JOY and PEACE in Jesus!

Read:

John 15:10-11 (ESV): “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.”

Philippians 4:4-7 (ESV): “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Act:

Let us be determined this week to:

Reflect upon our lives and allow God to reveal any anxious thoughts or offensive ways stealing our peace and joy. The enemy’s lies so easily deceive us. In an effort to be accepted by others, we conform to worldly patterns and cultural standards. May we rather allow God to clear our hearts of striving, worry, guilt or lies; and replace them with His love, hope, joy and peace. Our lives will then be a testimony to the glory of God; our lifestyles an illustration of godly and righteous living; and our words and actions a compass directing others towards God’s redemptive plan of salvation.

Understand the PEACE the Bible describes, that passes all understanding. Instead of worldly peace, we have the gift of Christ’s peace living in us. This requires submitting and devoting our hearts fully to God and allowing Him to fill us with His Spirit. In Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT), we learn that: “…the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control”. Let’s stay deeply grounded in our strong foundation, Jesus. With the help of the Holy Spirit, our lives will yield a great harvest of Kingdom fruit. And may we have LOVE which keeps us steadfast and our hearts at peace. If our lives align with God’s will, our reward will be God’s peace that transcends all understanding, and His joy will shine into the world around us.

Rejoice in the JOY of the Lord, which is our strength and brings peace to our hearts! Joy gives us courage, hope and faith to endure life’s challenges, to choose what is right, and to stand victoriously through all seasons of life. Joy reveals to us the secret of finding contentment in and through Jesus. He empowers us to live Godly lives, to love, to cling to the truth, and to walk freely in all that God has planned for us.

Pray:

Abba Father, all I want to do today is praise You for being such a great Father. For loving us so much, for giving us perfect love. For loving us so much that You gave us Your Son. And dear God, I ask You to shed Your light on all our anxieties, all our self-criticism or guilt. We know that You’ve forgiven us. Would You help and guide us, and show us where we are failing, or possibly doing things for our own benefit. Would you fill those places with Your pure love, the desire to become holy, and the desire to become like You. I praise You Abba Father, You are the greatest and we love You.

God, let us hear You when You say through Paul that You will empower us to live Godly lives, to make Godly choices, and to choose what is right – even when things are hard, and life feels chaotic and confused. Thank You, that You empower us. We want to be empowered God. We choose to be empowered by You rather than to rely on ourselves or on other people. We look to You. Help us Holy Spirit.

Abba Father, may all of us find and experience joy in every aspect of our lives, just as You have intended for us. May we face our trials with Jesus Christ in such a way that other people would want to be found by You. And would You take our hands and teach us to dance in the midst of the storm and to run when the sun is shining. We pray this is Jesus’ Name.

Heavenly Holy Father, it is our desire to please You and bring glory to Your holy name. Please help us to be an example.

Oh God, of justice and love, bless us, and help us to live in Your peace. Lord, make us instruments of Your peace: Where there is hatred, let us sow love; Where there is injury; let us sow pardon; Where there is discord, let us sow harmony. Divine Master, grant us to not so much seek to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; to receive sympathy, as to give it. For it is in giving that we shall receive. In pardoning that we shall be pardoned. In forgetting ourselves that we shall find unending peace with others. And in dying to ourselves that we may be born to eternal life with You. Amen.

Amen.

(This WRAP is with great appreciation to Ingrid, Willem, Lucinda, Monique and Karine)

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