Sunday, October 27, 2024:
Blessing of Joy (morning)
Luke 6:22-23
Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
Pondering Point
Following Jesus has some unique blessings! Who would’ve thought that rejoicing is an appropriate response to hatred, exclusion, and insults. Yet that is what Jesus said here and what His disciples do in Acts 5:40-42. Go check it out for yourself, then hit your 5 minutes of joy.
Acts 5:40-42
40 His speech persuaded them. They called the apostles in and had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.
41 The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. 42 Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.
Pray aloud
Lord Jesus, help me see persecution through the lens of blessing, knowing that many have gone through the same on account of Your name: hated, excluded, insulted, and rejected. Lead us to rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because You promise a great reward in heaven.
Five Minutes
Use your GO TO JOYS and ANTICIPATED JOYS to fill a 5-minute window. Remember: use an alarm. If necessary, review the explanation.
Read the identity in Christ
statement aloud
We are people who count it a blessing when, because of the name of Jesus, we are hated, excluded, insulted, or rejected. We take comfort and find joy in knowing God sees and promises a heavenly reward.
Closing Prayer
Close with thanks to God for these moments together.
Ask Him to bless the upcoming day, then…
GO – in JOY, with JOY anticipating JOY
“Joy helps you endure hardship well. Joy gives us the strength to deal with emotional pain. The idea of living with joy doesn’t mean that we don’t suffer or feel emotional pain. It doesn’t even mean that we get past our emotional pain quickly. It means that despite the emotional pain we have, we can still find relational joy in the midst of the hard stuff.” p.
~ Warner, Coursey, The 4 Habits, page 10.
Sunday, October 27, 2024:
Sometime During Your Day
Level 3: Savoring joys of the past.
Pondering Point
Today we ponder the reality of suffering and pain in life, both due to faith and with life in general. While we would not likely use the word blessing when facing suffering and pain, but when experienced for the name of Jesus, God counts us blessed. But to endure such situations, having connections with friends and faith in God go a long way to helping hold on to your joy.
From the book Joyful Journey:
The life of Jesus on earth, which culminated on the cross, modeled suffering well. It was evident in the garden of Gethsemane that Jesus did not want to go through with His imminent death. He was in so much distress that He was sweating blood, yet He was still able to remain connected to the Father and think of the welfare of His disciples when the guards seized Him. Jesus did not change under pressure and exhibited the same thoughtfulness, forgiveness and compassion as before. His deep connection with the Father enabled Him to suffer well. God invites all of His followers to live our lives the same way as Christ.
~ Wilder, Kang, Loppnow, Loppnow, Joyful Journey, pages 27,28.
Journal Prompt:
Joy memories related to overcoming challenges:
Key Words:
Listening to Jesus...
My child, do you consider it a blessing when people hate you because of Me? When they exclude you and insult you? Take joy in this -- seriously. You are in good company with My prophets of old.
As Christians, Chris and I (Marcus) are convinced that it helps to have a relationship with a God who is happy to see us and happy to go through suffering with us because it means we are never alone.Top
~ Warner, Coursey, The 4 Habits, page 154.
Immersing in Joy (evening)
Sunday, October 27, 2024
Luke 6:22-23
Blessed are you when people hate you, when they exclude you and insult you and reject your name as evil, because of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, because great is your reward in heaven. For that is how their ancestors treated the prophets.
Pondering Point
How does one handle rejection and hatred? So many simply get offended and react, but the skill of quieting yourself in tough situations is worth working on. How often did Jesus get mistreated and not lose His cool? He quieted very well by staying attuned to His Father. So can you.
Routinely quieting ourselves and entering into feelings of appreciation just a few times each day lays a foundation for a life of joy as it trains our brains that joy and peace are normal experiences.
~ Warner, Coursey, The 4 Habits, page 21.
Pray aloud
Thank You, Father, for promising to care for us in the midst of any persecution that may come as followers of Jesus.
Review
Look back for previously ANTICIPATED or SURPRISE JOYS. You are training your brain to look for joy. This builds the habit. Recall the body sensations and emotions. This solidifies the habit. Remember: use an alarm
Read the identity in Jesus
statement aloud
We are people who count it a blessing when, because of the name of Jesus, we are hated, excluded, insulted, or rejected. We take comfort and find joy in knowing God sees and promises a heavenly reward.
Evening Prayer
Thank God for blessing the day, ask for peaceful rest, then GO to sleep – in grateful JOY, anticipating new JOY tomorrow under His grace.