Category Archives: Joy

Choose Life: The Great Divorce, Chapters 13 & 14

Posted on November 14, 2011 by Abby| 4 Comments

By Abby King

Chapter 13 continues the conversation between the Dwarf Ghost and the Lady, in which the Lady tries to persuade the Dwarf to let go of the Tragedian he is chained to and stay and experience true joy with her, but he refuses. His perspective is summarised later on as:

The demand of the loveless and the self-imprisoned that they should be allowed to blackmail the universe: that til they consent to be happy (on their own terms) no one else shall taste joy: that theirs should be the final power; that Hell should be able to veto Heaven.

Have you ever felt like that? “Until this, or that happens, until things go my way, I refuse to be happy, and will resent anyone else who is. ..” 

We must let go of this self-pitying attitude before it diminishes so much of us that there is nothing left.

However, the opposite is also true. If we choose joy, it enlarges us to the point where nothing can outweigh it:

All Hell is smaller than one pebble of your earthly world: but it is smaller than one atom of this world, the Real World…

It seems big enough when you are in it, Sir.

And yet all loneliness, angers, hatreds, envies and itchings that is contains, if rolled into one single experience and put into the scale against the least moment of the joy that is felt by the least in Heaven, would have no weight that could be registered at all. Bad cannot succeed even in being bad as truly as good is good.

The Great Divorce closes with the  wise warning of the Teacher: ‘do not ask of a vision in a dream more than a vision in a dream can give,’ and the Dickensian-style awakening of ‘Jack’ back in his own room, realising that he has been dreaming.

While we are cautioned not to draw too literal a meaning from the book about Heaven and Hell, a theme which clearly comes through the whole text  is that how we behave and the attitudes we have are the things which end up defining us.  When we consistently choose to focus on negative things, who we are is diminished – we become smaller and smaller until there is nothing left of the real us to make choices any more. But when we choose to live in the light, when we choose love, joy, forgiveness, when we choose to focus on Jesus and not ourselves, we are enlarged – we grow and grow until we become the Real us – the person we were truly created to be. And in our Real state Hell is not big enough to contain us, and all our sorrows are swallowed up in joy.

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the LORD your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. Deut. 30:19-20

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Posted in Abby King, Book of the Month, Joy, Power to change

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Joyful, Joyful, Laura Hackett

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Abby| Leave a comment

If you’re needing some joyful inspiration this morning… Enjoy!

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I Am Whole

Posted on July 11, 2011 by Abby| 2 Comments

By Sarah Lehman

I love waking up and remembering a dream.  It rarely happens so when it does, I really enjoy it and find myself thinking about it a lot. For example, the other night in my dream I was playing in a parking lot with my son Elijah (now in waking life I do not, do not play in parking lots with my son). As we were playing, I hugged and kissed him and did all of those Mommy type of things. I even had to discipline him for something. As we were interacting, I became aware that we were being watched by two men (not in a creepy way). They came closer and I recognized them as being a pop duo sensation of the 80’s.

(Which sensation? Who knows? Apparently deep in my subconscious rests an 80’s pop duo).

Once they got to me they looked at me with pleasant curiosity on their faces and said  “We see you playing with your son. You are happy, you are so WHOLE. How are you able to be that way?”  In the dream I answered, “I know Jesus. I am loved by God.” And then I left, wondering what the 80′s pop duo was doing in a parking lot, and why were we all speaking in short, choppy sentences.

There was one phrase in that dream that I haven’t been able to shake, “You are so whole.” The 80′s duo might have said, “You seem so complete and it is totally obvious because of the joy you are displaying and your love for your son.”

See, when we are in a relationship with Jesus, when we are confident of the love of God, we find everything we need and desire in Him and we become whole. Our naked places are covered, all of our gaps are filled and we have an abundant source of provision. And that kind of wholeness, that kind of satisfaction becomes apparent to others because of the fruit it brings about in our lives. In my dream it was the fruit of joy and love (love for my son).

