**Are you struggling to find the joy in your life? We would like to pray for you.
http://retirementwithapurpose.com/chat/share.html
by Muriel Larson
“Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits” (Psalm 103:2).
Have you ever wondered where the forget-me-not sky-blue flower got its name? Legend says it was derived from the last words of a German knight who drowned while trying to retrieve this flower for his lady.
That German lady probably remembered her gallant knight for a long time because of his last poignant words. But there is someone else who is far, far more important to people all over the world than that nameless knight. And the marvelous things He has done for us cry out for the remembrance in praise.
Yet we forget our Lord and His benefits all too easily in this busy world, don’t we? And we may stand in church week after week singing praise songs to God without the thankful joy that should be experienced with their singing. I have seen many who have sung such songs in church choirs never crack a smile of joy!
Life Lesson: Biblical perspective on the end times
Experience It: Living in the power of the Holy Spirit
SPECIAL PEOPLE
One reason God called David a “man after my own heart” was because David frequently reminded himself and others of God’s benefits, and he regularly praised God for them. “Bless the Lord” means “Praise the Lord!”
How much less depressed we would be if we started each day praising the Lord for all the wonderful things He has done for us! The Lord forgives us all our sins; He heals our diseases. He redeemed us from eternal damnation; He loved us even while we were yet rebellious sinners. He crowns us with love and compassion. When we delight ourselves in Him, He gives us the desires of our hearts. The Lord loves us with an everlasting love!
WHAT HAPPENS TO OUR JOY?
“My people have forgotten me,” God said sadly to Jeremiah of the Israelites. And if truth be told, we for whom He died often forget Him and all He has done for us, don’t we? We get so easily wrapped up in even such good things as going to church, fellowshipping on a human basis with Christian friends, working, tending to our families, etc. etc. etc. And our Lord gets lost in the shuffle.
So does our joy. Then one day maybe we wake up and ask ourselves, “What happened to that thrilling joy and spirit of praise I used to have?” Well, when something good isn’t used, we don’t benefit from it any more. And if we have put our Lord and praising Him regularly on the back burner, no wonder we have lost our joy!
If that is where you’re at now, why now start glorying in the Lord and in all the wonderful things He has done for you? Get back your joy! Have a great day by praising Him for His benefits every morning when you awake.
Questions: How can I praise the Lord when I feel He has let me down? How can I praise the Lord when I feel I have nothing to be thankful for?
Today’s Chat: Join us for a 15-minute chat about this devotional at 10:30 am Eastern, 7:30 am Pacific: http://www.christianwomentoday.com/chat/
About the Author: http://talk.thelife.com/authors/muriel-larson/
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PRAISING THE LORD OUR GOD JUST FOR BEING ALIVE EVERYDAY. IN SPITE OF MY PAIN AND DISCOMFORT I THANK HIM FOR BEING ALIVE FOR EACH DAY I AM HERE ON THIS EARTH.
GOD IS SO GOOD AND GIVING. I AM AND ALWAYS WILL BE SO GRATEFUL FOR BEING ONE OF HIS CHILDREN. WE ARE ALL SO BLESSED. EVEN THOUGH A TIMES I AM IN SO MUCH PHYSICAL PAIN, I KNOW GOD IS THERE FOR ME AND IS BLESSING ME.
I HAVE TO THANK GOD EVERYDAY JUST FOR BEING ALIVE EVERYDAY AND FOR BEING ABLE TO STILL GET AROUND. I HAVE TO THANK AND PRAISE HIM FOR GIVING ME THE FAMILY I HAVE WHO ARE SO LOVING AND GIVING AND CARING.
We always get what we need on time. This morning my heart is heavy for members of my family and extended family.
I received my daily devotion “Joy of Praise” and all I could do is say thank you and laugh. The laughter came because God has a way stepping in your dark room and turning the light on, and you never who’s going to bring the light.
Please pray for my sister, her children and grandchildren that the burden of sexual abuse be lifted from them and for my extended family brother who’s son was shot in the back.
May God keep blessing you and yours.
