MORNING HAS BROKEN

But the Lord said to Samuel,
Look not on his countenance,
or on the height of his stature.
I have refused him:
for the Lord sees not as man sees;
for man looks on the outward appearance;
the Lord looks on the heart.

 

 

 

Be careful, then
before you pass judgement.
Do you want other people
judging you?
Do you know enough
about someone else
to cast stones?
Is it your business anyway?
God knows what’s up
with each of us.
He is fully aware
of the verbal bully,
the shrinking violet,
the bombastic know-it-all.
God knows where
we’ve chosen to hunker down
in the greater scheme of life.
Let your guide be God.
He knows the way.
There are rules to follow:
love God with all your heart
and all your mind,
and the second
is important, too,
love your neighbor.
A third woven throughout
God’s word and his Son’s message
is simply this, be kind.

Based on 1 Samuel 16:7

Be Transformed

 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Romans 12:2

I am a believer. I know when one thinks negative thoughts negative events seem to pop everywhere. When you think positive thoughts… well, negative events pop up then, too. In this verse, are we being reminded that this world – with its multiple problems – is here, right now, our unwanted reality check. Are we required to be burdened by that? Burdened, no; called to be responsible and responsive, yes. To be that servant citizen, believers are transformed by the promise that in all times and places God is present, which leads one to ask, "What can I, as a believer, do to make the world a better place?"

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Grace

LOST AND FOUND

I lost my ife
to Grace’s gift,
no longer alone am I.

Known, remembered and redeemed
my Lord, my Master
heard my cry.

Found now on
Glory’s shore
seeing Christ I'm lost no more.


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Trust

.

Trust in the Lord

And lean not on your understanding

Be strong, banish fear and doubt. Remember the Lord your God is with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9

The road ahead is unknown for all of us. Some take the path of least resistance; others beat out a new path. The choices are ours to make. Choose to be courageous and extraordinary, after all that is the way God made you. Different from everyone else and particularly gifted to fulfill a role in life only you can fill.

Being courageous does not mean being foolish. Trying to climb a mountain without proper training is likely to be a disaster. Climbing with the right equipment and instruction can lead to an exciting adventure.

“I am weak,” does not mean, “I am helpless.” God gives us the ability to do whatever is set before us. He is with us through the trials and setbacks. God is in our corner whether we succeed or fail. Each is a lesson learned as we head on down the road, ready for new experiences, fearless and trusting. 

Five trust affirmations from the Book of Psalms:

• Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10 NIV
• But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. Psalm 13:5 NIV
• The law of the Lord is perfect, refreshing the soul. The statutes of the Lord are trustworthy, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7 NIV
• The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him. Psalm 28:7 NIV
• ...in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 56:11 NIV

Oswald Chambers, a teacher and speaker in the early 20th century, and author of "My Utmost for His Highest," wrote, "I have to learn that the aim in life is God's, not mine. God is using me from His great personal standpoint, and all He asks of me is that I trust Him, and never say – Lord, this gives me such heart-ache.... He simply asks me to have implicit faith in Himself and in His goodness."

When I have that heartache, the question of why, I am reminded that trust can be my only response. The road ahead is sometimes rocky, sometimes difficult, often challenging, that doesn't mean I shouldn't walk down it trusting full out that I have the Lord of all in my corner.
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If you would like to receive notification of updates to Joy in the Morning, please enter your e-mail under the "follow by e-mail" box in the upper right column. This blog is written by a mature (in age only) and imperfect Christian who loves the Lord. Please like and share if you find this message inspiring. Bible verses are from BibleGateway.com

 

Forgiveness

Forgiveness equals renewal

But with you there is forgiveness, so that we can, with reverence, serve you. Psalm 130:4

Failure and forgiveness. How many times must we forgive our neighbor and ourselves? Seven times? Jesus said more than that: seventy-seven times. Perhaps this is an illustration of forgiveness beyond the mere act. It is to recognize that we are dependent not on ourselves, but on God. We cannot see into the heart of another but God can. He does not condemn; we condemn ourselves when we don't forgive because instead of following forgiveness with actions we continue to behave in the same old way. Jesus also said to go and sin no more. When we fully engage with Christ and his message to us we take forgiveness to another level and begin to live according to his example. We become renewed.

