Jesus Wants Us To Be Happy

Have you ever been wildly, hysterically happy, laughing, smiling and rejoicing?

What makes you happy?

"...I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly" John 10:10.

Jesus came to a sinful world to give us all things in great amounts—that is abundance. He certainly gives us salvation to the fullest. No one who asks Jesus to save them is only a little bit saved are they? No, if we accept Christ’s death for our sins, we are altogether saved. Just as He gives us the promise of eternal life, Jesus wants us to enjoy ourselves while we wait here.

Jesus said we would live life more fully. That means we get to enjoy food, games, our families, friends, sunsets and sunrises, more than the unsaved. We sing more wonderful songs. We have more love for everyone, and we enjoy the company of others who believe the same things. That’s Fellowship. If we are trusting in Jesus for our salvation, our lives should show others that we are happy that we are saved and going to heaven.

Can we be happy all the time? no.

Jesus came to give us the same happiness He gave the Israelites in His days here on earth. Why would Jesus need to tell the Israelites in His day He came to give them full lives, or abundant lives? The Israelites in Jesus’ day were all under the Roman Government rules. The Romans were hard rulers, making life hard for anyone not Roman and most certainly anyone who was Jewish.

Today, just as then, many factors such as discrimination, oppression, and a strong growing hatred the world over make life difficult for Christians. We have victory in Jesus that overcomes the standard of anger and hatred. We can spread light, laughter, joy and happiness, because Jesus wants us to be happy.

That doesn't mean to be stupidly ignorant of the bad things happening around us. Nor is a sin to be sad or depressed. But as Christians, we should exhibit a joy that we know Jesus, and especially are known by Jesus.

How does our happiness affect others around us? Ever start to giggle and have others begin to giggle because you’re giggling?

How does it affect you when other people are happy? Ever start laughing because the other person is laughing?

Jesus wants us, as Christians, to let other people know that we have our happiness in Him. That the joy and happiness others see in us will make them want Jesus as their Savior.

This week, use your love of Jesus as your reason for all that you do. When you do your schoolwork, your chores, when you’re in town, when you’re talking with anyone, or whatever it is. Note the affects it has on you. Note the effects it has on others. Our obedience in the simplest acts of love makes Jesus happy.

Jesus wants us to be happy and to share our happiness with others.

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Dance, Dance, Dance

“Then Miriam…took a tambourine in her hand; and all the women went out after her with tambourines and with dances”  Exodus 15: 20.  

Girls-it's okay 

to dance!!

 Miriam expressed thankfulness to God before an audience of a million people but there’s a popular saying, 'Dance like no one is watching.' If you’re alone, why not dance to God as an expression of your love for Him. Jesus says what you do as faith unto God in your privacy will be seen by God and blessed. (Matthew 6: 6)

Enjoy your freedom and praise God for life, breath and being beautifully woman. God loves you to be free and uninhibited before Him, such as David danced when bringing the Ark of the Covenant into Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 6: 14) The Bible never says God was displeased with Miriam's exhibition of joy. 

 

 In God’s sight, women and men are equal, though by God's blessing and the necessity of difference, they do different things.

 But even so, a woman's a place of honor in being feminine is God given. No matter what, enjoy your life as a woman and thank Him with dance.

The Gospel for *Anna: Part 4 of 4

"But He needed to go through Samaria" John 4:4

I had begun my first prayers for *Anna about five years previous. I want everyone to come to know Jesus as their Savior. Jesus died for Anna also. She needs to hear the Gospel too.

I thought it was a disaster. The whole arrangement collapsed. It wasn't going to be the Outreach ministry I had imagined. I wouldn't be speaking to a group of over 40 women after all. I misunderstood the Activities Committees' plans. Now I was apologizing to all those Facebook friends I invited. How awful. How embarrassing.

I was on my way to pick up Anna at the hospital. Her husband, my sister's husband's brother has Crohn's Disease and was very sick. Anna had taken him to the ER that morning, vomiting blood. Now that he was stabilized and in a room at least overnight, she needed a ride home. Anna can't drive. My sister's husband is deaf, so he can't answer the telephone. My sister was at work, so she asked me if I could pick up Anna .

Yes, I could.

