Good for Dancing

Psalm 149:1-3 (ESV)

1 Praise the Lord!

Sing to the Lord a new song,

    his praise in the assembly of the godly!

2 Let Israel be glad in his Maker;

    let the children of Zion rejoice in their King!

3 Let them praise his name with dancing,

    making melody to him with tambourine and lyre!

The two-year-old accompanied her mom to the home that would soon be theirs. The paperwork had been signed, and it was just a matter of time before the moving van would arrive with the household belongings.

They walked through each room, and finally her mom showed the little girl the room that would be hers. As soon as she crossed the threshold, she began to twirl around with her arms outstretched. After three revolutions, she stopped and announced to Mom, “This room is good for dancing!”

Are you able to find a place in your life that is “good for dancing”? A place where you find joy and peace? A place where you overflow with praise to God? God created you to rejoice and to praise him, and it is possible your joy could take the form of dancing.

Dear Lord, help us to find a place where we find peace and joy. Help our praise for You to overflow out of us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Joy in His Presence

Philippians 4:4-5 (ESV)

4 Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. 5 Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand.

I saw a video on line that show real joy. Casey and Rebecca had been separated by thousands of miles for more than two years, and now they were finally reunited. Someone grabbed a video camera to capture the long-awaited reunion as the two friends ran toward each other.

What joy! There were lots of hugs and happy tears and squeals of delight. It was a picture-perfect reunion until . . .

Casey passed out.

Casey, you see, is a miniature schnauzer. He hadn’t seen Rebecca, his owner, for the two years she was working in Slovenia. Being in her presence once again was just too much for him. Overwhelmed, he fainted from pure joy. You have to love the devotion and love of dogs.

If a miniature schnauzer can find such happiness in his owner, how much greater should our joy be in the presence of Jesus!

The psalmist-king David experienced exactly that: “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore” (Psalm 16:11).

You and I can find joy—immense joy—in God’s presence. The challenge, however, is this: if you’re like me, there is a lot competing with God for your attention. We have responsibilities with work and family. Many of us volunteer in our churches and communities. Sometimes there is so much to see and do and be that it’s difficult even to get enough sleep.

This kind of busyness has left me, and maybe you, hungry for real joy. Only our heavenly Father and faithful God can pour joy into our lives until we are full . . . until we are satisfied.

Why don’t you make some room in your life today to rest in God’s presence? You may need to turn off a screen, silence your phone, or block out some time on your calendar. There will be some kind of cost involved with this choice, for sure—but I can promise you that any time spent with Him will be so much more than worth it.

In the quiet, you will find that He has been waiting for you all along, and there, in His presence, you will find fullness of joy.

Dear Lord, help us to not lose our joy because of busyness. Help us to slow down and let the things that steal our joy go. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Protecting your joy

Matthew 6:33 (ESV)

But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Happiness is more than your choice; it’s your weapon! Nehemiah 8:10b says, “Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” It’s so easy to sabotage a good day with high expectations and confused priorities, but we have to make the choice to rejoice. Here are two ways we commonly set ourselves up to lose our joy:

1. Putting things first

Enjoying things is good and it’s God’s plan, but whenever we start looking to things to give us purpose, happiness, or identity, it ultimately leaves us feeling broken and empty.

2. Putting people’s approval first

Choosing the approval of people over God is a guaranteed formula for losing your joy. Seeking people’s approval won’t bring joy—it will entrap you! In fact, anything you seek more than you seek Him and His kingdom will eventually steal your happiness. Matthew 6:33 says, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” Keep your eyes on God, and your happiness will no longer be based on your circumstances!

Dear Lord, we pray that we will keep our eyes on You in all things. Help us to protect the joy that You give us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Contagious Joy

Romans 15:13 (ESV)

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

There is a connection between what you believe and your joy! Choose to believe what God and His Word say to you and about you. Meditating on your failures, mistakes and what someone did or said will make you negative and zap the strength out of you. What you meditate on becomes a belief. Therefore, you must guard yourself from wrong thinking and wrong believing.

