thankful list”:
I’m thankful:
1. that my house didn’t burn down.
2. that my family is safe.
3. that we can live at my parents house.
4. that this happened at this time of year when all my brothers and sisters are coming home. We all get to live together again!
5. that I get to live in SLO once again.
6. that I’m a stay at home mom and get to take care of my kids during a difficult time.
7. that the Lord is my strength.
8. that there are professionals who can fix things up.
9. that God is teaching me something new through all this.
10. that I get to see Him working in my life.
11. that I get to be with my little niece, and my girls get to be with their little cousin, every day!
12. that now we are so close to Travis’s work we can visit him at lunch time!
And etc. etc. etc…

“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” James 1:2-4

Thank You, Lord, for the fire You allowed in our home. It has given me such a fresh and beautiful view of Your amazing provision. You are good!

This is the Day the Lord has made

by Missy Grant

“This is the Day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Psalm 118:24

“This day belongs to the Lord! Let’s celebrate and be glad today.” Contemporary English Version

“This is the day the Lord has brought about; we will rejoice and be glad in it” Amplified Bible

“This is the very day God acted! Lets celebrate and be Festive” The Message

This past year some of the ladies in our community studied the book of Daniel together. Every Thursday morning as we gathered, I would open our time together by saying,” This is the day the Lord hath made….(and they would complete the verse by replying) we will rejoice and be glad in it.” This was a reminder to us that although the journey is difficult, the Lord himself gave us the day. Our command is to rejoice….and then be glad in it. Why? Because he made it, he brought it about, it belongs to Him, He is alive and active. (notice the reasoning doesn’t have anything to do with us!)

Have you ever wondered if the word rejoice is a way of re-gifting joy? The “re” part must mean something. Do you know the definition of re-gift? It is to give as a gift something one previously received as a gift. Profound….yes

What have you been given that you can re-gift to someone today? No, I don’t mean the chair in the living room or the old coffee maker in the cupboard. Lets try this verse on for size today, “…that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word.” Is. 50:4. Or this one, “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing” 1 Thess. 5:11. How about this one, “And Jonathan, Saul’s son, arose and went to David at Horesh, and encouraged him in God.” 1 Samuel 23:16.

That is some mighty powerful re-gifting. His word. His encouragement. Discouragement is satan’s weapon of choice, ladies. You can not journey alone. The Lord is your strength, yet He will provide others to encourage you and for you to encourage. Ecclesiastes 4:9-11 says, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. “ I believe God’s word calls us to two kinds of Titus 2 relationships. One where you are being mentored (encouraged, prayed over, loved deeply) and one where you are mentoring (encouraging, praying over someone, loving deeply).

Where and what are you re-gifting today?

Lord, This is the Day you have made. Let us choose to rejoice and be glad in it. The aches of our hearts can paralyze us. Let us take comfort in the gifting of your word, the gifting of relationships, the gift of salvation. I pray we are bold in your name. Lord, help us to see the Jonathan's in our lives. Those who encourage in You. Bless the many who are encouraging those around them. May Your name be Glorified today. Amen.