The Lord has work for us to do, and it gives us joy in doing it as unto Him.  Paul’s ministry was full of ups and downs, but in all circumstances, he was joyful in doing his work and desired to continue to build the Kingdom.

For our boasting is this: the testimony of our conscience that we conducted ourselves in the world in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but by the grace of God, and more abundantly toward you. 2Corinthians 1:12

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. Acts 20:24

Paul had the privilege of ministering to multitudes and was instrumental in establishing many churches for the glory of God. However, he had many adversaries in every corner who were trying to kill him or block his work. Paul was able to keep his joy in the midst of trying circumstances because his did his ministry with simplicity and godly sincerity. He had no ulterior motives. He wasn’t looking to make a big name for himself or develop a following. He did everything as unto the Lord.

Paul knew that God had designed a specific course for him to finish. This caused him not to be shaken by various difficulties. While running his race, Paul continued to look to Jesus who was waiting for him at the finish line.  Paul was joyful because he always kept an eternal perspective while pouring his life into helping others. 

What work has the Lord given you to do? Are you serving the Lord with a joyful heart? Or do you allow people or circumstances to steal your joy? Thank Him for the opportunity to serve Him today and do it with a glad heart. 

I recently came across this short video of a busy and joyful 100 year old lady. It’s inspiring to see this very old woman serving her Lord with joy. Click on the link below to watch it and be blessed.

100-year-old Seamstress Makes Dresses to Pack in Shoebox Gifts

The Lord is joyful, and He desires to bless us and share His joy with us. He also has provided avenues for us to increase and maximize our joy. We can be Joyful when we have answered prayers, live at peace with others, and give of ourselves to others.

Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full. John 16: 24

In Jesus’ final teachings, He told His disciples that they can begin asking for the things they need in His name. Up to this point, they had seen Jesus pray to the Father, but they may not have found much need for prayer since Jesus walked with them. Now that Jesus was about to leave, He showed them how to communicate with God and receive what they needed. Their answered prayers would add to their joy reminding them of God’s love and care towards them.

We have a tendency to have a long list of prayer requests that hardly diminishes, and we ritualistically pray about them. This takes away the opportunity for us to be thankful for answered prayers. There are many prayers that God has already answered in our lives. We should praise God for His provision in those areas.

When our prayers are heartfelt, they open the door for God to intervene. When He answers those prayers, it fills our hearts with great joy and peace knowing that Abba Father has heard our prayers and has come through for us. That’s a moment of celebration!

Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Philippians 2: 1-2

Living at peace with other people adds joy and peace to our lives. Quarrel, disagreement, and disunity steal our joy and leave us burdened and miserable. When we make the effort to reconcile with others, lay down our opinions,  and forgive offenses, we get lighter in our spirit and see the joy of the Lord return to our hearts. This doesn’t mean that all of issues with people are resolved, but we do our part to live at peace with them. We take ownership of the part that belongs to us, and we trust that God is at work in the situation and in people’s hearts. 

For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? For you are our glory and joy. 1Thessalonians 2:19-20

Paul, as a spiritual parent, was excited and thankful for his spiritual children. Even in his hardships, he was joyful about the ones he had ministered to.

When we invest time, love, and prayer in others’ lives, it gives us great joy to see them grow and mature in God. It is a blessing to be selfless and to give to others. The Lord wants us to enjoy the fruit of our labor and the opportunity to selflessly give of ourselves to others.

Let’s thank the Lord for the answered prayers and take a moment to enjoy them before offering new requests. Think about how God has used you to bless others recently and enjoy being a giver and a reconciler. May your day be full of joy!

The Lord is full of joy and desires to bless us with the gift of joy. Joy is one of the characteristics of the fruit of the spirit. Growing in God will grow us in joy! The love of God makes us joyful!

Sometimes our joy is encumbered because we are worried and stressed about the issues of life. It’s almost impossible to be joyful if we don’t have the peace of God in our lives!

But now I go away to Him who sent Me, and none of you asks Me, ‘Where are You going?’ But because I have said these things to you, sorrow has filled your heart. Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you. John 16:5-7

When Jesus walked with His disciples, He told them that it was better for Him to go, so the Holy Spirit would come.  The Lord sent the Holy Spirit to be our guide and comforter. I think, we underestimate the influence of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

When we lose our peace, we lose our joy in the process! The Holy Spirit is available to help us but waits for us to ask. When we ask the Lord to intervene and give Him room to work, we begin to see transforming power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

If we yield to the voice of the Holy Spirit, we can experience supernatural peace of God. The comfort that the Holy Spirit gives settles our nerves and calms us down. At times, the Holy Spirit helps us by giving us counsel on how to handle a situation. At other times, His comfort overtakes us because we have surrendered a situation that is not ours to fix. 

Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

Believing that Abba Father is full of joy and peace, gives us the freedom and the permission to be joyful and peaceful. The joy of God makes us feel light and hopeful. It gives us confident expectation for our future. The gloomy cloud of hopelessness gets blown away because we see God on our side. The power of the Holy Spirit quickens our frail souls and fills us with unspeakable joy and peace as we trust in Him. 

What steals your joy? What does God say about that issue? Is it your problem to fix? Would you allow the Holy Spirit to be your helper and comforter today? 

Sometimes, we have a tendency to pick up what we had already surrendered to the Lord and we lose our peace and joy. Keep going to the Lord and giving it back to Him. If there is something for you to do, He will show you. Otherwise, trust Him that He is at work!

What is your image of God? Is He confident, powerful, and joyful? Or is He threatening, angry, and aggressive? Is He present and enthusiastic? Or is He indifferent and passive? Chances are that the Lord mirrors your perception of  your earthly father. 

If your earthly father was present, capable, and affectionate then you are more likely to believe that God is the same for you. If he was absent, mean, or unresponsive then that is your view of God. If your earthly father was fearful, weak, or passive them most likely you don’t see God as a strong and capable God.

You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. Psalm 21:6 (NIV)

Since in God’s presence there is joy and gladness, then it means God is glad and joyful! He is happy, relaxed, and confident.  

If you are a Christian, you’re are God’s child, and He is pleased to be with you. Don’t we get excited when we see our children!? We yearn to embrace them and love on them. When our children are in our presence, they know they will be showered with love and blessings. God has so much joy that when we are in His presence, His joy can overflow and overtake us.

God has no worries or fears. He has no insecurities or uncertainties. His desire is to have fellowship with us just as He did with Adam (before the Fall) and with Jesus (during His earthly ministry). The Lord has done His part in making His love known to us. It’s our job to run to Him, receive the embrace of Abba Father, and enjoy His joyful presence!

Furthermore, Psalm 16:11 reminds us that God will show us the right way of handling life. The enemy comes to kill, steal, and destroy, but our God is a giver of life. It is His desire for us to have life to the full measure (see John 10:10).  God is not looking to just make us happy momentarily. He desires to help us build a solid and abundant life in Him, and joy is included in the package deal! 

Sit quietly before the Lord and meditate on the above scriptures. Allow Him to fill you with joy and wisdom in His presence!

The Lord has blessed us with the gift of emotions. If they are handled appropriately, they are very valuable. They allow us to express ourselves in varied circumstances and situations. We can express our joy, excitement, disappointment, sadness, hope, and expectations. 

We are tri-part beings made of spirit, soul, and body. Our soul is comprised of mind, will, and emotions. The soul is the entity that operates between our physical body and our spirit man. Our emotions, which are part of the soul, can be either influenced by our physical bodies or by our spirit man.

If we allow our emotions to be controlled by external circumstances, we will be tossed to and fro by people and various circumstances. Our emotions will begin to rule our lives and cause us to live on a emotional roller coaster.

On the other hand, if the emotions are controlled by the Holy Spirit they bring life, vitality, and animation to our lives. They can show the heart of God to others and allow us to be a conduit for His purpose on the earth.

While the scripture addresses specific emotions such as joy, sadness, or anger, it does not deal with the issue of feelings as a whole. The Bible looks at each emotion, and it addresses it differently depending on what is rooted in. 

A fool vents all his feelings, But a wise man holds them back. Proverbs 29:11

The above verse is the only scripture in New King James Version that addresses emotions as a whole. This scripture points to the fact that people tend to vent their emotions in unhealthy ways. However, a wise person does not give over the rein of his/her life to the emotions but has learned to restrain them.

Our emotions tend to lie to us and make something appear more urgent and critical that it really is. They have a way of bubbling up inside of us to the point that have to be vented. Emotions can become a raging river that floods everything that it comes into contact. 

Why do we have to vent? Do we believe that it keeps us real? Do we think we may lose the opportunity to address the issue if we don’t react to it right away? Have our emotions helped us to get our way in the past, so we use them to manipulate others? Do we feel powerful when we are emotional because others back off? Are we prophetic and assume that all our emotions are led by Lord?

