June Caedmon's Blog, page 67

Inspired by . . . Day 12: JOY in Brokenness

This post is part of a 31 day series on JOY

You may access all the past days by clicking here.

I haven’t read Playdates with God, by Laura Boggess . . . yet. But I’m looking forward to it! and I’m enjoying her #write31days series centered around the book’s release this past Tuesday.

When I read what Laura shared over at Michelle’s place today, I knew I had to share it with all of you during these #write31days of JOY. If you haven’t already, I hope you’ll take a moment to click over and read Laura’s story: JOY in Brokenness - - You can even enter to win one of her books.

Thank you, Laura, for sharing your JOY with us.

I cannot even imagine where I would be today

were it not for that handful of friends who have given me a heart full of JOY.

Let's face it, friends make life a lot more fun. ~ Chuck Swindoll

Blessings,

#write31days

#PlaydateswithGod

#GiveMeGrace

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Published on October 12, 2014 02:38

Inspired by . . . more than JOY

This post is part of a 31 day series on JOY

You may access all the past days by clicking here.

A prayer for your Saturday.

O, Lord God, what You are to me I dimly begin to discern—more than morning light,

more than JOY and health, more than all Your blessings.

Dawn on me afresh this morning and make me light all through with Your light.

Shalom,

Quotations taken from The Place of Help and Knocking at God’s Door, © Discovery House Publishers

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Published on October 11, 2014 02:40

Inspired by . . . Day 10: the JOY of knowing

This post is part of a 31 day series on JOY

You may access all the past days by clicking here.

"He promised to come, didn't he? Where is he? Our ancestors have already died,

but everything is still the same as it was since the creation of the world!" 2 Peter 3:4

You’ve heard the skeptics when it comes to the whole idea of Jesus returning. You may even be have even been one yourself. They existed in the Apostle Peter’s day, too. Oswald Chambers suggests that we’ve grown tired of preaching about a future heaven and so have gone to the other extreme and focus only on the practical. I’ve seen the evidence of this in many churches. The consequences? “they rob themselves of the unfathomable JOY of knowing that everything God has said will come to pass.”

Friends, we rob ourselves of this same JOY, the JOY of knowing, when we fail to wait on God’s promises in our own lives.

But do not forget one thing, my dear friends!

There is no difference in the Lord's sight between one day and a thousand years;

to Him the two are the same.
The Lord is not slow to do what He has promised, as some think.

Instead, He is patient with you, because He does not want anyone to be destroyed,

but wants all to turn away from their sins. 2 Peter 3:8-9

Waiting is hard. So hard. Some of us will get tired of waiting. We’ll move forward, much like Abraham and Sarah did, following our own plan. There will be consequences.

But there is also GRACE.

If you’re struggling with waiting for God’s timing in your life, I encourage you to go to Him.

Meet Him in prayer. Open His word to you. Draw on His strength.

The JOY that the LORD gives you will make you strong. Nehemiah 8:10

Blessings,

Quotations taken from Biblical Ethics and The Highest Good, © Discovery House Publishers

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Published on October 10, 2014 02:19

Inspired by . . . Day 9: Rejoice

This post is part of a 31 day series on JOY

You may access all the past days by clicking here.

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer; my God, my strength,

in whom I will trust; my buckler, and the horn of my salvation, and my high tower.

I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised: so shall I be saved from mine enemies. Psalm 18:2-3

Today we’re putting JOY in action!

God is worthy to be praised! and regardless of our circumstances, we have cause to praise Him! We have cause to REJOICE - Amen?

There is so much suffering in this world. Not only the far away suffering that we see on TV, but physical and mental suffering right here in our own lives.

But far worse than all of that is the suffering, the sickness of the soul, which we all experience. Sin.

Oswald Chambers says, “Until the soul is cured there is always an underlying dread and fear which steals away the gladness and unspeakable JOY which God desires for all His children.”

