Boojoyful

Clay "Grand" hands February 28-March 1 The church sign one liners were fun, but what I read the other day on Revive Our Hearts is too good not to pass on. S. M. Lockridge:  The Bible says He’s the king of the Jews. He’s the king of Israel. He’s the king of righteousness. He’s the king of the ages. He’s the king of heaven. He’s the king of glory. He’s the King of kings, and He is the Lord of lords. Now that’s my King! David said the heavens declare the glory of God and the firmament showeth His handiwork. No means of measure can define His limitless love. No far-seeing periscope can bring into visibility the coastline of His supplies. No barriers can hinder Him from pouring out His blessings. Well, He’s enduringly strong. He’s entirely sincere. He’s eternally steadfast. He’s immortally graceful. He’s imperially powerful. And He’s impartially merciful. That’s my King! He’s God’s Son. He’s the sinner’s Savior. He’s the centerpiece of civilization. He stands a...

February 27 Opening my email, a Dillards' advertisement encouraged me to check out some fabulous Objects of Desire.   Turning on HGTV,  I became envious of the beautiful home make overs. Wait! Stop!  Be on the alert, these temptations are not from the Lord!  Jesus is the object of my heart's desire! For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit,  and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. Galatians 5:17  Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing. The Lord is righteous in all his ways and faithful in all he does. The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth. Psalm 145:16-18 We made the best of this snowy weather.  Green snow eggs and ham. New way to water plants.

February 26 Earlier in the month, a tune came into my head and I added my own lyrics singing "Joy and Jesus, Joy and Jesus….You can't have one without the other." It was driving me nuts trying to figure out what song the tune belonged to.  "Soup and sandwich" is the first combo that came to mind and I thought maybe it was an old Campbell's soup jingle.  Typing into Google, "You can't have one without the other" was the needed clue to find this old Frank Sinatra song! There are so many things in life we can't have without Jesus…inexplicable love, a peace that passes understanding, forgiveness from on high, and life everlasting! Think about these things that are impossible to have without God: Without faith it is impossible to please God .  Hebrews 11:6 Without him nothing was made that has been made.   John 1:3 Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.   1 John 4:8 Love and Marriage, Frank Sinatra Lo...

"The Point of your life is to point to Him." February 25 You know those big foam #1 fingers you can get and put on your hand to cheer for your #1 team?  Maybe we need one of those that says "Jesus is #1 in my life!" This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world.  If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 1 John 4:13-15  Yes, we should live life in a way that it points to the way Jesus lived and loved, but if we aren't willing to speak his name, then it would appear to me there is something of which we are ashamed about him.  When we introduce one person to another, we share their name. Have we spoken the name of Jesus lately? Have we given testimony to what He has done for us? Would others recognize Jesus is our best friend? Jesus knows the answers to ...

"The Master Weaver knows what looms ahead." February 24 There is such peace in recognizing God is a "know it all"!  One of the most encouraging passages in the Bible is found in Jeremiah 29:11-13 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  Then you will call on my and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart." 

February 23 Today's church sign quote is "Truce is stronger than friction."  Boy did I ever see that play out in real life yesterday.  We were greeters at church and a short sarcastic comment made to us made me bristle up.  It was definitely a dart from the devil.  In less than a minute, God sent a woman, who had already gone into church ten minutes earlier, back outside. She wrapped her arms around me and gave me a hearty thank you for a simple note I  had written.  I gave her a deer in the headlights look, for little did she know she was being Christ to me.  I told her what had just happened and how I was about to fall into the temptation of taking on a not too pleasant attitude, but her kind words and hug brought me back to my senses.  God is flat out amazing y'all!  He knows not only every beat of our hearts, but every thought we have before it even crosses our minds.  I was blown away by His presence. My memory verse for ...

In Order to understand God,  you must stand under God." February 21-22 Ha! I heard some of you just say, "I'd rather stand under the mistletoe."  You might think that, but if you stop to think out of this world  thoughts and ponder who God is and the promises he has for us you'd be happy to be under him! To know God is to love God!   Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. 1 John 4:8  The other day I overheard someone saying how she was still learning new things about her husband, which amazed her.  What if we set out to learn something new from God's Word every day?  What if we went a step further and shared that knowledge with others? God totally understands us and although he stands over us, he carries us in his arms a good part of the time! See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God.  And that is what we are!  The reason the worl...

