Wishing You Every Joy

I noticed something unusual today as I was working around the house: I wasn’t really working at all. I wouldn’t call it work when I was making the spaghetti for dinner, because I was laughing and talking happily to my daughter the whole time. I wouldn’t call it work when I did the dishes, because I was singing a song the whole time. I wouldn’t call it work when I was vacuuming the carpets, because I was trying out a few dance steps as I pushed the vacuum along. I wouldn’t call it work when I was folding the laundry in the bedroom, because I had to stop in the middle and give my youngest son a good tickling when he tried to use the bed as a trampoline. I wouldn’t call it work when I was cleaning out the turtle’s aquarium, because I stopped to give the little, green swimmers a pet on the shell. I wouldn’t call it work when I walked my dogs, because I got to watch the sun come up in the morning, the stars twinkle in the evening, and my dogs play both times. I wouldn’t even call it work when I started writing this, because I was smiling the whole time thinking of the joy that it will give to so many who read it.

I think that when you bring your love and your joy to your work that it stops being work and feels more like play. I don’t think that God wants any of us to be unhappy in the work we do whether it is on a job or in our homes. God wants us all to be happy in our work and in our lives. God wants us to bring our love, our joy, our optimism, our enthusiasm, our energy, and our vitality to everything we do. God smiles on us, loves us, and wants us to make every part of our lives here on Earth as Heavenly as possible.

When you go to work today then remember to take your joy with you. When you live your life today remember to take your love with you. It is the love in your heart and the joy in your soul that make both work and life a delight.

Just for today, Lord

I will live through the next 12 hours
and not try to tackle all of life’s problems at once.

I will improve my mind. I will learn something useful.
I will learn something that requires effort, thought, and concentration.

I will be agreeable. I will look my best,
speak in well-modulated voice, be courteous and considerate.

I will not find fault with friend, relative or colleague.
I will not try to change or improve anyone other than myself.

I will have a program. I might not follow it exactly, but I will have it.
I will save myself from two enemies, hurry and indecision.

I will do a good deed and keep it secret.
If anyone finds out, it won’t count.

I will do two things I don’t want to do, just for exercise.

I will believe in myself. I will give my best to the world
and feel confident that the world will give its best to me.

Dare to believe

“But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him.
For whoever would come near to God must [necessarily] believe that God
exists and that He is the rewarder of those who earnestly and diligently
seek Him [out].”
(Hebrews 11:6, AMP)

Do you ever feel like you are inconveniencing God? Are you content to just
barely get by in life, to just endure it? Some people think they are being
humble by not asking God for things, but Jesus paid a precious price to give
us abundant life! He loves to hear us call upon His name!

I encourage you today to be bold and dare to believe God. Don´t just think
“survival” when God is thinking “abundance.” If you will think bigger,
you´ll see God act bigger in your life. When you release your faith in a big
way, God doesn´t say, “Who do they think they are? The nerve of that
person.” No, when you stretch your faith, it brings a smile to God´s face.
He probably says to the angels, “Listen to what they´re saying. They believe
I can do great things. They believe I can turn any situation around. They´ve
got their trust and confidence in Me, so I´m not going to disappoint them!”

The Scripture says “our faith pleases God.” So take a step of faith today
and dare to believe that God will do the impossible in your life!

A New Way of Thinking

“And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; or else the new wine bursts the wineskins, the wine is spilled, and the wineskins are ruined. But new wine must be put into new wineskins” (Mark 2:22, NKJ)

Are you ready for increase? Are you ready to go to the next level, spiritually, physically, and emotionally? In this passage of scripture, Jesus is basically saying that you can’t go to a new level with an old way of thinking. Many people hear the truth that God has more in store and something resonates on the inside. Their spirit comes into agreement with God, but often times, the natural mind will try to talk them out of it. Thoughts will come like, “It’s not going to happen for you. You’re not going to have a great year. You know what the economy is like.” Or, “You’re never going to get well. You saw what the medical report said.” “You’re never going to get married. You’ve been single so long.”

Friend, those are the old wineskins that you have to get rid of. This is a new season. What’s happened in the past is over and done. You may have been through some disappointments, you may have tried and failed, or things didn’t work out. That’s okay. God is still in control. It’s time to get a new vision for your life. It’s time to open yourself to a new way of thinking so that you can receive all the blessings God has in store for you!

Harden you to Difficulty

“Fear not [there is nothing to fear], for I am with you; do not look around you in terror and be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen and harden you to difficulties, yes, I will help you; yes, I will hold you up and retain you with My [victorious] right hand of rightness and justice” (Isaiah 41:10, AMP).

It’s easy to look around at what’s happening in the earth today and be tempted to feel afraid or dismayed. Circumstances may seem overwhelming. Maybe your business is struggling, maybe you lost your job, maybe you’re struggling in a relationship or concerned about the economy. During times like these, it’s important to remember that God has promised that He will never leave us nor forsake us. In fact, not only is He with us, He has promised to strengthen us and harden us to difficulties. That means, when tough times come, they just bounce right off of you. You don’t allow your circumstances to steal your peace and joy. You have the attitude that says, “This may be a big problem, but my God is bigger!”

Keep in mind that the enemy isn’t after your checkbook; he’s ultimately after your peace and joy. He knows that if he can get your joy then he can get your strength. But when you stay connected to the Father through prayer and studying the Word and declare His promises over your life, you’ll be hardened to difficulties and stay safe in the palm of God’s hand!