“I am whole” is a statement that declares that I lack nothing – there is no part missing, If I have been robbed in the past I am now restored – I am full and running over. Do we realize that if we walk with Jesus, if we are under the shelter of God’s wing, we are whole and we don’t need to look for completion anywhere else?  Here is another beautiful thing, because Jesus is what makes us whole and because He is also our Shepherd, we shall not be robbed of that wholeness!

If you are feeling challenged in this, if you are feeling depressed or incomplete, fix your eyes on him, Don’t let your soul be downcast, “God is your exceeding joy” (Psalm 43).  When you are in Him, you are WHOLE!

I can almost hear the 80’s pop sensation sing it now……

 

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Posted in Healing, Hope, Joy, Love, Sarah Lehman

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Laughter In Your Presence

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Abby| Leave a comment

By Sarah Field

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Psalm 16:11

God has recently shown me a whole new dynamic to his presence. In the past, feeling God’s presence would mostly it would result in tears for me. It would shed light on my situations and I would think of how I am doing things wrong or how He is so good and my situations just aren’t like what I am experiencing in His presence. I would automatically tune my mind to think of how I could make things better—different this time around. “I will do that and won’t do that, God. I am tasting how sweet and good you are and I want more of that and I am sorry that I can’t be better for you more often.” Sometimes I would even use those precious moments in his presence begging him to change my circumstances for the better.

Then I listened to a man preach on the healing presence of God through joy. This man was so witty making everyone laugh, so light-hearted, and was telling testimony after testimony of people he has seen healed through God’s presence bringing a fullness of joy. As he prayed for God’s joyful presence to come over these people they would just start laughing! Through their laughter these people were healed of all sorts of illnesses. He even prophetically called out illnesses and different physical pains in the church I was sitting in and people were standing up saying that he was talking about them.

Then he continued to speak on how God is a God of full joy and happiness and how God wants to remove all pain from our bodies; and everyone in the room just started laughing! Through their laughter people were able to breathe perfectly from having COPD, a man’s ankle was healed, he even had a screw in that had disappeared, and woman’s toe grew back! There was this heavenly presence in the room – laughter everywhere – even babies were laughing! It was such a massive revelation of heaven where there will be no tears or pain.

He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.

Revelation 21:4

I know this passage is speaking about the end times but I know God wants to bring his kingdom to earth now! We can experience this kind of fullness of joy now. I realized that I haven’t been receiving fully what God wants me to in His presence. I would so often look at things that weren’t happening rather than what God was already doing. God is just so sweetly been speaking to me to “hush, and receive what has already been given to you.” It takes a great amount of faith to be able to believe that God not only wants us to have an absolute fullness of joy now but also a great amount of faith to be able to believe that we can experience it now.

I find it so interesting that so many people are just looking to laugh. They go to so many other things in order to make that happen. How about having the church be known as a place of laughter and joy?! God wants to use us to bring this kind of heaven wherever we go. Let us bring joy and laughter to people’s lives! Let us live joyfully in His presence and receive what God has given us to work with today. Let us experience his presence for that it is worth. We are forgiven completely and He has such joyous gifts to offer us today! It’s not an emotion we have to try to conjure up, even though we don’t really feel it. It starts with asking God — soaking in His presence — the source of joy. Focus on His goodness and the pieces of heaven He has and is bringing to your life where he is removing all pain and fear.

Oh, Beautiful One I adore you!!!

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You will make the mark

Posted on May 25, 2011 by Abby| 8 Comments

By Sarah Field

I have been thinking a lot about God’s will for my life. I honestly have this fear that I am going to mess it up somehow and not live up to the full potential that I know I am able to have with Christ. I know very well my weaknesses and the mess my weak choices cause.  I know that God has things for me down the line, but I so often want to be in control that I try to hurry along the process or keep asking God what is going on because I am not seeing anything happen right now! Then these thoughts plant seeds of doubt within me that cause me to live as if his word wasn’t good enough.

Then one day my mother came up to me after I had a night of letting my heart out to God about all these fears. She had no idea what I was feeling or the fear I was carrying with me. She said she had been praying for me and that she felt that God wanted her to say a few things to me.