I know so many dear, sweet people both online and IRL whose reality is constant suffering. Yet these same people choose JOY every day. Not only that, but they are a continual source of encouragement and JOY to others. How is this possible?

Only when God takes a life in hand can there come deliverance from discouragement.

Living in the peace and joy of God’s forgiveness and favor is the only thing that will bring cheerfulness. ~Oswald Chambers

They have surrendered their lives to God.

Their lives are in His hand and they choose, daily, to live in that reality.

It’s a process, friend.

A journey.

And with the Lord at our side, it’s

a JOYful journey.

What reason do you have for rejoicing today?

Blessings,

Quotations taken from Workmen of God, © Discovery House Publishers

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Published on October 09, 2014 02:01

Inspired by . . . Day 8: Surrender

This post is part of a 31 day series on JOY

You may access all the past days by clicking here.

For if you live according to your human nature, you are going to die;

but if by the Spirit you put to death your sinful actions, you will live.
Those who are led by God's Spirit are God's children.
For the Spirit that God has given you does not make you slaves

and cause you to be afraid; instead, the Spirit makes you God's children,

and by the Spirit's power we cry out to God, "Father! my Father!" Romans 8:12-15

The JOY that Jesus had was in the self-sacrifice and surrender of Himself to God. Such is the JOY that Jesus prays will be fulfilled in all of us! {See John 17:13 - Day 5}

JOY is not something we have to work to receive. But rather we receive JOY when we surrender our lives to Christ. Both initially, and with the daily act of turning from sin and taking up the cross.

It is not a question of trying to work as Jesus did,

but of having the personal presence of the Holy Ghost

Who works in us the nature of Jesus. ~Oswald Chambers

Surrendering our lives to God = eternal freedom and everlasting JOY!

What is joyful about realizing we cannot live our own life?

If Jesus found JOY in surrender,

what do we have to look forward to by having Christ live through us?

Have you surrendered?

Are you ready to have that conversation?

1-800-NEED-HIM

Blessings,

Quotations taken from So Send I You, © Discovery House Publishers

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Published on October 08, 2014 02:19

Inspired by . . . Day 7: Lasting JOY

This post is part of a 31 day series on JOY

You may access all the past days by clicking here.

For who knoweth what is good for man in this life,

all the days of his vain life which he spendeth as a shadow?

for who can tell a man what shall be after him under the sun? Ecc 6:12

All is passing, says Solomon, and we cannot find lasting joy in any element we like to touch.

It is disastrous for a man to try and find his true joy in any phrase of truth,

or in the fulfillment of ambition, or in physical or intellectual solitariness,

or in society; he will find his joy only in a personal relationship to God. ~Oswald Chambers

kk_autumnburst

In what places have you tried to find JOY?

Did you find it?

Blessings,

Quotations taken from Still Higher for His Highest, © Discovery House Publishers

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Published on October 07, 2014 02:45

Inspired by . . . Day 6: A JOYful Heart

This post is part of a 31 day series on JOY

You may access all the past days by clicking here.

For His anger endureth but a moment; in His favour is life:

weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. Psalm 30:5

As some of you know I’m in the middle of reading The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom. Confession: This book is making it hard to sleep at night. The tide of emotions that this story has spawned is overwhelming. Anxiety, fear, disbelief, conviction, empathy, compassion, horror.

Even more than the Apostle Paul, Corrie’s sister, Betise Ten Boom could be the poster child for JOY.

When referring to the hospital at Ravensbruck {the notorious women’s extermination camp}, Corrie noted, “[Betsie] was not repelled by the room as I was. To her it was simply a setting in which to talk about Jesus – as indeed was every place else.”

This is just one example of Betsie’s JOY-filled response to her circumstances. Circumstances that we cannot even begin to imagine. The women in these camps, indeed Corrie and Betsie themselves had been so mistreated that at one point in the narrative Corrie describes them in this way, “But we had become animals, incapable of plan or system.”

