From Pity to Praise

The Joy Of The Lord Can Change Your Life

Many people think of happiness and joy as the same thing, but they’re not. I want to dig deep and embrace a faith that is a state of mind not just a feeling. The joy of their Lord is given to those who see it and accept that it is not dependent on external situations.

We all want happiness, right? We want things to go well and have an overall feeling of well-being. However, that happiness comes and goes depending on what is going on in out lives.

We get a bonus from our boss and our hard work is rewarded – we are happy. A storm comes abs falls on our car and we’re not happy.

We spend the afternoon sledding and playing in the snow with our children -we are happy. Our beloved pet dies -and we’re not happy.

Happiness is a feeling that changes depending on what is happening around us. What we need is a way to continue feeling happy even when things are falling apart.

What we need is the joy of the Lord.

The Joy of the Lord is Our Stregth

One of the more popular Bible verses this kind of joy comes is from Nehemiah 8:10 which says, “The Joy of the Lord is my Strength.”

It’s the setting in Jerusalem after the Children of Israel have been punished by the Babylonian captivity. These Jews have returned from exile determined not to make the same mistake as their ancestors.

They build up the walls of the Temple and the city gates, attempting to make it livable again, facing opposition on every side.

After years of hard work, Ezra the scribe stands in the middle of the “town square” and begins reading the laws of God. This is the first time many of these people have heard the Word of God directly from the text. They hang on to Ezra’s every word.

The people are so moved they begin to cry. Nehemiah tells them that the day is holy (it is the beginning of the Feast of Tabernacles) and that they should eat, drink, and rejoice because the “joy of the Lord is your strength.” The people rejoiced greatly because they understood the words that were declared to them.

I believe this means they chose that day to follow God’s laws and were declaring their faithfulness to Him. Maybe that’s what the true joy of the Lord is all about. Choosing to follow God with an obedient heart, dedicating our lives to our Lord and Savior.

“You will show me the path of life. In your presence is fullness of joy. In your right hand there are pleasures forever more” – Psalm 16:11.

The Biblical Meaning Of Joy

So, we know that joy is not a feeling like happiness, but rather an emotion that does not change with the wind. The joy of the Lord can be found through obedience to God.

It is redemption, the reconciliation of fallen man with his Creator? A personal experience of dedication and fellowship with Jesus that leads us to the biblical meaning of joy.

Salvation and eternal security alone should bring us joy. Our problems and heartbreak here on earth are only temporary. We will live with Jesus throughout all eternity. It is a small price to pay.

Paul to,d is in Hebrews 12:2 what suffering had to do with joy,

“Looking unto Jesus, the author, and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Paul is one who understood that joy comes only from, looking ahead to what is beyond this world and living a life devoted to Jesus. One of my favorite accounts of Paul is the setting in Philippi. Paul and Silas are preaching and have stirred up the spiritual world a bit.

A young woman who made a lot of money for her masters due to get gift of fortune telling begins to follow them around, proclaiming loudly who they are. She did not do this because she believed, but because the spirit inside her was troubled at their presence.

For several days, Paul patiently ignored her and finally had enough. He turned around and freed her from the vile spirit. Because of this, she no longer had the ability to tell fortunes and this did not sit well with her masters. They came after Paul and Silas.

Paul and Silas end up beaten and thrown into jail. Their hands and feet were bound in stocks. Not a good place to be in life.

Paul begin to praise God. Yep, Paul praised God after he had been beaten and thrown into jail. Instead of thinking, this was God’s fault, you know as Paul was only setting the poor girt free from Satan. He shouldn’t be in this situation.

He had a choice. Give up and sulk or thank God for setting him free from a life of regret. He chose the later and from his lips poured beautiful praise that as heard throughout the prison.

Paul’s joy was not dependent on his situation. It was dependent on his love for Jesus and eternal life.

In the end, God breaks Paul out of prison with an earthquake and jail and his family come to salvation.

We suffer because God is purifying our hearts and from that purification pours out the joy that cannot be quenched by any of life’s trials. This is the joy of the Lord.

“Therefore you now have sorrow, but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one can take from you” -John 16:22

True love of God and obedience to Him bring joy.

“As my Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 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 man remain in you, and that your joy may be full“ – John 15:9-11.

Cities That I Want To Visit

What cities do you want to visit?

The only city I would want to visit is one in Texas that’s where my Son is. I’ve spent years of not seeing him because of his work. Now he is working in the U.S. So hopefully soon I will get to go.

