Joyful

"Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer." Romans 12:12 

Yesterday, I was in an unbelievably good mood. Joyful, may be a better word. I was joyful because I was beginning to see the light at the end of the tunnel. I started to see the fruits of my labor were coming to fruition and my prayers had not fallen on deaf ears (1 John 5:14-15) I'm just humming away at my desk and I get convicted. *sigh* The Holy Spirit reminded me that my joy should not be based on whether or not I get my way. Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Of course there's nothing wrong with giving God the glory, but we should have a constant attitude of worship, regardless of our situation. He is so faithful. Let's be joyful at all times. Happy Tuesday! :)

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." James 1:17

A Heart of Praise

"Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!" Psalm 100:2 

Happy Tuesday! I pray that you had a fun and relaxing Labor Day weekend. :) Today, meditate on the idea of praise and worship. The Lord relishes in our joy in Him. Having a heart of praise draws us closer to the father. It changes our attitudes from one of discontentment to one of thankfulness. We are all blessed beyond measure; furthermore, if we receive nothing else, He's done more than enough. What have you thanked God for today? #attitudecheck

"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him." John 4:23

Fill Me Up

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 

If something is full, when more is added the original contents overflow.  Say you start off your day with prayer, meditation, and worship; you are allowing the Holy Spirit to pour into you the peace and patience you need for the day. If something goes wrong, you'll reflect on your morning devotional and move on. If you start your day off rushing, stressed, watch/listen to media that doesn't glorify God, you may be more liable to pop off at the first sign of trouble. What's in your heart will manifest itself in your life. 

Obviously, I'm still on my Tye Tribbett concert high, because I've been obsessing over this song called "Fill Me Up". Caution:worship will ensue. Happy Friday!

This is actual footage from the concert on Tuesday :)

Laughter

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.” Psalm 126:2

Morning! I pray that you enjoyed your holiday weekend as much as I did! I love how Psalm 126 equates joy in The Lord to our outward actions. When we smile, laugh, and enjoy ourselves, outsiders observe that there's something a little different about us. Our demeanor should reflect the contentment and joy that a relationship with Christ provides. Sometimes, it's easy to feel less than joyous, but the fact that you woke up today and are able to serve The Lord just one more day is a blessing! Happy Monday! 

“Blessed are you who are hungry now, for you shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep now, for you shall laugh." Luke 6:21

Uninhibited Grace

"For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast." Ephesians 2:8-9

Grace is the reason that we can enter into a covenant relationship with God. We will never deserve the grace, favor, and love that comes uninhibited by Christ. In the same way, we should practice extending grace to people that we encounter daily. No, that lazy waiter doesn't deserve a tip, but grace allows you to tip the minimum to bless them anyway. Can you imagine if God kept track of our shortcomings and only gave partial blessings?! Happy Wednesday!

"But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Joy of The Lord

"Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his dwelling place." 1 Chronicles 16:27

Many times, strength and joy are found together, woven throughout scripture. Think about it, when you're down, and lack joy, you're more likely to succumb to the enemy's attacks. Imagine that joy is your "immune system". You must constantly make an effort to feed and nurture it. Nehemiah 8:10 says "the joy of The Lord is your strength," so joy in The Lord will power you through whatever comes your way. Strive for joy and strength will come. Happy Thursday! 

"Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always." 1 Chronicles 16:11

Unbothered

"Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!" Philippians 4:4 

Joy is something that comes from within. Circumstances and outside factors cannot affect it. When we rejoice in The Lord, it should radiate from us. Unbelievers should wonder how you're so "unbothered". People should enjoy your presence instead of avoiding it. Today, focus on rejoicing in The Lord and everything else will be positively impacted. Happy Tuesday! 

"Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure." Psalm 16:9

Matthew 1-3

I’m so pumped about this Matthew Study! I had every intention of posting on February 1 and 2 but life happened haha I’ll share that at the end of this post :)

Matthew 1: The Birth of Jesus

Matthew 1:18-25 which talks about the Immaculate Conception and the birth of Jesus. When Joseph found out that Mary was pregnant, an angel spoke to him in a dream (verse 20-23). 

Joseph had great intentions by trying to take care of things quietly, but it wasn’t God’s plan for him. Has God ever given you a task or something to do and you felt as though you couldn’t complete it?

I absolutely love this part, “Then Joseph woke up. He did exactly what God’s angel commanded in the dream…” Matthew 1:24 (MSG)

When God speaks to you, do you listen? And when you hear him, do you gripe, complain, and take your sweet time?

Matthew 2: Herod’s plot

“Herod then arranged a secret meeting with the scholars from the East. Pretending to be as devout as they were, he got them to tell him exactly when the birth announcement start had appeared…” Matthew 2:7-8

Herod, is a perfect example of James 1:26 (If anyone thinks he is religious and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his heart, this person's religion is worthless…). He put on a front, quoted scriptures, sang all the right songs in praise and worship, prayed super long prayers… or whatever else to convince the scholars that he was a believer. As Christians, The Lord gives us a discerning spirit. Spend time with Him, so you can be aware of the “Herods” of the world.

