Easter!

   Easter is just days away! How crazy is that!? So I was thinking about writing about that today.  But, I know some people think that story is over told.  Because that is where we get John 3:16 from.

   So then I thought why not write about the day itself, and how we spend it.  To start, something so simple but powerful as Jesus raising from the dead, has turned into this day filled with eggs, bunny, candy, and the Easter bunny.

   Yes, we go to church in our spring dresses and nicer clothes, some people have brunch after and spend time with family enjoying the good news of Jesus being alive.  But is that what we are thinking that day?

   Are we rejoicing that Jesus is alive? Or have we filled our minds with the Easter eggs that need colored.  The baskets that need to be put out for the kids that morning.  The meal that need prepared before family comes.  The list could go on and on.

   Are these things bad? No, but it's where our heart and mind are and why we are doing theses things.  Easter could be the one day your friend that you have been asking and asking to come to church with you says yes.  And their life could be changed forever on that one day.

   The candies and eggs can be good too, it's just how we look at them.  There are theses cookies that are called resurrection cookies that are a great way to tie the Bible story to Easter through cookies.

   I hope you all have a great Easter and look at the day a little differently then you normally would have.

   Till next time
    LiveTheTruth :)

   

 

 

Fruit of the Spirit: Joy

 

Week two! This week I'll be talking about Joy.  So lets get started.

Galatians 5:22-23 (NIV) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

   JOY.

   So what is Joy? A feeling of great pleasure and happiness.  Well at least that's what the dictionary says about it.
   When you think of Joy what do you think about? Well, for me I think of being happy, having a smile on my face, just enjoying the moment.

   So if that's what we think of when we think of joy.  What in our lives gives us joy? That question can be answered tons of different ways.  It all depends on you.  Maybe it's your family. your friends, being on the football team, being in band, having people like you in school/work, ext.  The list could go on and on.

   But is that what we should put our joy in? Yes and no.  Yes, we should be happy to do or have these things, but we should not put our joy in them.  We are to find our joy in Christ. But do we do it? Well...that's up to you.  I know it's really hard to.  The world just distracts us with a bunch of other things, that we start to forget where our joy comes from.

   This week I want to challenge you guys with something.  Think about where your joy comes from. It can be anything, from something I said above or something else.  Now after you think of that I want you to think why it gives you joy.

   Because that is when our joy shifts from God to self.  Take Singing for example, do you sing because people like it? You are getting popular from it? Or because God gave you a gift and you want to share it?

   Now I'm not saying just because you are not finding joy in the right things, you have to stop doing it.  I want you to try changing the way you think of these things.  Find your joy in God with these things and see how it changes you.

   Till next time
    LiveTheTruth :)