February 20 The phone rang and glancing at Caller ID the name was simply "I." Now let me tell you, if it had said, "I AM" you better believe I would have picked up! God said to Moses, "I AM who I AM.  This is what you are to say to the Israelites: 'I AM has sent me to you.'" Exodus 3:14 

February 19 Brrrr. It is COLD! Yesterday, began the Lenten season, traditionally 47 days of examination with fasting and repentance, which lead up to the grandest celebration of our faith..EASTER! I'm doing an online study with a group of women, using a guide called Jesus, Keep Me Near the Cross, by the She Reads Truth Ministry.  If you'd like to join us, email me and I will put you on the forwarding list.  boojoyful@me.com The introduction to the study states: "We will RETURN, kneeling at the cross of our Lord.   We will REPENT, mourning the depth and reality of our sin.   We will REMEMBER, tracing the path of Christ on His journey to the Cross." I've printed off the Psalm below as a prayer to the Lord in preparation for a time of seeking to draw closer to Him in these weeks ahead! Psalm 51:1-15   The Message                               ...

"We accept all denominations: 10s, 20s, 50s, 100s…" February 18 While this church sign spoof is intended to get an offering  laugh, we can read this and hold to the truth that all  church  denominations  will be accepted into heaven as long as the individual who has worshipped, in said place, has surrendered to Christ and calls him Lord of all! Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?  No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. Romans 8 :35, 37  All the nations you have made will come and worship before you, Lord; they will bring glory to your name. Psalm 86:9 Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness;  tremble before him,  all the earth. Psalm 96:9

 Engaged! Every day of your lives together  seek to extend as much grace to your husband as God has extended to you. Priscilla Shirer For this is the original message we heard: We should love each other. 1 John 3:11 (MSG) February 17 The woman in the photo above is a teacher in our area and a member of our church.  I look forward to her glowing smile and warm hug each Sunday.  We've been privileged to get to know her fiancé, before he popped the question, and are excited for this period of engagement for them. Engaged..what a KOOL word for a precious, yet practical, God ordained process.   Some Merriam Webster definitions, which hold critical elements for a successful marriage are:   Pledged to be married. Betrothed.     Greatly interested.        Committed Being in gear.              Meshed.   Involved in activity.     Occupied...

"The mystery of love is that the more you give,  the more remains in your heart." February 16 Oh, the depth of the riches of both the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! Romans 11:33 Hmm?  So why do we even seek God's direction if it is beyond us.  Finishing up a study on Jonah with some sweet, sincere, sisters in Christ today, we gain insight from Priscilla Shirer.  "If we lean on our own understanding, logic and wisdom, divine perspective will reman hard to come by. But to those willing to become like children and submit to an object lesson broken down into its most simple parts, God promises to reveal His will and his perspective with startling clarity." God's love is meteoric,  his loyalty astronomic,  His purposes titanic, his verdicts oceanic. Yet in his largeness nothing gets lost; Not a man, not a mouse, slips through the cracks. Psalm 36:5-6...

February 14-15 On this Valentine weekend, I hope you take time to reflect on the deep, deep, unimaginable love God has for us.  A quiet heart is content with what God gives.   Matthew 5:8 Elliott, Elisabeth God loves us too much to want us to go our own way.   1 Corinthians 13:13 Elliott, Elisabeth Tears are God's way of helping us descend with the mind into the heart .   Psalm 51:10 Foster, Richard At the heart of God is the desire to give and to forgive. Foster, Richard  A rather bold aside, but a burden which you may be saying is really none of my business, is that I'm praying you will keep your heart and mind pure and that you will not go see the movie luring many into theaters this weekend.  What we view with our eyes stays in our hearts and minds. Here are some excellent articles well worth the read, related to this new movie release. http://www.scissortailsilk...

