I got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart...Or have I?

Good Morning,

What's everybody doing today? Are you happy? If you aren't happy, do you have joy? I think we all have experienced something going on that is not happy yet joy is still flowing. At least that is what will happen if we are walking, obeying, living a life pleasing to the Lord. We can sure clog the flow though.

I told you we would look at the trait of the Lord's Joy in this devotion. I want to take one fruit of the Holy Spirit in the next 7 devotions. We have looked at Love. Today is Joy.

I told a friend the other day, "I am always amazed how the flesh will choose to jump in a muddy, deep, dark pit over a sparkling, pure, living river." No matter what 'it' appears to be, if it is gratifying the flesh even for the moment at hand, it is the slimy, muddy, water we've chosen. Though it satisfies for the moment, it will drown you eventually.

The fruit of Joy is fruit of the Spirit. It is not your spirit the Joy comes from. It is the Holy Spirit. So guess what we loose when we are gratifying our flesh and not walking with the Lord.
With the imperfections of our own fallen nature, and then you combine that with how people react differently to adversity – some Christians have literally had most, if not all of their joy in the Lord, knocked right out of them.

Here are some of the different definitions of what real joy is all about:

* Great delight; gladness of heart
* The happy state that results from knowing and serving God
* That deep, abiding, inner rejoicing in the Lord
* To rejoice, to be glad
* Happy, joyful, cheerful, rejoicing, festive

Realize that God can transmit this divine quality right up into your personality – and this will be His joy, not your joy, once it starts to flow up into you. And once God starts to release His joy into your system, you won’t be able to help but feel it. And once you are able to start feeling it again, it will become much easier for you to learn how to walk back in it in your own daily walk with the Lord.

I think it is important to remember feelings are not always telling the truth. I'm claiming that the Lord is my Joy whether I'm feeling it or not. If we do not feel his joy, it is not because He has left. He tells the truth and that is what we have to believe over feelings. Maybe He is telling us we need to check out our walk and see what dams we have built to keep His fruit from flowing all through our personality.

So when we are missing our Joy, we are missing our Lord. And He is missing you and me more than we can ever realize.

Have a wonderful, blessed, joyful day,

Mom/Meme/Linda
Galatians 5

Sunshine, check. Butterflies, check. New plants, check. Garden time, check!

I've got to start talking about my gardens.
My gardens have a Fruit of the Spirit theme. I take each section and give it a name befitting the fruit of the Spirit. I like to hang wind chimes all over the place representing the Holy Spirit. There is nothing as soothing for me than to go out on that perfect weather day and play in my 'sanctuary. If you have gardens, I hope you will follow my blog and share your comments. I love learning what others do. It's always an inspiration and as you know, gardening is like life...a process that never ends until the fat blossoms falls off.
I hope you enjoy my pictures.
Enjoy!

Mom/Meme/Linda

Is there a rotten apple amongst us?

Good morning,

"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Corinthians 10:5

Do you notice in this verse that it is 'we' that are to take every thought captive? How do you do that? Why do you do it? What is it that we use to guide which thoughts come against God and His way laid out for His children? Of course, it is His word.
A lot of 'thoughts' are no brainers that they are against God's ways. Our flesh may love it; may love the way it makes us feel. The thoughts have very temporary satisfaction at the given moment. We can't deny that there is His voice saying in a loving, powerful, convicting, jealous, way to "Not Go There".
If we let those thoughts hang around too long, they become part of us and end up having feet that will trample our lives to death. Why? Because they should have been taken captive by you and me and made obedient to Christ. We will loose our joy, peace, confidence, boldness, kindness, and the list goes on. I dare to say that we may not even recognize ourselves if we hang on to a thought pattern that is against God. Maybe others will begin to notice you are different and ask if you are all right.
There are list in His word that we would do well to use as an examination of the fruit we produce. ( Galatians 5)
You notice I said 'we' are producing. There is also another list in his word that is His fruit being produced. (Galatians 5) If you will take the time to read about this production list of fruit from the Holy Spirit and fruit from our flesh you will have a keen reminder of how totally depraved we are.

We need Jesus. We cannot produce His life.

A list of His fruit:
Love, Joy, Peace, Long suffering, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control

Let's look at one fruit today.

The results of LOVE. (taken from bibleknowledge.com)

* Unselfish, benevolent concern for another; brotherly concern; the object of brotherly concern or affection

* The self-denying, self-sacrificing, Christ-like love which is the foundation of all other graces

* Unselfish, loyal and benevolent concern for the well being of another

* The high esteem which God has for His human children and the high regard which they, in turn, should have for Him and other people

* To love, to have affection for someone; to like; to be a friend; the love of brothers for each other

The next devotion we will look at JOY.

