Joy

Do you know the difference between Joy and Happiness? How do you describe the difference?

Happiness is the feeling you get when everything is going your way.

Joy is the feeling of knowing in the midst of it all your God is bigger and will get you through it. It is the thing that gives you the strength to laugh through pain. It is the hope that comes in the midst of heartache. It is the one thing that pulls you into God's arms to find comfort when there is nothing else left to grasp on to.

^{Habakkuk 3:17} Though the fig tree does not bud
and there are no grapes on the vines,
though the olive crop fails
and the fields produce no food,
though there are no sheep in the pen
and no cattle in the stalls,

¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the LORD,
I will be joyful in God my Savior.

¹⁹ The Sovereign LORD is my strength;
he makes my feet like the feet of a deer,
he enables me to go on the heights.

Joy requires Faith. Do you believe that through your struggle God can be glorified? Habakkuk understood that through the turmoil His people were going to be brought back into God's graces.

I challenge you. Look at how you handle disaster in your life. Are you complaining to God and looking for the answers? Or do you complain to everyone who will listen and continue to live in despair? God has answers, promises and a plan to find joy in. Are you looking in the right places for those answers? In the midst of your calamity are you finding joy in the promises?

Do you show the world a life of misery lived for God or a life of overcoming lived for God?

Please continue to pray for Sue O this week. Also, please send along any prayer requests to share for Friday.

A Plan

Do you ever find yourself in need of a plan? Something that says A, B and C are going to happen in just that order and it is going to work out exactly the way it should. I do. I like a good plan. I know how to prepare and pack and dress, etc.....

I think that is why Habakkuk had so many questions for God. He just couldn't see the plan. In the midst of struggle and hardship, it can be extraordinarily difficult to see through to the end. As Christians we look around and wonder, why so much evil, why so much hate, why so much dislike for our Creator.

^{Habakkuk 2:3} For the revelation awaits an appointed time;
it speaks of the end
and will not prove false.
Though it linger, wait for it;
it will certainly come and will not delay.

God made a promise to Habakkuk, a plan was in motion.

There was a plan when God sent His son to die for us. Justification and Redemption.

Just as His promise to Habakkuk, God promises us relationship with Him. It may not be pretty to get there but He loves us enough to make the sacrifice. Do we love Him enough to trust in the plan?

Please continue to pray for Sue O

Answers

Do you ever ask a question you really don't want to hear the answer to. I don't know if Habakkuk expected a real answer or not but he got one.

^{Habakkuk 1: 6} I am raising up the Babylonians,
that ruthless and impetuous people,
who sweep across the whole earth
to seize dwelling places not their own.

Now, wait just a minute. Did God just say He was raising these people up? Justice doesn't always come in the answer we want. Judah had become corrupt and separated its self from God once again.

Often times God wants nothing more than to point you back in His direction. Sometimes He uses the consequences of our own choices to show us His face. Sometimes He uses the things in life that seem so overwhelming and wicked so that we can learn to rely on Him.

God so desperately wants a relationship with His people. Who are we to judge the methods He uses to get our attention?

^{Habakkuk 2:1} I will stand at my watch
and station myself on the ramparts;
I will look to see what he will say to me,
and what answer I am to give to this complaint.

Are you waiting for the answers to your complaints? Be patient God will answer you. He hears your cries and He has a plan.

Please pray for Sue O this week.

You're Special

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful,
I know that full well.
My frame was not hidden from you
when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth,
your eyes saw my unformed body.
All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.
How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!
Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.
~Psalm 139:13-18

You're special. In all the world there's nobody like you.

Since the beginning of time there has never been another person like you.

Nobody has your smile, nobody has your eyes, your nose, your hair, your hands, your voice.

You're special. No one can be found who has your handwriting.

Nobody anywhere has your tastes for food, clothing, music, or art.

No one sees things just as you do.

In all of time there's been no one who laughs like you, no one who cries like you, and what makes you cry or laugh will never produce identical laughter and tears from anybody else, ever.

You're the only one in all of creation who has your set of abilities.

Oh, there will always be somebody who is better at one of the things you're good at, but no one in the universe can reach the quality of your combination of talents, ideas, abilities and feelings. Like a room full of musical instruments, some may excel alone, but none can match the symphony sound when all are played together. You're a symphony.

Through all eternity, no one will ever look, talk, walk, think, or do like you.

You're special..you're rare. And in all rarity there is great value. Because of your great value you need not attempt to imitate others..you will accept--yes, celebrate your differences.

You're special and you're beginning to realize it's no accident that you're special.

You're beginning to see that God made you special for a purpose.

He must have a job for you that no one else can do as well as you.

Out of the billions of applicants, only one is qualified, only one has the right combination of what it takes.

That one is you, because....you're special.

Father God, help me to realize that I am truly and marvelously made and that, in Your sight, I am very special.

