Tag Archives: God

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Be Happy!

Be Happy! It’s easier said than done, right? The truth is: Happiness is not really all that far off for most folks, if you just know where to look and what steps to take. I have seen people that the world would say: “They have everything going for them!”, and yet in spite of all their good fortune, they were miserable. And I’ve seen others that the world would ask: “How in the world can they keep going on?”, and yet despite their cataclysmic struggles, they seem to be some of the happiest people in the world. While it’s true that circumstances do have the ability to make happiness easier or more difficult to obtain, they are not the determining factor.

Scientist have invested a lot of money and spent a lot of time investigating how to obtain happiness and while they have made a lot of amazing discoveries, there still is no magic pill that can make it your reality. I too, have spent a great deal of my life chasing after happiness. There were times that I thought this or that relationship with just the right person would do the trick, but it doesn’t take you too long to realize that most everyone else is on the same journey as you. I have often fell into the trap that certain possessions, a bigger house, newer car, trendier clothes might be the fix, but they all just ended up leaving me hungry for more. I even thought that degrees, titles and prestige might do the trick, only to find that papers stack up, trophies and plaques get old, memories fade and still leave you empty and searching.

We spend most of our lives having our ego fed by the lie of all lies: The lie that says I am what I possess, what I do or what I think other people think of me. This lie causes us to chase after an elusive foe that will never be caught, but that will often get us caught up in messes that take us away from, rather than closer to the happiness we are searching for.

Now, let me state for the record that I am not an authority on happiness. I am simply one individual on a journey that has discovered a lot of what will not work and a handful of things that seem to be taking me in a more positive direction. I want to share just a few of those thoughts as we get ready to dive into 2020:

1.) To Find Happiness, Stop Looking Outside And Start Looking Inside! Most of us fill our schedules with so much activity that we have very little time for solitude, stillness and quiet time, which allows us to go within and do the “thought” work necessary to truly figure out what happiness is for us. If we don’t fill our schedules, then many of us, simply don’t take the time to pray, meditate and contemplate what is really important in life. This inability to make time for “INWARD WORK” robs us of the opportunity to take on and take out the negative thoughts that this world is continually bombarding us with. If we are not intentional about taking time to think, pray, journal and do inward work, then we will most likely never experience the happiness that we were created for and that was created for us.

2.) Take Time To Take A Breath! This may sound a little crazy, but breath is a very important part of life. The fact that we breathe in and breathe out without even thinking about it, is an amazing reality of our lives. Breath matters. Take time to think about your breathing. Acknowledge the miracle of breath coming into and out of your body. This reminds you that there is more to this life than just you. You have a Creator, Who created you as an amazing spiritual being that gets to experience this human life. When this thought really begins to take root in your life and thinking, you can’t help but to live life at a higher level and this contributes to helping you get into just the right place to experience the happiness you were created for.

3.) Practice Gratitude All Day, Everyday In Anyway You Can! I have found that an attitude of gratitude is the single quickest way to get myself adjusted and headed in the right direction. While there are many things that are not working the way I want them to, there are many things that are working better than I could dream or imagine. Often in my life I have focused on what I didn’t like, giving it all the power to call the shots in my life and missed out on all that I had to like, love and appreciate that I should have been empowering to take me in the positive direction I so desperately needed. To help me stay on the right track here are a couple of disciplines I practice on a daily basis: First thing in the morning, I say: “Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!” as my way of acknowledging I am not alone in this universe, that I have been created on purpose for a purpose and that I am grateful to my Maker for blessing me with another day. At some point during the day, I also take time to write down in my journal at least three things I am grateful for. I encouergage you to find ways to meaningfully express your gratitude, it really is a life changer.

Happiness is really not that far off and it is obtainable in your life, just start on the inside and work your way out and you will find happiness, if it doesn’t find you first!

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Blessed From Desperation To Inspiration…

Michael Joe, a follower of Christ Jesus by the will of God and through the leading of His Spirit.  To the Saints who are living in the Upstate of South Carolina and who place, express and live out their faith in Christ Jesus.  Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Oh how blessed is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every possible spiritual blessing, blessings which we know are waiting for us in the heavenly places in Christ, just as we were chosen in Him before the foundation of the world, that you and I might be holy and blameless before Him.