Think happy thoughts! Sing happy songs! Hum a tune. Do something positive. Create. Do things that inspire you to be your best. Laugh. Spend time in God’s Word and worship Him in joy and freedom. Life is in Christ! Out of a personal relationship with God, you can believe good things about who you are in Him, and you can rejoice!

It takes effort to make yourself believe good things when others are negative, but you will have what you believe.

Don’t let the enemy steal your joy with regrets, dread of what you have to do, legalism, ruts, worry, anxiety, mental reasoning, negativity, manipulative people, unbelief or over commitments! Believe what God says, and serve the Lord with gladness. He is better than anything anyone can do or say against Him!

Joy is contagious! People should see you smile and know that there is something different about you! This hope you have in Him will not leave you disappointed! Get your happy on!

Dear Lord, we pray that we would not focus on the negativity but instead look at the joy. Help our hearts be full of joy so that those around us will see You in us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Really happy

1 Peter 1:8 (ESV)

Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.

Raising our two children was an incredible time mixed with many  adventures and overwhelming joy. I love happy families!

That joy and intense love are like the joy we feel when we experience the knowledge of the love God has for us. And even though at times it can seem a bit cloudy with all the day-to-day tasks, it’s real. There is great joy in the relationship, and we haven’t yet seen Him with our natural eyes. We see Him with the eyes of our spirit. We see Him through His Word and others’ encounters, but what will that day be like when we see Him face to face and fall into His arms, or maybe swoon at His feet before we can even get there?

He said, “I go to prepare a place for you so that where I am so will you be also.” We prepare parties, food, presents, books to read, vacations, and activities for our children because we want to express our great love for them. What joy we have in the preparation! Jesus is preparing a place for us to make our joy full when we see Him. We have joy now, but we haven’t seen anything yet! So if things seem a little rough today, don’t forget the joy of His love and the fuller experience of that joy that is yet to come!

Dear Lord, thank You for the place you are preparing for us. We want to thank You for the joy  that is waiting for us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Choose Joy

James 1:2-4 (ESV)

2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

One of Compassion International main priorities is releasing children from poverty in Jesus’ name. Their work revolves around kids, so you better believe that they keep laughing! The kids in the program around the world write to their sponsors and they often hear from sponsors about the funny things kids say in their letters.

Kids in the Compassion program are growing up in poverty. By the world’s standards, they have every right to be angry at their situation. Quite the opposite is true though! These children are a great example of what it means to have joy despite their circumstances.

In today’s verses, we learn that joy is an essential part of walking through trials. How is this possible? How can we have joy in the midst of illness, financial hardship and other painful circumstances?

First, we see that the joy provided by God’s Spirit is different from the joy of the world. Worldly joy isn’t something you can cling to when your world is falling apart. In contrast, the joy God offers is available in a never-ending supply. It will never run out and it can never be taken away. John 15:11 says, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”

Second, this joy is a free gift! It is offered to us as a lifeline and we can reach out and grab onto it. We can either choose bitterness and anger or we can decide to express joy. First Thessalonians 5:16 reminds us, “Rejoice always.”

We can choose joy… no matter what comes our way.

Dear Lord, we thank You again for the joy we can have in You. Help us to always live in that joy and to share it with those around us. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

My Kidney Rejoices

Psalm 16:8-11 (ESV)

8 I have set the Lord always before me;

    because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being[a] rejoices;

    my flesh also dwells secure.

10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol,

    or let your holy one see corruption.

11 You make known to me the path of life;

    in your presence there is fullness of joy;

    at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Sara, age 7, had recently memorized Psalm 23. She asked her mom, “Why is your friend Shirley going to follow me around for my entire life?” Of course, she was referring to Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…” I am pretty sure her mom had a belly laugh at that comment!

