Joy, delight, awe, forgiveness, peace. Our Savior has all these things ready to hand to us when we sit still in HIS presence. We all want a little joy don’t we? But we often look for it in all the wrong places. We buy stuff, we drink and try to be merry……but still there is an ache in our souls that only the LORD can quench.
HIS PRESENCE IS OUR PRESENT JOY!
Oh to know the LORD! Oh, to sit in HIS abiding presence and feel HIS peace. Oh to know, Immanuel…….GOD with us!
PSALM 16: 11 “YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE PATH OF LIFE; YOU WILL FILL ME WITH JOY IN YOUR PRESENCE…….”
Just to see GOD working in our lives……..just to see evidence of answer to prayer, just to seek HIM and know HIM should give us delight in our souls! Holidays may be hard for some of us, but at the same time, being ever so grateful for the BABY being born long ago in a Manger should send our hearts soaring!
LUKE 2: 10 “AND THE ANGEL SAID TO THEM, “FEAR NOT, FOR BEHOLD, I BRING YOU GOOD NEWS OF GREAT JOY THAT WILL BE FOR ALL THE PEOPLE.”
This season let us be intentional about keeping the darkness out of our homes and lives. GOD doesn’t want us to live with the weight of the world upon our shoulders. Isn’t that HIS job? HIS power and complete authority over all the earth and us should shift our gaze heavenward and give our souls a lift filled with HIS joy.
OH WHAT A GRACIOUS AND GLORIOUS GOD WE HAVE! WHY? BECAUSE JESUS HAS COME!!
I had a dear dear friend once say to me this: “don’t let anyone ever steal your joy!” And she is so right on this. GOD’S joy cannot be taken from you. GOD’S joy is a priceless gift……a gift to be shared with others. LOVE and JOY go hand in hand. So spread your joy everywhere you go this season.
PSALM 34: 3 “OH, MAGNIFY THE LORD WITH ME, AND LET US EXALT HIS NAME TOGETHER!”
Our being worshipful to our LORD JESUS each morning will give us just enough joy to share throughout our days. LOVE came down on that Christmas long ago and HE is CHRIST THE LORD!
May HIS joy fill you today in HIS presence and all through this beautiful season of light!
PSALM 90: 14 “…….THAT WE MAY REJOICE AND BE GLAD ALL OUR DAYS.”
HEAVENSREEF 
This is so beautiful and a timely reminder to focus on Jesus during Advent. Spending time in His Presence is our daily fuel, and helps us overflow with joy, praise, and thanksgiving. Thank you for this, Maxine, for this encouragement ♥️
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You are so welcome and may we all grow closer and deeper to our LORD JESUS during this beautiful season of light and love.
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“sit still in HIS presence”
“seek HIM and know HIM”
“let us be intentional about keeping the darkness out of our homes and lives”
“being worshipful to our LORD JESUS each morning”
I love that God rewards us with such precious gifts when we work to know Him. It seems that, the harder I work to know Him, the deeper His rewards. God is worth, and worthy of, all the time and worship we put into Him. And His rewards are greater than anything we could work for in this world.
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Yes what you mentioned here is a KINGDOM response and well worth all of our efforts – HE alone is worthy of all of our Praise! Hugs!
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Amen 🙌 my Dear Sister … I am so glad you shared this, and I truly hope everyone takes a moment to read it and read it again. Joy is a priceless gift, just as you said, and during this season it is easy for people to forget that. The trials, struggles, sickness, pain, anxiety, and worries can steal our joy and lead to deeper sorrow.
But God, who is loving and merciful, sees it all. He is always with us, ready to calm our minds, bring us peace, and steady our hearts. All we need to do is cast our anxieties on Him because He cares for us.
Let us magnify the Lord together. His presence truly is our present joy.
You Are Loved …. May His joy fill our hearts today and throughout this beautiful season.
Lord, hear our prayers. Steady our hearts. Heal us where we need healing. Hold us when we need comfort. Surround us with Your Love when we feel sorrow, sadness, or anxiety. Fill us with Your Peace and restore our joy, today and every day.
Amen 🙌
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Thanks Willie for your beautiful response here. Going deeper in HIS presence brings fullness of joy. Didn’t the angels bring this message??
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Yes, absolutely… The angels announced that joy comes from Him alone. And when we draw closer to His presence, that joy becomes real and steady in our hearts. Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord….
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