Bless you two dear sisters in the Lord..Chris and Lorraine..Standing with you and believing and proud of you for seeing the JOY that is possible in each day even with tremendous challenges. Love the wonderful verse in Psalms 30:5..that there WILL be “JOY in the morning”. It is so hard in our human conditions, sometimes, to turn towards that potential joy, but so gratifying when we do! Muriel Larson has it exactly right in this devotional..and little daily miracles and blessings come out of our “Praise”, too! I love the verse further down in that wonderful Psalm where it says “you turned my wailing into dancing, you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with JOY…”. We daily here, deal with a mountain so large and impossible it seems all is lost in this natural world..But our spirits rejoice in HIM and His comforting Word that never returns to us void! When the devil tries to distract and say we’re finished? We go to the WORD and before long, at all, rejoicing returns! God Bless all reading today. Help us all to walk by HIS Spirit and not our circumstances..Thank you, Chris, for saying that! Am believing healing in your body and circumstances, too!
At times I find no JOY in my life at all but i turn to my beloved Lord in spite of my darken days for I know that Joy will come to me once again.
Two nights ago I prayed to God to take me out of this life so I can rest in Peace once and for all. Yet such prayer went unanswered once again and I suppose that he still has plans to use me here on earth.
My heart is with both you Chris and Lorraine for I too am battling with many of the things that you both are going through. I Thank the Lord that i look forward to these daily devotionals for it allows me to connect with other sisters in Christ.
My cirrcumstances have not changed one bit since i asked God to remove me from this Life yet instead i have been given a sence of inner peace to help me get through it all. What more can i say but Thank You my beloved Lord for this well needed inner peace so that I can carry on with getting through this wilderness time of my life.
Bring me to a church where i can begin to worship you once again with other followers yet not to just walk in with a phony mask upon my face.
Barb
I think God is good .We have trials and sometimes our lives dont always go how we want them however somehow God carries us through these times and its amamzing !
We live in such a world where things dont always make much sense
For Barb!
Sweet Barbara the Lord led me to pray for you before reading today’s devotional! Here we are strangers..Yet, HE loves you so much, He had you lifted by one! Am so glad HE didn’t answer your one prayer because am picturing you free and in that quite, peaceful place you yearn for! Am speaking in Jesus’ powerful name that spirit of discouragement be rebuked, too! And know that all the other sisters in Him on here are lifting you right this moment! It shows a great deal about your character that in spite of all you are still turning towards HIM, too! Praying you will find a fellowship of sincere Believers to help you through this time. My husband and I are living proof that it can be done. When the challenges first hit here (8 years ago now!)..We were overwhelmed, defeated, and you’d never believe that the JOY you see in us today was possible!! But? We get NO credit for that..It all came from the Lord..Am praying blessings, encouragement and help towards a special lady! Believing for and with you!!!
Am praying a special prayer for all who wrote today,,,our circumstances sometimes can be overwhelming,,,but THANKS BE TO GOD,,,He knows all our troubles,,,we have to just keep reaching out to Him,,sometimes it seems like He’s far away,,but He’s working it out for you,me,us,,,,keep holding on,,it’ll be alright after while!!God Bless you all…
dee
I am praying that GOD and his son Our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ bless everyone that read the daily devotional. GOD knows how to answer each prayer. I thank you JESUS for answering all prayers including mines.
I am praying for you all…. My sisters in the Lord. I thank God for your perseverance and continued trust in Him. Chris – healing is possible and I pray that if it be the Lord’s will – that you will be shouting, leaping, dancing and HEALED. Lorraine: I pray that the spirit of sexual abuse will again be lifted. I have seen God do it before…so it is possible. Let’s continue to believe together. My dear sister Fran – an exhorter – may you be blessed for all your kind words. For Barbara – I was moved to tears…and I want you to know that there is another person in the world praying for you. Don’t throw in the towel. God is not done with you yet. To my sisters Regina, Susie, and Dee – May God bless you with everything you need. With the Love of Christ, Des
Des!! Your Beautiful words made me want to get up and Dance with The Lord..and our prayers of agreement for Chris and Barbara are going to be answered. If you haven’t guessed?! I have a Pentacostal Heart!! Was raised in the Episcopalian Faith, but the Lord touched me at Mt. Paran Church of God here in Atlanta..and have never been the same since! Episcopalians and all those who love the Lord are GREAT!!! Don’t misunderstand! But, your rousing words just now? Made me think of a sermon I heard a few years ago in another local church.. by a rousing young Pastor who preached on “Dancing with The Lord”! He illustrated, with the Word, how that is possible and elevates us above these earthen challenges! YOU are a Prayer Warrior..and I see Chris and Barbara..and other dear sisters on here “Dancing with HIM” in utter Joy and CELEBRATION! God Bless you, dear Des..and all you other warriors who read and intercede on here! Amen and Amen and Amen!!!!