Hope

Tell us one thing you hope people say about you.

I hope people see Jesus in me. I hope people see kindness, compassion, love, and patience.

People do not need more role models, it needs more Jesus as like role models. And we will not be able to be a better person until we try to be more like Jesus every day.

How To Find Strength In God

There is no doubt that life is hard. If you are an observer of people (Watch them closely) you will discover that most people are exhausted. Life wears people out. On the top of endless demands of working a job, maintaining relationships, taking care of a home, or raising children, there are unexpected challenges.

Yesterday I lost an old friend from aggressive cancer. He was diagnosed about 3 weeks ago. The doctor told him he had about a year to live. The church and I have been praying for God to not let him suffer, and to take him home. His wife needs strength to move on with her life. After 33 years it won’t be an easy path. Right now she is exhausted taking care of a dying man is hard. Along with the emotional stress she’s a mess right now.

When you are exhausted, when you feel like you can’t go on, when your on empty -where di you find strength?

When we know strength is available in God for living through difficult times. It helps. The Prophet Isaiah wrote in 40:29 that, “He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.” God has promised that he will give us the necessary strength that we need for our lives. We simply need to connect with Him to receive it.

Jesus explained this perfectly in John 15:5. He says,

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and i in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”

To sum it up, the life-giving power that is in Jesus will flow into our lives as we start connected to Him. When we remain in Him, our lives will produce much fruit. Supernatural fruit. As you connect to God, you will be able to do things that are beyond your power. You will be able to keep your composure when stressful situations arise or you receive bad news, you will be able to forgive someone who hurt you or someone you love. You will be able to receive criticism without getting defensive. You will have patience and kindness with difficult people. You will even be able to rise above temptation and sin. And anger will no longer control you.

As I write this, I look back to my past experiences and the things I’ve done and think “If only God was in my life then.” The thing is I was so mean and angry I wouldn’t have allowed Him to come into my life anyway.

In Matthew 14, Peter does something miraculous. He walked on water. How did he do it? He had his eyes locked on Jesus. He fully trusted in the power of Jesus, and he was able to do what no other human could ever do -or had ever done since.

But then, he messed up. He took his focus off Jesus and focused on the storm and he became afraid and began to sink, he cried out, “Lord save me!” Of course, Jesus saved him, but not without a rebuke, Jesus says, ye of little faith, why did you doubt?

You can trust God is going to help you meet the demands of reality. You can’t do it on your own. He is here for you. You just need to trust Him. Psalm 28:7 says “The Lord isn’t strength and my shield; my heart trusts in Him, and He helps me.”

In John 8:31-32 Jesus told His disciples, “If you hold onto my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free. The Word of God is a spiritual force in and of itself. It is powerful. It transforms you by changing how you understand and receive all that happens to you. Your life produces all kinds of fruit because the Word of God is doing things in you. Psalm 1 shows us the result if we stay in the Word.

“Blessed is the man who doesn’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, not stand on the path of sinners, not sit in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the Lord’s law. On His Bible He meditates day and night. He will be like a tree planted by the streams of water, that produces its fruit in its season, whose leaf also does not wither. What ever he does will prosper” -Psalm 1:1-3.

The reason there is fruit on their tree and their leaves never wither is because of the effects of the Word or God in their life. There is strength. The Word of God sinks the root into our lives in to the “living water” of Jesus. The words of Jesus nourish and strengthen the life of such a person.

Something powerful happens in your life when you choose to Obey God. He said that it would lead to a life that is strong and steady. He described a life of obedience as a life built on a rock,

Everyone therefore who hears these words of mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man, who built his house on a rock” – Matthew 7:23-24.

Life ‘on the rock” is a life of strength and power. It’s a life that can withstand the pressures and difficulties that come your way. I cannot explain how it works, but here’s what I think. Perhaps when we obey Jesus, God sees that he has a person that He can work with. So He chooses to get behind that person and give them the resources necessary to accomplish His will. Whether I’m correct of not what remains true is God gives His power and strength to those who obey His word.

Life is hard. It can be exhausting. We need God’s strength and power. All we need to do is connect to Him through trusting Him, taking in His Word, and obeying what He says. The choice is yours. Try it and see what happens.

Fear Or Faith: You Choose

Regardless of what you’re facing right now, it’s a matter of fear or faith. You get to choose. Fear is not from God. God gave us the truth in His word that we can use to fight back against fear and any other attack from Satan.