Trust

The Big Picture

The Lord knoweth the days of the upright: and their inheritance shall be forever. Psalm 37:18:

See yourself through God’s eyes, a beloved child. Trust Him. When we love ourselves as God loves us our lives are fuller. We are able to handle whatever comes our way. God’s plan isn’t just in the here and now. Heaven is our home. Our lives on this earth are limited to a span of years that is miniscule in the span of all time. What we do while we are here is more significant than how we look or what we have. Be productive, live a vibrant life and serve others. You will be overjoyed to see what God does with your efforts.

Focus of thanks giving

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations. Psalm 100: 4-5

Thanksgiving Day is not the beginning of the insane shopping season that Christmas has become. It is a day to recognize our blessings and give thanks. With the frenzy to sell more and be first to do it, Thanksgiving has become more about who can get the doors open first and have the biggest bait and switch hooks to lure buyers in. I can’t imagine anything more daunting than shopping on Thanksgiving Day or Black Friday, be it in a brick and mortar building or online. I admire the shop owners who adamantly remained closed Thursday so their employees could spend time with family. There are some essential services that require people to work every day. Retail stores hardly qualify.

Thanksgiving goes on throughout the year, not just the officially dedicated day. When we forget to be thankful we also forget to acknowledge the source of everything we have. Our blessings abound year around. Giving God glory, praise and thanksgiving are part and parcel of who we are and what we have. His blessings determine the richness of our lives whether we’re living in a mansion on in more humble circumstances. Our actions and behavior are a reflection of whose we are, not what we have. By sharing what we have through giving to the church or charities or by our caring attention to the needs of others, we are showing our gratitude. Sharing glorifies God and makes the most of who he made us to be.

Faith

Why, Lord?

He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.” (NIV)

There is so much emotional upheaval in my life I scarcely know how to fix it, or more specifically fix those who are causing the turmoil. Perhaps therein lies the problem. Me thinking I can fix anything. It’s way past time to lay it at Jesus feet and let him take it up. My “fixes” have only made those I’m trying to help dependent on me, not on God. What will happen when I trust the Lord and stop fretting about things I cannot change? Am I willing to place my trust in him and let it go at that? How do I know what God expects of me or am I being too analytical? Today seems no better than yesterday as I struggle with conscience verses good sense, and above all – Faith, believing God is at work and his outcome for those I love is in his hands. A loved one’s illness, another’s selfish disregard for anyone else, these people who I love and whose lives are in such turmoil – I cannot fix them or their lives; I must trust in the Lord. And then it hits me. I’ve made this all about me. Maybe the fix needs to start in my heart, beginning with faith, forgiveness and letting go. God is at work. That's all I need to know.

A coat of many colors

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you. Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

In the story of Joseph, the coat of many colors was tainted with blood. Jacob was convinced it was the blood of his beloved son. Though much loved by his father Joseph was resented by his brothers. Relationships sink or swim on as little as this. None of them could predict what God could and would do with this act of betrayal. It is a reminder of how important it is to be absolutely certain that God’s plan is greater and more intricately connected to end results than anything we can do. Trust in the Lord. Be strong under fire. Make the most of who you are. God has promised to be with you, even when those around you sell you out, life hands you bitter gall instead of ambrosia, health fails, and troubles bubble. You are stronger than you think, not because of who you are, but because of who God is.

​

You can never know what tomorrow brings, so instead of fretting because of events over which you have no control, trust in the Lord, he has a plan and only he knows its outcome. Today’s troubles are not always what they seem. Today’s successes are blips on the radar of life. You are part of God’s plan, as are all those around you, even those who unsettle you or try your patience. God is in charge, all the time. Trust in his guidance. Be a Joseph, praising God and living each day in faith. Did he feel life was unjust? He had cause to feel that way. Sold into slavery by his brothers. Falsely accused by a vindictive woman. Joseph trusted against all odds that God had a plan.