We see the affect of this in our churches and society. Some get married out of emotions and then they find themselves out of love in a few years.  Some in moments of rage hurt each other verbally or physically breaking down relationships in the heat of the moment. Others can be jubilant and excited at church but don’t know how to get along with their mate or pay their bills. Some get very emotional about their bad decisions but once the emotions subside, they go back to doing the same thing as before. In addition, we see all kinds of hurtful and disrespectful material on social media because people get emotional and find a need to vent right away.

If we don’t restrain our emotions, they will control us and the results can be bad decisions impacting our lives as well as others. It is important to slow down. Pray, and give ourselves time to calm down. Our Spirit man should take the lead and not allow our emotions to run ahead of our spirit man.

The solar eclipse was a hot topic in the last few weeks, and many were excited this past Monday to take advantage of the rare opportunity to observe this phenomenon.

Praise Him, sun and moon; Praise Him, all you stars of light! Psalm 148:3

                                                Source: Church Leaders Facebook Post

It is always amazing to me how people can get so excited about these type of events, but not bother to consider who is behind it all. The fact that the scientists can so accurately determine the time and the location of the eclipse points to a reliable God who has organized the galaxies in structured and predictable form. This allows man to predict when the moon would move between the earth and the sun, and it would cast its shadow on certain parts of the world. That’s just incredibly amazing to me! He is so worthy to be praised for His created order! He allows us to live with the certainty of His creation following a known pattern. 

Upon my research I found that the sun is 400 times greater than the moon. Therefore, as far as the size is concerned, there is no way that the moon can cover the sun. However, the sun is 400 times further from the earth than the moon. This explains why with our natural eyes the moon does not look that much smaller than the sun. Furthermore, since the moon is so much closer to the earth, it can cast its shadow and block the sun rays temporarily resulting in an eclipse on the earth.

For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. Psalm 84:11

Spiritually speaking, Christians can experience a solar eclipse in their lives! We allow the issues of life to get so up close that they appear larger and more powerful than the Lord. The problems cast a shadow on our lives and take away the beautiful rays of His light that are always available to us. The Lord is all powerful, omniscient, and omnipresent. Nothing can block His glory in our lives. However, in our carnal nature, we can magnify the problem to the point of blocking our vision. 

It is our job to magnify the Lord, remind ourselves of who God is, and exalt Him for His power and His glory! His nature does not change just because we have chosen to focus on the problem. He is still capable and available to send His light, warm our hearts , and guide our paths.

On Monday, I stepped outside just to experience what was happening during the solar eclipse. During the eclipse, I noticed the following changes: the wind picked up, the skies turned gray, and the temperature dropped. Isn’t that how we feel when we begin to focus on our problems and allow them to cast a shadow of doubt and uncertainty on our faith!?

Praise God that the solar eclipses do not last long. Our eclipses do not need to last long either. Let’s magnify His name and trust Him. He is at work in our lives, and He will guide us every step of the way because He is a good and faithful Father!

God has been looking to restore His name among the people. His intent has also been in changing and restoring His people!

Thus says the Lord God: “On the day that I cleanse you from all your iniquities, I will also enable you to dwell in the cities, and the ruins shall be rebuilt. Ezekiel 36:33

Thus says the Lord God: “I will also let the house of Israel inquire of Me to do this for them: I will increase their men like a flock.  Like a flock offered as holy sacrifices, like the flock at Jerusalem on its feast days, so shall the ruined cities be filled with flocks of men. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.”’” Ezekiel 36:37-38

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1

The Lord desires to rebuild the cities, wash His people from sin, and allow them to become His flock. He wasn’t looking for just any kind of flock but a flock that is a holy sacrifice to the Lord.

In a world that it is all about individual gain and achievement, becoming a holy sacrifice is antithetical to a culture of selfishness.  If the main goals in life were personal gain and self-improvement, we should see happy individuals, strong marriages, low crime, and healthy children. However, the breakdown of every sphere of society is a reminder that selfishness does not win, and it eventually hardens people, erodes relationships, and breaks down society.

God revived His people and brought their dry bones back to life. However, in order for the people to remain alive, they have to be willing to be a living and holy sacrifice. The Lord gave us the solution to a full and fulfilling life. It is in giving that we receive, and it is in laying down our lives that the Lord gives us so much more than what we expect. The breath of God brings the dry bones back to life, and in becoming a holy sacrifice, we remain alive.

