Joy-Unity-Love

A heart filled with God’s heart is free both to glorify and to enjoy God.  There is no grimness in David’s relationship with God.  He could weep out his loneliness and fear to the Lord, but he could also dance with unrestrained fervor.  When we love God with all our heart we can openly express our emotions to him, and then to others.  He wants us to be real with him.  When we are in the valley of despair or the mountain peaks of sublime joy, we can express it.
David’s abandoned freedom to express his praise is contrasted with his wife Michal’s reserve and contempt….  Michal was like her father Saul.  Her emotional energy was not guided by firm beliefs about God’s sovereignty and grace.  There was little in her mind about God’s loving-kindness, and therefore, little capacity of emotional delight in him….
There are Michaels in all our lives, people whose minds are starved for liberating truth about God and whose emotions are stunted by malnutrition of lively belief.  The conviction of God’s grace results in the expression of joy….  The tragedy of religion is that it produces more Michals than Davids….  A heart that has never felt God’s presence in sorrow or pain will seldom express his delight in adoration and praise.

(From Lord of the Impossible by Lloyd John Ogilive)

Joy

1-Thessalonians 5:16-22

Always be joyful.

Our joy, prayers, and thankfulness should not fluctuate with our circumstances or feelings. Obeying these three commands—be joyful, keep on praying, and be thankful—often goes against our natural inclinations. When we make a conscious decision to do what God says, however, we will begin to see people in a new perspective. When we do God’s will, we will find it easier to be joyful and thankful.

Unity

Romans 15:5-6

May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other—each with the attitude of Christ Jesus toward the other. 6Then all of you can join together with one voice, giving praise and glory to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Just as we take Jesus’ view on the authority of Scripture, the nature of heaven, and the resurrection, we are to have his attitude of love toward other Christians as well. As we grow in faith and come to know Jesus better, we will become more capable of maintaining this attitude of loving unity throughout each day. Christ’s attitude is explained in more detail in Philippians 2.

Love

Romans 12:9-21

Don’t just pretend that you love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Stand on the side of the good. 10  Love each other with genuine affection,£ and take delight in honoring each other. 11  Never be lazy in your work, but serve the Lord enthusiastically.
12  Be glad for all God is planning for you. Be patient in trouble, and always be prayerful. 13  When God’s children are in need, be the one to help them out. And get into the habit of inviting guests home for dinner or, if they need lodging, for the night.
14  If people persecute you because you are a Christian, don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. 15  When others are happy, be happy with them. If they are sad, share their sorrow. 16  Live in harmony with each other. Don’t try to act important, but enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!
17  Never pay back evil for evil to anyone. Do things in such a way that everyone can see you are honorable. 18Do your part to live in peace with everyone, as much as possible.
19  Dear friends, never avenge yourselves. Leave that to God. For it is written,
“I will take vengeance;
I will repay those who deserve it,ӣ
says the Lord.
20Instead, do what the Scriptures say:
“If your enemies are hungry, feed them.
If they are thirsty, give them something to drink,
and they will be ashamed of what they have done to you.ӣ
21Don’t let evil get the best of you, but conquer evil by doing good.

Most of us have learned how to be courteous to others—how to speak kindly, avoid hurting their feelings, and appear to take an interest in them. We may even be skilled in pretending to show compassion when we hear of others’ needs, or to become indignant when we learn of injustice. But God calls us to real and sincere love that goes far beyond being hypocritical and polite. Sincere love requires concentration and effort. It means helping others become better people. It demands our time, money, and personal involvement. No individual has the capacity to express love to a whole community, but the body of Christ in your town does. Look for people who need your love, and look for ways you and your fellow believers can love your community for Christ.

We can honor others in one of two ways. One involves ulterior motives. We honor our bosses so they will reward us, our employees so they will work harder, the wealthy so they will contribute to our cause, the powerful so they will use their power for us and not against us. God’s way involves love. As Christians, we honor people because they have been created in God’s image, because they are our brothers and sisters in Christ, and because they have a unique contribution to make to Christ’s church. Does God’s way of honoring others sound too difficult for your competitive nature? Why not try to outdo one another in showing honor? Put others first!

Christian hospitality differs from social entertaining. Entertaining focuses on the host: The home must be spotless; the food must be well prepared and abundant; the host must appear relaxed and good-natured. Hospitality, by contrast, focuses on the guests’ needs, such as a place to stay, nourishing food, a listening ear, or just acceptance. Hospitality can happen in a messy home. It can happen around a dinner table where the main dish is canned soup. It can even happen while the host and the guest are doing chores together. Don’t hesitate to offer hospitality just because you are too tired, too busy, or not wealthy enough to entertain.

These verses summarize the core of Christian living. If we love someone the way Christ loves us, we will be willing to forgive. If we have experienced God’s grace, we will want to pass it on to others. And remember, grace is undeserved favor. By giving an enemy a drink, we’re not excusing his misdeeds. We’re recognizing him, forgiving him, and loving him in spite of his sins—just as Christ did for us.

In this day of lawsuits and incessant demands for legal rights, Paul’s command sounds almost impossible. When someone hurts you deeply, instead of giving him what he deserves, Paul says to befriend him. Why does Paul tell us to forgive our enemies? (1) Forgiveness may break a cycle of retaliation and lead to mutual reconciliation. (2) It may make the enemy feel ashamed and change his or her ways. (3) By contrast, repaying evil for evil hurts you just as much as it hurts your enemy. Even if your enemy never repents, forgiving him or her will free you of a heavy load of bitterness.

Forgiveness involves both attitudes and actions. If you find it difficult to feel forgiving toward someone who has hurt you, try responding with kind actions. If appropriate, tell this person that you would like to heal your relationship. Lend a helping hand. Send him or her a gift. Smile at him or her. Many times you will discover that right actions lead to right feelings.

My Ramblings

Keep a prayer journal.  Be completely honest with God.  Write down disappointments, then devote pages to successes.

Make God your “BFF” (Best Friend Forever).  Work on loving Him with your WHOLE heart, mind, soul, and strength.  When you achieve that, you will find that you TRUST him with everything.  You will have then turned over control of your life to Him.  When you achieve that; you will become His “good and faithful servant".  One you’re their, you will find “true peace” and joy.  Because all you have to do is take the next step/do the next thing God gives you to do.  Doing this  will allow you and the Holy Spirit to for a team that will allow you to be one of God’s soldiers in the spiritual battle each of us face.  Then you will have “Heaven on Earth.”