The Joy of Jesus (Church Online)

Monday, September 12, 2011

Daily Word The Joy of Jesus Today

BLESS THE CHILDREN

I bless children with my thoughts and prayers.

As children return to school, I bless them and pray for them to have a positive, enriching experience. I see them waiting for the school bus, anticipating a new school day, and I affirm it will be a good one.

They are ready to learn about the world, other people and themselves. Their minds and hearts are open. I envision each child discovering new skills, enhancing their natural talents, and putting new knowledge to use.

Seeing the children excited about their day stirs a new enthusiasm in me. As a lifelong learner, I look for and find a divine connection in the people and circumstances I encounter. My thoughts and prayers bless each child as they are a blessing to the world.

Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of heaven belongs."--Matthew 19:14

John 14:15-31 "If ye love me, keep my..." KJV - Online Bible Study

John 14:15-31 "If ye love me, keep my..." KJV - Online Bible Study If ye love me, keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; ¹⁷ Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive , because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. ¹⁹ Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live , ye shall live also. ²⁰ At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. ²¹ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. ²² Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? ²³ Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. ²⁴ He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. ²⁵ These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. ²⁶ But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance , whatsoever I have said unto you. ²⁷ Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth , give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled , neither let it be afraid . ²⁸ Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away , and come again unto you. If ye loved me , ye would rejoice , because I said , I go unto the Father: for my Father is greater than I. ²⁹ And now I have told you before it come to pass , that, when it is come to pass , ye might believe . ³⁰ Hereafter I will not talk much with you: for the prince of this world cometh , and hath nothing in me. ³¹ But that the world may know that I love the Father; and as the Father gave me commandment , even so I do . Arise , let us go hence.

2 Chronicles 21:2-20

² And he had brethren the sons of Jehoshaphat, Azariah, and Jehiel, and Zechariah, and Azariah, and Michael, and Shephatiah: all these were the sons of Jehoshaphat king of Israel. ³ And their father gave them great gifts of silver, and of gold, and of precious things, with fenced cities in Judah: but the kingdom gave he to Jehoram; because he was the firstborn. ⁴ Now when Jehoram was risen up to the kingdom of his father, he strengthened himself, and slew all his brethren with the sword, and divers also of the princes of Israel. ⁵ Jehoram was thirty and two years old when he began to reign , and he reigned eight years in Jerusalem. ⁶ And he walked in the way of the kings of Israel, like as did the house of Ahab: for he had the daughter of Ahab to wife: and he wrought that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD. ⁷ Howbeit the LORD would not destroy the house of David, because of the covenant that he had made with David, and as he promised to give a light to him and to his sons for ever. ⁸ In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king. ⁹ Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in , and the captains of the chariots. ¹⁰ So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. The same time also did Libnah revolt from under his hand; because he had forsaken the LORD God of his fathers. ¹¹ Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit fornication , and compelled Judah thereto. ¹² And there came a writing to him from Elijah the prophet, saying , Thus saith the LORD God of David thy father, Because thou hast not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat thy father, nor in the ways of Asa king of Judah, ¹³ But hast walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and hast made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to go a whoring , like to the whoredoms of the house of Ahab, and also hast slain thy brethren of thy father's house, which were better than thyself: ¹⁴ Behold, with a great plague will the LORD smite thy people, and thy children, and thy wives, and all thy goods: ¹⁵ And thou shalt have great sickness by disease of thy bowels, until thy bowels fall out by reason of the sickness day by day. ¹⁶ Moreover the LORD stirred up against Jehoram the spirit of the Philistines, and of the Arabians, that were near the Ethiopians: ¹⁷ And they came up into Judah, and brake into it, and carried away all the substance that was found in the king's house, and his sons also, and his wives; so that there was never a son left him, save Jehoahaz, the youngest of his sons. ¹⁸ And after all this the LORD smote him in his bowels with an incurable disease. ¹⁹ And it came to pass, that in process of time, after the end of two years, his bowels fell out by reason of his sickness: so he died of sore diseases. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning of his fathers. ²⁰ Thirty and two years old was he when he began to reign , and he reigned in Jerusalem eight years, and departed without being desired. Howbeit they buried him in the city of David, but not in the sepulchres of the kings.