Have you ever noticed that laughter is designed for relationship? It’s often a lot more fun to laugh and experience joy with others, rather than while we are alone. In the verses we read today, the psalmist declares God to be his guide. God goes before him and serves as his guide. He guides the psalmist along a secure path. Due to this security, he can declare, “I will not be shaken.”

He can sing out with a heart that is glad and tongue that rejoices! The literal word for “tongue” here is “kidney.” In that culture, the kidneys represented the inner indicators of emotion. No matter how it’s translated, the psalmist was filled with joy because He was secure in His God. He knows God will not abandon him and will continue leading him along a secure path. This results in great joy!

Where do you find your security? Can you say along with the psalmist that your eyes are always on the Lord and you will not be shaken? Can you say that God fills you with joy? When we have God in our lives, do those insecurities and fears melt away? No, but we are empowered to find joy as we walk with Him through the hard times of life.

It is through the relationship with God that we find true joy!

Dear Lord, thank You for being the author of real joy. Help us to put our security in You and enjoy the Joy that You give. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The Best Medicine

Proverbs 17:22 (ESV)

A joyful heart is good medicine,

    but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

When you think back on your favorite memories of your kids, how many include laughter and joy? Maybe it was their first time eating spaghetti (followed by a much-needed bath) or their joy when they received their first pet! Or maybe they said something that caused everyone around to break down in laughter and tears to roll down your cheeks.

Kids love to laugh and they love to make others laugh. Kids love to spread joy! As adults, we get caught up in the stress of our day, but kids have a way of putting those stressors in perspective. Laughing seems to make life easier.

When those uncontrollable belly-laughs happen, the stresses of the world roll away and we often feel a sense of release. Perhaps that’s what Proverbs 17:22 refers to when it talks of laughter as a good medicine. Our sapped strength can be re-energized by a good dose of laughter.

As we read todays verse we see that it presents a dichotomy of emotions. On one side, a cheerful heart is good medicine, while the other side presents a crushed spirit that dries up the bones.

Let’s start with the happier side. A cheerful heart does not mean LOL, but it does mean “a glad heart.” In a word, it refers to happiness. This emotion becomes a healing element in our bodies. We may feel stronger. God, our Great Physician, uses joy to lower our blood pressure and fight stress.

The other side of the coin is a crushed spirit. It may reflect in the emotion of sadness or sorrow. It’s a depression that can’t be cured with trite words. This emotion dries up the bones. We feel withered and drained.

God’s Word gives numerous examples of how God rescues people from the pit of a crushed spirit. Job suffered tremendous loss. David cried out his heart to God. Even Jesus sweat drops of blood in anguish before His death.

Jesus said that He wants our joy to be complete. Share your emotions with Jesus today. Let Him lift your crushed spirit and fill you with joy.

Dear Lord, help us to no matter what we face not to let it crush us. Give us the joy that only You can give. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Fullness of Joy

John 17:13  (ESV)

But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

Kids often get their words mixed up, making for a funny result. Take for example Kate when she was 5 years old, she would ask for “sand hanitizer.” Of course, she meant hand sanitizer, but the mix-up always resulted in laughter from those who heard her. Another time, Jenny’s kids were hanging up solar system decorations and calling out the names of the planets, “Mars, Earth, Uterus…”

We love how kids bring us joy and laughter! As they watch and listen to us, they pick up words. Those words don’t always come back out of their mouths correctly though!

Jesus is the embodiment of joy. We imagine there were evenings around the campfire where Jesus and His disciples shared stories. Perhaps the night sky around them was filled with sounds of laughter and joy. Maybe contagious belly laughs spread around their group.

Some people think that Jesus never laughed. In fact, most paintings of Jesus represent Him in a somber way. We know that Jesus suffered a great deal, cried at His friend’s death, and experienced a horrific death. Even so, this does not mean that Jesus never experienced a light-hearted moment or a fit of laughter!

Rejoicing was often a theme in Jesus’ message. He said, “Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven…” (Matthew 5:12). His parables also had the theme of rejoicing. Remember the lost coin, the lost sheep, and the lost son? The result is a lot of rejoicing when the items are found.