While waiting for Anna to call, I was on Facebook, making my apologies. When Anna called, before I left, I told my husband to pray for me as I wanted an opening to present the Gospel. Driving to the hospital, I was praying, "Please God, don't let me mess it up. Make it the easiest opening I could have. I've got about fifteen minutes to make it happen while I've got her in the car. Be glorified in this, Lord."

In the hospital parking lot, Anna got into the car. Before I'd driven from the lot, Anna said, "Thank you for taking this time from your day to come and get me."
I said, "You're welcome. I was glad for the interruption anyway. I was apologizing to 40 Facebook friends."
Anna asked "Why were you doing that?"

Wow! There it was--God's opening! I silently said, "Thank you, Lord," and proceeded to explain to Anna about the mixed-up mess that was supposed to be my speaking engagement.

Anna asked me what church I attended. I told her about Grace Bible Church, Sangerville, Maine and our Nondenominational status. How we believe the Bible is the infallible word of God. We believe God is fully Three-In-One Persons of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We believe Jesus is fully God yet came to earth as a Man, born of a Virgin. He lived a sinless life for 33 and 1/2 years on this earth. He died, crucified on a Roman Cross as God's perfect Sacrifice for all the sins of the world. He was buried in the grave for three days and nights then rose again. He ascended back to heaven to sit down at the right hand of God. And some day Jesus is returning for all those who believe on Him. All who call upon His name.

In a little under twelve miles, I got to tell Anna the Gospel. She had never ever before heard what I had said.

Before she got out of the car, I asked her about what I'd said and she said she'd think about it. I pulled the Bible Tract from my pocket, the one with the church information stamped on the back, and told her to read it. It would say all the things she would need to understand Jesus died for her. Before she closed the door, I told her I prayed for her and I would continue to pray for her.

I had started the day with tears in my eyes thinking everything was ruined. My opportunity to present the Gospel to a large group, with possibly several unsaved ladies in attendance, had collapsed into shambles. It had been a puff of a dream, something I thought I had conjured up that I wanted God to endorse. I thought I had gotten it so wrong.

Now I was crying for joy. There was nothing wrong! Everything was exactly right. It wasn't about my speaking at all. It was all about God answering my prayer to give the Gospel to Anna. The whole episode was just to present the Good News to Anna .

God had planned all of this.

I needed to go through 'Samaria' .

If the Activities Committee hadn't given me the opportunity to speak, I wouldn't have begun making the plans. If someone else had called the restaurant, I personally wouldn't have discovered the mess-up. If I hadn't gotten upset enough to try and right the mistake I'd made, I wouldn't have gone to the restaurant. If I hadn't wanted some church information to give to the restaurant manager, I wouldn't have discovered the Bible Tract in my pocket. If my sister hadn't offered me the exercise machine, I wouldn't have gone to see her that day. If my friend had gone with me to the restaurant, I wouldn't have gone to visit my sister at her office. If I hadn't invited all those women, there wouldn't have been the apology that gave me the opening I needed to start talking about Jesus to Anna.

Anna didn't accept Jesus that day.

I haven't seen Anna since but God has a handle on her because she heard the Gospel for the very first time in her life. God planned all along to answer my prayer but it was in His time.

Never stop praying. Never imagine an old request isn't remembered by God. An Outreach is any time you can tell someone about Jesus.

You can pray for Anna. She still has time to accept Jesus. Her husband too. My sister and her husband also.

*Anna is not her real name.

The Gospel for *+Anna: Another Chapter

"Meanwhile praying also for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ..." Colossians 4:3

Through a lesson in patience, God opened an opportunity for me, in answer to a prayer I had made five years previous. I wanted a certain woman to hear the Gospel and I asked God to provide the way for her to hear it. I didn't know how God intended to do it, but I knew He wanted her to hear about His freely given Sacrifice for her sins.

I prayed for *Anna to hear the Gospel and she did, in an amazing way, set up by God. (See the four previous posts The Gospel for Anna: Parts 1, 2, 3, & 4)

Here are some details of the speaking engagement that didn't happen.

The Ladies Activities Committee of my church plans several fun things for women, their daughters, and granddaughters to do every weekend. It's usually an open invitation to participate on Saturdays. Game days, carpooling to sporting events, Quilting, Teas, lunches, dinners, scrap-booking, etc. One date scheduled was to eat out at a newly opened restaurant, and I would speak on Biblical-based New Years Resolutions.

