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Archive for the ‘Christ’ Category

Joy is Medicinal

Posted in Choice, Christ, Joy, Podcast, tagged , on January 10, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Choose Joy

“A joyful heart helps healing, but a broken spirit dries up the bones.” – Proverbs 17:22 (CEB)

I heard someone say, recently, “If you’re not angry you’re not paying attention!”

A lot of seriously, wrong things are happening all around us.  There’s a lot to be angry about, a lot to be afraid of.  It’s enough to make you sick, if you let it, so don’t let it.

But the Bible tells us that having a cheerful attitude promotes health just like taking medicine.  

How do you do that?

The Apostle, Peter, tells us how, “God cares for you, so turn all your worries over to him. Be on your guard and stay awake (1 Peter 5:7-8a )  

I’ve found cheerfulness is a choice.  It’s not a denial but a choice; a choice to believe that God cares for me and is in charge of my life; a choice to be grateful for his care.

It’s not closing my eyes and ignoring what’s happening but it’s not letting what’s going on push me from my trust in God.

Choose to pick up a Joyful heart this week and trust God; it will make a big difference in your attitude, and that will make a big difference in your health.

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Where Joy Lives

Posted in Christ, Joy, King David, Paul, Podcast, tagged , , on January 3, 2022| Leave a Comment »

Podcast

In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” – Psalm 16:11b

The Jewish King, David, was a passionate man with strong emotions.  Anger, Love, Gladness, Fear.  He was 100% everything he felt.  And Joy was a big part of his life and faith.

Writing to God he said, “in your presence is Joy!”, and “at your right hand is constant and forever joy”.  Term, “at right hand” in ancient times was a special place of honor.  

Jesus, when he arose from the dead, after paying the price for our sins, was seated at God’s right hand.  In fact, many think the 16th Psalm was written about Jesus’ resurrection, from his perspective.

That’s great for Jesus, seated where there is eternal Joy, but what about us?

The Apostle Paul wrote,
"God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" - Ephesians 2:6

How could he say that?  Paul was a logical man, where was the logic in this, we are on this side of eternity.

The thought process is this…  When we give our lives to Christ, he enters us, literally, and we enter him.  Where we go, he is there in us, AND where he is, we are there in him.  The first part is fairly easy to understand, but the second part is also true!

In Christ we live at God’s right hand where Joy is, and, if we let ourselves believe it, we can feel it this side of eternity.

Sometimes, here, we get knocked around a bit and stop feeling very joyful, but that is not where we stay. 

King David wrote 

These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul: 
how I used to go to the house of God
    under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise (Psalm 42:4)

The king was not feeling it, so what did he do?  He gave himself a good talking to!  He told himself this…

Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.
    among the festive throng (Psalm 42:11).

Give yourself a good talking to!  Embrace it by faith!

Life is intended to be lived in Joy; it is found in God’s presence.  Surrendering to Jesus put us smack dab in the middle of it.

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Thirsting

Posted in Christ, Podcast, Thirst, tagged , on December 22, 2021| Leave a Comment »

“my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is”

Psalm 63:1 KJV

There are many Old Testament scriptures about “thirsting” for God but surprisingly few in the New.

There were things Old Testament saints didn’t have; the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, for one. Before Christ, the Holy Spirit was with certain classes of people, designated as prophets, but with Pentecost, that restriction is no longer valid.

“whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.”-Jesus (John 4:14 KJV)

Jesus, talking to a Samaritan woman at the local well, told her if she would only ask, he would give her water causing her to NEVER thirst again, using thirst as a metaphor to represent a longing deep in the soul.

We who are in Christ sometimes forget Jesus put that same well in us, where we, too, can draw at any time. We don’t have to wait, and plead, and search; it’s right there with us. Is it clogged? Ask Jesus to show how to open it and let it flow. Choose to believe what he said, thank him for it, and act like it until it begins to bubble.

-fritz

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