This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you, that God is light and in Him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.
1 John 1:5-7
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…
…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-5, 14
Jesus is The Word
Jesus is life
Jesus is light
Jesus was/is God
Jesus was with God in the beginning
God made everything through Jesus
Jesus became flesh and lived among us
We’ve seen the glory of Jesus who came from God the Father
Jesus is full of grace
Jesus is full of truth
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…
…The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.
John 1:1-5, 14
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.” Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 8:35-39
2 years before dad died, he had a minor heart attack. During testing and time in the hospital, we found out dad had 2 major arteries that were 100 percent blocked and one that was 90 percent. There was nothing the doctors could do, and the diagnoses was grim. He was a brittle diabetic who played basketball & ran many 5ks. No matter what he did to take care of himself, his diabetes caused so many health issues…kidney failure, toe amputation, and artery blockage.
During the last 2 years of his life, after learning about the blockage, I found myself privately mourning. I often cried myself to sleep. My time with him became even more precious than it already was. Time was like gold. Dad was my best friend. I was blessed to be my father’s child. His loss was the first and only time I have experienced true heart ache. My heart literally ached for about 6 months. Every day on my way to Wedgewood, I would play the medley by Nicole C. Mullin My Tribute/My Redeemer Lives. I played it over and over and over again. (Less than 8 months after his death covid protocols began)
This July will be 6 years since dad went to be with Jesus. I miss him the most when I want to talk something over with him. Dad and I could talk about anything, and I valued his opinion.
As I think of my dad today, I think of my heavenly Father. I’m thankful I can talk to Him about anything. My relationship with my heavenly Father is precious. He’s brought me through so much over the past 6 years. Noone understands like Jesus. He had wiped my tears, held me until I fell asleep, and brought me through the darkest moments of my life. He grieves with me, and He celebrates with me. I am blessed to be my Father’s child.
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Luke 11:28
Obey– to follow the commands or guidance of ; to conform to or comply with (willingly)
He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.” Luke 11:28
But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than men. Acts 5:29
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome. 1 John 5:3
If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land; Isaiah 1:9
“…for the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Nehemiah 8:10
Joy is a fruit of the spirit – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25)
Joy is a constant, deep happiness that comes from confidence exercised and dependent on God and not dependent on the circumstances or situations we may find ourselves facing. (my definition after looking at many)
A Crushed Spirit = Crushed Joy
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
What circumstances attempt to crush the spirit?
Hurt, anger, death, grief, sickness, exhaustion
The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse (Mean, contradictory, bad, difficult) tongue crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:4
How can we replace a crushed spirit with joy?
Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
The hope of the righteous brings joy, Proverbs 10:28
2. Praise brings joy
* Praise always, not just when we feel like it (Choose a priority of praise)
Rejoice always, 1 Thessalonians 5:16
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord. Psalm 150:6
The Lord is my strength and my shield. My heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart
Leaps for joy and with my song I praise Him. Psalm 28:7
About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them. Acts 16:25
KEEP PRAISING UNTIL MORNING COMES
3. Morning brings Joy
For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5
You have turned for me my mourning into dancing;
You have loosed my sackcloth and girded me with gladness Psalm 30:11
So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. John 16:22
Hope + Praise = Morning
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22
The soothing tongue is a tree of life, but a perverse tongue crushes the spirit. Proverbs 15:4
So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. John 16:22
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full. John 15:11
For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning. Psalm 30:5
he hope of the righteous brings joy, Proverbs 10:28
Rejoice always, 1 Thessalonians 5:16
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Philippians 4:4
Can you guess what I’ll be thinking/praying/writing about next?
A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.
Proverbs 17:22
Tuesday evening, July 15th ,1987 was a very powerful, important, and unforgettable night. I was at Nazarene Youth Congress in Washington DC with 4 thousand Teens from The United States and Canada. Dr. Steven Manley was preaching about sanctification. Some call it the second work of grace or entire sanctification or being sanctified holy. That was the night I was sanctified. It was an extremely powerful experience. It was the beginning of my understanding the power of the Holy Spirit at work in me. It also happened to be my 16th birthday. This July will be 38 years.
Dr. Steven Manley never knew me, but God used Him through the power of The Holy Spirit to speak into my life for a whole week at NYC. He journeyed to heaven recently and the angels rejoice. Thank you, Dr. Manley. I will never forget you or your impact on my life. I’ll see it through, I promise!