J-O-Y
It is 25th November, Thursday morning, 2021 and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today.
Nehemiah 8:10, I think we all know that verse off by heart... The Lord says that the joy of the Lord is your strength. Are you full of joy this morning? My wife Jill reminded me of that acronym, J-O-Y:
J stands for Jesus first
O stands for others next, and
Y stands for yourselves, in that order.
First the Lord Jesus Christ and then other people, then yourself. And when you do that, you will be full of joy. I am full of joy today because everywhere I look, I see moisture - I see rain. The grass is green. Early this morning I heard a dove, the symbol of peace and the Holy Spirit. He was singing his heart out, followed up by another number and that was the rainbird. What a beautiful sound to wake up to this morning. We need to count our blessings and number them one by one! The Bible tells us that laughter is like medicine. When was the last time you had a good laugh?
I had a prayer meeting early this morning with some. You know, when men get together they tend to pull each other’s legs... that is why sometimes, the ladies are not allowed. Talking about the one brother who doesn’t have any hair and asking him if he brought his comb this morning - that’s right, just banter. But all in good spirit, all preferring your brother to yourself.
Folks, we really ought to laugh, we need to be full of joy, why? Because Jesus is coming soon. We need to count our blessings. Now, if you love the Lord Jesus, as I am sure you do, then your name is written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. Good people don’t go to heaven, remember... believers go to heaven. Today we are one day closer to the coming of the King. Isn’t that something to be joyful about? And the Lord has promised us in 1 Corinthians 10:13, that He will not allow you today to be tempted above that which you can handle. He won’t give you a burden you can’t carry, He has promised you that.
He has also promised us that today we don’t have to go out alone. He is going with us wherever we go.
“If God is for us, who can be against us.”
Romans 8:31
And what about Philippians 1:21:
“For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”
You can’t frighten a Christian with heaven! If we live, we live for Jesus. If we die, we are going home to be with Him in heaven. It is a win-win situation. We really need to remember, it is the joy that He set before us that keeps us going. You know, I have got a very dear friend and every time I phone him, I say, “How are you today?” He says, “Angus, I am so well.” You know, I just love phoning that man.
I want to say to you today, go out and bless somebody. First Jesus, then others and then yourselves.
Have a blessed day.
God bless you, Goodbye.