In His unlimited love, He chose to adopt us as His sons and daughters though Jesus Christ to himself, according to the kind intention of His will and to the praise of the glory of His grace, which He freely gave to each of us in and through His beloved Son.

In Jesus we have redemption, restoration and relationship through his blood, the forgiveness of our sins and failures, according to the riches of His grace, which He lavished on us, not because we have earned it or deserved it, but simply because He loves us.  

In all Heavenly wisdom and Supernatural insight, He made known to us the incredible mystery of His perfect will, according to the kind intention which finds it’s purpose in and through Jesus, with a view to an administration and application suitable to the fullness of the times, that is to the summing up of all things in Christ, things in the heavens and things on the earth.

Also in Jesus we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will, for the purpose and to the end that we who were the first to hope in Christ would be to the praise of His glory.

In Him, we also after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of our salvation – having also believed, we were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, who is given to us as a pledge and promise of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God’s own possession, to the praise of His glory as we move from desperation to inspiration.

-Scripture Adaptation From Ephesians 1:1-14

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Undeserved Love!

“Jesus loves me this I know, for the Bible tells me so, little ones to Him belong, they are weak, but He is strong.  Yes Jesus loves me, yes Jesus loves me,  Yes, Jesus loves me, for the Bible tells me so!”

“Jesus Loves Me” is so much more than just a sweet children’s song.  It is a reality of eternity and it needs to be more than just a concept that we have been taught.  Most of us believe it, but I often wonder, if we have really allowed ourselves to experience it?  What I mean is:  It’s in our heads, but is it really in our hearts?  And if it is in our hearts, shouldn’t that change things?

The truth is that it is hard to understand God’s love.  I mean it really is pretty amazing that God can love someone like you and me, with all of our faults and failures.  But He does love us and with the most amazing and incredible love that we could ever be loved with.  I was watching the movie “October Baby” last week and there is a scene where the daughter is moving into college and as she is walking off from her Dad, she turns and goes running back into his arms and says:  “Thank you for wanting me!”  That line grabbed me and would not let go, because isn’t that really what we all want – to be wanted?

My understanding of love has grown and is growing.  In no way am I an expert or guru, but when I became a Dad, I gained a whole new understanding and insight into love.  Becoming a Dad, allowed love to take on a whole new meaning for me.  Matthew 7:9-12 puts it this way:  9 “Which of you, if your son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.

I believe that a very big part of love is trust.  When you realize that your Creator really loves you and wants what is best for you, then it is easier to trust Him.  When you trust someone, you believe they will do what is best on your behalf, even without you there to guide or direct them.  When you trust someone, really trust them, you want to spend time with them.  Time with your Creator is not a “have to”, it’s a “get to!”  Matthew 22:36-38 teaches us about what is really important:  36 “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?”  37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and greatest commandment.

God’s love for you and me is amazing!  The fact that He “wants” us, still blows me away and challenges me to ask myself some hard questions.  Questions like:  Do you want more of God?  Because if you really want more of God, then you can have more of God, but you have to be willing to do your part.

Recovery programs often begin with accepting of reality and being honest about our challenges.  So let me start by saying:  “Hello, my name is Michael Joe and I am a sinner saved by Grace!”  I have learned the truth of Isaiah 64:6 which teaches that my righteous works are as filthy rags, next to the righteous perfection of my Almighty Creator and King.  

He does not have to love me, I do not deserved to be loved by Him and I cannot even on my best day do anything to earn His love, but He does love me and I need Him and His love, if I am going to make it through another day.

Think about your life for just a moment:  What’s missing?  I mean, really think about and answer the question, because the answer is your first step in the right direction.  Now ask yourself this follow up question:  “What can I do about it?”  What can you do?  What will you do?  When will you get started?  What are you waiting on?  Make a commitment to do what you can and do it.  Why?  Because God, your Creator loves you and that is more than enough reason!  Live blessed – it’s what you were created for!