Nehemiah 8:10(KJV)

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Thanksgiving is an expression of joy, not because of what God provides but because He is the Provider. Our joy comes not from what we have but from who He is, and giving thanks opens our eyes to see more of Him. The prophet Habakkuk also struggled to see God’s provision in his life. He argued with God, complained and wrestled things through with Him. Finally he surrendered and said: “Though the fig tree does not blossom And there is no fruit on the vines, Though the yield of the olive fails And the fields produce no food … Yet I will [choose to] rejoice in the LORD; I will [choose to] shout in exultation in the [victorious] God of my salvation!” (Habakkuk 3:17-18). Giving thanks is not reactive but proactive. Habakkuk chose to rejoice. He chose to give thanks when there was nothing, trusting God for the something. Like Jesus, he knew the Provider of all things. While he couldn't see the how, he saw the who. Do you have a “not-enough” situation in your life? The rent is due, but your car broke down. You feel trapped in a dead-end job or dead-end relationship. Your child struggles in school, but you don’t know how to help. Will you join me in thanking God for the not-enough moments and seeing them as opportunities for Him to give more than enough? Thanking God in all circumstances for what we can see opens our eyes to what we otherwise cannot see. It ushers in God’s peace (Philippians 4:7) and emboldens us with His strength to persevere. (Nehemiah 8:10) - Jodi Harris What are you thanking the Lord for today?
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WHEN IN ADVERSITY, I’LL STILL HAVE JOY January 1, 2023 When we refer to Apostle Paul, we think of his faith. We know that he was a great man of faith. But I believe that there is another characteristic about this man’s life that should be mentioned right alongside his faith, and that is his joy. The people in Lamentations had lost many things. They had lost many possessions, confidence, stability, security, peace, and most of all, joy. They didn’t see anything in their lives to be joyful about. Lamentations 5:21 says, “Turn thou us unto thee, O Lord, and we shall be turned; renew our days as of old.” What were they saying? In other words, “God, we need some restoration in our lives. We’ve lost many things. There are many negative things happening in our lives. There is nothing positive that we can point at. And we’ve lost our joy. Our joy has withered away. Restore us, Lord.” Have you recently asked God for some restoration? Many times, we find ourselves needing restoration. Why? Because Satan is a thief. He comes to steal, to kill and to destroy your life (John 10:10). I’m sure he’s stolen some things from you. He may have stolen your marriage, your finances, your children, your job, your peace, your joy, your confidence. He is a thief out to destroy your life. And what you need is restoration. You may be waking up in the middle of the night wondering where in the world you are going to get the money to meet that need. God, is it over? Is this as far as we go? What did I do to get into this kind of condition? God, have I sinned? Lord, what is going on here? The worst thing you can do is lose your joy. Joy is vitally important in the midst of adversity. Joy is a powerful force. Hebrews 10:32-34 says, “But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great fight of afflictions; Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used. For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.” The most important thing for you to do when Satan is trying to take everything you’ve got is maintain your joy. Don’t ever let him steal your joy. The joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). What you need most in the middle of a storm is strength to carry on. If you have no joy, you have no strength. If you have no strength, then you can’t resist. If you can’t resist, then the devil will not flee. And if the devil doesn’t flee, then you will not win. Your victory is directly linked to your joy! Author: Jerry Savelle
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REJOICE! November 21, 2022 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it (1 Corinthians 10:13 NKJV). When we are in the midst of a trial, we are oftentimes so focused on what is happening to us that we aren’t looking for the way out. We spend our time talking about the problem rather than doing what God’s Word instructs us to do: “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4 NKJV). You may ask, “Why does God want us to rejoice?” Because, according to Nehemiah 8:10, the joy of the Lord is our strength. If we don’t have joy, we won’t have strength. Joy comes from the Word of God, and we must read the Word constantly to maintain that joy. As humans beings, we have the physical need for sleep, but the devil doesn’t. The moment we open our eyes each day he’s sure to be there waiting to say, “You’re not going to make it. This trial is too much for you. You might as well just give up.” But guess what? The devil doesn’t have any defense against joy. Let me tell you what it means to rejoice. One meaning of the Hebrew word rejoice is “to brighten up.” In other words, put a big smile on your face whether you feel like it or not. Another meaning of the word rejoice is “to spin around,” and a third meaning is “to leap.” So, the next time you are facing a trial, here’s how to respond: smile, spin, and leap. Or simply put—rejoice! Confession: My God is a faithful God who has already made a way of escape for me in every trial and temptation. Therefore, I choose to always rejoice in the Lord, knowing the devil has no defense against the joy of the Lord, which is my strength.
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