Today’s Scripture: The pastures are clothed with flocks; the valleys also are covered over with corn; they shout for joy, they also sing. Psalm 65:13 KJV
Disclaimer and reminder: these affirmations are statements of whom God called us to be and who we are affirming to be. Affirming His Word to become fully His so we live for Him; living for Him so our lives shout for joy.
Do you ever feel the pulse of God within you? As I hallowed His name this morning, God reminded me that He was in the first spoken word of creation and also in me.
Then only as my creator can orchestrate, He knew I would be in Psalm 65 and 66 today. I am in awe of how God’s natural creation sings His praises and pray my life also sings. Without words will my life sing His praises and shout joy to Him like the beauty in His nature? Yes, I am affirming that my life testifies of Him and sings His praises, not with my words but with His beauty revealed.
Does your life shout joy?
Today’s Prayer: Creator God, thank You for speaking this world into being. Thank You for breathing life into me and for coursing Your Spirit through every essence of me. LORD, please use my life to testify of You and Your Beauty. May others see and hear joy and praises for You in my life and reveal You in theirs. Amen
Tom Raines
Christian Affirmations 4 Life
Good Morning Tom! Pastures…valleys…shouting for joy…awesome. May we, no less, be shouting for joy at who the LORD is and what He has done! Love your prayer Tom. Another song for you…from Kathy Trocolli…which I believe you will love.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCnNhCc79KQ I know I do. Blessings on you and yours brother Tom. With gratitude and shouts of joy, Cindy
O Cindy, thank you for sharing yet another perfect song! Kathy’s words reflect my experience this morning. My soul wells up with Hallelujah’s…there is no language where He can not be heard. His song goes out to all the earth. Seriously Cindy, I probably couldn’t have found that song if I looked for it. Perfect! Thank you my friend for sharing and shouting this joy we share. Blessings to you and yours as His joy shouts through you for all the earth to hear! Blessings and shouting:)
Amen! I often don’t understand how this deep joy goes along with the deep awareness of all that is wrong with the me and the world around me … but somehow it does!
Amen Heidi, we certainly do all we can in the flesh to drown out His joy, don’t we? Praying we can all spur and encourage each other to continually look for Him in all things and in turn allow His joy to be heard through us. Blessings my friend as He shouts joy through you!
My soul also shouts with joy. Yes, I do feel the pulse of God within me. But that has not always been the case. For a long time in my life, I would sing and praise God with shouts of joy. But it has taken me a long time to understand that joy is not an action, it is an attitude. As an action, I can turn it on and off. As an attitude it will remain in us regardless of the circumstances. Our actions are a by product or our attitude. For example, I could sing praises to God one minute, the next minute my situation or circumstances would change, and I would be doing anything but praising Him. I realized my joy was an action not my attitude.
However, scripture tells us, when we abide in Christ and He in us, and the Holy Spirit is in control then He produces in us the fruit of the Spirit, joy, love, forgiveness, etc. – the very character of God. Once I realized that I did not possess the joy nor could I, I began praying that the Holy Spirit would produce it in me. Until I came under the Lordship of Christ I did not have a joyful attitude. As I observe the working of the Holy Spirit in my life, my heart overflows with joy. I have actually stood at awe at times because I no longer act and react to situations like I used to. Hear this, this behavior is not of my flesh, it is truly the pulse of God in me. Have you read, EKG Heartbeat of God, by Ken Hemphill? I read it and realized my heart was almost dead.
I believe there are many people who sing with their voice but have never felt the joy that can only come with an intimated relationship with God. A man asked me, “How do you know God is real?” I I answered, “Because He made me a new creature and if He can change me, He is real. I sang this song as a little girl, ” If you want joy, real joy, wonderful joy, let Jesus come into your heart.”
Tom, It is obvious that you abide in Christ and He in you. Keep singing His praises. Our world needs more men who will step up to the plate.
Thank you Patsy, great too hear from you! You are so right that joy in the Holy Spirit is so different than manufactured actions by us. I am with you in knowing God is real because of how He has changed my heart and allowed me to experience the joy of the Holy Spirit. I spent years acting the part of a good Christian where I really didn’t know His joy either. I thought if I acted the part surely I was one…Thank God He broke me and proved to me my actions only led to misery and deceit. I am thankful for my brokenness where God became my only option. When He became my only option I found the love and joy only He can give. Wonderful, pulsing and beautiful is His joy and I pray He shows Himself to others in a joy we can only explain in Him. I am so thankful for your wisdom and your continued presence here. Blessings as you allow HIs joy to live and shout through you:) I am weak but He is strong. I can seek happiness but He gives us the fullness of joy we couldn’t even act or make up!