"Sometimes you need to talk to a two-year-old  just so you can understand life again." February 13 Oh, yeah, I will be getting me some baby love this weekend.  I'm heading off to grab some grands today and bringing them home to play!  The weather prediction for outside is frightfully cold, in the teens, but inside we will be warming things up! Hopefully, we will talk about life and Jesus everyday!  I've laminated some heart shapes with scripture verses on them so we can play "Hide and Seek the Hearts."  If the NSA is peeking in, they will be finding praise parties in our pajamas in the bounce house with maracas and tambourines!   In Matthew 18:1-5 Jesus gives us some advice on Childlike faith!  This is the Message Translation. At about the same time, the disciples came to Jesus asking, "Who gets the highest rank in God's kingdom?"  For the answer Jesus called over a child, whom he stood in the middle of the room, and sa...

"A true Christian could give their parrot to the town gossip." February 12 Also, a true Christian could own a Samsung TV without concern for who the third party monitor was.  (The news broadcast this week that possibly your TV is watching/listening to you!) It's a challenge to go through a conversation without the discussion of another person coming up.  Even our Bible Study and prayer groups can get off track and turn gossipy in our requests for others. A good rule of thumb is to say nothing you wouldn't want repeated to the person being discussed. God knew this would be a problem, so he had advice laid out for us in Proverbs. A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trust worthy person keeps a secret.   Proverbs 11:13 A perverse person stirs up conflict, and a gossip separates close friends.   Proverbs 18:8 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to the inmost parts. Proverbs 16:28 Instead: May the God who gives end...

"When God is glorified, Satan is horrified." February 11 "It would appear we are entering a time of persecution," a young woman shared over dinner the other night. "Christians are in the minority now," a godly mentor spoke over me yesterday. "God's Word tells us to expect trials and attacks, but it's shocking when those come from within the Body of Christ," a treasured friend shared over lunch. A text from a BFF concerning false accusations a fellow believer launched against her husband has had me wanting to take a paddle to the skies in hopes of knocking a few demons down. All four of these sisters, while discouraged at times, recognize the attacker.  They share the spiritual knowledge of a sacred ceremonial shake down they can call upon at times of attack…Giving glory to God! Speaking the name of Jesus! After this  (Jesus had chosen the Twelve) the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of...

"Don't compare yourself to other Christians.  Compare yourself to Christ." February 10 Isn't it a comfort to know that God created each of us uniquely and has no desire for us to become like any other human being?  When our children were school aged, a mother from the school called me irate one afternoon and needed to vent her anger.  While picking up her children, one of the middle school teachers said to her, in front of her daughters, I wish this one could be like her sister.  UGH! We may have great admiration for another person, but God only wants us to desire to be like Jesus! And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son. Romans 8:28-19  God had these words for the prophet Jeremiah, but they are equally true for the way he knows each of us and created each of ...

"Prayer is asking for rain. Faith is carrying an umbrella." February 9 Out of our 24 hours in a day, how many of those hours do we spend in prayer?   It is the most powerful tool we have in our human arsenal. Out of the prayers we pray, how many do we believe by faith God will answer? Lord, we pray this day filled with faith from your Word which tells us you hear and we pray with elated expectancy that the way you answer will behold your best for our lives.  In Jesus Name, Amen Absolutely everything, ranging from small to large, as you make it part of your believing prayer, gets included as you lay hold of God.   Matthew 21:22 (MSG)   If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father. He loves to help.  You'll get this help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it.  Ask boldly, believingly, with a second thought. People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves. Don't think you're going to get ...

"God has unlimited anytime minutes." February 7-8 I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live. Psalm 116:1-2  Earlier in my chaotic week, I had jotted down the phrase sorting out life's details on a sticky note. I'm certain at that moment I was in a prioritizing process.  After looking at that note, I prayed and asked God if there were things I should not be doing.  His answers are always insightful… Check your heart, if you are really doing something for Jesus there will be joy. An hour later, while listening to an old podcast by Alistair Begg, he reminded his listeners that only the things done for the Lord will withstand time. All other activity is like rubbish. Let's check our joy barometers today!  May all we do be done to the glory of God and reflect the Son!