Did you know that Jesus prayed for you? You can read his prayer in John 17. He desires that His followers have the “full measure of [His] joy.” He didn’t say a “half-measure”! He wants you to live in the full-measure of His joy.

Dear Lord, help us to live in a full measure of Your love. Even when times look bleak help us to keep Your joy in us and let it shine forth. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

The Joy of the Lord

Psalm 126:2 (ESV)

2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter,

    and our tongue with shouts of joy;

then they said among the nations,

    “The Lord has done great things for them.”

Kids and laughter tend to go hand-in-hand. In fact, author Mignon McLaughlin said, "Only where children gather is there any real chance of fun." We love to hear about the funny things kids say. Like the time when Will, age 4, was asked, “What is your doctor’s name?” He replied, “Dr. Appointment.” Makes sense, doesn’t it?

We think the world needs more joy and laughter! In fact, you may have heard the phrase, “the joy of the Lord is our strength.” That phrase comes from Nehemiah 8:10. Do you remember the context of that verse? God’s people had returned from exile in Babylon and they gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate with a big feast. Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks…This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” No longer in exile, the people were delirious with joy!

Many scholars believe that Psalm 126:2, the verse we read today, was written about this return from exile. The people’s mouths were filled with laughter and their tongues sang for joy. This revival was so apparent that the unbelieving nations declared that “the Lord has done great things for them!”

The same is true today! Joy and laughter are contagious and those around us notice our countenance. We can share the “joy of the Lord” when we know God, abide in Him, and are filled with His Spirit. Jesus wasn’t a glum person. He is described as a groom enjoying a wedding feast! We can follow His example and let our joy shine!

Dear Lord, we thank You for the joy in our life. Give us the opportunity to share it with someone today. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Are you living, or barely existing?

Ephesians 2:4-6 (ESV)

4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.

A fundraiser… Not an ordinary one, not a lavish one, not one to increase some organization's wealth or to pad someone's wallet… The children sheltered at Christ Our Refuge Children's Home, in Nairobi, Kenya, made some exotic art work to be sold at a church in Canada. The children took the wings from dead butterflies and glued them to paper to make unforgettable masterpieces. Some took human form, others the form of a dwelling, but the one that caught my eye was in the form of a colorful parrot. I can't even imagine the hours of work that was poured into these works of art, and it was obvious that there was also plenty of love and prayers put into the pictures as well. And that's how they were received by churches. It was like they were receiving butterfly kisses straight from Africa!

What would the orphanage do with the money they received? They use it to save more of the homeless children from the slums of Nairobi. They want to reach out to more and more of the kids no one wants! The Undesirables! The kinds that otherwise would end up in crime, prostitution, and disease! They want to offer them shelter, food, an education, and a real purpose in life.

What drives this orphanage? Their love for the lost children in Nairobi. They are fully aware where most of these abandoned children are heading: "Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it." (Matt 7:13-14 NIV)

It is no life to sleep on the street in a cardboard box with an empty belly! It is no life to have to beg or rely on crime and prostitution to get food to survive! It is no life to face AIDS, desperate and alone!

But what about those of us in the Western world? We have so much more, yet do we fare any better? We have homes, food in abundance and security, but how many of us really enjoy true living? There are so few who aren't addicted to nasty habits that keep them from enjoying what we could have been. There are so few of us who truly walk around with a big smile on our faces!

Are we truly living, or do we barely exist from one moment to another?

There are a few who really enjoy real living. I am not talking about the con artist who pretends all is well while his whole life is falling apart. I'm talking about those who really, truly enjoy every moment of their life. These rare people all have one thing in common: they truly know the One who brought them life!

Only One is the way! Only One is the truth! Only one is life, real life! Only One can bring us to heaven! Jesus is the One who can give each one a true purpose! He is the One who can make us truly enjoy life, even though our circumstances may be far from ideal. He is the one who can give us true hope!