2 Chronicles 22:1-12

¹ And the inhabitants of Jerusalem made Ahaziah his youngest son king in his stead: for the band of men that came with the Arabians to the camp had slain all the eldest. So Ahaziah the son of Jehoram king of Judah reigned . ² Forty and two years old was Ahaziah when he began to reign , and he reigned one year in Jerusalem. His mother's name also was Athaliah the daughter of Omri. ³ He also walked in the ways of the house of Ahab: for his mother was his counsellor to do wickedly . ⁴ Wherefore he did evil in the sight of the LORD like the house of Ahab: for they were his counsellors after the death of his father to his destruction. ⁵ He walked also after their counsel, and went with Jehoram the son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Syria at Ramothgilead : and the Syrians smote Joram. ⁶ And he returned to be healed in Jezreel because of the wounds which were given him at Ramah, when he fought with Hazael king of Syria. And Azariah the son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to see Jehoram the son of Ahab at Jezreel, because he was sick . ⁷ And the destruction of Ahaziah was of God by coming to Joram: for when he was come , he went out with Jehoram against Jehu the son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to cut off the house of Ahab. ⁸ And it came to pass, that, when Jehu was executing judgment upon the house of Ahab, and found the princes of Judah, and the sons of the brethren of Ahaziah, that ministered to Ahaziah, he slew them. ⁹ And he sought Ahaziah: and they caught him, (for he was hid in Samaria,) and brought him to Jehu: and when they had slain him, they buried him: Because, said they, he is the son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart. So the house of Ahaziah had no power to keep still the kingdom. ¹⁰ But when Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead , she arose and destroyed all the seed royal of the house of Judah. ¹¹ But Jehoshabeath, the daughter of the king, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him from among the king's sons that were slain , and put him and his nurse in a bedchamber . So Jehoshabeath, the daughter of king Jehoram, the wife of Jehoiada the priest, (for she was the sister of Ahaziah,) hid him from Athaliah, so that she slew him not. ¹² And he was with them hid in the house of God six years: and Athaliah reigned over the land.

Psalm 79:1-13

¹ O God, the heathen are come into thine inheritance; thy holy temple have they defiled ; they have laid Jerusalem on heaps. ² The dead bodies of thy servants have they given to be meat unto the fowls of the heaven, the flesh of thy saints unto the beasts of the earth. ³ Their blood have they shed like water round about Jerusalem; and there was none to bury them. ⁴ We are become a reproach to our neighbours, a scorn and derision to them that are round about us. ⁵ How long, LORD? wilt thou be angry for ever? shall thy jealousy burn like fire? ⁶ Pour out thy wrath upon the heathen that have not known thee, and upon the kingdoms that have not called upon thy name. ⁷ For they have devoured Jacob, and laid waste his dwelling place. ⁸ O remember not against us former iniquities: let thy tender mercies speedily prevent us: for we are brought very low . ⁹ Help us, O God of our salvation, for the glory of thy name: and deliver us, and purge away our sins, for thy name's sake. ¹⁰ Wherefore should the heathen say , Where is their God? let him be known among the heathen in our sight by the revenging of the blood of thy servants which is shed . ¹¹ Let the sighing of the prisoner come before thee; according to the greatness of thy power preserve thou those that are appointed to die; ¹² And render unto our neighbours sevenfold into their bosom their reproach, wherewith they have reproached thee, O Lord. ¹³ So we thy people and sheep of thy pasture will give thee thanks for ever: we will shew forth thy praise to all generations.

The King James Version is in the public domain.

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Blessed Assurance | Our Daily Bread

Blessed Assurance

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September 12, 2011 — by Joe Stowell

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Read: 2 Corinthians 5:1-10

We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. —2 Corinthians 5:8

Bible in a year:
Proverbs 13-15; 2 Corinthians 5

As I was talking with a gentleman whose wife had died, he shared with me that a friend said to him, “I’m sorry you lost your wife.” His reply? “Oh, I haven’t lost her; I know exactly where she is!”

To some this may seem like a rather bold or even flippant assertion. With so many after-death theories, one might wonder how we can be really sure where our loved ones go after death, let alone where we ourselves will end up.

Yet, confidence is appropriate for followers of Jesus Christ. We have the assurance from God’s Word that when we die we will immediately be with our Lord (2 Cor. 5:8). Thankfully, this is more than just wishful thinking. It is grounded in the historic reality of Jesus, who came and died to cancel our penalty for sin so that we could receive eternal life (Rom. 6:23). He then proved that there was life after death by exiting His grave and ascending into heaven where, as He promised, He is preparing a place for us (John 14:2).

So, rejoice! Since the benefits of this reality are out of this world, we can boldly say with Paul that “we are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord” (2 Cor. 5:8).

Lord, when I take my final breath
And see You face to face in death,
Then shall my heart forever sing
The heavenly praises of my King. —Raniville

Sunday, September 11, 2011

The Joy of the Lord, the Strength of His People

| Daily Word Dr. James A. Lee

Home | Daily Word: "COURAGE
God is my strength and courage.
Courage is the hallmark of a strong and valiant spirit. It distinguishes men and women in every field of human endeavor. It may glow like a steady flame day in and day out, recognized by everyone, or it may suddenly shine brightly like a brilliant star that had previously gone unnoticed.