When God the Father purposely isolates and spells out 9 specific qualities that will be coming direct from His Holy Spirit – He is really letting you know the extreme importance of these 9 specific fruits.
These 9 fruits are major fruits and qualities that are coming direct from God Himself – and every Christian should do the best they can to work with the Holy Spirit in getting all 9 of these fruits worked into his or her personality.

This is a life long process.

If we are guarding our thoughts and taking them captive to make them obedient to Christ, we are on the right road.

If we are not, let me remind us that our God will not leave us in that dark corner. He is there waiting to wrap us in His arms and love us back to Himself. Remember the prodigal son/daughter. Please focus on that truth. Don't let the enemy tell you God is mad and against you. That is a lie.

Blessings,
Mom/Meme/Linda

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Yes, I see you...I know you are there...

Good Morning,

How is everyone today? Did you have a sweet, peaceful sleep?

Praying this morning, I kept thinking about 'acknowledging' the Lord. Like when one walks into a room and somone seeks your face...your glance...for the purpose of acknowledgement...to nod their head or smile. Their acknowledgment tells you, "I know you are here, I'm aware of you... I care enough to let you know this".
It warms ones heart to be acknowledged. It's kind, it's endearing, it's encouraging...with a nod of the head one speaks volumes.
Are you in prayer about specifics? You are acknowledging Him.

In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:6

You are bringing Him into that particular situation for help, guidance, encouragement, strength, and wisdom. It's not all about getting help.
You have just warmed God's heart. Think about that for a moment. This just blows me away.

In Song of Solomon 4:9, the Lover (God) tells his love (You) : "one glance from you captures my heart, my treasure, my bride. You hold it hostage with one glance of your eyes, with a single jewel of your necklace."

Did you ever think that YOU warm His heart with a glance from your eyes?
Why, there is a party around the throne when we acknowledge the King of Kings. Our husband, our love.
I don't think I am able to understand the full impact of acknowledging my Lord.
A glance from me without any words can warm His heart?
Absolutely amazing!

I pray this day will be a sweet, peaceful day for you.


Blessings and love,
Mom/Meme/Linda

Peculiar Treasure

A peculiar Treasure unto Me - Exodus 19:5
Good Morning,
I love this truth. I love that we are God's heart throb. Do you realize how often we forget this wonderful, fulfilling fact?
Make it personal...(your name) is a treasure to God.
Do you realize you are a treasure to God?
He tells us here..."They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in the day that I do make, even a peculiar treasure." (Mal 3:17, R. V.).
He tells us here... Psalms 139
He tells us here... John 3:16
He tells us here... The entire book of Song of Solomon (a love story)
He tells us here... "Ye are an elect race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God's own possession, that ye may show forth the excellencies of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvellous light" (1Pe 2:9, R. V.).

Where his treasure is, there is a man's heart. True with us and true with God...We are God's treasure.
We protect the things we treasure.
If it is in clothes, we guard against moths.
If it is in metal, we guard against rust and thieves.
Whatever it is we take care that it is taken care of also.
Is Christ less careful for His own treasures. We do not need to fear 'the theif'. Will not the Only-begotten keep us, so that the evil one shall not touch us (Mat 6:19-20)?

God's treasure is His forever. "They shall be Mine, saith the Lord of Hosts, in the day that I do make, even a peculiar treasure." He will hold His own, as men cling to their treasure, binding it to their body, in a storm at sea (Mal 3:17, R. V.).
God regards us with the ecstasy of a love that rejoices over us with singing; and counts on us as a mother on her child, a miser on His gold.
Love and blessings,
Mom/Meme/Linda

Sugar Coated Heart

Good Morning,

"But the LORD said to Samuel, 'Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart." I Samuel 16:7

Isn't that a wonderful verse? Does it bring comfort knowing this?

God looks on our hearts and sees our motives, intent and character. Who we are inside is really who we are.

As a man speaks is his heart. Our mouths do give us away... even to ourselves. If we listen long enough we will hear it speak as an unregenerate heart feels. Obedience, while it manifests itself in outward actions, begins in the heart.
When wrong happens—with kids and adults—I want to correct it rather than hide it or sugar coat it. To be sensitive to the times I hurt someone's feelings or disobey God and His wishes. Then to listen to the Spirit's prompting, admit my fault, and right the wrong.

Yes, the old nature still demands to have it's way. The Lord looked on our hearts and took care of the problem through Christ. Knowing this we can find comfort in this verse.

If knowing the Lord looks on your heart does not bring comfort, think on Jesus sacrifice for you for awhile. See that when God looks on his child He sees Jesus covering you and you are a RIGHTEOUS SAINT! NOW THAT'S A SUGAR COATED HEART FOR REAL.

Let's walk in that truth today.

Love and blessings,
Mom/Meme/Linda