Becoming a holy and living sacrifice is not only our reasonable service, but it is also the only way we can remain truly alive! Any sacrifice on our part, cannot compare with the gift of salvation and the eternal life that Jesus bought for us. Furthermore, in our sacrifice others are touched, and we are blessed knowing that we are fulfilling our purpose.  Selfishness keeps us isolated, but in becoming a holy sacrifice, it opens our lives up for God to shine through us and glorify His name! 

Make a decision to be a living sacrifice this week. Be intentional and be willing to be inconvenienced. Suspend your fears for a week. Give of your time, attention, and heart to the Lord and others and watch how God will use it to glorify His name and bless others. We are His flock, and if we live as a holy sacrifice unto the Lord, our communities will change and the Lord is glorified!

God gave Ezekiel a vision concerning the condition of His people and His desire to revive their dry bones (See the previous devotionals). Since God is always purposeful and intentional about His work, why did He want to revive His idolatrous people? Ezekiel 36 provides a clear understanding of God’s heart and why He desired to restore their dry bones.

Therefore say to the house of Israel, ‘Thus says the Lord God: “I do not do this for your sake, O house of Israel, but for My holy name’s sake, which you have profaned among the nations wherever you went.  And I will sanctify My great name, which has been profaned among the nations, which you have profaned in their midst; and the nations shall know that I am the Lord,” says the Lord God, “when I am hallowed in you before their eyes.  For I will take you from among the nations, gather you out of all countries, and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will keep My judgments and do them. Ezekiel 36:22-27

God was looking to restore His name among the nations. His people were supposed to hallow his name and magnify Him on the earth. However, they walked away from His ways and chose idolatry and filth. Their actions hardened their hearts and led to God’s name being profaned among the nations.

The Lord wants to wash us from every filth that has contaminated us. He is looking to take away our stony hearts and give us a heart of flesh. Sin hardens our hearts.  When people in a community or a nation begin to celebrate sin, it leads to rebellion and anarchy. We are witnessing the breakdown of our social and governmental structures right before our eyes.

When I was in Washington D.C. this summer, I noticed many beautiful monuments recognizing our past presidents and leaders. Some of the writings on the walls displayed faith in our creator and recognized His protection and provision over our country.  While I was looking at those walls, I wondered if that is how our nation feels about God right now! Has honoring God become a historical memory from years gone by?

Where is God in our midst now? Why has Christianity become so offensive since it has been the bedrock of freedom for this nation and all other free nations? Sadly, 80% of Americans still claim they are Christian, but we are far from God as a nation. In my geographical area, only 4% of the population goes to church. Among the 4% Christians, we cannot even agree on specific Biblical issues such as life and marriage. If there has ever been a time that the church has opened the door to filth and idolatry, it is now!

There is much change that is required in our nation, but the change must begin with the church not diluting and compromising the Word of God in the name of compassion and justice. Jesus modeled this balance for us. He protected an adulteress from being stoned, but He did not excuse her sin. Jesus came to transform us and revive our dry bones and give us an abundant life.

Please don’t cheat people out of the gift of God’s grace! Jesus came to set us free from sin. His grace isn’t there to excuse sin but to overcome it! Please don’t offer people a lollipop of counterfeit acceptance to calm their pain. The greatest acceptance is when our Holy God reaches out to sinners and invites them to His kingdom and desires to adopt them as sons and daughters. Our ungodly acceptance of people is like filthy rags, and it will keep them in a state of bondage and false identity.

Let’s pray for the true church to rise and love people with a Godly love. People need the breath of the Holy one breathing onto their dry bones and reviving them to true life! We like Ezekiel stand between the living and the dead and speak to the dry bones. Our touch from God brings life to their dead bodies, and it glorifies our Lord!

I will continue with this subject in the next devotional. 

The Lord spoke through a vision to Ezekiel about the condition of the Israelites and their dry bones. Praise God for His solution to man’s dry bones! 

The hand of the Lord came upon me and brought me out in the Spirit of the Lord, and set me down in the midst of the valley; and it was full of bones. Then He caused me to pass by them all around, and behold, there were very many in the open valley; and indeed they were very dry.  And He said to me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”

So I answered, “O Lord God, You know.” 

