This Joy that I have...

The joy of the Lord is my strength! We hear people say that all the time in and out of church but what does it really mean to have the joy of the Lord? Is it when you’re happy and smiling? Is it when you feel like jumping around and laughing? What does it really mean to have joy?

I have always thought of joy interchangeably with happiness. If everything was going great in my life, I had to have joy, right? But then that line of thinking meant that when things weren’t going right then there was no room for joy.  But I have discovered through my faith walk that when God gives you joy, it’s not temporary. It’s not based on circumstances but it’s based on relationship.  In Nehemiah 8, the Israelites have just returned to Jerusalem from captivity and they are gathered together to hear the Word. The priests were there interpreting what the people were hearing but they all started crying. They had been disconnected from the Word for so long that they mourned.  Nehemiah tells them in verse 10 “Go and celebrate with a feast of rich foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!” So in verse 12, “the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.”  Notice that the people had to not just hear the Word but get understanding and once that happened, there was joy!

I love reading the Psalms because they are so poetic and seem to address most of the situations I face in my life. That’s mainly because David went through a lot of situations in his own life. And he was real about his struggles!  Psalm 16 is a great example of David seeking God for a safe place, for instruction. But one of the key verses in that whole chapter is verse 11. He says “You will show me the path of life; in Your presence is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” I love that because it tells me that if I want to get the best out of my life, it can only come from being in His presence. We have to walk with the Lord daily, seek His face and just rest in Him and He will give you joy. Does anyone want the fullness of joy? I know I do!

Philippians 4:4 reminds us that we should always rejoice in the Lord! You see, God is faithful and He knows the end from the beginning. He knows about every situation that you face. And that’s why He has given us His Word. So that when we struggle, joy is always available.  Need confirmation? Look at John 15:11 where Jesus says “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.” God wants us to be joyous. He doesn’t want us to walk around burdened down.  “For the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and JOY in the Holy Spirit!” (Romans 14:17). God’s joy is something that no one can take away from you.  Whether you’re broke or rich, rejoice because God has blessed you with life! Don’t let anyone steal your joy. And if you feel like you don’t have any, take it back! Look to Hebrews 12:2 - 3 and remember Christ who is the best example we will ever have. “We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith. Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne.  Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up.” (NLT) Jesus looked beyond the cross to the joy that was waiting and is now seated in honor! Now that’s something to rejoice about!

May God’s joy fill you to capacity as you go throughout your day! AMEN

The Gift of Peace

“I searched all over…couldn’t find nobody! I looked high and low…still couldn’t find nobody! Nobody greater, nobody greater…nobody greater than you!” It’s funny how we often get caught searching for the answers to our problems everywhere but in God. As I thought about the death of Whitney Houston this week, I was saddened because it seemed that she just couldn’t find what she was looking for. Many of us are like Whitney Houston, our vices are just different. Some of us look for peace in alcohol, some in marijuana. Some of us look to other people to give us what we need. The truth is we can look all over but there’s nobody greater than God.

I believe it all comes down to peace. When we are at peace, we can be satisfied in any situation. It’s similar to when you see a parent that has lost a child and they can still smile. It’s not that they don’t grieve or miss their child, but they have a peace. Psalm 34:14 tells us to seek peace and pursue it. Are you seeking peace or are you seeking a temporary solution? When God gives you peace, Philippians 4: 7(NLT) says that it exceeds anything we can understand and it will guard your heart and mind as you live in Christ. I don’t know about you but I want to be in that place. I want to know that God has me and my situations under control. That’s what peace is. To paraphrase Philippians 4:6, it’s when you pray about a situation instead of worrying. It’s telling God what you need and thanking Him that it’s done.

Peace was a gift that Jesus Christ left with us. Think back to the Last Supper when Jesus is comforting the disciples and telling them of the Holy Spirit. He says in John 14:27, “I am leaving you with a gift—peace of mind and heart. And the peace I give is a gift the world cannot give. So don’t be troubled or afraid.” When you get the peace of Christ, the world can’t take it away from you. Embrace it and walk in it. God doesn’t give temporary things like the world, He gives eternal gifts. Open your heart and receive this precious gift from God. Life is too short to spend it anxious and upset, especially when God is a God of peace and not confusion (1 Cor. 14:33).

I challenge you to stop searching for foundation and stability in the world. There is nobody greater than God and in Him, you will find perfect peace. It doesn’t matter what you need or what has happened to you, God can give you peace. Allow Him to operate on your heart and mind and replace the old hurts and bitterness with His peace. When you come out of that spiritual surgery, you won’t even understand why you can love that mother that hurt you or why you can think of that loved one you lost with sweet memories instead of tears.  You might even wonder why you can celebrate with someone else when they receive the blessing you need or rejoice in your singleness.  The answer is simple…it’s God and above Him there’s no other!

May God’s peace rest in your life today and forever.  AMEN!

What Are You Going to Do?

When 2012 started, I felt immediately that this year would be special! I knew that it was a year of restoration and reconciliation. I closed 2011 out with an expectation of great things to come in my life. I knew that 2012 would be my year. As the days started going by, it seemed like I was under constant attack and I wondered for a time where my breakthrough was. I looked around and many of my friends and family were unhappy or under attack themselves and I wondered if I had heard wrong. But then God reminded me that whenever you are going higher, there’s a price that has to be paid. Do you think the devil wants you to have joy? Do you think he’s sitting around hoping that you walk into your wealthy place? Do you think he’s telling his imps and demons to lay low so that you can have peace? NO! He’s going to fight you at every turn but the question is…what are you going to do?

