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!!!