“Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him, so he said to them, “Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying, ‘A little while and you will not see me, and again a little while and you will see me’? Truly, truly, I say to you,…
“I will bless the LORD at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” Psalm 34:1 The word Praise means the expression of approval or admiration for someone or something. The Psalms that David wrote are filled with words of praise to the Lord, in appreciation for all…
“So Boaz took Ruth, and she was his wife: and when he went in unto her, the LORD gave her conception, and she bare a son.” Ruth 4:13 I love to read, and I like books that have a happy ending. Romance stories usually begin with two people meeting, getting to…
Tidying the bedroom, making the bed, dusting, sweeping the floor, and emptying the trash were the usual chores mom would give me, with the assurance that if I did these things first, I could go outside and play. I would begin my tasks with great fervor and focus, but then…
“But the righteous shall be glad; they shall exult before God; they shall be jubilant with joy!” (Psalm 68:3, ESV) All fairy tales seem to end with that wonderful line, “And they lived happily ever after.” As a child, we could read that line and then contentedly close our storybook,…
“Blessed is the people that know the joyful sound: they shall walk, O LORD, in the light of thy countenance. In thy name shall they rejoice all the day: and in thy righteousness shall they be exalted. For thou art the glory of their strength: and in thy favour our horn…
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts. If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” Galatians 5:22-25 It…
“A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.” Proverbs 15:13. On a recent visit with my family, I observed two young children at play. They were sitting on the floor, rolling a ball back and forth, and laughing loudly together. Later,…
The millennial generation has had more opportunities “to do what makes us happy,” but Gallop Market Research shows we are the least happy generation. Pursuing happiness—a temporary feeling based on what is happening is not the answer. What we need is a joy that is independent of circumstances and always…