We discovered the restaurant was not able to accommodate us. It was too small and not arranged to let us all sit together en-mass. So my Pastor's wife asked another area eatery to let us use their separate dining area. It wouldn't be an outreach ministry as I preferred but only our small group of about fifteeen. Still, I would get to speak in this arrangement.

The plans were made. We had the room at noon for lunch and my presentation. I had scrapped the New Years Resolution theme to tell them about The Gospel for Anna instead. It was a mighty answer to prayer and a wonderful conclusion to the seeming mess we had thought happened. No one as yet but myself, my husband and my best friend knew how God had worked it out.

We arrived at our destination and alas---we didn't have the room! The second shift manager had booked another group at 1:00 o'clock, not knowing the first shift manager had let the room to us for noon. The second shift manger was afraid we wouldn't be done with the room in time, so he wouldn't let us in. We ended up eating amid the lunch crowd, without any opportunity for the presentation.

I was bursting with joy, glorifying God for His work. I was so pleased to discover that the entire episode was truly to get the Gospel to Anna. It was not about me speaking to anyone but her.

Oh, God be gloried! I wait to hear soon that Anna has accepted Jesus! That would be so awesome.

*Anna is not her real name.

+Anna and her husband are now moved into my sister's trailer.

The Joy of Handmade Christmas Ornaments

There are millions of selections of decorations for your Christmas tree and surrounding décor but what about making your ornaments for next year. By simple internet search, you can find simple or elaborate patterns for many items with which to decorate. or go to a craft store for instruction books. Or just get creative and have fun! The possibilities are endless!

• Tinfoil stars twinkling in the light.

•   Shiny foil snowflakes gently turning sending myriads of sparklers around the room.
• Colorful paper or felt crafts dangling merrily from branches.
• Pipe cleaners, empty paper rolls, scraps of Christmas wrap and glitter all fashioned into Holiday Happiness by yours, and the hands of your children.
• Popcorn, Cranberries, Apple slices, twists of Holly leaves, and Beads, all strung into festive garlands to wrap around a tree hung with homemade Reindeer, Santas, Nutcrackers, Bulbs, Hats, Mittens, Sleighs, Globes, Animals, Doodads, Doohickeys and Thing-a-ma-jigs, Nativities, Magi, and Baby Jesus, all with love and care.

Among the reasons for homemade decor is the wealth of quality family strength, emotion and togetherness. The tree is usually the central focus of Christmas. It is where the most fun happens. The cameras come out to record the moments as paper flies in all directions. Faces light up and laughter peels throughout the house. Children of any age get involved with the joy of giving and receiving. It’s the best family gathering for anyone.

There is another Family involved in Christmas: God the Father sending His Son Jesus into the world as His gift. The first Family and the First Gift.

There is another Christmas Tree: the Cross. Jesus came for only that purpose. Jesus came only to that destiny.

        He did not come to be a Good Teacher. 

Jesus Wants Us to Be Happy

"Rejoice always" 1  Thessalonians 5: 16

Ever been wildly, hysterically happy, laughing, smiling and rejoicing?

Jesus came to a sinful world to give us all things in great abundance. (John 10: 10) He certainly gives us salvation to the fullest. No one who asks Jesus to save them is only a little bit saved are they? No, they are altogether saved.

In Christ, we can live life more fully also. We in Christ Jesus have more life than the unsaved. We get more joy from food, fun, games, our families and friends, sunsets and sunrises, all things. We sing more wonderful songs. We have more love for everyone, and especially the company of other believers in Fellowship in Christ Jesus. 

If we trust in Jesus for our salvation, our lives should show others that we are happy that we are saved and going to heaven someday.

How does our happiness affect others? Ever start to giggle and have others begin to giggle because you’re giggling? How does it affect you when other people are happy? Ever start laughing because another is laughing?

Jesus wants us, as Christians, to let other people know that we have our happiness in Him. That the joy and happiness others see in us will make them want Jesus as their Savior.

Use your love of Jesus as your reason for all that you do, no matter what it is. Note the affects it has on you. Note the effects it has on others. Our obedience in the simplest acts of love makes Jesus happy.