JOY IN THE LORD

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

We're living in difficult times and those difficult times affect we of the faith just as much as anyone else. People are always looking for happiness, but it is a far cry from true joy. We know joy to be from the Lord and our relationship with Him. However, happiness and joy are no way near the same thing. Atheists can be happy people because happiness rests on circumstances. Christians can be happy also because of circumstances, but enjoy the permanence of true joythat comes only from the Lord.

I've wondered in everything going on in our land if we are losing some of our joy. We are very distracted these days, that can include our being distracted spiritually as well. We have God-given joy available all the time, but it's depth will depend on the depth of our relationship with our Lord.

Negative circumstances can cause us to think negatively even though we have access to Scripture and songs we have sung for years:

“I've got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart...”
“Joyful, joyful we adore Thee...”
“Joy to the world, the Lord is come...
“The joy of the Lord is my strength...”

It may seem at times like our joy is leaking, but that doesn't have to be. We must determine to stay focused on the things of God and not of the world. Satan knows how easily you and I are distracted and may not even have to work very hard in playing with our minds.

Distractions are going to be different for each of us, but we can determine to focus on more positive things. We are such blessed people. We may not have everything we want or even need, but can on a daily basis, look for those blessings that are all around us without too much thinking required. Most of those things will not involve money, but are God-given gifts to us for our enJOYment from a loving Father.

It must be added, as God's children, our Father feels such joy over us. That might be hard for us to conceive, but Zephaniah 3:17 tells us:

The Lord thy God in the midst of thee
is mighty; he will save, he will rejoice
over thee with joy; he will rest
in his love, he will joy over thee
with singing.

Just in those benefits from God we can be a people of joy. No matter what life or the world throws at us we have a God who is in the middle of our lives, who saves and rejoices over us with joy. His love is settled and He even sings over us with joy. Wow!

Father, thank You for Your being all we need. Thank You for Your gift of joy and for the way You love us. Thank You for singing over us as a mother would over her baby. You are too wonderful to describe and we love you. In Jesus name...Amen 

UP FRONT WITH GOD

Humble yourselves therefore under
the might hand of God, that He may
exalt you in due time:
casting all your care upon Him;
for He careth for you.
I Peter 5:6,7

You may have heard a friend say of her teenage child, “My child tells me everything.” Hopefully you haven't been guilty of saying something like that. It's a statement for those who hear it, to choke on. That may be the way it is in the early growth years of a child where there is a simpler relationship, but when the“mean teens” set in, even the best of teens become more and more private. I will hasten to add that most moms I've known going through those teen years, are not stupid and probably know more about the goings on of their children than their children know.

There is something from my stand point that I would also have to say... “I don't tell God everything.” That statement may seem an odd one for a Christian to make. I have to recoil in shame just typing that statement. Just like children feel they can hide the simplest of things from their parents, I'm afraid at times we are the same with our Heavenly Father.

I wonder, if you're like me, that we don't share fully with God because we feel He already knows everything about us anyway. Other times, we may not share with Him those things we don't want Him to know. Sounds a little silly on our part. We have to know by now because of God's promise to be with us at all times, never leaving or forsaking us, even to the point of His holding us in the palm of His hand that He knows absolutely EVERTHING about us before we can tell Him ANYTHING. His Holy Spirit abides in us and God knows even the number of hairs on our heads. That's pretty precise. Who do we think we are kidding?

We hear a lot about transparency in our day. It indicates one being open and honest with no front presented. Why do we avoid being transparent with God on a voluntary basis? One reason could be that we just aren't people of prayer, unless an emergency comes up. Maybe something in our lives is too bad to even tell God, if that's possible. It must sadden our Father though, our lack of sharing with Him even the joys that come into our lives. I loved when my children shared positive things with me as well as negative ones. God our Father wants to be a personal and vital part of our lives no matter what is going on. After all, He knows everything about everything. He wants our fellowship and communication no matter where we are in our every day experiences.

We can hide nothing from our Heavenly Father. I doubt we even try most of the time because we understand the Sovereignty of God that comes down into the lives of little old us. The more we confide in Him, the more He loves listening to us. There is nothing we can hide from Him even if we tried. Most important, He wants us to be up front and honest with Him because it's an indicator of our trust in and love for Him.

Our Father doesn't need a lot of fancy words from us. He wants us to feel a freedom in talking with Him at any time for any reason. However, as we pray, we need to remember He hears our hearts the same as our words. He delights in our communication with Him no matter how big or small the feelings we have to express to Him. He wants us to be people of truth, especially with Him. Anything else is an insult to His glory and character.

Father, forgive my lack of prayer, just talking with You about ordinary things in my life. Too often I get busy and just ignore You. Forgive my being thoughtless and ungrateful. Help me through Your Spirit's prompting to speak to You freely because of loving You and not just because I feel I have to. In Jesus' precious name....Amen

LET THERE BE LIGHT

In the beginning God created
the heavens and the earth.

The earth was formless and void,
and darkness was over the surface
of the deep, and the Spirit of God
was moving over the surface of the waters.

Then God said, “Let there be light”; and
there was light.