Thoughts for Action
~Write down in your journal three things that make you special.
~Write down who you are: color of eyes, hair, shape of lips, what makes you laugh and smile, etc
~Now thank God for you. Write this prayer in your journal.
~Write a note to a friend telling her why she is special to you.

Additional Scripture: Psalm 40:5, Psalm 119:73

(devotional from 15 Minutes Alone With God by Emilie Barnes, pg. 270-272)

Athaliah and Jehosheba

Day 1

Athaliah "The Lord is Great"

She is the granddaughter of Omir, one of Israel's most idolatrous and evil kings, she was the daughter of of Ahab and most likely of Jezebel as well. She was the only women to rule over Judah. While Ahab and Jezebel spread baal worship in the northern kingdom of Israel, Athaliah was busy promoting it a few years later in the southern kingdom of of Judah. Controlled by her need for power, she murdered her own family members to secure it.

Her triumph: That her ruthlessness paid off, at least for a time, making her the ruler of Judah.

Her Disappointment: That her attempt to destroy the royal line of Judah failed.

2 Kings 11
Athaliah and Joash 1 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family. 2 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed. 3 He remained hidden with his nurse at the temple of the LORD for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.
4 In the seventh year Jehoiada sent for the commanders of units of a hundred, the Carites and the guards and had them brought to him at the temple of the LORD. He made a covenant with them and put them under oath at the temple of the LORD. Then he showed them the king's son. 5 He commanded them, saying, "This is what you are to do: You who are in the three companies that are going on duty on the Sabbath—a third of you guarding the royal palace, 6 a third at the Sur Gate, and a third at the gate behind the guard, who take turns guarding the temple- 7 and you who are in the other two companies that normally go off Sabbath duty are all to guard the temple for the king. 8 Station yourselves around the king, each man with his weapon in his hand. Anyone who approaches your ranks must be put to death. Stay close to the king wherever he goes."
9 The commanders of units of a hundred did just as Jehoiada the priest ordered. Each one took his men—those who were going on duty on the Sabbath and those who were going off duty—and came to Jehoiada the priest. 10 Then he gave the commanders the spears and shields that had belonged to King David and that were in the temple of the LORD. 11 The guards, each with his weapon in his hand, stationed themselves around the king—near the altar and the temple, from the south side to the north side of the temple.
12 Jehoiada brought out the king's son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him, and the people clapped their hands and shouted, "Long live the king!"
13 When Athaliah heard the noise made by the guards and the people, she went to the people at the temple of the LORD. 14 She looked and there was the king, standing by the pillar, as the custom was. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. Then Athaliah tore her robes and called out, "Treason! Treason!"
15 Jehoiada the priest ordered the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops: "Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest had said, "She must not be put to death in the temple of the LORD." 16 So they seized her as she reached the place where the horses enter the palace grounds, and there she was put to death.
17 Jehoiada then made a covenant between the LORD and the king and people that they would be the LORD's people. He also made a covenant between the king and the people. 18 All the people of the land went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols to pieces and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars. Then Jehoiada the priest posted guards at the temple of the LORD. 19 He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the Carites, the guards and all the people of the land, and together they brought the king down from the temple of the LORD and went into the palace, entering by way of the gate of the guards. The king then took his place on the royal throne, 20 and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword at the palace.
21 Joash was seven years old when he began to reign.

2 Chronicles 22
Ahaziah King of Judah 1 The people of Jerusalem made Ahaziah, Jehoram's youngest son, king in his place, since the raiders, who came with the Arabs into the camp, had killed all the older sons. So Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah began to reign.
2 Ahaziah was twenty-two years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem one year. His mother's name was Athaliah, a granddaughter of Omri.
3 He too walked in the ways of the house of Ahab, for his mother encouraged him in doing wrong. 4 He did evil in the eyes of the LORD, as the house of Ahab had done, for after his father's death they became his advisers, to his undoing. 5 He also followed their counsel when he went with Joram son of Ahab king of Israel to war against Hazael king of Aram at Ramoth Gilead. The Arameans wounded Joram; 6 so he returned to Jezreel to recover from the wounds they had inflicted on him at Ramoth in his battle with Hazael king of Aram. Then Ahaziah son of Jehoram king of Judah went down to Jezreel to see Joram son of Ahab because he had been wounded.
7 Through Ahaziah's visit to Joram, God brought about Ahaziah's downfall. When Ahaziah arrived, he went out with Joram to meet Jehu son of Nimshi, whom the LORD had anointed to destroy the house of Ahab. 8 While Jehu was executing judgment on the house of Ahab, he found the princes of Judah and the sons of Ahaziah's relatives, who had been attending Ahaziah, and he killed them. 9 He then went in search of Ahaziah, and his men captured him while he was hiding in Samaria. He was brought to Jehu and put to death. They buried him, for they said, "He was a son of Jehoshaphat, who sought the LORD with all his heart." So there was no one in the house of Ahaziah powerful enough to retain the kingdom.
Athaliah and Joash 10 When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family of the house of Judah. 11 But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah's sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him. 12 He remained hidden with them at the temple of God for six years while Athaliah ruled the land.

