January 26 – Joy In All Settings

“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 be in you, and that your joy may be full.”  John 15:10-11 (ESV)

We are fruit bearers for the Spirit of God. He bears the fruit through our obedient service to Him. The first three mentioned in Galatians 5 are love, joy, peace. In his last Passover meal Jesus emphasized these three with His Apostles. Our promise in our passage today is that keeping the commandments of Jesus as by his own example he kept the Father’s commandments, our lives will bear out joy. The very reason Jesus expounded on so much during this last supper was to produce joy within the hearts of his closest friends. Except for Judas, these were going to bring the Good News to the whole world. Jesus knew the road would be rough for them yet He promises joy as they journey on it. We are promised joy in any and all circumstances of our lives. If our joy is not rooted in our circumstances but in our obedience to God, it will produce more joy.  It promises to be a full joy even when situations are dark. Let’s not fear what might be or is and so lose our joy, instead do what He has called us to do. Love one another and our neighbor too.

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July 23 – He Will Do That Thing

“And the Lord said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.””  - Exodus 33:17 (ESV)

Moses had asked God to go with him as he led the people of Israel to the Promised Land. What a wonderful answer to prayer! God agreed to go with Moses just as he had prayed. It was a very difficult time for Moses. He was instructed by God to lead the people whom God called a stiff-necked people (Exodus 33:5). He had encountered such disobedience from them with the making of Egyptian idols that Moses doubted he could lead the people rightly (Exodus 33:14-15).  Moses had asked God to go with him. This request pleased the Lord. And God wants to be with His children today, too. When we ask Him to be with us, He is pleased with our request. And, as God told Moses that He knew his name, so He knows us by name too. He knows your name and He knows mine. He wants to be with us today. When we ask for His presence He will say to us as he said to Moses, “I will do this thing that you ask. I will be with you through your trial and testing every step”

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November 12 – Pure and Godly Happiness

“These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”  -  John 15:11 (ESV)

Have we ever taken time to consider that our God is a Happy God and why He has so much joy?.  These words Jesus was saying to his disciples, just prior to His arrest  which lead to his execution by crucifixion.  It is nearly impossible to imagine Jesus, knowing what was soon to happen experienced joy and was wishing His joy to fill his disciples.  God the Father was allowing His One and Only Son to be lead to the cross to die.  He so loved the world that He gave us Jesus and the result of His gift is our opportunity for salvation.  God's happiness was the foundation of His delight in what was happening and what it meant to the world. That was what He was so Happy about, the worst thing imaginable would bring the best thing possible for us.  That was His joy and should be our joy if we know now why it all had to happen.   

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April 24 – He Does Not Change His Mind

“God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?”  Numbers 23:19 (NASB)

These words were spoken by a man with the name of Balaam who served the King of Moab.  Balaam was a wicked prophet and is noteworthy because, although he was a wicked prophet, he was not a false prophet. That is, Balaam did hear from God, and God did give him some true prophecies to speak when Balak sent him to curse the Children of Israel, God's people.  These words are good for us now because they are truth.  We can live by them and apply them to our lives.  We do have a wonderful God and He is the true God.  He does not change His mind. He never fails to keep  His promises to us.  When we trust Him to do something which He has promised to do for His children we can depend on His faithfulness to do it.  Today, reflect on what God has promised us in our lives and commit to again trust that He will make good His promises, whatever they are. 

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