We all have seen people trying to find their joy in having more things, bigger parties, or more money, but I think most people would agree that what truly gives them joy, is doing something good, or doing something well. Something good, like making a positive difference in another’s life, or doing something well, like playing a great round of golf, mastering a piece of music, getting an A+, or the like.

An Indian Poet captured this idea in the following quote, “I slept and dreamt that life was joy, I woke and found that life was service, I acted, and behold, service is joy.” Rabidranath Tagore, (1861-1941)

A couple thousand years earlier, Solomon wrote, after using his unmatched resources to evaluate all life possibilities, in Ecclesiastes 12:13, “Here is my final conclusion; Fear God and obey his commands, for this is everyone’s duty.”

Doing our duty to God is what brings joy. Psalm 32:11 says, “So rejoice in the Lord and be glad, all you who obey him! Shout for joy, all you whose hearts are pure!”

Simple thinking would tell us that “getting” is what makes us happy, but if we actually try both getting and giving, we find that giving, or as Jesus instructs us, “Loving our neighbor,” is what really provides us joy.

Dear Lord, you give us so much, help us appreciate those things you provide us, but as important, give us the wisdom to see that serving is where joy truly begins. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

It is pretty obvious to all of us that we have unique personality types. Many of us have taken tests to determine our personality profiles. You may have heard of the Myers-Briggs personality types, or the, well known, “type A” description of high energy, intense, driven people.

It would make sense then that we have different spiritual gifts that fit our personalities. It would also make sense that certain gifts in others connect with us in our Christian development. Some of us love to hear the deep meaning and context of Bible stories, and others empathize with the feelings experienced by the people in the stories.

Paul writes about this in 1 Corinthians 12:4-6 saying, “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all. There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.”

God made all of us and knows we are different, we learn differently, teach differently, and love differently. It is important to recognize this to avoid wasting our energy on comparing techniques trying to decide which is “better.” They are all good if they are centered on the one thing that we all have in common, the need for God’s grace and Salvation through Jesus Christ.

Dear Lord, you have made such a beautiful fabric of people, personalities, and characters in our world. Help us remember that if the focus is on what You did for us through Jesus, the techniques and styles are just different ways you are reaching your people. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Most of us know the story of Jesus tempted in the wilderness in Matthew 4. Verses 4:3-4 write, “During that time the Devil came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become loaves of bread.” But Jesus told him, “No! The Scriptures say, ‘People do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

The scripture that Jesus is referencing is Deuteronomy 8:3, which tells the story about God providing manna to the Jews when they were in the desert after escaping from Egypt.

There are many ways to look at Jesus’ comment, “that people do not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”

It is easy to think the passage was just about spirituality, that Jesus is saying we need to feed our spiritual self with God’s word. However, the reference back to the story in Deuteronomy is a story of God fulfilling the physical needs and wants of the Jews in the desert, not just their spiritual needs. I think we can get this message from Jesus’ words, as well. The message that God’s word, the Bible, will give us direction and wisdom to provide for our physical wants and needs as well as our spiritual needs and wants.

Dear Lord, whether we acknowledge it or not, you provide everything we have. Help us remember to praise and thank you for what you provide us. Help us also to come to you for both our spiritual and physical needs and wants. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Most of us are caring and courteous people, and probably reluctant to impose our views on others. As a result, we tend to have difficulty accepting that there is only one way to be saved. What does the Bible say?

Paul tells us in Acts 4:12, “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

And in Romans 10:9 he tells us, “If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.”

Jesus Himself says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.”

This doesn’t mean that we then run around like a bull in a china shop telling people how wrong they are. Jesus says in Matthew 5:16, “let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.”

And 1 Peter 3:15 says, “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect”

We are to demonstrate God’s love and grace through our actions, so that we become a magnet for Jesus, not a judge.

Dear Lord, You saved us and are the one way to eternal life. Help us each be a light that draws people to your way, to Your grace. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The book of Joshua tells about the Israelites conquering the promised land after crossing the Jordan river, leaving their wandering in the desert behind them. There were many other people living in this land that God had promised to the Israelites.

During this time, God spoke directly to Joshua who led the people in these conquests. Throughout the book, there were occasions when the Israelites became successful at winning battles, and they would stop waiting for God’s direction. In one circumstance, they were deceived by messengers from a land nearby, but the messengers convinced them they were from far away, showing them moldy bread they said was fresh when they left, and old wine-skins they said were new when they left to prove their lies.

Joshua 9:14, says, “So the Israelites examined their food, but they did not consult the Lord. Then Joshua made a peace treaty with them and guaranteed their safety, and the leaders of the community ratified their agreement with a binding oath.”

As a result of this deception, the Israelites promised away nearby land that God intended for them. The key message in the verse which is also relevant for us is, “but they did not consult the Lord.”

How often do we take time to ask God for guidance before making decisions or commitments? God wants us to include him in all of our lives, as if He is walking beside us, which he is.

Dear Lord, You tell us in the Bible that you are always near us, will hear our prayers, and are ready to guide and support us if we ask. As James 4:8 says, “draw near to God and He will draw near to you.” Help us remember to ask for your guidance. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.