His love is more than enough to envelop anyone who opens up to Him, asking Him to provide them with real living. And real living He will truly provide!

Dear Lord, thank You for the true joy that You can bring to each of us. Help us live our life in Your joy. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Are you happy in your grievance?

Philippians 4:4 (ESV)

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.

Jones, a wealthy financier, had on many occasion in the good old days, when trains were flourishing and coaches were the last word in technological luxury, crossed the continent by Pullman. He was well known and well served and was accustomed to every convenience, particularly when dining.

Imagine his exasperation, then, when it turned out that the chef did not have tutti-frutti ice cream.

"No tutti-frutti?" He shouted. "I always have tutti-frutti."

"I'm sorry, sir," said the waiter, soothingly. "We have chocolate, vanilla, strawberry, black walnut, cherry, mocha almond --"

"I want tutti-frutti," cried Jones, banging the table and turning red. "I have always had tutti-frutti and I won't have anything else."

For miles he muttered, scowled, growled, and snarled at everyone, so that every train employee on board had visions of angry reprisals. Finally, the train stopped at a station; a word to the conductor kept it there while the crew scoured the town for tutti-frutti ice cream.

A whole pint of the dessert was found and all of it was presented to Jones, with huge gobs of cherry sauce on it, together with a sliced banana and a swirl of whipped cream.

"Here is your tutti-frutti ice cream, Mr. Jones," said the quaking waiter.

Jones looked at it with a scowl, then with a sudden swipe of his arm hurled it to the floor, shouting, "I'd rather have my grievance!"

As embarrassing as it is to admit it, don’t we all find ourselves in that same situation? There are times when we have been most content to be discontent and have received great enjoyment from being unhappy. And pity the person who tried to appease us and deprive us of the "pity party" we were throwing!

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Philippians 4:4).

May you find joy this day in a God who richly supplies all your needs!

Dear Lord, help our joy be in You. Help us not get caught in the pity parties and tantrums we like to throw. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Do You Make Sacrifices With Joy?

Matthew 13:44 (NIV)

The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.

I read a story once about two wealthy Christians, a lawyer and a merchant, who traveled with a group that was going around the world. As they were visiting in Korea, they saw by the side of the road, a field in which a boy was pulling a crude plow and an old man held the plow handles and guided it.

The lawyer was amused and took a snapshot of the scene. He turned to the missionary, who served as their interpreter and guide, and he said, "That's a curious picture. I suppose they are very poor."

The guide replied, "Yes, that is the family of Chi Noue. When the place of worship was being built, they were eager to give something to it, but they had no money, so they sold their only ox and gave the money to the church. This spring, they are pulling the plow themselves."

The men were silent for several moments. Then the businessman replied, "That must have been a real sacrifice."

The guide said, "They do not call it that. They thought it was fortunate that they had an ox to sell."

That story reminds me of a parable Jesus told: "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field." (Matt. 13:44).

Notice carefully the words "for joy." This man doesn't just sell everything he has; he does so with joy. He doesn't regret it. He doesn't complain about the sacrifice he has to make. In fact, he probably doesn't even consider it to be a sacrifice. He gives a lot for the field, but he gets so much more in return.

Sacrifice is usually difficult. Only love can make it easy; and perfect love can make it a joy. The same thing holds true in our walk with Christ. Sacrifices will be necessary, and only a deep love for Christ will make them a joy. The real test of our commitment is not so much whether we are willing to make sacrifices for our Lord, but whether we are able to make those sacrifices with joy.

Dear Lord, help us look at the sacrifices that we make with joy. Help us give with a joyful heart as You show us to do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Deleted Pictures

1 Samuel 16:23 (NIV) 

Whenever the spirit from God came on Saul, David would take up his lyre and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.

World War III was almost declared a couple of years ago. A young couple touring New Zealand rented the services of a helicopter company to fly to White island, a surreal place that is actually an active volcano. The couple enjoyed their outing, and to preserve this once-in-a-lifetime occasion, the husband took plenty of pictures with his digital camera.

