Walking in Joy and Hope

Overall, these days I am doing pretty well.  I'm grateful for that.  I still have up and down days energy wise.  I try to listen to my body, and adjust accordingly while still trying to keep going faithfully on the things I need to do.  But recently I realized that I have somewhat of a "plodding" attitude.  I'm missing the "joy" that I need.  I felt convicted of that, and I'm working on change.  I can't just plod - I need to walk in joy.

For me it begins with the time I spend with the Lord each morning.  Joy is rooted in who God is.  It's not based on how I feel or on my circumstances.  I need to receive His joy daily before I move on to the tasks.  When I'm careful to do that, the tasks become easier and I'm not "plodding."  It sounds so simple, and yet I've found I need to be purposeful in this!

"The joy of the Lord is my strength."  Nehemiah 8:10

"Everything seems to go wrong when you feel weak and depressed.  But when you choose to be cheerful, every day will bring you more and more joy and fullness."  Proverbs 15:15 TPT

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."  Romans 15:13

"Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full."  John 16:24 

"A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."  Proverbs 17:22

Joy is a common theme all through the Bible.  It's clear that the Lord wants us to walk in joy no matter what we're facing.  I'm embracing that afresh!

A friend sent me a prayer this week.  It was written by George Matheson (1842-1906), a blind man who was a pastor and hymn writer.  It is incredibly powerful.  I wanted to share it with you.

"Dear Lord, You have made waiting beautiful and patience divine.  You have taught us that your will should be accepted, simply because it is your will.  You have revealed to us that a person may see nothing but sorrow in his cup yet still be willing to drink it because of a conviction that your eyes see farther than his own.  Father, give me Your divine power - the power of Gethsemane.  Give me the strength to wait for hope - to look through the window when there are no stars.  Even when my joy is gone, give me the strength to stand victoriously in the darkest night and say, 'To my heavenly Father, the sun still shines.'  I have reached the point of greatest strength once I have learned to wait for hope." 

I can't begin to imagine what this prayer meant to this dear man all those years ago, but it stirred my deepest heart as I read it.  Quite honestly, it's almost too much to pray all at once.  I've been praying it phrase by phrase - and will keep doing so.  There are a number of things I am waiting for in hope.  This prayer gives perspective to that wait.  It points out that waiting can be beautiful.  I don't usually see it that way! 

"For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."  Jeremiah 29:11

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope."  Romans 15:13 

"Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.  They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."  Isaiah 40:31

In our darkest time - whatever that might be - the sun of God's love and grace still shines.  There is hope!  There are answers to prayers coming.  There is abundant strength for what we are facing.  There is new joy when it seems we have been robbed of joy.  There are plans God has for us that we can't yet see.  He has a future for us that we may not have planned.  He is good and faithful - and He wants to birth hope afresh in our hearts.

The Power of Encouragement

This past week I have been sick and it has made me very weak and lacking in energy. While I've been resting and recovering, I received several messages of encouragement.  They meant so much to me, and ministered to my heart.  It reminded me of how important encouragement is.  I've always tried to be an encourager because I've seen how powerful it is.  It doesn't need to be fancy - just a few simple words of love and encouragement!

Thinking about all this, I had an idea.  What if everyone reading this chose someone in their "circle" and sent them a message of love and encouragement?!  How powerful that would be!  Many people would be blessed and ministered to like I was.  Shall we do that?  I'll started it off right before I posted this!

"Therefore encourage one another and build one another up."  1 Thessalonians 5:11

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear."  Ephesians 4:29

"Therefore comfort one another with these words."  1 Thessalonians 4:18

"Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds...encouraging one another."  Hebrews 10:24, 25

"May God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other."  Romans 15:5 

"Encourage one another daily."  Hebrews 3:13 

And the strangely wonderful thing about encouraging others is that we are blessed too!!  Let's start a tsunami wave of encouragement!

The person I sent a message to reminded me of something.  Encouragement produces hope, and we need hope to survive.  "Without hope the people perish."  When we're going through a hard time - physically, emotionally, financially, in any way - it's easy to lose hope.  The thing we're dealing with may seem endless and hopeless.

But encouragement releases fresh hope!  Let's keep the wave of encouragement going.....like the waves of the sea.....unending!

"There is surely a future hope for you, and your hope will not be cut off."  Proverbs 23:18

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."  Romans 15:13

"Hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us."  Romans 5:5

Hope is a gift straight from the heart of God!  It endures when we go through hard times.  It never dies, even though it may seem dim during those hard times.  When I'm weak physically, I've learned that I need to ask God to rekindle hope in my heart for better days.  And the encouragement we receive from one another helps to release that hope!

Our God is so good and faithful!  He is our ultimate encourager, and He protects the hope in our hearts from dying.

Jesus Loves Africa!

Jesus loves Africa! Of that I am sure. There is great brokenness in Africa, but there is also great beauty. I see beauty in the hospitality of African peoples.

There's beauty in the smile of African people. And there is great beauty in the music  -  no one can sing like Africans!!

There's beauty in the spirituality of Africa… Even though that spirituality has often been hijacked and misguided by the enemy into ancestor worship and spiritism.

There's beauty in the courage of Africans. All throughout the continent of Africa you will find bold African evangelists proclaiming the Gospel. The church is growing faster in sub-Saharan Africa than any other continent in the world!

Though there is beauty in Africa, there is also brokenness in, and it breaks the heart of God:  we see the brokenness in the wars, preventable diseases, AIDS, famine, corruption and suffering children.

When I pray for Africa, hope fills my heart for the continent. But when I read the reports of problems I start to lose hope. So I know the answer for me... I need to be more impressed with God than I am with circumstances and newspaper reports. And I need to keep praying for Africa.

Isn't that true for all of us? Don't we all need to continually be more impressed with God's greatness than with human problems?

The church in Africa is the hope of Africa. And spiritual leaders are the hope of the church.

Sally and I feel called to give the rest of our lives to invest in the leaders and the church in Africa. Why? Because the church is the hope of Africa.

Every African leader needs friends who believe in them  -  and who will invest in their lives through friendship and discipleship.

How to Prompt Trustworthiness in Others

When we feel and express gratitude towards others it fosters a sense of trustworthiness in them, which in turn, leads to trustworthy behaviour.  Even the most broken person has potential for greatness.  When we see that potential, we convey it in our attitude.

Be intentional about expressing belief and gratitude in people and you will inspire them to hope in themselves...even when hope has been destroyed in their past