Can you imagine the impact that Betsie’s JOY had on those around her? The women were in awe. They were drawn to Betsie and the Light that was around, and within her.

All degrees of joy reside in the heart.

How can a Christian be full of happiness (if happiness depends on the things that happen)

when he is in a world where the devil is doing his best to twist souls away from God,

where people are tortured physically, where some are downtrodden

and do not get a chance? It would be the outcome of the most

miserable selfishness to be happy under such conditions.

But a joyful heart is never an insult,

and joy is never touched by external conditions. ~Oswald Chambers

JOY can stand in the face of evil.

As Believer’s we can have JOY in midst of the evils of our day,

just as Betsie had in hers.

Blessings,

Quotations taken from Biblical Psychology, © Discovery House Publishers

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Published on October 06, 2014 02:10

Inspired by . . . Day 5: the kingdom within

This post is part of a 31 day series on JOY

You may access all the past days by clicking here.

And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world,

that they might have My joy fulfilled in themselves. John 17:13

I’ve heard it said that the woman is the true thermometer of the house. The atmosphere in the home is going to be HOT or COLD depending upon her disposition.

“If momma ain’t happy, ain’t no-body happy.”

We can chuckle at that statement, but the truth is our attitude affects those around us. And this doesn’t just apply to women. Men’s attitudes and actions have great influence as well. Especially over their daughters. {But that’s a conversation for a different day!}

Jesus prayed that we might have His JOY fulfilled in us. How awesome is that?

This is a Truth – a promise that you need to grasp ahold of, dear one!

We can have His JOY!

How? Oswald Chambers gives us this insight:

The thing that kept Jesus joyful was not that He held aloof from actual things,

but that He had a kingdom within.

Our Lord’s whole life was rooted and grounded in God,

consequently He was never wearied or cynical.

Dear one, the key is being rooted and grounded in God! When we take our eyes off Jesus, it’s easy for the cynicism of the world to creep in.

Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself,

unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. John 15:4

Whether we have a distressful time or a JOYful time has a lot to do with us. We can choose to take hold of Jesus’ promise, or we can choose to focus on ourselves and our circumstances. Believe me, God has no problem with being reminded of what He has said! Praying Jesus’ words in His name is powerful, no evil can stand against it!

Are there people in your life that cause you to be cynical?

Why do you allow them to diminish your JOY?

What choices can you make to replace cynicism with JOY?

Blessings,

#write31days

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Published on October 05, 2014 02:55

Inspired by . . . Day 4: Harmony, Part 2

This post is part of a 31 day series on JOY

You may access all the past days by clicking here.

{Whereof, I Paul, am made a minister} I now rejoice in my sufferings for you,

and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church, Colossians 1:24

We are all on a journey. None of us have arrived. And no two paths are exactly the same.

Perhaps you are struggling with this idea of JOY. The thought of rejoicing in your current suffering is incomprehensible to you. That’s okay. JOY is no easy thing.

To fully grasp JOY one must be in the Father’s will. This is a process of submission {to Him} and trust {of Who He IS} . Sometimes over and over again. Through desolate valleys, and raging storms, and mountain top experiences.

JOY is truly a gift from the Father. Given by grace, through faith.

One of my most frequent prayers is, “Lord, increase my faith!” And He is faithful to do so. JOY, then, is not long in coming.

Oswald Chambers said:

{But} when our wills are rectified and brought into harmony with God,

it is a delight, a super-abounding joy, to do God’s will.

I’m fairly certain that if we could have a conversation with any one of the fifty women in Michelle DeRusha’s new book and ask them how they endured such suffering, they would answer, “Suffering? What suffering?”

This is not an easy place to get to, but it is a worthy place.

I believe once you’ve had a taste of His JOY that, like the deer panting for

the sweet mountain streams, you will forever yearn

and strive for the Living Water.

When have you experienced the delight in doing His will?

Blessings,