Musing Nuggets (eBook)

Spiritual Perspectives

Fredricka Gaines (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2025 | 1. Auflage
252 Seiten
Bookbaby (Verlag)
979-8-9899925-1-5 (ISBN)

Infos

This book is an uncommon presentation of some very common foundational tenets of Christian life and doctrine. Some writings are presented with tongue in cheek, but nevertheless presented with sincere intent to encourage or perhaps enlighten the reader. This is done through 22 thought-provoking vignettes that are intended to encourage the reader and perhaps whet the appetite for knowing and understanding God's word to a greater extent. Each topic is short and to the point, hopefully inviting the reader to share their perspective and seek further discernment. The author concludes with a collection of daily meditations that was shared with loved ones through daily text messages. This work is suitable as a family reference for discussion of the Christian faith or for general group discussion.

Fredricka Gaines is a retired librarian. Her career spanned forty years in scientific and academic libraries. She holds a B.A. and M.A. in biology and an M.S,L.S. in Library Science. She is married with two children and one granddaughter. She maintains close ties with the church and for many years acted in the capacity of Christian educator. She realizes that while performing in this capacity she experienced her greatest spiritual growth. She attributes this to constantly seeking and researching God's Word, in short, getting to know Him better. She has a sincere desire to share in the word and encourage others in their Christian walk.

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This book contains 22 thought-provoking vignettes presented in such a way as to encourage the reader and perhaps whet the appetite for knowing and understanding God's word to a greater extent. The vignettes cover topics such as knowing and loving God; Advent and Lent; Thanksgiving; the amazing gift that is Christ (Christmas); the power of the Psalms and Proverbs; and the enduring messages found in The Pentateuch or Torah.

Textauszug

11

Your Joy is Your Job

Psalms 126

When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.

Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.

The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.

Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.

He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

A popular TV pastor entitled one of his sermons series “Get your joy back”. That topic – joy – is something that should interest everyone. This catchy and thought provoking title – this “hook” – causes those who have lost joy, and even those who still have joy, to pause and ponder. Do I have joy? Am I living a joyful life? Is it possible to have joy in this world today with all that I see – all the negativity? Who doesn’t want joy? We all pursue it in different ways. The key scripture used in this sermon was Psalms 126. That for me was enough to get my attention. A loved one who has been “out of the Ark of safety” recently gave this scripture to me – pulled it out of the air – just for the sake of quoting one. It had no particular significance to him at the time. This young TV pastor provided a powerful revelation of this very same scripture a few days later. I call this providence.

You can have joy and if you have lost it you can get your joy back but, “your joy is your job”. This is not God’s job. I say this thinking how some may view God as a Genie in a bottle who is suppose to make them happy. Many confuse the joy of the Lord with happiness. Webster defines happiness and joy using the terms interchangeably. Webster does not define the joy of the Lord – the Bible does. It is that spiritual sense of being under God’s protection and guidance; being more than a conqueror, yet an overcomer in spite of all that is going on around us (Habakkuk 3:18-19) (John 16:20-22). God, through the sacrifice of His Son, has made it possible for all to have joy (Luke 2:10). It is ours for the asking. (Romans 10:9, John 16:24).

Even as the pastor spoke the words an amazing confirmation flowed through me. Other related scripture flowed through my mind. When considering that your joy is your job do you think of 2 Corinthians 13:5? We must earnestly examine ourselves and our faith walk. Consider also Philippians 2:12-16 – we must “work out our own salvation” until we come into the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13) wherein there is joy. As professed Christians we have been given a full measure of faith (Romans 12:3). We then must work at it consistently. When you consider all that God has done for us – all that He has given already you have to nod your head and say in your heart “if He never does anything else, He’s already done enough”! (2 Peter 3:1) (2 Peter3:18-19). We are armed with everything we need. He has anointed, appointed, sealed and sanctified us for a purpose (2 Corinthians 1:22-24) the end of which is righteousness. Knowing this we have reason to have joy – strength and faith enough to be joyful (Nehemiah 8:10).

Jesus said “1These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full”. John 15:11

Supporting Scriptures:

1 Chronicles 16:9-12 9Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works. 10Glory ye in his holy name: let the heart of them rejoice that seek the LORD. 11Seek the LORD and his strength, seek his face continually. 12Remember his marvelous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;

Nehemiah 8: 10 10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the LORD is your strength.

Psalms 5:11 11 But let all those that put their trust in thee rejoice: let them ever shout for joy, because thou defendest them: let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee.

Psalms 35:9-10, 27-28 9 And my soul shall be joyful in the LORD: it shall rejoice in his salvation. 27 Let them shout for joy, and be glad, that favour my righteous cause: yea, let them say continually, let the LORD be magnified, which hath pleasure in the prosperity of his servant.28 And my tongue shall speak of thy righteousness and of thy praise all the day long.

Psalms 126:1-6 1 When the LORD turned again the captivity of Zion, we were like them that dream.2 Then was our mouth filled with laughter, and our tongue with singing: then said they among the heathen, The LORD hath done great things for them.3 The LORD hath done great things for us; whereof we are glad.4 Turn again our captivity, O LORD, as the streams in the south.5 They that sow in tears shall reap in joy.
6 He that goeth forth and weepeth, bearing precious seed, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.

Habakkuk 3:18-19 18Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation. 19The LORD God is my strength, and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, and he will make me to walk upon mine high places

Luke 2:10-11 10And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

John 15:11 11These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full.

John 16:20, 22 20Verily, verily, I say unto you, That ye shall weep and lament, but the world shall rejoice: and ye shall be sorrowful, but your sorrow shall be turned into joy. 22And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice, and your joy no man taketh from you.

John 16:24 24Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

Romans 5:11 11And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.

Romans 10:9-10 9That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. 10For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Romans 12:3 3For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.

1 Corinthians 9:27 27But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway.

2 Corinthians1:24 24Not for that we have dominion over your faith, but are helpers of your joy: for by faith ye stand.

2 Corinthians 13:5 5Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates?

Ephesians 4:13 13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Ephesians 5:19 19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Philippians 2:12-18 12Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. 13For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure. 14Do all things without murmurings and disputings: 15That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world; 16Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. 17Yea, and if I be offered upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I joy, and rejoice with you all. 18For the same cause also do ye joy, and rejoice with me.

Philippians 4:4-5 4Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice....

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 13.6.2025
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Geisteswissenschaften ► Religion / Theologie ► Christentum
• ISBN-13: 979-8-9899925-1-5 / 9798989992515