JOY

Father, thank you for giving us the means to have joy. A deep-rooted, inspired happiness that expresses Your goodness in who we are to You, who You are to us, and our guarantee for eternity.  Joy that is based on You not our circumstances.  Joy that is based on Your promises not what we lack.  Joy based on what we have in You not what we have in this world.  The language of joy is love which is Your native language.  Joy is the cadence for our steps in our journey.  It reflects that our hope is a guaranteed promise (Jesus).  Your joy for us is a fuller, spiritual experience that moves it beyond carnal happiness.  In joy, we find You.  In joy, we find direction.  In joy, we draw closer to You.  Salvation is the delivery of the promise of an eternal life with You.  A delivered promised for the future that is to be enjoyed today by living it today.  Eternal living starts today.  Joy reflects such eternal living.  Eternal living today is not one of condemnation and the angst of doing the right thing versus the wrong thing.  Rather it is one of conviction where we are aligned to the greater good (Jesus); being eternally minded (the promise of life eternal that cannot be taken away or lost); and not fixated on earning and rewards through performance but rather performance of excellence for what has already been given and promised by You.  We therefore work earnestly (doing our true best) in and with this joy.  J.O.Y.  Jesus first, Others second, and Yourself last is the hierarchy structure that leads to thoughts of excellence, words of excellence, and action of excellence.  An excellence based on Your character of servant leadership, faith, and love.  An excellence based on Your strength.  The type of excellence and conviction that is designed to always draw us closer or back to You.  You being the fulcrum that gives us the means to have joy.  Thank you. 

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In Our Midst