Firefighters, police and other public servants show great courage every day. They may feel fearful at times, but they overcome their fear and act with bravery and assurance when others are in need.

I give thanks for these heroes, past and present, who courageously performed their duties at great personal risk. I know that God is with them, now and always, just as God is with me and within me.

Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength.--Luke 22:43"

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Our Daily Bread

The Mercy Of God

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September 11, 2011 — by Bill Crowder

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Read: Psalm 31:9-15

Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eye wastes away with grief, yes, my soul and my body! —Psalm 31:9

Bible in a year:
Proverbs 10-12; 2 Corinthians 4

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the terrorist attacks in the US on September 11, 2001. It’s hard to think about that date without mental images of the destruction, grief, and loss that swept over America and the world following those tragic events. The loss of thousands of lives was compounded by the depth of loss felt corporately—a lost sense of security as a country. The sorrow of loss, personal and corporate, will always accompany the memory of the events of that day.

Those horrific events are not the only painful memories of September 11. It also marks the anniversary of my father-in-law’s death. Jim’s loss is felt deeply within our family and his circle of friends.

No matter what kind of sorrow we experience, there is only one real comfort—the mercy of God. David, in his own heartache, cried to his heavenly Father, “Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am in trouble; my eye wastes away with grief, yes, my soul and my body!” (Ps. 31:9). Only in the mercy of God can we find comfort for our pain and peace for our troubled hearts.

In all losses, we can turn to the true Shepherd, Jesus Christ, who alone can heal our brokenness and grief.

We have a Friend who’ll never leave,
Who’s closer than a brother;
He’s there to meet our deepest needs,
To comfort like no other. —Sper

John 14:1-14 "Let not your heart be troubled..." KJV - Online Bible Study

¹ Let not your heart be troubled : ye believe in God, believe also in me. ² In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³ And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am , there ye may be also. ⁴ And whither I go ye know , and the way ye know . ⁵ Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest ; and how can we know the way? ⁶ Jesus saith unto him, I am the way , the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. ⁷ If ye had known me , ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him. ⁸ Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us. ⁹ Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father? ¹⁰ Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. ¹¹ Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. ¹² Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do ; because I go unto my Father. ¹³ And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do , that the Father may be glorified in the Son. ¹⁴ If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.

