Be Joyful Always

Live in peace with each other. And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

1 Thessalonians 5:13-14,16-18

Our joy, prayers, and thankfulness should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings. Sometimes we may feel as if God is 1000 miles away. Sometimes we may feel as if our prayers are bouncing off the ceiling. But what does God promise? He promises to never leave us, nor forsake us. And we have to ask ourselves: do we trust our feelings, or do we trust the Word of God? Obeying these three commands - be joyful, pray continually, and give thanks - often goes against our natural inclinations. When we make a conscious decision to do what God says, however, we will begin to see people and our circumstances in a whole, new perspective. When we do God's will, we will find it easier to be joyful and thankful. Imagine that.

Blessings to you upon this new year,

J.H.

Happy New Year

Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression. May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.

Psalm 19:12-14

Many of us are plagued by guilt. We worry that we may have committed a sin unknowingly, done something good with selfish intentions, failed to put our whole heart into a task, or neglected what we should have done. Guilt can play an important role in bringing us to Christ and in keeping us behaving the way we should, but it can also paralyze us or make us fearful, unwilling to act because we have deemed ourselves "unworthy." Let that garbage go. God's love is so great that He fully and completely forgives us - even for those sins we do without realizing it.
Would you change the way you live if you knew that every word and thought would be examined by God first? David asks that God approve his words and thoughts as though they were offerings brought to the altar. As you begin each day in this new year, determine for yourself that God's love will guide you by what you say and how you think. "Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable-- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-- think about such things." Philippians 4:8

Happy New Year,

God Bless you and yours,

J.H.

New Day

The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing . . . At that time I will gather you; at that time I will bring you home. I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes. Zephaniah 3:17;20

There will be a new day when God will mightily bless His people. If the leaders in the church today were to hear a message from a prophet of God, the message would probably resemble the book of Zephaniah. Under Josiah's religious reforms, the people did return to God outwardly, but still their hearts were far from Him. Zephaniah encouraged the nation to gather together and pray for salvation. And we, so too, must also ask ourselves: Are the changes we make merely an outward show, or are they changing our very hearts and lives? We need to gather together and pray, to walk humbly with the Lord, to do what is right, and to hear the message of hope regarding the new world to come. God Bless you, J.H.

Our Refuge and Strength

He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." He will cover you with His feathers, and under His wings you will find refuge; His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. Psalm 91:1-2,4

God is a shelter, a refuge when we are afraid. The psalmist's faith in the Almighty God as Protector would carry him through all the dangers and fears of life. This should be a picture of our trust - trading all our fears for faith in Him, no matter how intense our fears. To do this we must "dwell" and "rest" with Him. By entrusting ourselves to His protection and spending time daily in the Word, we will be kept safe. That is a promise you can trust. And you can take that to the bank. Heavenly Father, I thank you for bringing me through another year. For all those reading these words, I ask that you bless them mightily upon the New Year and elevate them in ways that they themselves did not deem possible. Demonstrate your Power and Grace in our lives this year that will enable us to get our eyes off of our circumstances and on to You, the author and perfector of our faith. I thank you for Your overwhelming forgiveness and mercy that will allow us to begin this year free of burden and condemnation from the past, free to enjoy today and look forward to the future with hope. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen. God Bless you, J.H.

God Forgives

Even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more. Isaiah 43:25
How tempting it is to remind someone of a past offense! But when God forgives our sins, He totally forgets them. We never have to fear that He will remind us of them later. Forgiveness is a decision. It is a deliberate act that results in setting a person free; free of anger, resentment and bitterness. Once forgiveness is granted, a large burden is lifted. But it is not the offender who is being freed, it is you. Being bitter against thost who have wronged you in the past is not doing anything to the other person, but it does serve to weigh you down to grit and grind your teeth every time you even think about that person or what they did to you. Forgiving them removes all those feelings of resentment so that you can get on with your life. To be forgiving is to be God-like. To forget the past is to be even more like God. Thoughts for the New Year, God Bless you, J.H.

Respect Your Elders

Simeon blessed them and said to Mary: "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed." There was also a prophetess, Anna, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was very old; she had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, and then was a widow until she was eighty-four. She never left the temple but worshipped night and day, fasting and praying. Luke 2:34-37 Although Simeon and Anna were very old, they had never lost their hope that they would one day see the Messiah. Led by the Holy Spirit, they were among the first to bear witness to Jesus. In the Jewish culture, elders were respected, so because of Simeon's and Anna's age, their prophecies carried extra weight. Our society, however, values youthfullness over wisdom, and potential contributions by the elderly are often ignored. As Christians, we should reverse those values whenever and wherever we can. Encourage older people to share their wisdom and experience. Listen carefully when they speak. Offer them your friendship and help them find ways to continue to serve God. God Bless you, J.H.

Jesus in the Manger

So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:4-7

Although our first picture of Jesus is as a baby in a manger, it must not be our last. The Christ-child in the manger has been made into a beautiful Christmas scene, but we cannot leave Him there. This tiny, helpless baby lived an amazing life, died for us, ascended to heaven, and will come back to this earth as King of kings. Christ will rule the world and judge all people according to their decisions about Him. Remember, it is a decision. It's not about what you did or didn't do in this life. It is about the decision you made regarding Him. It is that simple. Did you accept Him or reject Him? Do you live as if there is no God? In your mind, are you the only one controlling every decision you make? Do you still picture Jesus as a baby in a manger - or is He your Lord? Make sure you don't underestimate Jesus. Let Him grow up in your life.

God Bless you,

J.H.