He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy. (Job 8:21 NIV) Job was misjudged by his friends, yet one of them, Bildad, spoke more accurately than he realized when he said to Job, “[God] will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.”Continue reading "Happy Endings"
Rejoice in the Lord!
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! (Philippians 4:4 NIV) From his prison cell, Paul penned the well-known verse, “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” In fact, Philippians has come to be known as the epistle of joy because of its repeated emphasis on joy. IfContinue reading "Rejoice in the Lord!"
The Source of Joy
You will fill me with joy in your presence. (Psalm 16:11 NIV) God is truly our source of joy. Every time I run out of joy, I know exactly where to get it refilled again–by being in His presence. I slip away to a quiet place where I can be alone with Him, to talkContinue reading "The Source of Joy"
From Sorrow to Joy
By Marlene Tavares When a woman is giving birth, she has sorrow because her hour has come, but when she has delivered the baby, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. (John 16:21 ESV) In this passage, Jesus tells us that although certain thingsContinue reading "From Sorrow to Joy"
Getting Our Joy Back
Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and make me willing to obey you. (Psalm 51:12 NLT) Only someone who has known the joy of being God’s friend can understand David’s plea in Psalm 51:12. After his sin with Bathsheba, David’s soul was troubled and saddened. He confessed his sin and asked God toContinue reading "Getting Our Joy Back"
Walk the Talk
“So why do you keep calling me ‘Lord, Lord!’ when you don’t do what I say?”’ (Luke 6:46 NLT) Jesus’ followers still face a similar problem today. While giving Him the supreme title of “Lord,” we struggle with putting His words into practice. That’s why in his letter, the apostle James addressed this problem. HeContinue reading "Walk the Talk"
Hush, Little Baby
But for right now, friends, I’m completely frustrated by your unspiritual dealings with each other and with God. You’re acting like infants in relation to Christ, capable of nothing much more than nursing at the breast. Well, then, I’ll nurse you since you don’t seem capable of anything more. As long as you grab forContinue reading "Hush, Little Baby"
The Power of the Word
What God has said isn’t only alive and active! It is sharper than any double-edged sword. His word can cut through our spirits and souls and through our joints and marrow, until it discovers the desires and thoughts of our hearts. (Hebrews 4:12 CEV) To counter bullying, little children were mistakenly taught to quote andContinue reading "The Power of the Word"
Handle With Care
Children are a heritage from the LORD, offspring a reward from him. (Psalm 127:3 NIV) God loves and cares very much about children. Jesus lovingly welcomed the little children that came to Him, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these"Continue reading "Handle With Care"
A Lesson From a Little Child
Jesus said, “Let the children come to me! Don’t try to stop them. People who are like these little children belong to the kingdom of God. I promise you that you cannot get into God’s kingdom, unless you accept it the way a child does.”(Mark 10:14-15 CEV) When I first started teaching Sunday school, IContinue reading "A Lesson From a Little Child"
Rising with the Son 