Take Joy Where? (Thanksgiving)

Well, it's that time of the year. Thanksgiving is next week. The holidays are officially here. It will be Taylor and I's first holiday season as a married couple. I love my wife, I am thankful for her, and I excited about being with our family as a family.

Thanksgiving is a neat holiday to me. We set this time of the year apart from the rest of the year to be thankful which is kind of weird. I hope that we really exhibit an attitude of thankfulness year-round.

Thankfulness is easy at times and not so easy at others. This week I was to tempted to have one of those others. My truck has been acting up. Tuesday morning was a breaking point for me. I had to be at a local school pretty early. I went out to get in my truck to leave and it started having some issues. It caused me to run late. I loathe running late. I wanted to kick, spit, and cuss. I was on my way and began to pitch a little hissy fit to God. And, then, like a hammer on my heart, God hit me with Philippians 4:4...

Always be full of joy in the Lord. I say it again—rejoice!
Phil 4:4 (NLT)

So often we want to place our joy in things other than the Lord. That morning I wanted to place it in my truck running well. That sounds silly. But, I allowed my joy to depend on my truck. Maybe its not your vehicle. Maybe its your relationship with your parents, children, spouse, or some boy/girl. Maybe your joy depends on your bank account or how things go at work/school.

I would like to remind you that Paul wrote Philippians 4 while being in jail for worshipping Jesus. He had all the reason in the world to be in the dumps. But, he chose to be joyful. Not in his freedom. Not in his status. Not in his living arrangements. But, Apostle Paul's joy depended on Jesus. So should ours.

Our family situations change. People let us down. Things, like trucks and cars, break. Finances can hit a wall. We live in a changing and inconsistent world. But, as Christians, we belong to an unchanging and consistent Jesus. He doesn't walk out. He doesn't leave. He doesn't break. He can handle anything and everything we throw at Him.

This Thanksgiving, and every other day of the year, I challenge you to place your joy in Jesus. Let your thankfulness depend on Him, not your circumstances. He can handle it. Take joy in belonging to Jesus.

ALL ABOUT JESUS!!!

 

4 Parts of Effective Focus

Focus is important. What we focus on helps make us into who we are.

 

Here are 4 parts of the Christian walk that we need focus on to be effective members of the body of Christ.

 

 

 

1. Love Jesus:

"And you must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your strength."

Deut. 6:5

 

It all starts with us responding to His love with our love. Falling deeper and deeper in love with Jesus is what our entire Christian life is to come from. Without love from God and an increasing love for God, we will surely be a hotter mess than we already are.

 

 

2. Share Jesus:

"But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere--in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria,

and to the ends of the earth."

Acts 1:8

 

When you fall in love, you can't keep it to yourself. When Taylor and I got engaged last September, I wanted to tell everyone. We ought to feel the same way when we experience God's love for us. How could we ever keep a love that saves a secret. We must focus on sharing Jesus and His love with our community and our world.

 

3. Make Disciples of Jesus:

"Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit."

Matthew 28:19

 

A love that saves is a love that changes. Focus on making an investment in the lives of others in order to see Jesus change them and make them more like Him. In the process, He'll be changing you too.

 

 

4. Celebrate Jesus Together:

"And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near"

Hebrews 10:25

 

A love that saves and changes ties those who have been saved and changed together. Focus on hanging out with other followers of Jesus to encourage each other and make much of Jesus. Don't get bogged down with routine. Just focus on Jesus and grow together. It's that simple.

 

 

See the common factor in all of these?

 

Jesus.

 

Focus on Jesus. He is Life, and our source for being who He has created and saved us to be. It's...

 

ALL ABOUT JESUS!