Dear Precious Friends,
On this TGIFF ( Thank God I'm forgiven Friday) this image is an amazing reminder of truth when we spend time with our Lord and give Him all our burdens, our soul and the tears in our hearts... . He gives us Peace, Joy and a Smile.
There is nothing like turning on Hillsong music when beginning our time with the Lord... it prepares our heart for His presence and speaks the words we cry out to Him when we can't find them. We walk in our war room... our space where we have time with our Lord... we walk in burdened, we walk out in His strength... where joy comes from His presence and the power of the Holy Spirit!
Joy is a gift He gives us despite our circumstances. In His presence is where joy is found. What a gift.
That is why Paul could rejoice from a jail cell and be content with a little or a lot because no one and nothing on Earth could separate Paul from God.
Writing from prison to the church at Philippi, Paul is a picture of what Psalm 16:8-9 looks like in real life:
"I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure."
In God’s presence, we, too, can have fullness of joy. When God is our everything; we can be content in anything. We take heart knowing God is with us and for us.
Joy comes easy when things are going the way we want them too or when there is reason to celebrate... But in Philippians 4, we find that joy is possible in times of suffering as well. God’s presence brings peace to any situation. He understands us as no one else can, and He alone can meet our every need.
Even when life doesn’t follow the path we want, God gives us, His children the ability to experience joy in every circumstance. All we have to do is turn to Him and start talking. We simply tell Him what we need. We tell Him what we dream of and what we're thankful for. "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:7).
"When hard pressed, I cried to the Lord:
he brought me into a spacious place.
The Lord is with me, I will not be afraid.
What can mere mortals do to me?
The Lord is with me; he is my helper.
I look in triumph on my enemies."
Psalm 118:5-7
I pray as we go about this day and all that is happening in our lives & in our world, we remember where to go to find and have peace that passes all understanding and gives us joy in our hearts.
NO JOY, NO JESUS 😢
KNOW JOY, KNOW JESUS.🙌
Here is an amazing song that came on while writing this message: Take a moment in your war room, your place of sacred time with the Lord and listen to this..
AMEN!!!