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We may not be ready for whatever is next in life, but God is. He is prepared to help us – not some of the time, but all of the time. He rescues us in most unusual ways. He provided a ram in the thicket when Abraham was ready to put his son under the knife. He provided a compassionate daughter of a king to rescue Moses when her father would have had him killed. He gave us his son for our salvation. 

Jesus

A story for all times

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.— Isaiah 9: 6

Okay, who can read that verse without immediately hearing it belted out in the Hallelujah Chorus? I know I can’t. It’s been years since we have been to a performance of Handel's Messiah. Thanks to the wonders of the internet this morning I got to listen to it performed by the Royal Choral Society of London. It brought me to tears. King of kings, Lord of Lords, he reigns forever and ever. When I feel anything but joyful at this time of year, all I need do is remember what we celebrate – a humble yet royal birth, and who we celebrate ­– Christ born of Mary, Savior and Redeemer.

Jesus is the center of Christmas, but he is so much more. His birth, life, death and resurrection are beyond reason and outside the realm of our understanding. Think about it. God so loved insane, pig-headed, selfish humanity so much he gave himself in a most mind-boggling way. We are his. He made sure of our redemption by becoming as we are, human and subject to human frailty, and yet he was divine, able to give us a vision of ourselves we could never have imagined: we can be compassionate, merciful, loving, selfless and giving. We can never achieve Christ’s perfection, but we aren’t required to. All we are asked is to believe and live in keeping with God’s will. Christ in the manager was also Christ on the Cross. The significance of each is God’s compelling love, outside our understanding, beyond our imagination, ours not because of who we are, but because God loves us, just as we are.

In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. 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. Luke 2:1, 4-5 NIV

It had to take a lot of courage and faith to make a long journey with a pregnant woman, one who carried a child not of your seed, but of your heart because you were following your instructions from of all things, an angel. None of us can understand Joseph’s heart and mind as he made this trip and we can only guess at Mary’s discomfort and maybe even fear; fear for her unborn child, fear for herself, and fear for her future. And yet this couple visited by angels telling them of a common event – the birth of a child – made the trek, unaware the birth would have uncommon consequences: awe and celebration of the shepherds; terror in the heart of despotic king. The Christ child changed lives, and he changed the world. And it's still happening.

Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” Luke 2:11-14

The greatest story ever told isn’t simply a story; it is a truth that sustains us in all of life. We have been given a great gift. It is a living reminder that in all of life we have hope. We are not alone. We are not abandoned. We are God’s. He loved us so much he gave us his Son, the incarnate Christ, to live among us, teach us and open us up to grace unimaginable. We are God’s children, and brothers and sisters of the child born of Mary. Living in families. Struggling with unexpected news. Living in faith. Growing in trust. We are blessed because of the blessed birth; we are redeemed by the Redeemer. Even when we do not know the questions, we know the answer.

Simeon took him in his arms and praised God, saying: “Sovereign Lord, as you have promised, you may now dismiss your servant in peace. For my eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the sight of all nations: a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Israel.” Luke 2:28-32 NIV

Our future is assured, not because of anything we can do, but because of the babe in the manger and his place at God’s side. He gave up his place of perfection to live as we live, to see the corruption of the times and not be swayed, to teach and touch those in need of a new vision, a redeemer and healer. He made no claims he could not substantiate and listened without condemnation to those who would bring him down. “Not my will but thy will,” he prayed in his final hours of freedom. Now as we head into the New Year we can be assured that the Christmas spirit is not simply one of generosity nor is it seasonal, it is one freedom, freedom to live in joy knowing our future is assured – not to mean perfect, but in the hands of one who loves us so much he gave us is son.

Live in joy. Believe the promise: "Be strong, banish fear and doubt. Remember, the Lord your God is with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Grace

 Grace beyond words

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

Among the chosen. How awesome is that? God in his glory, fully realized in every sense of the word, powerful beyond imagining, greater than anything human minds can conceive, creator and author of all of life, in all of the cosmos, God has chosen to love me. I am struck speechless at the idea of it, knowing full well I haven’t deserved this love and have at times forgotten that it is there, holding me up, protecting me in the storms of life, taking it as my due. God’s love for me is singular. It is based on his infinite love for his creation: me. The thing is that although it is singular to me, it is also singular to every person who calls upon his name. His choice. His love revealed in the form of a wee babe. Amazing grace beyond words.

