Deep joy brings strength. Strength to take the next step, to move ahead when you want to go back, to get the treatment, to make the break, to make the change, to figure it out. God’s joy is soul-deep. Most of us live on the surface. You hear it in our conversations.

      God allows us to go deep. God loves the deep things of life. The true spiritual life runs into the darkest corners, the deepest hurts, and the healing begins.

The purposes of a person’s heart are deep waters, but one who has insight draws them out. Proverbs 20:5

Jesus,

We pray to have eyes to see into the deep issues of life, to draw others into complete healing from You. Help us to help others to jump into deep waters without fear.

Amen

Joy

     We want to be happy. We want our kids to be happy. Our culture tells us we deserve to be happy. The Bible leads us into something more; a deep, soul-filling joy. Yes, there is a difference. Happiness relies on circumstances. To be happy, this has to happen; the right job, the perfect partner, the deserved vacation, or___.  You fill in the blank. What blanks are you waiting to be filled in order to be happy? It is an unrealistic goal to be perpetually happy.

     No matter how we try to fill our lives, without Jesus, they remain half-emptyThere will forever and always be a God-sized hole. Jesus promises us a joy that can never be removed. I have seen this deep joy in others around me; in my friend, still suffering the repercussions of a severe stroke over nine years ago. I have seen it in a woman I visited over the years, suffering with heart failure, an oxygen tank and blindness. How?

     They know Jesus. They know Him intimately. He is real. He is there. He fills them with true joy. Every step they take relies on Him. Every word they speak is spoken in service to Him. They give to others sacrificially, even in a state that the world would look at as “unhappy.” Don’t rule your life based on finding fleeting happiness. The happenings in our life don’t guarantee a worldly contentment.

     But Jesus does. He will bless us no matter what. He will fill our souls with His kind of love. And it is heavenly.

Jesus,

Only You have the way, the truth and the life. It is an abundant life. The life that is led by You offers deep joy. Lead us into that kind of joy. It is unlike any other.

Amen

All Things At All Times

     God can fill in our missing pieces. He will give us the right words. He will provide what we need, when we need it. Do you trust Him and His word for you? Will you believe He is working for you? Will you allow yourself to feel His peace and joy as He removes your doubt and fear? Here are some words from our Lord just for you and me as we begin our day.

And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

     I want to take this into my heart today. God offers to bless us abundantly (until it overflows) giving ua all things at all times that we need in order to abound in all we do. Take Hm at His word. He will do it.

Jesus,

Thank You for bestowing us with the blessings of heaven. We long to trust You above our circumstances, knowing You have just what we need. Thank You for providing for us in every way.

Amen

God of All Comfort

     Has our Lord given you comfort? Has His word spoken directly to your heart? Has His love overwhelmed you? Have you gone back again and again asking for His mercy and grace? Me too. Because of that love and compassion and mercy and foigiveness and comfort and love, we are called to give the same away to others.

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

     This is God’s work in us. As we receive blessing after blessing, comfort after comfort, grace upon grace from Him, we will pass it on. Give out the blessings and comfort and compassion to those in trouble today. Pass it on.

Father,

You are the God of all compassion and comfort. As we have received so much from You, let us show the same love to those around us in the same way. Show us how today. Open our eyes and ears to those around us.

In Jesus name,

Amen

Grieving With Hope

     Grief has a life of its own, with peaks and valleys, harsh waves and sweet soothing memories. Grief is varied and never easy. Jesus can and will make a difference in the journey of grief.

     I’m not saying Jesus removes the agony of grief. He grieved Himself, before His crucifixion and in witnessing the grief of His good friends.  Every single person handles grief in a unique way and over different lengths of time. But Jesus DOES offer hope. He offers peace. He offers deep joy in the midst of deep sorrow. And He understands sorrow and suffering. He felt it all on the cross. His suffering brings hope. His death became our resurrection. He is waiting and so is heaven.

Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more. The Lord will be your everlasting light and your days of sorrow will end. Isaiah 60:20

Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness. I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. Jeremiah 31:13    

     We will experience grief and sorrow on this earth. And Jesus has overcome death. Love never ends.

Father,

Comfort those who grieve. I pray for Jesus to hold them in His loving arms. His peace and comfort are beyond this world. They are eternal.

In Jesus name,

Amen

True Light

     To think we, through Christ, have access to the throne of God! We personally know God! Jesus shines His glory on us and through us. This week we have looked at the opportunities He gives us to shine in this very dark world. The world does not understand.

For God who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” made His light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of God’s glory displayed in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6

     The face of Christ. The knowledge of God is seen through Him and we may be filled with ever-increasing glory until we see His beautiful face in eternity.

And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into His image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. 2 Corinthians 3:18

Jesus,

Give us more and more knowledge, more and more glory, more and more of You. You are the true light within and without. We pray that light will become brighter as we share Your name around the world.

Amen

True Light

     Jesus promises us a light-filled life when we believe. The darkness of Satan no longer has power over us. The Holy Spirit of the risen Christ resides in us. As we grow day-by-day the lure of the world begins to fade and the true light of Jesus and His word gains strength and power over our lives.

     We can trust Him. We can believe in Him over our circumstances. We can remain filled with hope and joy throughout our lives. He has removed darkness and shared with us His glorious light.

When Jesus spoke again to the people, He said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life. John 8:12

     I like the sound of that. How about you? Never to walk in darkness, but to have the light of life.

Father,

Thank You for sending us the light of life. This light will never be removed from us, until we reside in full glory. Move us from glory to glory for the rest of our lives.

In Jesus name,

Amen