God saw that the light was good; and God
separated the light from the darkness.
Genesis 1:1-4 (NASB)

Felt like doing some reading in Genesis today so started at the beginning. It's a place I don't go very often because it's quite familiar and I know all those things were created by God. What dawned on me as I read in the first few verses of Chapter 1 was the fact that God first created light, but also noting that in the beginning of it all, God was beginning His creativity in darkness.

In this process, He didn't do away with darkness. He knew we as human beings would need both light and dark in our lives for so many reasons we still don't understand. Darkness came to me dramatically one year at the bottom of Mammoth Cave where the tour guide with cautionary words to our group explained what he was going to do... turn out the lights. I've never felt a darkness like that. The group was restless and moved closer together. The darkness felt heavy on the body and we craved having the light. The guide only had the lights out for a minute but it seemed hours. When the lights came on, it was such a relief. I read later that in darkness like that, a person left in that darkness with no hope would go insane in a short period of time.

God left us with both. The only place where there will be all light will be in Heaven. Darkness won't be needed. Jesus is and will be the light. We need darkness now. For one thing it helps to provide for us a time of rest and relaxation. I don't know about you, but I can't sleep in broad day light like I can sleep at night.

Our earth has to have light for growth of plant and animal life. Plants won't grow without it. There are many things in our beings that require light. Our eyes are made in such a way that they can't see without light...physically speaking. All creation depends on light for warmth. Otherwise, without it, we are dead. Books have been written on all of this. I'm just sharing some thoughts from my reading.

The thing that struck me is how down later in years, Jesus would say, “I am the light of the world.” Think of what that means. He is our provision, our warmth, our strength, our guidance and dispels the spiritual darkness Satan would have us wallow in. In our darkest night of ill health, sadness, negative happenings or world events, His light overcomes it all.

Just like we turn on a light switch when we go into a dark room, He wants us to in a sense be willing to turn Him on in our lives, dispelling all the darkness life can hand to us. He does all with a love for us that we can never understand...He lights up our lives not just for now but for Eternity.

Thank You Father, for sending the light of Jesus into our lives. His light shines into our hearts revealing our sin and need for a Savior. His light leads and directs our every step as we abide in Him. Thank You too for physical light you ordained for our health and safety. Thank You for being You. We love you....In Jesus precious name...Amen 

ONE RACE UNDER GOD

And the Lord God said, It is
not good that the man should
be alone; I will make him an
help meet for him.

And the Lord God caused a deep
sleep to fall upon Adam, and he
slept: and he took one of his ribs,
and closed up the flesh instead thereof;
And the rib, which the Lord God had
taken from man, made he a woman,
and brought her unto the man.
Genesis 2:18, 20,21

I'm about fed up with all the racist talk going on in our country. When we get down to it, all the accusations of racism are ridiculous. First of all, from Scripture we find that God created man and then woman from man. For folks who have no belief in God or His Word, nothing matters anyway. Let me make my point.....there is only ONE race. Within our race that is the HUMAN RACE, there are too many ethnicities and cultures to count. Within those groups are also too many differences to be noted, but all are still a part of the one grand race...the human race as ordained by God.

Remember the little chorus we used to sing in Sunday school?

Jesus loves the little children,
All the children of the world,
Red and yellow, black and white
All are precious in His sight.
Jesus loves the little children of the world.

We kids sang the song with great gusto perhaps not grasping fully the reality of the song. That little song is still a clarion call to love all people as God does. I add that Jesus also loves all the adults of the world, not just children. In fact, He died for each one that we all might be saved.

Today we are hearing from our right and left sides a dirty word...racist. It's a word that has become so out of whack that it's sickening. It doesn't change the fact that I'm very partial to my race, the race of everyone else...the human race. Yes, there are people I don't agree with and may not even like because of lifestyles and anti-Christian feelings. However, it doesn't change the fact that we are all members of one race as created by God Himself. I still remain partial to my race...the human race.

Within all ethnic groups no matter the color or culture, we all have the same bodily features in common as ordained by God. We all have two arms, two legs, one head upon which are two eyes, a nose, a mouth, and two ears stuck on either side of our heads. A brain is contained in the head that is used more by some folks than others. All bodily systems are alike. How wonderful that within our race we can even donate blood for each other. Organ transplants are even possible among us if certain physical criteria is met. We are all born with body, soul and spirit and we all have the same God whether some believe that or not. Failing to believe, however, makes no difference because He is our reality, and He must grieve seeing His creation at odds all the time.

All in all, we are all members of the human race despite ethnic/cultural differences. Nothing is going to change that no matter who creates conflict. The answer has always been and always will be individuals relationship with a Heavenly Father who loves them, an acceptance of Jesus as Savior who died and rose again for them and a Holy Spirit who desires to speak God's Word into their lives. There is no partiality with God. He has a plan for each life with a love that cannot be comprehended. We are all a part of one race...the human race.

Dear Father, only You can bring the people of Your designed race together. Without You in the lives of human beings, there will be no harmony and love as You desired from the beginning. All I know to say, Father, Is HELP US. In Jesus' precious name...Amen