The first thing was, “Stop looking back and start looking forward.”  I was taken aback by this because I was not sure what God would mean by that. However, as I prayed and thought about it more it makes perfect sense because I was looking at all my past mistakes from my weaknesses and doubting my future because of them. God told me that I may know my weaknesses….but he does too.  The blood of Jesus has covered all of them and Jesus is very much in my heart.

The second thing my mother shared with me was a picture that God had given her. It was an arrow and I was on the very tip of it. It was getting ready to be launched and God said, “It will make the mark.”  This meaning that I will hit the bull’s-eye.  I cried at this because it was a promise from God that IT WILL HAPPEN. I am not going to mess up God’s plan for my life. I am right where I am supposed to be and he is walking right beside me and leading me in the right direction. He is there even in my weak moments and works them together for good.  WOW!! By that, his grace, I am so overwhelmed with his love for me and his continuing fight for my life.

The last thing that God had spoken to my mother about was to pray for peace, love, and joy over me. She said she saw them over me and was praying for them to be real and evident in my heart. I know they are there for my taking, but

Oh, Lord please enable me to see how tangible they are through you so I may grab hold and live freely through them!

I have been holding on to these words and am reminded of them from God often. His love is far too powerful for me to mess up his will for my life. His will for my life is to be in relationship with him, to be one with him. All the work he has for me to do is to be with him, wherever I am.  He wants to partner with me in bringing his kingdom to earth and in that I will be able to know him more every step of the journey.  In knowing him and his love for me, it will bring heaven to my heart as well which will turn the weaknesses I have into strengths. Amazing! It’s all about his love for me and me loving him back and bringing heaven to all situations and people in the process. It’s such a beautiful thing! I am so thankful for my Father’s love for me. So very thankful!!

 “I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus. All of us who are mature should take such a view of things. And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you. Only let us live up to what we have already attained.” Philippians 3:14

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Posted in Hope, Joy, Kingdom of God, Love, Power to change, Sarah Field

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No Fair!!!

Posted on May 11, 2011 by Abby| 8 Comments

By Mary Bea Miller

I’ve been reading some rather older books lately.  Stepping Heavenward, by E. Prentiss, (1869) and The Autobiography of Madame Guyon, (early 1700′s) as well as some literature about the origins of the Bible College of Wales, (from the 1930′s till now) where I am privileged to be living at the moment.  I have noticed some HUGE differences in the beliefs of the Christians of these past eras to the gospel that the Evangelical churches of today are preaching.

I think it goes back to the Garden.  (Doesn’t everything?)  It all has something to do with that Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.  Sure, we ate the fruit, but that doesn’t mean that we really understand what’s going on here.  Actually, I think the reason Father didn’t want Adam & Eve to eat the fruit had to do with the fact that the Knowledge of Good and Evil was not something that a human-mortal-peanut-brain can fully grasp.  Over and over I am confronted with the realization that God and I have very different ideas of what is “good and evil.”  Or maybe I should say “good and bad.”

When one of us is sick or inconvenienced or disappointed or offended or hurt or even robbed or attacked or murdered, we know to put all that into the “bad” category.

When we get what we want, when we are praised, admired, honored, included, offered a better job, a nicer house, a cooler car, that stuff all goes under the “good” heading.  Pretty easy, right?  But if we want to stay in this little bubble, we must stop reading our Bibles!  Especially verses like 1 Peter 2:19:

For it is commendable if a man bears up under the pain of unjust suffering because he is conscious of God (NIV).

For God is pleased with you when you do what you know is right and patiently endure unfair treatment (NLT).

For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly (ESV).

For this finds favor… (NASB)

For it is a fine thing… (ISV)

For it is a sign of grace… (BiBE)

That doesn’t sound like the “BAD” list to me!!

Or what about Romans 5:3?

