Deuteronomy 6:4

 Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.

Do you hear? Open your ears!

Only Jesus! Only Jesus!

Rend your hearts! Repent of all other worship. Answer to Him only.

Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.

Seek Him now while He may be found!

Cry out, "O Lord, search me and know me and see if there be any wicked way in me!"

Make room AGAIN for His Lordship. Fall at His feet. Love His name only.

Listen, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord alone.

Prostrated, weep before Him in profound awe and deepest devotion.

Then rejoice in His great Love and cry for joy!

With lifted hands, praise Him for His salvation! Jesus is Lord -- Jesus ONLY!

Greater Joy

You have given me greater joy

than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.

Psalm 4.7  NLT

A new year is underway. Folks are regrouping, redetermining, and refocusing. Lists are made, goals are set, dreams are finding their way from intangible to hopefully tangible steps of accomplishment.

I am a list maker. A dreamer. A goal setter. All of this is more than fine and good in my world. It is pretty much a necessary aspect of careful living and successful attainment. (I say pretty much because with God all things are SO POSSIBLE!!!)

Every January finds us reviewing the previous year's successes and failures. We adjust, clean out, add to, always attempting to improve the success/failure ratio.

Here's one thing I KNOW, I LIVE, I EXPERIENCE every single year:

    Jesus -- JESUS -- gives greater joy than even 100% success! 

Knowing Him, walking with Him in His ways, having His presence in my life BY FAR supersedes -- BY FAR -- any list I've ever made, even with items checked off! Even with abundant harvests!

Time plunders. Years ravage the moments. That harvest spoils; that pleasure fades. Another list is always needed, another success, another accolade, another pat on the back. But the GREATER JOY found in Him is always available. 

Give your heart to Jesus without reserve, without condition. Trust Him for forgiveness, cleansing, and salvation. GREATER JOY than what this life offers will be yours!!!

Transitory

A gift is given. Accolades are shared. 

        Warm and genuine. 

                Even profound and precious.

The moment descends upon you, bringing a warm smile. 

        And, too, a responsive tear. 

                You will cherish these words, this gift, for years to come.

In an instant your world is joy-filled,

        your world is happy.

Weeks later a tangible reminder is stumbled upon, 

        handled and touched, 

                and you smile all over again.

You realize that as quickly as the moment descended it also disappeared, 

        as all moments are wont to do, 

                relegated to a memory file somewhere 

                        to be jostled to recollection from time to time. 

Gone. Over. Completed.

Stirred by a piece of wrapping paper, 

        a reference made, 

                even the gift itself, 

                        pleasant recollections bring again a smile. 

And, often enough, a wistful tear, 

        knowing the moment has passed, 

                as all moments are wont to do.

Thankful Hearts

 Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God.

Psalm 50.14  NLT

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul.

Psalm 19.7

Psalm 50 calls the Christian to bring to God thanksgiving. 

Here is an instruction that academic communities have studied, measured, and categorized. The results of cultivating appreciation have proven to be enormously positive. As a result medical researchers have developed exercises to foster true appreciation. The clear, consistent benefits discovered as a result of practicing of thanksgiving are bountiful.

Amazing. God's Word is true! 

While I am always thrilled that studies underscore the benefits of God's Word, how much more thankful I am for the WORD itself! For untold generations Christians have trusted His Word and practiced thankfulness without the studies from Harvard or Berkeley. We are a blessed people! We walk in truth because of His great goodness and are not left waiting for scientific studies to catch up!

Thanksgiving is a wonderful thing. Bring a sacrifice of thanksgiving to Him - every day, all day. 

His heart in this instruction is to see His people prospering and blessed. It isn't for Him, it is for us. We are His absolute delight. 

He is not in need of our thanksgiving. He is not lacking without it. His ego does not require it. He is thoroughly deserving of it and our hearts turned toward Him is a delight to Him. But the practice of maintaining a thankful heart is of great benefit to us, His beloved. 

Our good is always at the heart of His instruction. Such instruction is not merely to benefit Him, but us. He loves us continually, always, in every way, in every instruction. 

We serve a God whose care and concern for us is boundless. If you're wondering where to start, how to bring a sacrifice of thankfulness, just begin right there. Today.

Soul Revival: His Instructions

 Psalm 19.7 

The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul.

My soul has been weary as of late. More than just a bit tired, achy, and bruised. Sad. Just worn down. And very sore.

So, like a sweet, tender, fragrant balm were those words. The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul. And immediately upon reading such promise came to mind this clear instruction from His Word:

Rejoice in the Lord always, and again I say, Rejoice! 

Phil. 4.4  

And just as immediately an inner smile tugged at me, but then my face crumpled as tender emotion flooded my sad, weary, bruised soul. He loves me and is caring for me, bringing revival even through His profoundly simple instruction.

The instruction to rejoice is not intended as a heavy burden, a cumbersome or difficult act of obedience. I knew instantly His heart of love that longed for me to have joy. Deep joy. His genuine concern for my well being and the health of my soul was at the heart of that very instruction. It is at the heart of every instruction.

Psalm 19 served as a reminder and clarification. His instruction is perfect, reviving a weary, broken soul like mine.

Do you need revival today? Look to His instruction; trust and obey. There is balm to be found, sweet, tender, and fragrant. It will restore and revive your wounded, aching, tired soul like nothing else can.