I'm sympathizing with how our oldest grandson felt at this photo shoot! February 6 I really don't have time to write this morning, but I am halting here before Jesus. God knew exactly what he was doing when he placed Charles Stanley's devotional before me yesterday, suggesting we be aware of our mental state. I had never seen the "H.A.L.T." acronym before. "The acronym “H.A.L.T.” stands for hungry, angry, lonely, and tired—four states in which we will likely make poor choices. When considering options, it is well worth waiting until a better time. Our choices determine our direction, so consider carefully how you make decisions. Scripture is clear that we see dimly (1 Cor. 13:12); God alone views the whole picture. It is vital, therefore, to rely upon His wisdom, truth, and direction every time we select an option before us." All four of those states had entered my world yesterday, because I had over committed myself and believing Philippia...

"A friend may be waiting behind a stranger's face." February 5 Be on the alert!  God may have the best friend you've ever had enter your world today! I laughed as I read this quote.  There are two Boojoyful  readers who came into my life as strangers.  They began reading after a friend of their's told them about this devotional.  When reading one day they learned I was coming to visit near their homes, which were in SC at that time.  My sister had graciously invited several of my friends and me to her vacation home in that area for my 50th birthday.  These two women threw the loveliest birthday luncheon for a bunch of strangers!  These women, still to this day, encourage me weekly to keep on keeping on in my faith!  Oh, how I hope our homes in heaven are close together! I am a friend to all who fear you, to all who follow your precepts. Psalm 119:63  If we keep our hearts open, happiness can come in wh...

Making Valentines for the Grands February 4 "A budget helps us live below our yearnings." For me, one of the financial perks of living in a rural community is the lack of shopping.  The temptation of my favorite shopping ground, Home Goods, is far away and not available online.  Merriam-Webster says to yearn is to have a strong desire or wish for something or to do something.   Chris Tomlin wrote a song called Better Is One Day referencing Psalm 84.    How lovely is your dwelling place, Oh, Lord Almighty!  My soul yearns , it even faints for You…my heart and my flesh cry out for the living God.   WOW.  The presence of the living God, now that's something to yearn for! The temptation for things is tough  The temptation to be accepted by what appears to be the in crowd  is a lure.  Paul shares with us, in Philippians 4:11-13 a secret he unlocked. I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have...

February 3 Continuing with the church sign statements, this one carries a Difficulty Level of 10.  While we need the strength of the Lord and equipping of  the Holy Spirit to pull this one off, it is good for our health! "Learn to accept the apologies you never get." And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive them, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins. Mark 11:25 Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always. Psalm 105:4 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world,  but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is- his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

February 2 Awakening to the Lord's day yesterday, I said to him, "Father may my praise be passionate and my worship of you be pure today.  May I feel Your love and clearly hear where you are guiding. In Jesus' Name." Then I thought: Who am I to seek His presence with such confidence?  I disappoint Him time and time again. Mess up, after mess up, yet the love of The Father is so deep, his forgiveness so convincing, that I keep coming to him.  "Jesus turns a mess into a message." This statement may take us to the thoughts of Bible heroes like Rahab the harlot, or the woman at the well, who was sleeping around.  Maybe head liners like Paul in his Saul days or David and his downfall moments, who left us amazing life messages. We each have a "Messages from Moments" woven into our lives.  The question is…Are we telling them and giving God the glory for the transformations he has brought about in our lives? We will not hide them from the...

February 1 For Christmas, a friend gave me a "Church Signs Calendar" with catchy phrases. Instead of focusing on a love theme for February, I'm going to tap into some of these quotes and see where the Spirit leads us. "Check out our pray mate of the month!" Snuggled up next to my husband early this morning and said, "You are an awesome pray mate ." I'm so thankful many of you, who read Boojoyful  are my passionate  pray mates!   For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.    Matthew 18:20  Be cheerful no matter what; pray all the time; thank God no matter what happens.   1 Thessalonians 5:17 Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation' the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.   Matthew 26:41