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance;

We rejoice…

We boast…

We glory…

We have joy…

And what about the “perseverance” and “patience?”  Those are treated like “BAD” words today!  I’ve been advised to “Be careful what you pray for!”  Why?! Is God looking, watching, waiting for me to slip up so He can slam me with something bad?  I WILL NOT BE CAREFUL WHAT I PRAY FOR!  NEVER EVER EVER!  Except to be careful to honor and revere Him in the process.

And then there’s 1 Peter 4:12:

Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.

But we DO! We ARE surprised!  We DO think it’s strange!  We think that if we do right, well, mostly, then God is obligated to keep us happy!  Not sure where we got this idea, but I think that somehow it all goes back to that dang tree!

Maybe the best we can do is to try not to trust our natural way of seeing things, while at the same time trying to place our trust in the knowledge that God is Sovereign and He loves us with an everlasting love. No matter what happens or what it feels like.  This seems to be the key for us, just as it was for Jesus.  In Hebrews 1:8 & 9, the author quoting from Psalms, writes, “Of the Son He says, “You have loved righteousness and hated lawlessness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness above your companions.” 

So that seems to say that the key to being happy, simply stated, is a proper understanding of what is what – or which is which!

No wonder we so often feel ripped off, disappointed, unloved, uncared for, forgotten, betrayed….

It is because we have attached these earthly, temporal, self-centered definitions to the ‘fill-in-the-blank’ of “If God loves me, He will _________.” Or, “Because God loves me, He won’t _________.”  And God, because He truly does love us much too much to play this silly, deceitful game, will always give us what we really need, more than what we think we really want.

Hannah Hurnard, in her book Hinds Feet in High Places writes

“Love is beautiful, but it is also terrible – terrible in its determination to allow nothing blemished or unworthy to remain in the beloved.”

That is the way that you and I are loved.

Beautifully. Terribly. But beautifully.

Can we just settle that point?  I am choosing to see everything that comes my way as a gift from God.  Whether it is an unpleasant circumstance that presses me to Him, an unkind word that wounds my pride, or an unexpected check in the mail!  It is all for my ultimate good, and if I respond properly, at the end of the day I will look more like Jesus than I did this morning.  And everyone knows, THAT’S GOOD!!!

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Posted in Hope, Joy, Love, Mary Bea Miller, Patience, Seeking God, Trusting God

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He is risen!

Posted on April 24, 2011 by Abby| 1 Comment

Happy Easter, dear friends!

May you be reminded today that just as every winter has its spring, so every death has its resurrection…

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Posted in Abby King, Holidays, Hope, Joy

Rejoice! I say again, Rejoice!

Posted on April 15, 2011 by Abby| 6 Comments

By Sarah Field

“Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.  But even if I am being poured out like a drink offering on the sacrifice and service coming from your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you. So you too should be glad and rejoice with me” Philippians 2:14-18.

Lately I have been noticing that I have allowed some negative things around me cloud my thoughts.  I can go through the demands of my days while I feel exhausted, or allow an inconvenience to set my attitude for the whole day.  Sometimes I catch myself thinking about what I would rather be doing with my life on a greener side and I have even compared my life to others, envying what they have.  God has recently convicted me over and over that with these thoughts I been wasting time and waiting in vain.  Instead God wants me to meditate on heavenly things and the very present truth that is happening in my life. It is acting and thinking on these eternal truths and aligning with God’s word that will enable us to one day boast that we did not run or labor in vain, but instead had a fruitful and eternal purpose! I don’t want to miss out on that.

To live life thinking that we just want to be somewhere else, doing something else, is not from God and is not what God wants us to set our minds on. God has orchestrated each of our days very specifically to where He wants us to be and we need to trust Him in that.  This is true whatever hardships we are facing in our days and even when they are good excuses to complain! The bible says, “What one thinks one becomes.”  Thoughts have so much power.  Positive, heavenly thoughts really will change your life.  We must replace any negative, fruitless thoughts, with heavenly truths according to God’s word.  Waking up each morning and believing the truth that God has something special for you to partner with Him in will set the pace for your entire day. God has work for us to do in our daily environment and it is a great joy that He wants to include us in that! Negative thoughts have power as well and can make you miss out of some things that God wants to show you and include you in. Philippians 4:8 says, “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” It’s a challenge to really watch yourself on what it is that you’re thinking and ask yourself if your thoughts look like this.