Being a little nervous is okay it prompts you to prepare. But what do you do about the fear? Fear cripples us but God’s truth sets us free. It is not consistent with what God tells us. 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us,

“For God didn’t give us a spirit of fear but of power, love, and self-control.“

If you’re saved and have chosen to follow Jesus you gave the mind of Christ, and the Holy Spirit dwells in you. The Holy Spirit’s job is to remind us of all truth.

When you start to panic in fear, tell it No! Then thank God that He hasn’t given you a spirit of fear, but one of power, love and a sound mind. Thank Him that He promises in His Word to keep you in perfect peace when your mind is kept on Him. Then keep your mind on Him, not all the possible outcomes. He will take care of the outcome.

When begin to fear stop and tell those fears God’s truth. God knows the plans He has for you and those plans are to prosper you and not harm you and include a future and hope (Jeremiah 29:11). God is not up in heaven wringing His hands wondering how you’re going to make it through a fearful situation. He promises to work all things together for God and His glory (Romans 8:28).

We all have a choice to make whether to choose fear or faith. We cannot serve two things at once. Either we trust God and His Word, or we trust Satan the father of lies. Fear and Satan are enemies of our souls. If we choose to trust God, then we have to believe that He will work every situation out and keep us at peace while doing so,

Here are a few scriptures to stand on when you are feeling fearful,

“I sought the Lord, and He answered me; He delivered me from all my fears” – Psalm 34:4.

“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you. Yes, I will uphold you with the right hand of my righteousness” – Isaiah 41:10.

Instead of focusing on the problem, focus on the problem solver. We become fearful, worried, and anxious when we take our attention off God and focus on our circumstances.

The key to maintaining or regaining our peace is to keep our thoughts focused on God, Isaiah26:3 tells us, that God “will keep in peace all who trust in Him, all whose thought are fixed on Him.”

I like how 1 Peter 3:14 tells us, “But even if you should suffer for righteousness sake, you are blessed. Don’t fear what they fear, neither be troubled.”

God gave us Word to use in battle. When the spirit of fear comes, use your faith to fight back with the power of God’s Word.

Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgment that something else is more important the fear.
Ambrose Redmoon

I am including in this post the “Sinners Prayer” to pray and be saved if you choose to follow God. It is important to know that if you don’t say this prayer and believe it wholeheartedly and turn away from your sins and follow God. This prayer means nothing. It’s a heart issue and God knows your heart,

Pray this prayer aloud:

“Lord Jesus, I repent of my sins and surrender my life. Wash me clean, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. That He died on the cross for my sins and rose again on the third day for my victory. I believe that in my heart and make confession with my mouth, that Jesus is my Savior and Lord. Amen“

First Day As A Parent

Tell us about your first day at something — school, work, as a parent, etc.

My first day as a parent I was rushed to the hospital with Toxemia. Which is pregnancy induced hypertension. I woke up 4 days after my c-section. All I remembered was my baby. The nurses to,d me she was fine. But I needed to see for myself. I screamed and cried “I wanted to see and hold my baby they called my husband to try and calm me down. I was very sick and had wires running everywhere. After my husband got to the hospital he explained that I needed to rest, but I told him “no” I would rest after I saw my baby.

Finally, they brought my daughter in and they wouldn’t let me hold her, but I got to see her. Because of this experience and me being very ill, I wasn’t able to bond with her. She and my husband bonded. I didn’t to hold my caught until she was about 2 weeks old. It shows today she and my husband are very close. It shows today that my daughter and her father have an unbreakable bond

I love my daughter very much. She is strong, successful, and independent. Everything I would want her to be. But I see other mothers and their daughters being the best of friends. And my daughter and I aren’t. Sometimes it kind of hurts not to have that special bond between us.

Find Hope In Any Situation

The true most be a word ever written we’re,

“Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me! Put you hope in God, for I will yet praise Hin, my Savoir and my God” -Psalm 42:5

Hope is a small word, it is one of the most powerful. Why? Because I hope lies the power of the human soul to turn to God and live as if His promises are going to come true. “Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord” -Psalm 31:24.

Some people think hope is an emotion, “I’m feeling hopeful,” they say, but true hope is a discipline, a determination to believe in God’s reality and power, even when the world seems to be crashing down around you. That is the power of hope. It flies in the face of calamity, saying, “The world can do its worst to me. But still I will hope. Still, I will know that this day the Lord has made, and He will take care of me.”

