joyancejames

Category: life

  • Defined by love!

    As I grow up I’m assured of my identity and who I am in Christ but how do the people around me perceive me?  Jesus told His disciples in John 13 that in the same way that He loved them, they are supposed to love one another. Further adding He said, “This is how everyone will recognize that you are my disciples – when they see the love you have for each other” (The Message).

    I have been called to love my neighbors, but wait who exactly is my neighbor?

    Neighbor is my obnoxiously loud and uncouth person living next door,

    Neighbor is the inhumanely demanding boss,

    Neighbor is the egocentric bully, who cherishes picking on me,

    Neighbor is the impatiently furious store clerk yelling at an “innocent” me,

    Neighbor is the biased coach who preferred an amateur over an “experienced” me in fact my neighbors also include the lot for whom I’m as inconspicuous as a fly on the wall. My neighborhood also comprises of those who didn’t believe in me or in my dreams and who never gave me a second thought. But as if to interject my pessimistic rant something beautiful happened and it is described in John 1, “The Word (Jesus) became flesh and blood and moved into the neighborhood”.

    Hanging on the cross Jesus offered forgiveness to a world which didn’t ask for it cause they never felt a need! But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them…”, before He said “It is finished”, because without forgiveness it wouldn’t be finished. He presented forgiveness before repentance and acquittal before the trial or conviction.  He epitomized love because He loved an undeserving world. I love Him because He first loved me and I love others because He showed the way.

    I’m a recipient of an unmerited favor and undeserved love can I become giver of what I have freely received?

    When “His love never fails, never gives up, never runs out on me and on and on it goes” (One thing remains by B Johnson & J Riddle) can I “live like there is no tomorrow and love like I’m on borrowed time” (Good to be alive by J Gray).

    “If not me, tell me who will be like Jesus to the least of these” – Kings & Queens by Audio Adrenaline.

    As apostle Paul puts it without love I’m just a clanging cymbal and it is by love only that I’m defined and people will know I’m His disciple and a child Of the King.

  • Already there!

    When I’m lost in the mystery
    To You my future is a memory
    Cause You’re already there
    You’re already there
    Standing at the end of my life
    Waiting on the other side
    And You’re already there
    You’re already there
    Already there by Casting Crowns

    We are unfazed by tomorrow’s uncertainties cause the One waiting for us is already there and He is sovereign!

    He promised never to leave nor forsake us, no wonder David could not run from His Spirit, David realized that neither the ocean depths more the mountain heights can hide him from God! Then Paul exclaimed, “there is nothing that can separate us from the love of the Father”. Our part is to trust Him one day at a time and be unperturbed by the challenges of an unknown tomorrow.

    We are myopic (short sighted) we just see the present but we don’t need the horoscopes or the stars to tell us about tomorrow, because the One who put the stars in their place is already there in our tomorrow!
    Our future is too wonderful for our meagre minds to comprehend so our myopia is a blessing in disguise!
    Go out and live this day- Carpediem!
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  • The Most-read Gospel!

    It is not the gospel written on tablets of stone or on ancient manuscripts of papyrus or sheepskins or the contemporary inked ones sold leather bound, but it is the Christ of the Christ-ian that is read the most!

    “Ah, friends of the Christ, in the world today
    Are many who watch you upon your way,
    And look to the things you say and do
    To measure the Christian standard true:

    Men read and admire the Gospel of Christ
    With its love so unfailing and true,
    But what do they say and what do they think
    Of the gospel according to you?

    You are writing each day a letter to men
    Take care that the writing is true;
    ‘Tis the only gospel that some men will read,
    That gospel according to you”
    -The gospel according to you
    Anonymous

    We are God’s workmanship created in Christ to do great works! And He is a master Craftsman who makes no mistakes and His creations come with a life time validity!

    We are meant to be light bringing out the God-colors into the world (Mat 5 The Message). Doesn’t matter if you’re a candle or a torch or just a flickering spark cause in the end all the 3 strive to dispel the darkness around them!

    The torch was not meant to light up the tiny cellar nor was the candle meant for the regal hallways! Each has its place and destiny!
    And a thing to remember is that we reflect His light, just like the moon, we light up and shine to reflect God’s glory.
    Can we say like Lecrae, ” I’m just a trail of star dust leading to the Superstar “?
    Does your cave seem dark? Think you need to shine brighter!
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