When we think on positive truths joy will be manifested in our lives. To think of heavenly things and seek God’s heavenly work will allow us to taste and see the joy of the Kingdom in all areas of our lives. What a joy that is! To view our world with joy is a choice that we have to make. Let us do our daily tasks without grumbling or arguing but with enthusiasm as if we are working for the Lord bringing His heavenly kingdom on earth. Enjoy the little things and throw away the negative in your mind. Forgive those who hurt you, push through when things get hard, and trust that the Lord has you in the place you are meant to be. Wherever we are God is with us doing a constant work within us and it is our job to respond to that by gratefully saying, “Yes Lord, I commit this day to you with joy!”

Also, start thinking more positively about yourself. You are a beautiful and precious creation made in the image of the King of kings! You have powerful gifting within you and we should not shade the light that comes from our faith in the Lord. Believe that through God you are a powerful tool for the kingdom and do not meditate on any negative thoughts about yourself. Rejoice in who God made you to be! It is important to not compare yourself with other people or an “imaginative” you (your idea of how you think you should be).

If we live by meditating of the type of thoughts spoken in Philippians, instead of focusing on the negative we face, it will result in good attitudes towards the work God has for us each day. Then through that work we will “shine among them like stars in the sky.”  I heard recently that it is a contradiction to be miserable and be a Christian. These are strong words but so true. Paul had gone through way worse trials than we probably ever will and he always had a rejoicing attitude because he LOVED the Lord with all of his heart, mind, and soul and knew that he was investing in the eternal.  And Jesus took on the cross “because of the joy that was set before Him.” It helps me to press on when I know I am doing it for the Lord. May I die daily in investing His Kingdom.

Let us enjoy the little things in life and set our minds on heavenly things. The Lord has us right where we are meant to be, He is always initiating the good work within us and He has chosen us to partner in bringing His kingdom to earth because he sees us as adequate for the job! Max Lucado describes cynicism as, “a tool of a lazy thinker.” Seize your day knowing there is good being presented to you!  Work without grumbling and surrender your own will each day to be used for His glory. Shine your lights!

Some other verses that pertain:

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength and my redeemer.”
Psalms 19:14

“A merry heart does good like a medicine; but a broken spirit dries the bones.”
Proverbs 17:22

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Stress

Posted on March 30, 2011 by Abby| 5 Comments

By Angie King

Stress.

That horrible feeling.

Waking in the morning to the realisation that I don’t have what it takes to get through today.

Not enough time, not enough money, not enough know how, not enough of me to go around.

Then I remember His grace is sufficient for all I need.

But I still feel stressed.

Then I feel stressed and guilty. I’m a Christian. I should be able to cope.

Does it sound familiar?

I wanted to understand more about stress and the way if affects people,  so I started reading about the latest research on the way the brain works. For many years scientists thought stress management needed to focus on the thinking part of the brain (the prefrontal cortex if you like long words). However it turns out they were wrong. Apparently the best way to deal with stress is by engaging the feelings centre of the brain (the amygdala). Once we learn to acknowledge our feelings, we can start to understand what we need and can move ourselves from stress to a more positive mood. The technical term that science uses for this positive state in which we are able to function at our full potential is ‘joy.’ In fact they have decided  that this state of ‘joy’ is how the brain is created to function.

Stress is meant to be a short-lived response to help us flee from danger, but it is detrimental to us and others if we stay stressed too long, because we become focussed on our own survival at the expense of others.

Joy, however, is the place from which we can connect to others, understand and respond to their needs and cooperate instead of competing.

So in a superbly elegant design, science has just discovered what the word of God has taught for thousands of years ‘The joy of the Lord is your strength’ Nehemiah 8:10.

 

Source: Mellin L. (2010) Wired for Joy, Hay House, Carisbad, California USA

 

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