2 Chronicles 20:1-37

¹ It came to pass after this also, that the children of Moab, and the children of Ammon, and with them other beside the Ammonites, came against Jehoshaphat to battle. ² Then there came some that told Jehoshaphat, saying , There cometh a great multitude against thee from beyond the sea on this side Syria; and, behold, they be in Hazazontamar, which is Engedi. ³ And Jehoshaphat feared , and set himself to seek the LORD, and proclaimed a fast throughout all Judah. ⁴ And Judah gathered themselves together , to ask help of the LORD: even out of all the cities of Judah they came to seek the LORD. ⁵ And Jehoshaphat stood in the congregation of Judah and Jerusalem, in the house of the LORD, before the new court, ⁶ And said , O LORD God of our fathers, art not thou God in heaven? and rulest not thou over all the kingdoms of the heathen? and in thine hand is there not power and might, so that none is able to withstand thee? ⁷ Art not thou our God, who didst drive out the inhabitants of this land before thy people Israel, and gavest it to the seed of Abraham thy friend for ever? ⁸ And they dwelt therein, and have built thee a sanctuary therein for thy name, saying , ⁹ If, when evil cometh upon us, as the sword, judgment, or pestilence, or famine, we stand before this house, and in thy presence, (for thy name is in this house,) and cry unto thee in our affliction, then thou wilt hear and help . ¹⁰ And now, behold, the children of Ammon and Moab and mount Seir, whom thou wouldest not let Israel invade , when they came out of the land of Egypt, but they turned from them, and destroyed them not; ¹¹ Behold, I say, how they reward us, to come to cast us out of thy possession, which thou hast given us to inherit . ¹² O our God, wilt thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do : but our eyes are upon thee. ¹³ And all Judah stood before the LORD, with their little ones, their wives, and their children. ¹⁴ Then upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite of the sons of Asaph, came the Spirit of the LORD in the midst of the congregation; ¹⁵ And he said , Hearken ye, all Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem, and thou king Jehoshaphat, Thus saith the LORD unto you, Be not afraid nor dismayed by reason of this great multitude; for the battle is not yours, but God's. ¹⁶ To morrow go ye down against them: behold, they come up by the cliff of Ziz; and ye shall find them at the end of the brook, before the wilderness of Jeruel. ¹⁷ Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed ; to morrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you. ¹⁸ And Jehoshaphat bowed his head with his face to the ground: and all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem fell before the LORD, worshipping the LORD. ¹⁹ And the Levites, of the children of the Kohathites, and of the children of the Korhites, stood up to praise the LORD God of Israel with a loud voice on high. ²⁰ And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth , Jehoshaphat stood and said , Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the LORD your God, so shall ye be established ; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper . ²¹ And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the LORD, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army , and to say , Praise the LORD; for his mercy endureth for ever. ²² And when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten . ²³ For the children of Ammon and Moab stood up against the inhabitants of mount Seir, utterly to slay and destroy them: and when they had made an end of the inhabitants of Seir, every one helped to destroy another. ²⁴ And when Judah came toward the watch tower in the wilderness, they looked unto the multitude, and, behold, they were dead bodies fallen to the earth, and none escaped. ²⁵ And when Jehoshaphat and his people came to take away the spoil of them, they found among them in abundance both riches with the dead bodies, and precious jewels, which they stripped off for themselves, more than they could carry away: and they were three days in gathering of the spoil, it was so much. ²⁶ And on the fourth day they assembled themselves in the valley of Berachah; for there they blessed the LORD: therefore the name of the same place was called , The valley of Berachah, unto this day. ²⁷ Then they returned , every man of Judah and Jerusalem, and Jehoshaphat in the forefront of them, to go again to Jerusalem with joy; for the LORD had made them to rejoice over their enemies . ²⁸ And they came to Jerusalem with psalteries and harps and trumpets unto the house of the LORD. ²⁹ And the fear of God was on all the kingdoms of those countries, when they had heard that the LORD fought against the enemies of Israel. ³⁰ So the realm of Jehoshaphat was quiet : for his God gave him rest round about. ³¹ And Jehoshaphat reigned over Judah: he was thirty and five years old when he began to reign , and he reigned twenty and five years in Jerusalem. And his mother's name was Azubah the daughter of Shilhi. ³² And he walked in the way of Asa his father, and departed not from it, doing that which was right in the sight of the LORD. ³³ Howbeit the high places were not taken away : for as yet the people had not prepared their hearts unto the God of their fathers. ³⁴ Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, first and last, behold, they are written in the book of Jehu the son of Hanani, who is mentioned in the book of the kings of Israel. ³⁵ And after this did Jehoshaphat king of Judah join himself with Ahaziah king of Israel, who did very wickedly : ³⁶ And he joined himself with him to make ships to go to Tarshish: and they made the ships in Eziongeber. ³⁷ Then Eliezer the son of Dodavah of Mareshah prophesied against Jehoshaphat, saying , Because thou hast joined thyself with Ahaziah, the LORD hath broken thy works. And the ships were broken , that they were not able to go to Tarshish.

2 Chronicles 21:1

¹ Now Jehoshaphat slept with his fathers, and was buried with his fathers in the city of David. And Jehoram his son reigned in his stead.

Psalm 78:56-72

⁵⁶ Yet they tempted and provoked the most high God, and kept not his testimonies: ⁵⁷ But turned back , and dealt unfaithfully like their fathers: they were turned aside like a deceitful bow. ⁵⁸ For they provoked him to anger with their high places, and moved him to jealousy with their graven images. ⁵⁹ When God heard this, he was wroth , and greatly abhorred Israel: ⁶⁰ So that he forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh, the tent which he placed among men; ⁶¹ And delivered his strength into captivity, and his glory into the enemy's hand. ⁶² He gave his people over also unto the sword; and was wroth with his inheritance. ⁶³ The fire consumed their young men; and their maidens were not given to marriage . ⁶⁴ Their priests fell by the sword; and their widows made no lamentation . ⁶⁵ Then the Lord awaked as one out of sleep, and like a mighty man that shouteth by reason of wine. ⁶⁶ And he smote his enemies in the hinder parts: he put them to a perpetual reproach. ⁶⁷ Moreover he refused the tabernacle of Joseph, and chose not the tribe of Ephraim: ⁶⁸ But chose the tribe of Judah, the mount Zion which he loved . ⁶⁹ And he built his sanctuary like high palaces, like the earth which he hath established for ever. ⁷⁰ He chose David also his servant, and took him from the sheepfolds : ⁷¹ From following the ewes great with young he brought him to feed Jacob his people, and Israel his inheritance. ⁷² So he fed them according to the integrity of his heart; and guided them by the skilfulness of his hands.