Believe

The Bread of Life

"Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.” John 6:35 NIV

Not a holiday, a holy day. Christmas has become a crazy time of excess on many levels. We find ourselves caught up in activities that drain our spirits and make us irritable. All that should be joyous becomes a part of what drags us down. The Christmas Spirit become the Christmas sprint, and whatever you do, don’t make too big a deal about Christ. Christmas as we know it hasn’t been around all that long, but its development as a commercial venture has exploded along with online shopping and deals to buy, buy, buy. Jesus has been pushed aside in favor of Santa Claus. Jesus is not an icon of commercialism. Maybe that's why he is tucked inside nativity scenes and promptly forgotten. His messages of peace and tolerance, self-discipline and faith don't coincide with the Black Friday mentality. In truth he was a man who was God, and God who was a man. On this earth he lived as humanly as any of us. In the end he was not permanently bound to the Christmas story as fictionalized by pop culture. He said he is the bread of life, and that hasn’t changed.

Faith

The Light of the world: A promise kept

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. Isaiah 11:1-3

A restless night filled with fears named and unnamed. Horrifying moments of desperation. We all experience those times when answers don’t come easily and solutions seem impossible. Psalm 30:5 reads, “For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favor is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.” This verse reminds us that ultimately God is in charge. Our night terrors are of our making. Our times of worry put us in a state of fretfulness and confusion. The morning sun shines light into our lives just at the Son of God brought light into the world. We can’t do a single thing at night to solve our problems, yet we pick away at them swelling our minds with disaster after disaster. Morning light brings relief. Faith is the morning light that can and will shine 24/7. We can trust in the Lord to lift us and carry us through. When we fret we forget God. When we have faith we are filled with his illuminating presence, revealed so beautifully in the Christ child.

Joy

The First Noel

I will praise the Lord all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Psalm 146: 2

I love Christmas carols. There is a purity to them that is moving and joyous. The melodies are gently harmonious and the words uplifting. You cannot listen to a Christmas carol without smiling or feeling your heart swell or your eyes tear up with joy, at least I can’t.

Christmas carols emphasize the hope that came into the world with the birth of Christ. They paint vivid pictures of the magnificence of God’s love and his ability to touch the lowborn and the highborn.

Everyone can relate to the Christ child, from the first wondrous moment when a baby sees a candle flicker on Christmas night to the oldster who is lighting it as a symbol of Jesus, the light of the world.

It is easy to get caught up in the ritual of Christmas and in the secular buying craze that goes on. We put emphasis on giving and getting rather than celebrating the lowly birth that would forever change the world.

Christmas carols call us back and remind us that angels proclaimed the coming of the Lord and told shepherds where to find the babe. Kings traveled for weeks in foreign lands to reach the humble place of Christ’s birth. Carols remind us of the true meaning of the holiday. 

 

Prayer

Tis the Season

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:4

Even at his most desperate King David found time to pray, honoring God and acknowledging his prominent place in David's life. The enemy was at his door. He prayed. He made unwise choices. He asked forgiveness. He turned his back on the teachings of God to get his own way. In the end, when it all went to pieces, he prayed. Pray any time and for any reason. God is the all-powerful, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He does indeed know what's going on. But do we? Through prayer we gain strength and understanding. Prayer isn't incidental to our lives; it is essential. God in His heaven; Christ in our hearts; the Holy Spirit an infusing force. Pray any time and for any reason. Prayer is always in season.