The key to surviving any challenge it crisis is hope. Hope that Jesus lives you (He does) Hope that He is, right now, working on a solution for you. Hope that the future you place in His hands will be better than the present you hold in your own hands, “For I know the plans I have for you declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” -Jeremiah 29:11.

Practice this hope, even if you have to Will yourself to do it. With its power,you will overcome all things.

“Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint” – Isaiah 40:31

Performed Or Given A Speech

Have you ever performed on stage or given a speech?

It’s been a long time since I Performed on stage. It was high school I was in Choir. .

As for giving a speech. I did this at church. A stood at the Alter and gave my testimony. I was scared to death. I remember telling my Pastor I couldn’t do it. But I did it, I’m glad there was only about 50 people there. After reading of a tip for speaking in front of a crowd.

If you look at their foreheads instead of their eyes, you will be less nervous because you won’t be able to read their faces. I tried it and it works. Now I can stand up and talk about anything, not only because I look at their foreheads but because to me the church is my family.

Catastrophizing

When you always assume the worst

Catastrophizing means you have a habitual unconscious way of thinking that is not realistic. It’s a case of a habit of negative exaggeration. Always assuming the worst-case scenario can turn little problems into big ones. This means you anticipate problems so much that you actually create them.

Examples of these are hearing bad feedback at work and you’re convinced you’re going to be fired, or laid off, or panicking when your child has an earache and rushing them to the hospital.

But why do we do it? Negative thinking is a learned habit. If you grew up with a parent who constantly expected the worst in every situation, you might have just assumed this was the to see the world.

Catastrophizing can also be connected to a difficult past. Maybe something happened that made you feel the world is dangerous, then your brain can be programmed to always look for danger.

It can also be connected to anxiety or anxiety disorders. Anxiety causes vigilance, but catastrophizing causes anxiety.

When it comes to past trauma and anxiety catastrophizing can be something you unconsciously use to try and make yourself feel better. If you assume the worst, you’ll feel less threatened if something bad really happens. Of course, assuming the worst all the time means you simply can’t live a happy, balanced life.

One could argue that catastrophizing, like everything else, has a useful side. It means you will never be disappointed when bad things happen. But it comes with too many negative consequences to make it worthwhile. A few are constantly feeling like a failure or that you’re stuck in life. Relationship problems when you upset of over-rely on those around you.

Catastrophic thinking can actually be a self-fulfilled prophecy. If you think negative thoughts, you spike your stress hormones such as cortisol, which affects your ability to think and act clearly. This means it is more likely things will go wrong.

I lived this way for over thirty years. People ask me how I changed. It’s difficult to change habits after so long. And can be stressful, but it’s well worth the work to change a habit.

So, how do you stop catastrophizing?

I started by telling myself to “Stop!” when I had a negative thought. And then focus on something positive.

1. Try mindfulness.

If you find it impossible to catch your negative thoughts, mindfulness can be a game-changer. A practice that sees you bringing your attention to your thoughts and feelings into the here and now. It can also lower stress levels.

2. Learn how to differentiate a thought and reality. Ask yourself:

How realistic is each thought?
Is it a fact?
What proof do you have that this thought is true?
Can you find a situation from the past that shows that this sort of situation can work out just fine? Maybe a time at work you made a big mistake but it didn’t have an affect on your job?

3. Feel it out.

Catastrophizing can be the mind’s way of hiding from painful emotions. Ask yourself, what is the feeling behind this thought I am having? Am I nervous, sad, or am being rejected? Work on dealing with this first.

4. Journal

Before you call all your friends and rant about your latest horrible situation, take a moment to pour your thoughts out on paper. This can be-charge your emotions and help you see more clearly, whereas immediately over-talking can leave you more worried than ever.

5. Consider a therapy session

If you’re struggling to stop catastrophizing. Maybe try seeing a therapist, they will be able to tell you if your habit of catastrophizing is linked to any psychological issues that might also need to be dealt with.

It’s so easy for us to see the negative side of things in life. It’s as though our brains thrive on negative thoughts. But it is possible to have positive thoughts. I’m not saying you’ll never have any negative thoughts, that’s just part of being human. But, if you choose to change your negative thought pattern, the hard work is well worth it.

Commitment To God

I was reading in Psalms this morning and I kept thinking of David’s unwavering commitment to God. No matter how he struggled in his life his commitment to God was unwavering.

When it comes to us, we tend to have our favorite things. Whether it’s sport teams, movies, video games, some even have a particular allegiance. For example during football season, we can spot individuals decked out in their team’s colors. They usually cheer, shout, and passionately throw themselves into every aspect of the game.

