Sunday, March 17, 2024

Heavy Heart

Heavy Heart

"I am the Lord your God, is anything too hard for me?" Jeremiah 25:17.

Heavy Heart... Are you facing something that seems bigger then you can cope with and you find yourself waking up with a heavy heart? While our hearts hold love and joy, they also hold pain, worry and sadness. Take heart, this happens even to a true believer. If your heart is involved, you're carrying a weight of something too heavy. You know your heart is heavy when the great challenge in your life settles in during your first conscious thought when you wake. When the dread of another day splashes over your mind before you can splash water on your face. When the darkness of night is your companion during the day. Dear ones, what weighs heavy on your heart may never change but know this... a heavy heart does not have to be a prison. (A house you live in).What weighs you down is not yours to carry. When your heart feels so heavy, only the Lord has the strength to carry it, let Him. He can do far more with it broken than you can with it whole. Your great challenge may still be with you at the end of the day, but so is God and He desires to carry your heavy load. Hand over what troubles your thoughts and sleep-in peace. Yesterday's impossibilities can be today's miricles. 

“My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” Psalm 73:26.

Stop telling God you have big problems. Tell your problems you've got a big God! 

Sunday, March 10, 2024

Supernatural Joy

Supernatural Joy

"Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom!" 2 Corinthians 3/17.

Joy...This beautiful little three letter word seems to grow more elusive with each passing season. We find ourselves looking for more things to give us the feeling of joy. What we are really looking for is happiness for the moment. Like buying something new or eating a delicious meal. Short lived. The next day the empty feeling is back. There is a difference between happiness and joy of which the Scripture speaks. I think of  the Apostle Paul who  went through all kinds of hardships, including beatings, stoning, a shipwreck, and getting lost at sea. He was hunted down, betrayed by his own countrymen and thrown in prison. Despite all this, Paul still wrote in the Book of Corinthians, "I count it all joy!"  This my friends  is called Supernatural joy! Supernatural joy means that we are to remain steadfast in our knowledge that God is our only source of contentment and joy. No amount of shopping or money can buy it. Joy lives in the heart that is anchored in a loving relationship with God. Our God is so good. He loves to lavish His love on us. He loves to see us happy. Wake up every morning with these words on your heart. "Today is the day the Lord has made and I will rejoice and be glad in it." 

"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full." John 15:11.

"If love is the foundation of the Kingdom of God. Joy is the currency.

Sweetest Blessings,
Jo

Sunday, March 3, 2024

Light of the World

Light of the World

"You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house." Matthew 14-15.

Light...Sleep comes more difficult for me these days. Is it any wonder? Everything about this season seems upside down. I was blessed to grow up and raise my children in an idyllic world, at least it seemed so to me. Today, we are living in a very dark world that seems to be getting darker day by day. Fear, depression, grief, abuse, illness can seem to be overwhelming. But, my friend, there is hope! Darkness cannot prevent the light from shining! First, many of us believe that we are too broken to be light bearers, that our past sin disqualifies us from serving God at all. The reality is that nothing could be further from the truth. Jesus wants us to be light bearers. He wants His light to shine unobstructed and unfiltered into every nook and cranny of life. If you are a Christian with a non-Christian family, unbelieving friends or unsaved neighborhood, you can be a bright light in the darkness! At first they may hate the light, but don't worry. They are still attracted to it. Let your light shine! A simple smile, kind gesture, or a helping hand. Don't attempt to show off how bright and sparkling you are; just shine! You are the light of the world for such a time as this! 

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have everlasting light." John 8:12.

Be bold! Speak life! Offer hope! Dispel the darkness! Shine bright! 

Sweetest Blessings,
Jo