Again He said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them, ‘O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord!  Thus says the Lord God to these bones: “Surely I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live.  I will put sinews on you and bring flesh upon you, cover you with skin and put breath in you; and you shall live. Then you shall know that I am the Lord.”’” Ezekiel 37:1-6

The Lord’s desire was to restore His people, and He used Ezekiel to speak through the visions He gave him. Ezekiel’s ministry was primarily to the exiled Jewish people who were under the control of the Babylonians. The Jewish people had become idolatrous over the years. God used Ezekiel to speak to His people about the curse of disobedience and the blessing of obedience. 

Have you ever felt hopeless because of others’ disobedience and sin? It is very difficult to keep the faith in those kinds of situations and believe that things can change. A hopeless situation could be any number of cases such as: an unbelieving spouse,  a wayward child not repentant of their lifestyle.  a manipulative spiritual leader, a divided nation, or your own bad habits. 

The Lord asked Ezekiel if there was any hope for the dry bones, and Ezekiel responded by saying that the Lord had the answer. Ezekiel could have complained or grumbled against the people of God, but he had not lost hope for the people of Israel.  Ezekiel still believed that God had the power to perform miraculous work among His people.

To remain in a state of faith, we need to continually forgive those who sin against God or against us. We also need to surrender the situation to the Lord and ask for His intervention. Sometimes, God allows the situation to get to the point of dry bones before He intervenes. Many times, the situation is prolonged because the person/people have not admitted their sin and, therefore, have not repented.

So I prophesied as I was commanded; and as I prophesied, there was a noise, and suddenly a rattling; and the bones came together, bone to bone.  Indeed, as I looked, the sinews and the flesh came upon them, and the skin covered them over; but there was no breath in them. Ezekiel 37:7-8

Surely the Lord God does nothing, Unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets. Amos 3:7

God trusted His prophet and revealed his secret to Ezekiel. The Lord used His prophet to speak His Word over the people, and Ezekiel did what the Lord asked Him to do. Ezekiel remained in the position of faith and courage. He believed that by speaking to the dry bones, they would come back to life, and they did.

The Lord desires His people to be full of life and vitality. This was the reason that Jesus came to the world to give us life and give it more abundantly. We need to listen to God’s heart on behalf of our family, friends, church, and our nation. It is his desire to restore the dry bones, and the Lord uses His prophets to stand between life and death and proclaim the Word of the Lord.

What is God to speaking to you right now? Is God pleased with the division in your home, church, or your nation?

I will share in the next devotional God’s purpose for the restoration of the dry bones. 

We all desire a healthy spiritual life, but, sometimes, people find themselves dry spiritually. However, there is a level of dryness that is more severe. The scripture talks about the condition of having dry or rotten bones. Dry bones are a representation of disease, decay, and death. They symbolize lifeless existence. When the Bible speaks about dry bones, it refers to those who are dead spiritually or about to die from prolonged adverse conditions. 

Bones in the body are living and growing tissues. In childhood years, the bones grow very fast, and a child grows in size and height within just a few years. The bones are like a bank where deposits and withdrawals are made, which continues to go on through adult years. If there is more withdrawals than deposits, people can develop osteoporosis where the bones become brittle (From https://www.niams.nih.gov/health_info/kids/healthy_bones.asp). 

This is also true spiritually. Tough situation, bitterness, un-forgiveness withdraw more from about our spiritual bank accounts than thankfulness, obedience, and forgiveness deposit life in our spiritual accounts. Therefore, people find themselves very brittle and weak spiritually. 

The scripture tells us why people experience spiritual decay or develop dry bones.  

A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones. Proverbs 14:30

Envy eats away at a person and causes them to dry up spiritually. They cannot appreciate what they have because they see others doing better than them. This also impacts their relationship with God. They begin to think that God doesn’t love them and that He has favorites. Their envy could also lead them to hating other people because they cannot stand seeing others happy and successful. Stress, anger, and anxiety becomes their daily food, and they begin to rot spiritually. 

A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22

A crushed spirit is a wounded spirit. The person is in a position of depression and hopelessness, and they have lost their joy in life. This kind of spirit brings about spiritual dryness and sadness. There may have been long seasons of disappointments. The individuals may have an appearance of faith, but they are lifeless and depressed because they have not experienced the healing of the Lord. 

Do you know of anyone who is experiencing this condition? Sometimes a church as a community can experience this condition. In the next devotional, I will share about God’s solution and His miraculous work in dealing with dry bones.