When it came time to fly back, he amused himself in the helicopter by reviewing his White Island pictures. Some of them turned out far better than he had anticipated, and he couldn't help boasting a little.

Overcome by curiosity, his wife asked if she could review the pictures. He dutifully passed the camera to the back seat, and she spent the next half an hour reviewing them one at a time. She had only gotten halfway through when her husband spotted more photo opportunities, and promising she could have the camera back in a few moments, he reached for the camera.

It's then that the husband (Not the volcano!) blew: "What did you do to my pictures?" He demanded.

"I admired them," came the honest answer.

"But half of them are gone!"

"What do you mean, gone?" His wife asked.

"I mean they have been deleted from the camera!"

"I don't know how that could have happened," she responded, rather defensively. "The only button I pushed was the one that made the pictures advance!"

Only too late did she realize that the button she had been pushing was not the "forward" button at all, but the "delete" button!

Unfortunately for the poor pilot, what ensued was a rather heated argument that lasted most of the way back to the helipad, only to be followed by an angry, bone-chilling silence.

I hope that this couple was able to reconcile. Otherwise, this day trip to White Island, which was supposed to be one of the highlights of their New Zealand trip, would be nothing but a bitter memory for both of them, and the remaining pictures on the camera would only serve to remind the couple of how they had very nearly been the cause of the beginning of World War III. In fact, this experience could very likely have ruined the rest of their experience in the beautiful country, because once bitterness creeps into the soul, it is there to stay. At least for a while!

Maybe they should have read 1 Sam 16:23. Maybe, with this verse on their lips, they would have been able to drive that spirit of bitterness away. Reconciliation is possible, but only by focusing away from the irreversible problems: "And it hath come to pass, in the spirit of [sadness from] God being on Saul, that David hath taken the harp, and played with his hand, and Saul hath refreshment and gladness, and the spirit of sadness hath turned aside from off him."

The right kind of music brings refreshment to the soul, lifting sadness and bitterness from the heart. The sad fact is that when we are feeling down, we become too focused on our problems to even contemplate worship music. But for those who do, sadness cannot take root in the heart.

Dear Lord, help us not let the troubles in our live rule over us and destroy our joy.  Help us focus on You in all things. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

What Motivates You?

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NIV) 

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

I recently read a story of a woman who for years was married to a harsh husband. Each day he would leave her a list of chores to complete before he returned at the end of the day. "Clean the yard. Stack the firewood. Wash the windows. . . ."

If she didn't complete the tasks, she would be greeted with his explosive anger. But even if she did complete the list, he was never satisfied; he would always find inadequacies in her work.

After several years, the husband passed away. Sometime later she remarried, this time to a man who lavished her with tenderness and adoration.

One day, while going through a box of old papers, the wife discovered one of her first husband's lists. And as she read the sheet, a realization caused a tear of joy to splash on the paper.

"I'm still doing all these things, and no one has to tell me. I do it because I love him."

That is how it should be with our relationship with God. We work not to get to heaven; but because we love God. As we serve Him do it with joy because we love Him.

Dear Lord, thanks for all You do for us. We pray that Your love would shine through us in everything we do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Pride of the Parent.

Colossians 3:23 (NIV)

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.

You will always get a group of parents at a prize-giving or at school sports. And, if they were honest, they would tell you that they have really only come to see one figure walk on to the platform to receive the prize, certificate or diploma. They have only come to see one figure flash past in the race. They will politely applaud the others, but it is only one - their one - that they came to see. And if you think that there is something wrong with that, you are not a parent. Anything our own children do or achieve has a hundred times the thrill that something that someone else's child has done.

Thomas Campbell was a famous poet; his father was a simple man who seldom read a book in his life. His famous son used to send him the volumes of his poems as they came off the press. One day someone came upon the old man standing with one of his son's volumes in his hand. He was looking at it and saying, 'To think that Tom made that!' It was Tom's book, and Tom's father was thrilled and proud.