I often think about Job when I’m going through a test or trial.  His story is a roadmap as to how to survive tribulation in your life. First, I remember that the devil couldn’t just go in and kill Job. God had to give him permission and even then he wasn’t allowed to kill him. That’s a good place to shout right there! God is the ultimate power and Satan is a created being. As much as he wants to be stronger and greater than God, he can’t because God made him and the creation can never out do the Creator! My point is that Satan will try all that he can to get you to look at your circumstance and curse God. The question is…what are you going to do?

You may be facing financial hardship, a rocky marriage, or a bad supervisor. Maybe your children are being disobedient or you are sick. Times are hard but think about Job! Job 1:13 – 22 tells us that in one day, Job lost all of his children, his servants, and his livestock. What did he do?  He fell to the ground and worshipped! Job 1: 22 says “In all of this, Job did not sin by blaming God.” (NLT) Our flesh tells us that there is no way that we could do that. We want to scream and ask God why. But what would happen if you just deepened your worship instead of focusing on the problem? You see God has a way that is sweeter than anything we could do. “For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isa. 55:9) Instead of trying to get that husband to do what you want him to do, worship God! When your child doesn’t resemble the person you raised, give God your best praise. When your circumstances are saying give up…what are you going to do?

In Job 13, we find Job’s famous line, “Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him.” That’s a powerful statement, but I challenge you to read the entire chapter.  Job takes his case to God! He determines that he won’t allow man to be the judge and juror on his circumstances; he’s going straight to the Source. So often we let people dictate how we respond to the situations in our lives. When awful things happen and you keep speaking life and faith, people think you’re crazy and wonder why you aren’t somewhere moping and crying. We don’t have to give in to the world’s ideas. I'm not saying that you won't shed tears or feel pain but I am encouraging you to not let your circumstance overtake you. Take your situation to God directly and trust Him. Job did and “the Lord restored all of Job’s fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before.” (Job 42:10)

So, don’t give up! Keep trusting God and being obedient to His Word! Make the decision to grab hold of peace and joy. Don’t let the enemy or man control your destiny! When your circumstances say die and the question is asked…what are you going to do? You stand strong and say I’m going to live! I will be like Job and worship God through this storm and I WILL WIN!

AMEN

Take the Limits OFF!

As I sat down this morning to write, the song How Great is Our God immediately began to play in my mind and I began to sing out loud…”How great is our God! Sing with me …How great is our God! All will see how great, how great is our God!” Then it got even better…”You’re the name above all names! You are worthy of all praise and my heart will sing how great is our God!”  How awesome and wonderful is our God! He is all knowing and all powerful and He loves me! And He loves you! Sometimes we just have to take a moment and remember how great God is. We get caught up in the activity of church but forget the reason we go to church! We go to worship God in spirit and in truth.  Let’s worship Him today!

As I sang through the song, something powerful popped into my spirit. “Take the limits off of Me!” It was so simple and yet we seem to find it so hard. And that’s what the song boils down to. God is great! He is bigger than any sickness. He’s bigger than any cancer. He’s bigger than any debt. He’s bigger than any challenge that we face. He’s a big God! So why do we not expect the impossible from Him? Why do we get bad reports from the doctor and say ‘if you heal me, God, I will do…’ Or when we face trouble, we say, ‘If you’ll just get me out of this, God’. No! We have to KNOW that God is able to do anything but fail. There is no “if”! There are just declarative statements…God, You said in Your word more than once that I am healed by the stripes of Jesus Christ so I am healed! God, You said that if I have faith and do not doubt that I can say to the mountain be removed and it will be done!  God, You said that if I keep my mind focused on you that you would give me perfect peace! That’s a big God!

Psalm 78 is a great chapter to remember how awesome and mighty God is. It’s basically a recap of all the Lord did for the Israelites and how he brought them out time after time. In spite of their sin and complaining, He continued to show compassion and love and work miracle after miracle for them. You can literally feel His power pulsing off of the page. In verse 41, the King James Version says “Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel” Other versions say pained or tempted instead of limited but they are all essentially saying that our lack of faith and our sin limit God from fully manifesting himself in our lives.

Matthew 13 is another example. Jesus had just finished teaching on a number of parables and travels to His hometown but is met with attitude and unbelief. Verse 58, which is the very last verse, leaves a lasting message. It says “And he did not do many miracles there because of their lack of faith.”  Their unbelief kept Jesus from performing all that He could have done!

This is a challenge to turn up our faith! God created the universe! He knows how many stars are in the sky. He knows how many hairs are on our heads. We must be important to Him if He took the time to know all of that. I encourage you to look at your faith walk and see if you have been putting limits on God in any areas of your life. If you are seeking healing, don’t limit God with self-diagnoses and timelines! If you are seeking financial breakthrough, don’t limit God with your written financial plan for 2012! If you are seeking a spouse, don’t limit God with your checklist! Whatever you’re seeking, take the limits off! Ephesians 3:20 is one of my life verses and I stand on it every day! The NIV says God “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine. “  That’s a mighty big God!

I challenge you today to take the limits off! Let God have His way, you won’t be disappointed!

AMEN