The joy of the LORD is my strength!

Today’s Scripture: And Nehemiah continued, “Go and celebrate with a feast of choice foods and sweet drinks, and share gifts of food with people who have nothing prepared. This is a sacred day before our Lord. Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the LORD is your strength!” Nehemiah 8:10 NLT Tyndale

 

Deep resounding joy, do you have it? Do you want it? Nehemiah teaches us how to build joy and not just walls. I am not saying you have to read from God’s Word from early morning to midday as they did this day but they do provide steps to follow:

 

1. Read God’s Word.
2. Lift up our hands and bow our heads and worship the LORD with our faces to the ground.
3. Listen to those helping us understand.
4. Be passionate and overwhelmed by the Word.
5. Replace our weeping with rejoicing in the LORD.
6. Learn that the joy of the LORD is our strength.
7. Celebrate with great joy because we have heard God’s words and understand them.

 

Just as these people made great efforts to build the walls of the city, we can learn the effort required to know the joy of the LORD.

 

Will you put in the effort?

 

Today’s Prayer: LORD, thank You for Your Word. It is life, it is joy to those who hear and understand. Amen! So be Your ways. I thank You for these people, Your people who taught us the posture of prayer and the joy found there. The joy found in You LORD truly is my strength. I praise and worship You. Amen

 

Tom Raines Jr

Affirmations of God