Today I will draw water out of the wells of salvation with joy. A broken spirit dries the bones, so I will pursue every outlet of JOY that I can, giving no place to depression or sadness by my words, thoughts or actions. The joy of the Lord is my strength, and I make a decision to walk in Kingdom joy all day today, regardless of circumstances!
...He has become my salvation."...you will joyfully draw water from the springs of salvation...
Isaiah 12:2,3
I am reminded of the woman at the well, who left her water jar, and embraced the possibility of the Messiah, and living water. Her jar(bucket) was not the right jar for drawing up living water. It wouldn't satisfy.
We now have that jar(bucket) within us called JOY that the Holy Spirit gives to us to draw and drink the living water from Him, the springs of salvation.
...they will not hunger or thirst...for their COMPASSIONATE ONE will guide them, and lead them to springs of water. Isaiah 49:10
...Anyone who hears should say, "Come!" And the one who is thirsty should come. Whoever desires should take the living water as a gift. Revelation 22:17
May righteousness, JOY, and peace in the Holy Ghost be your drink today! Amen!
Sharilyn and Dan; wrote a message for you guys on yesterday's post.
ReplyDeleteGal 5:22-23 (NASB)
ReplyDelete“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control”
At my lowest point of depression, no matter how hard I wanted to make myself feel better and stop feeling fear and anxiety I was incapable to change my own feelings. Because God was not controlling me; my feelings were controlling me.
Call me melancholy, or call me a wet blanket, but I am afraid of going on an emotional “joy” ride. Because I know from experience that at the end of the “joy” ride is a crash. I have learned that when I let my emotions (feelings) control my mind (thoughts) and my will (choices) I often have difficulty sustaining joy for a long period of time. This is a cycle very hard to regulate because when feelings are the controlling influence, the emotional high sends the pendulum swinging from joy to depression, leaving the individual feeling guilty in addition to depressed. “Whosoever drinketh of this water shall thirst again.” John 4:13
When joy feels as distant to you as the horizon across the ocean? And you are wondering whether you can ever regain joy in your life? The first thing to keep in mind is that joy is not a feeling, but rather is a gift to you from God! Here lies a much better way. Step 1, God teaches or refreshes our mind (what we think.) Steps 2, then we allow Him to direct our will (our choices.) Steps 3, then we allow Him to control our emotions. Jesus said, “Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” John 4:13 (KJV)
“For the joy of the Lord is your strength.” Neh 8:10-11 (KJV), God’s sustainable joy is “of the Lord”, it is not “of our feelings” or effort. It is a gift, if we ask for it then it is ours. It is a fruit of the spirit, and all we need to do is be connected to the giver to qualify for the gift.
The GIFT of joy...glad you brought that part up Dan. As is righteousness a gift, as is peace a gift that Jesus left us (not as the world gives), so is JOY a GIFT.
ReplyDeleteThank you Father for all the gifts, including JOY. I pray that we all more fully understand what has been GIVEN to us, fully open each package and happily appropriate each gift into our lives to the greatest degree.
Let the joy of the Lord and His Spirit strengthen the body of Christ today!
Karl, this is my first time visiting this blog and (drumroll).......................................................................................I love it. How gifted are you! I remember standing on the parking lot at CITN prophesizing to you that are indeed a writer. And I was already confirming that which was in you since the foundaiton of the world.
ReplyDeleteJoy does flow from the loving and living God Who abides in us. And all of the fruits and gifts if we are open to them.
This blog is such a beautiful expression of God's love and word, so praise God!
Karl, I set my faith with you and add my agreement that by Jesus stipes, Natasha is healed. She needs to believe it.
Also, I understand the great gift doctors are to us, However, Jehovah Rapha is the God who healeth us.
I challenge Natasha to touch the hem of His garment so she can be made whole.
Finally, I had trouble with my ears for months and finanlly tried two pharmaceutical antibiotics which truly didn't agree with my system. Finally, God brought back to my memory, the world's oldest antibiotic which is collidoil silver or hydrosol silver which you can find in a health food store or I can show you how to order on line for next day delivery.
Anyway, silver helps with throat infections, colds, flus, ear infections and needless to say my ear infection cleared up and helped tremendously with the dizziness and other symptoms associated with ear infections.
Certainly, I am not offering the above suggestions as a professional diagnosis but more of a testimony as to something that has worked for me and my children and countless of thousands of others.
The kingdom of God righteousness, peace, And JOY in the holy ghost. May the kingdom of God be yours today.
nice blog and thank you for your words on joy....continuation of this past sunday
ReplyDelete"May righteousness, JOY, and peace in the Holy Ghost be your drink today"
ReplyDeleteI'll drink to that and say this one is for you Karl...CHEERS!
Teezy
Yvonne...thanks, you've always been encouraging. A lot has come from the parking lot meetings.
ReplyDeleteP.Nancy...happy to see you here, keep checkin' back.
Teezy!!!...amen, and CHEERS to you, too... glad to see you again.
I'm getting ready to work on a new post about PEACE, but wanted to make a comment here with something from Isaiah about JOY.
ReplyDelete"...and the ransomed of the Lord will return and come to Zion with singing, crowned with UNENDING JOY. JOY and GLADNESS will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee."-Isaiah 35:10
Christ is our head, HE has everlasting joy, and we are crowned with Him. He lives in us by His Spirit so this unending joy and gladness is truly there within us as a constant...as we follow after the Spirit this joy overtakes us and sorrow and sighing does flee!
Now on to PEACE...