Has it ever struck you that God is like that - about you? God is our Father and we are His children, and all the time God looks down and watches what we do. It isn't that He is watching in a critical way, ready to pounce or condemn. He is watching as a parent watches his child, and when we do well it makes Him glad, and when we do badly, it makes Him sad. It is surely the most tremendous responsibility in human life that we, being as we are, can bring joy or sorrow to God.

On one occasion someone came on Robert Louis Stevenson turning over the pages of a scrapbook of press cuttings about his own books. 'Well,' said the friend 'is fame all that it's cracked up to be?' 'Yes,' said Stevenson, 'when I see my mother's face.' His mother's joy in his success was dearer to him than all his fame with others.

As Saint Augustine said long ago, 'God loves each one of us as if there was only one of us to love.' And, therefore, each one of us has it in us to bring pride or grief, joy or sorrow, to God.

That is, indeed, something to live for.

Dear Lord, we pray that today we would bring You pride in what we do. Help what we do bring joy to You and to those around us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

The King Who Lost Everything and Still Had Joy.

Nehemiah 8:10 (NIV)

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is holy to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

No man had more reason to be miserable than this one-yet no man was more joyful.

His first home was a palace. Servants were at his finger­tips. The snap of his fingers changed the course of history. His name was known and loved. He had everything­wealth, power, respect.

And then he had nothing.

Students of the event still ponder it. Historians stumble as they attempt to explain it. How could a king lose everything in one instant?

One moment he was royalty; the next he was in poverty. His bed became, at best, a borrowed pallet-and usually the hard earth. He never owned even the most basic mode of transportation and was dependent upon handouts for his income. He was sometimes so hungry he would eat raw grain or pick fruit off a tree. He knew what it was like to be rained on, to be cold. He knew what it meant to have no home.

His palace grounds had been spotless; now he was exposed to filth. He had never known disease, but was now surrounded by illness.

In his kingdom he had been revered; now he was ridiculed. His neighbors tried to lynch him. Some called him a lunatic. His family tried to confine him to their house.

Those who didn't ridicule him tried to use him. They wanted favors. They wanted tricks. He was a novelty. They wanted to be seen with him-that is, until being with him was out of fashion. Then they wanted to kill him.

He was accused of a crime he never committed. Witnesses were hired to lie. The jury was rigged. No lawyer was assigned to his defense. A judge swayed by politics handed down the death penalty.

They killed him.

He left as he came-penniless. He was buried in a borrowed grave, his funeral financed by compassionate friends. Though he once had everything, he died with nothing.

He should have been miserable. He should have been bitter. He had every right to be a pot of boiling anger. But he wasn't.

He was joyful.

Sourpusses don't attract a following. People followed him wherever he went.

Children avoid soreheads. Children scampered after this man.

Crowds don't gather to listen to the woeful. Crowds clamored to hear him.

Why? He was joyful. He was joyful when he was poor. He was joyful when he was abandoned. He was joyful when he was betrayed. He was even joyful as he hung on a tool of torture, his hands pierced with six-inch Roman spikes.

Dear Lord, Thank You for bringing hope, peace and joy to our family. We pray the Holy Spirit will keep us all in the faith, so that Your joy will show through us. In Jesus' Name. Amen.

"Good-to-See-You" Sunday Morning.

Matthew 11:28-30 (New International Version)

28 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

It's another "good-to-see-you" Sunday morning. A few more handshakes and I'll make it to my pew. "Doing great," I answer, a smile spreading quickly across my face. Lord, I hope these eyes don't give my thoughts away.

A kind word to the preacher, a hug to an elderly lady and I arrive at my familiar spot. I'm sure glad those visitors aren't in my seat again this week. Well, just look at that song leader, he wore that tie last week. Please Lord, not that same old hymn again. As I routinely move my lips to another favorite, I'm surprised to see a new couple walk the aisle and stand across from me. I hope someone welcomes them here today.