Faith

In His Hands

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

The times we need faith most are the times we have our greatest fears. Will God take care of this? Does he fully comprehend how bad… worrisome… unmanageable… sorrowful… depressing… distressing… my life is? Why would He care enough to do anything? Maybe He wants ME to take care of it. And then you start thinking of all the ways you will “fix” your problems without Him, often making things worse, much worse. Faith doesn’t mean sitting on the sidelines and doing nothing. It does mean prayerfully including God in every decision and trusting Him to give you wisdom and discernment. How life turns out from day to day is in His hands. Faith is the most powerful tool of the believer. Faith is the means by which you will get through it all.

Faith: Take wing and fly

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Hebrews 12:2

In “The Screwtape Letters,” C.S. Lewis writes, “It does not matter how small the sins are provided that their cumulative effect is to edge the man away from the Light and out into the Nothing. Murder is no better than cards if cards can do the trick. Indeed the safest road to Hell is the gradual one-–the gentle slope, soft underfoot, without sudden turnings, without milestones, without signposts.”

Mother Theresa wrote, “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.”

The message from both these inspirational writers is about faith. Remaining faithful; being courageous in faith; willing to step outside your comfort zone in faith; faithfully resisting that which takes you away from the Light; and standing on faith when the world is falling apart around you.

Lewis returned to his Christian imperative in his thirties. With his new-found faith he wrote compelling narratives calling attention to how the world can shape who we are when we lose faith, not necessarily all at once, but rather by dribs and drabs, an undone thing here, an unkind or thoughtless word there.

Mother Theresa dedicated her entire life to serving the helpless and the hopeless, stepping out in faith, not that all would be well, but that she had a job to do and that job was right in front of her to be done now. Not later, not tomorrow, not when she had time, but now, in this moment. Today.

Faith in the God of all takes us out of our self-imposed prison of ennui and gives us wings.

Believe

Look to the Light 

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12

Compassion and mercy sound good in theory, until someone you love disappoints you time and again, and you feel guilt and remorse because your parenting skills were woefully lacking. The adult son who struggles with addiction or anger issues seems flawed beyond redemption. The adult daughter, whose poor choices lead her into one abusive relationship after another, from which you cannot – despite your best effort – extricate her. Where does this behavior come from? You did the best job you could, and yet these disappointing examples of your bad parenting are like a shadow on your life.   

Perhaps that’s where the problem begins and ends. The lives of these people you love are based on their personal choices, made outside of your influence, and not necessarily because of it. Perhaps your focus on the shadow obscures the Light. That’s where compassion and mercy abide, in the Light. Compassion means to have sympathy and concern for someone and to show kindness toward them. Mercy extends forgiveness and understanding. Nowhere in there does either of these exact guilt. Nor do they require you to “fix” the other person. Nowhere does it say you need not have compassion and mercy for yourself. God is at work. Know it. Believe it. Live it. Grace abounds, not because of who we are, but because of who God is.

Faith

Learn from the Lord and Lean on Him   

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:27-29

It’s easy to carry around a load of discontent. Life doesn’t go you’re way so you blame God, or your husband, or your irritating neighbor, or your kids, or the most recent thing that didn’t go your way. You strap the anger and frustration on your back and head out into the day. They weigh you down taking the joy out of the good things that do happen and making the bad things even worse. You feel justified in your self-righteous choice to carry the load and add to it. You’ve been mistreated by gum and you have every right to be prickly and uncooperative, snappish and sad. Really? And you’re the only one who’s had a bad day, a bad week, a bad year? We carry our load. We make that choice. We can make a different choice, one that rids us of our burden and takes the weight of discontent off our backs. That choice is Jesus. Find rest in him.

Prayer

God's unknowable plan 

Luke 22:42 – “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

Do you pray believing? The strength of prayer is less about the words we choose and much more about the depth of our belief. Impossible outcomes do happen, because they are only impossible in our sight, not God’s. Having written those lines I will  insert the common questions about how, when and why, or in some cases “if” God will indeed answer your prayer, or mine for that matter. Horrific and devastating events do happen, and often after we have prayed our hearts out for a particular outcome. The words I come back to as reassurance and instruction are found in Luke 22:42 – “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.” Jesus, knowing what was ahead, gave himself into God’s hands – “not my will, your will.” Pray believing, trusting in God’s unknowable plan, His will, not yours, not mine, His.

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