Good morning,
As Christmas approaches, there are three words that I want to address this morning: happiness, contentment, and joy. Happiness is predicated on external events like, you got an A on an exam, you got the present you have always wanted, and/or you were served your favorite meal. Joy, to me anyway, is like a firewall that says, “no matter what goes on in my environment, I will rejoice in the Lord”. Contentment, to me anyway, implies that I am satiated and I want nothing further. Contentment and joy are personal decisions that only we can choose for our life. When we have no joy or contentment in our lives, we will always be in search of what our heart is after sort of like munching on everything not knowing what you are hungry for. I find that joy is developed by faith and faith is developed by contentment. When we are content with the little we possess and offer that little bit to the Lord, he blesses and breaks it into many more pieces. With that bread of “joy,” people are fed and encouraged in their walk and the joy in our life grows. My encouragement and my hope for you today is that you will find joy and contentment where you are in life.
Verses: James 1:1-18, Nehemiah 8:9-12, Isaiah 40:28-31, Psalms 27.
Famous Quote: “When you surrender completely to G-d, as the only truth worth having, you find yourself in service of all that exists. It becomes your joy and recreation. You never tire of serving others.” – Mahatma Gandhi.
Father,
The joy of the Lord is my strength. With this strength, I can climb mountains and defeat the Devil at his game. I may not have a lot nor my words are as clear as they need to be however, what little I possess I give to you so that you can break it like bread and use it to feed others. May the gift of your son Jesus be the food I use to feed others this Christmas season. I pray for my family Lord that you will watch over all of them. I pray that you will continue to shake the world and its elected leaders so that they may be silenced before you. I pray for the military, law enforcement, and EMT communities that you will be with every one of them and bring them safely home. I pray over our politicians that you will continue to shake them to their core with the message of the Ephod so that they fully understand whom they serve. I pray for the city of Stacy, the state of Minnesota, and the USA may your Spirit fall fresh upon us. I pray for the truckers who carry supplies to our communities. I thank you for healing our land with rain that refreshes the land and the storms that shake the heart of mankind. I pray for those who need a special touch from you today. Finally, I pray that my words will always be an encouragement to all who read these words in Jesus’ name I pray. May your peace be upon my family, city, state, nation, and world. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer (Psalms 19:14).
IHS
MK
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