2 Chronicles 23:11-21
11 Jehoiada and his sons brought out the king's son and put the crown on him; they presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king. They anointed him and shouted, "Long live the king!"
12 When Athaliah heard the noise of the people running and cheering the king, she went to them at the temple of the LORD. 13 She looked, and there was the king, standing by his pillar at the entrance. The officers and the trumpeters were beside the king, and all the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets, and singers with musical instruments were leading the praises. Then Athaliah tore her robes and shouted, "Treason! Treason!"
14 Jehoiada the priest sent out the commanders of units of a hundred, who were in charge of the troops, and said to them: "Bring her out between the ranks and put to the sword anyone who follows her." For the priest had said, "Do not put her to death at the temple of the LORD." 15 So they seized her as she reached the entrance of the Horse Gate on the palace grounds, and there they put her to death.
16 Jehoiada then made a covenant that he and the people and the king would be the LORD's people. 17 All the people went to the temple of Baal and tore it down. They smashed the altars and idols and killed Mattan the priest of Baal in front of the altars.
18 Then Jehoiada placed the oversight of the temple of the LORD in the hands of the priests, who were Levites, to whom David had made assignments in the temple, to present the burnt offerings of the LORD as written in the Law of Moses, with rejoicing and singing, as David had ordered. 19 He also stationed doorkeepers at the gates of the LORD's temple so that no one who was in any way unclean might enter.
20 He took with him the commanders of hundreds, the nobles, the rulers of the people and all the people of the land and brought the king down from the temple of the LORD. They went into the palace through the Upper Gate and seated the king on the royal throne, 21 and all the people of the land rejoiced. And the city was quiet, because Athaliah had been slain with the sword.

Day 2

Jehosheba "Swear by His Name"

Jehosheba was a princess and the wife of the high priest, she was a courageous woman whose actions preserved the line of Judah, from which the Messiah would come.

Her joy: To have preserved the life of her brother's youngest son, Joash, so that he could become the rightful king of Judah.

Her Sorrow: To have endured Athaliah's reign in Judah and to have suffered the loss of many of her nephews aat the queen's hand.

2 Kings 11:2
But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and sister of Ahaziah, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes, who were about to be murdered. She put him and his nurse in a bedroom to hide him from Athaliah; so he was not killed.

2 Chronicles 22:11
But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah's sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him.

Day 3

God always wins. Even when people like Athaliah try to stomp out an entire family and put an end to God's plan for redemption, when people like the priests of Baal lead others to worship idols instead of the true God, God will always triumph in the end. The negative forces of our culture make us wonder where we're headed as a people. Many of our leaders show little integrity or morality, and dishonesty is overlooked in the workplace. Kindness is often the exception rather than the rule. But don't despair. This is not a battle God plans to lose. In the end, he will prevail!

No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame. ~Psalm 25:3

Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the Lord's purpose that prevails.
~Proverbs 19:21

But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ.
~2 Corinthians 2:14

Day 4

Lift your Heart

Scripture often yields its richest insights once you learn to slow down and pray through what you have just read. Use the story of Jehosheba to teach yourself how to pray the Scriptures. Though a minor character, overlooked by most readers, she played a decisive role in the life of God's people. Put yourself in her shoes for just fifteen minutes. Imagine what she must have felt like, not for a moment, but for several years as she defied an evil and powerful queen.

Where did Jehosheba find the strength?

What were her temptations and fears?

Let your imagination help you envision what her life might have been like. Ask God to speak to you through her story. Then ask for the grace to be like her--to be a women who always cherishes, protects, and nurtures life. After you've done that, take a moment to think about Jehosheba's joy the moment she learned of Athaliah's final defeat, realizing that the boy whose life she saved was now her king. Let another woman't story encourage you to do what is right regardless of the risks involved.

Day 5

But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram, took Joash son of Ahaziah and stole him away from among the royal princes who were about to be murdered and put him and his nurse in a bedroom. Because Jehosheba, the daughter of King Jehoram and wife of the priest Jehoiada, was Ahaziah's sister, she hid the child from Athaliah so she could not kill him.

~2 Chronicles 22:11~

Reflect on: 2 Chronicles 22:10-12; 23

Praise God for his power, whish is far greater than the power of evil.

Offer thanks that God always does what he says he will no matter the odds against him.

Confess any tendency to allow difficult circumstances to suffocate your faith.

Ask God for courage to act on behalf of the innocent regardless of the consequences.

Lord, when I am faced with evil, whether it is in government, in the church, or in my neighborhood or family, help me to do whatever is in my power to resist. Give me the wisdom to know what to do, courage to act well, and grace to trust you for the outcome.