The man who grips the gospel gun stands behind the pulpit ready to fire away. It's time again. Only forty more minutes to go. "Let's pray," he says.

"Turn in your Bibles to..." My thoughts drift away. Where will I go this time? The deer woods? No, that was last Sunday. What's for dinner today? Hey, there's a bit football game tonight, I wonder who will win... I lose myself to one more day's indifference. The clouds start rolling in again as a fog covers my mind. Lord, if that baby doesn't stop crying...

Point number two, we're moving right along. I do wish those teenagers would stop giggling, though. They are going to distract someone. I've said it a thousand times before, if you're mind isn't on the message, God won't speak to you. A chorus of "Amens" break my concentration. "Preach it, brother!" I unknowingly say aloud. I like to be involved, you know.

It's five 'til twelve, he better start winding it up. Well, look who's in church today. It's about time she got back in church. I just hope it's not too late. "We're going to have a hymn of invitation," the preacher says. "Praise the Lord," I mumble softly. We bow our heads. "Let's pray," the preacher says again.

Well, I guess I'd better pray too. "Dear Lord, Mrs. So- and-So needs to repent. Show her the error of her ways. Help that preacher to start getting us out on time. Lord, thank you that I'm not like the rest. Amen."

That wasn't so bad. Wait a minute, why is everyone crying? Where are all of those people headed? What's happening here? "The Spirit is really moving this morning," the preacher announces. "Won't you come?"

I bow my head, ashamed I'm feeling nothing. I'm here, but my heart's a thousand miles away. I search my heart for signs of something that's long gone. "God is calling someone this morning to get their relationship right with him," the preacher continues. "Won't you come right now?" Is he talking about me? Should I go down there?

What will everyone think? Oh, I feel so empty. I need to go down there. I know something is missing. Something isn't right. Ok, I'll go...no, no, no. I'll wait until next week. Oh, no. Not another verse. Why is he dragging this out? Hurry up. I'm getting hungry. It's past time to go. "Invitation time is over. I hope you did what the Lord told you to do," he finally says. "Let's pray."

A few more handshakes and I'll make it to the door. "Have a nice day," I exchange pleasantries with a few people. Don't forget, Lord, send someone to welcome that new couple, I think silently.

"Good service, preacher. I really enjoyed the message. I can't wait until next week," I say with a smile on my face.

Praise the Lord, I'm walking out the door.

Christian, does what you have just read sound familiar? Does this article that I wrote about myself many years ago ring a bell? Maybe not all of it, but some of it?

What about it, friend? Are you headed for another "good-to-see-you" Sunday morning?

You can have your joy restored, you know. You can get your peace back. All you need to do is go before the Lord and ask Him to reach out and touch your heart.

Dear Lord we pray that our joy will be restored.  We pray that we always have the peace that You can bring. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

Where is Your Joy Found?

Men have pursued joy in every avenue imaginable. Some have successfully found it while others have not. Perhaps it would be easier to describe where joy cannot be found:

Not in Unbelief -- Voltaire was an infidel of the most pronounced type. He wrote: "I wish I had never been born."

Not in Pleasure -- Lord Byron lived a life of pleasure if anyone did. He wrote: "The worm, the canker, and grief are mine alone."

Not in Money -- Jay Gould, the American millionaire, had plenty of that. When dying, he said: "I suppose I am the most miserable man on earth."

Not in Position and Fame -- Lord Beaconsfield enjoyed more than his share of both. He wrote: "Youth is a mistake; manhood a struggle; old age a regret."

Not in Military Glory -- Alexander the Great conquered the known world in his day. Having done so, he wept in his tent, before he said, "There are no more worlds to conquer."

Where then is real joy found? -- the answer is simple, in Christ alone.

If you keep My commandments, you will 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.

- John 15:10-11 (New King James Version)

Dear Lord, We pray that we will always look to you for our joy and that joy will show through the way we live and others will see it. In Jesus’ Name, Amen