Matthew 2:16-17 says that Herod was angry when the scholars did not report back to tell him the location of baby Jesus. He then commanded that all the baby boys should be slaughtered so that nobody would be able to follow a messiah.

We shouldn't share our dreams and visions with everybody. Some people (like Herod) will hear about your calling and become jealous. They’ll lead you to believe that they are supporting you, but all the while, they are plotting against you. Who are you sharing your dreams and aspirations with? Are your relationships God –lead? Or are you hanging on to relationships that God told you to cut off, because they drain you, pull you AWAY from Christ, and steal your joy?

Matthew 3: Jesus gets baptized  

^“But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he denounced them. ‘You sons of snakes!’ he warned. ‘Who said that you could escape the coming wrath of God? Before being baptized, prove that you have turned from sin by doing worthy deeds. Don’t try to get by as you are, thinking, ‘We are safe for we are Jews—descendants of Abraham.’ That proves nothing. God can change these stones here into Jews!’” Matthew 3:7-10 (The Living Bible)

John the Baptist had become widely known, much like the celebrities of today. Everyone wanted a piece of John, so baptism was the cool thing to do. But I love how John called out the hypocrisy. Similarly, we should not merely accept that everyone who professes Christianity does in fact have a growing relationship in Christ. Our walk with Christ is not determined by how many things we do well at church, but it’s about our heart. If the heart is right with God, we should be bearing the fruits of the spirit. It’s not determined by how often we attend church, or that our grandparents thrice removed pray for us daily. It’s a PERSONAL decision to take up our cross and follow Him.

“Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized there by John. John didn’t want to do it. ‘This isn’t proper,’ he said. ‘I am the one who needs to be baptized by you.’ But Jesus said, ‘Please do it, for I must do all that is right.’ So then John baptized him.” Matthew 3:15

Fun fact: Jesus was baptized for all that follow him! Baptism is not necessary to be saved, but it is a outward act for an inward change. Really, Jesus made being a Christian so much easier. We don’t have to slaughter things, wait for prophets to speak words from God, or any of that. Thank you, Jesus :)

I celebrated my birthday this weekend! So much fun. It's crazy to think that a few months ago, I knew a total of ZERO people. 

*I also served as a chaperone at my church lock in, but I don't have those pictures yet :(

I also met my absolute favorite person in the world, Heather Lindsey. She's so sweet! Ladies, visit her website: www.heatherlindsey.com. Guys, visit her husband's website: www.corneliuslindsey.com 

The faithfulness of Christ

"His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness." Lamentations 3:22-23 

The prophet Jeremiah wrote the book of Lamentations as Jerusalem was being invaded by Nebuchadnezzar. Out of those horrific times came beautiful verses that are still used for comfort in time of trouble. What we experience can be used to encourage others. As you wonder how your grades will turn out, how the bills will get paid, if a relationship will work out; consider writing those thoughts down. As you continue to document, you will see God move in mighty ways. God has not forgotten about whatever you're facing. Endure and praise God all the way through.

"Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!" Psalm 100:2

(Original Post: November 15)

Mountain Top Praise

"The fear of The Lord is the instruction of wisdom, and before honor is humility." Proverbs 15:33

When everything is going according to plan, and we're on top of the world, do we give glory to God? Even when things are going well, we can't forget about what previous trials taught us. We have to pray just as earnestly as when we were going through. Remember that God is with us in the valley and on the mountain top, and we can't forget Him at any point.

"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted." Luke 14:11

(Original post: October 17)

Steadfast Love

"Know therefore that The Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love Him and keep His commandments..." Deuteronomy 7:9

In children's church and nursery this Sunday, I asked the kids to each say why they love Jesus. The common theme was the depth of God's love for use and how he'll never forsake us. From a 5 year old child's perspective, it's a simple idea, but somehow as we grow and develop, things can change. We may wonder, "How is God loving me through this situation" or  "Why am I constantly being tested?" No matter what we do or what's going on in our lives, God is right there with us. Be encouraged!

"If we are faithless, He remains faithful- for He cannot deny Himself" 2 Timothy 2:13

(Original post: October 16)

Ordered Steps

"To him who orders his conduct alright will show the salvation of God" Psalm 50:23

It can become frustrating to always follow the rules and have character, when it isn't being recognized, or those who take shortcuts appear to be head and shoulders above us. However, doing things in order and with honesty is how excellence and virtue are achieved. God will not forget about what we have done and he will reward us in due time.

"The steps of a good man are ordered by The Lord, and He delights in his way." Psalm 37:23

(Original post: October 10)

Full of Joy

"Until now you have asked for nothing in my name [Jesus]. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full." John 16:24

There is power in speaking the name of Jesus. We can speak over situations and overcome because He is in us. It seems that the world puts a lot of focus on happiness. But as believers, we know that happiness is temporary and joy comes from within.

"For you are our glory and joy" 1 Thessalonians 2:20

"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries of the bones" Proverbs 17:22

(Original post: October 9)