Human beings are strangely willing to commit entirely to some trivial things. Yet, they are often unwilling to give up anything when it comes to God. Kingdom commitment demands that we have total allegiance to God over everything.

In Luke 9, Jesus interacted with three people who claimed they wanted to follow Him but lacked dedication. In His response, Jesus revealed what these persons commitment was instead of the Kingdom of God.

The first person wanted a comfortable Christianity that would not interfere with his lifestyle.

The second person asked to bury his father first, although his father who had not yet died. He actually wanted the security of having a fallback position if following Jesus did not work out.

The third man was plagued by indecisiveness as he tried to go back and say goodbye to his loved ones before becoming a disciple. This man’s double mindedness made him unfit for the Kingdom of God.

Our commitment to Jesus cannot be tied solely to what He can do for us and the blessings He provides. While blessings do come from obeying God, they should not be our criteria for seeking Him. We must prioritize Kingdom commitment over personal comfort.

We tend to put our security in finances, career, family, and other earthy things. Security is not wrong as long as it does not delay us from following Jesus. We must be willing to face inconveniences, uncertainty, and even suffering for Jesus Christ.

Kingdom commitment requires us to detract from our relationships so we can respond to God’s call immediately without distractions. Listening to family and friends can cause us to doubt our calling or feel guilty about a commitment to God. If we focus on what we are sacrificing and leaving behind to follow Jesus, we may lose sight of where Jesus is taking us.

Through the Psalms David shows us how to have a commitment to God through all of our struggles in life.

Favorite Physical Activities Or Excercises

What are your favorite physical activities or exercises?

I enjoy hiking, getting to see the scenery that God has make for us the mountains, the hidden springs he put in most people’s view.

Walking is my second best. I am a fool for nature. Getting to see and hear nature gets my adrenaline goiing.

Dead-End Road

Sometimes life feels like we’ve hit a dead-end. That thing you thought would last forever appears to be over. Sometimes it seems there’s a giant roadblock in the only way forward.

It happens to all of us. And rejection in any form stings no matter which angle we look at it. Endings can upend us.

I know dead-end roads Lord knows I’ve had plenty of them. And where I’m from those roads are made of gravel. Dead-ends can leave us feeling let down. They can be frustrating and annoying when you think your finally moving forward and the you hit the roadblock. And it can unsteady you like loose gravel under your tires.

Sometimes we get so wrapped up in our expectations of what that thing will look like that we become blind to the alternative route can open right before us.

It’s nice to know that there’s always a way to keep going when we choose to go after God. It might look a little different than then the picture in our minds.

There’s a saying that goes, “It’s easier for God to steer us in the right direction when we’re not anchored to the shore.

I don’t use the passion translation of the Bible very much but, in puts James 1:22 in a perfect way,

“Don’t just listen to the Word of truth and not respond to it, for that is thesense of self-deception. So always let His Word become like poetry writing and fulfilled by your life.”

We are to be those who listen and respond. In other words, we are to remain soft and steerable.

When we stop being steerable, we can end up making a U-turn on gravel road. And wondering where God went and why He left us. Perhaps He was five paces behind us, opening up a new way. We just couldn’t see Him because we were looking in the opposite direction.

I’ve been on more dead-end roads than I care to admit. Those roads may have been leading to good things, dreams that I thought God has spoken. But somewhere along the way. I elevated those dreams over the “dream maker.” I’ve tried to make things happen on my own, but then I stopped being steerable, and coy even see it. Until I reached the road sign telling me I was off track.

Dead-end roads might happen if.

You think you’ve got it all under control
You get frustrated when it doesn’t happen as soon as you want it too
You trust everyone besides yourself
You tighten your hold on the plan
You want to rush through the journey
You call God good only when He does what you want Him to
You feel entitled to your dream
You feel like it’s your fault it not working out
You worry that you will disappoint others if you change course
You get defensive quickly
You always feel guilty for not doing enough

The things on this list might not apply, but if you resonate with a few, perhaps it’s time to sit down and get real with God and talk about the condition of your heart.

Is your heart soft and steerable?
Are you letting God lead, or pushing ahead on your own?
What are you trying to prove, earn, or protect?

It’s okay to turn around, to admit you were wrong, and let God steer you in His way.

There’s not just one way to live a life of meaning. There’s not just one way to be a friend, there’s not just one way.

Let God Steer You! And You Won’t Go Wrong.