Is His joy enough?

"What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the Word of Life— ² and the life was manifested, and we have seen and testify and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us— ³ what we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ These things we write, so that our joy may be made complete." 1 John 1:1-4, NASB

Isn't 1 John just wonderful? I always suggest that new believers read it first. Simply put, Jesus was there in the beginning of time. See John 1:1-5. He is the Word in flesh, the Word of Life. God sent Jesus so that we could see God. Jesus showed us how to live and how to die. "Who God is" is manifest in the person of Jesus. We know - we have seen and heard -  this truth. As a result of this, we have fellowship with God through Jesus Christ. When we have this truth in us, we have His joy, and thus our joy is complete in Him.

I ask you today what I am asking myself. "Is my joy complete in Him?" Am I looking for a great response to my actions? Am I looking for what I can do next? Am I looking for a sign that God is in my life and blessing my ministry? Unfortunately, the answer to all these (for me) is yes! Yes my joy is complete in Him but yes, I am looking for all the rest. Not good. My joy needs to be complete in Him. Period.

I ask you today, is your joy complete in Him? Is He enough for you? If so, help others see this great truth! It is not how many tweeter followers or facebook friends we have, nor it is how many books we write or places we go. Jesus is complete in Himself and we can be complete in Him. Let's choose His joy in us again today.

You know you are loved!

He is here - wherever you go

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go" (Joshua 1:9, NASB).

In the midst of me digging into one of my first new year resolutions, God keeps reminding me to rest in Him and to remember Him. He is here.

Where are you today? He, our God, is here for all of us. He came to seek and to save the lost (Luke 19:10). When we seek Him, we will find Him (Matt. 7:7, Rev. 3:20).

He
How would you describe God?
He is present (Psalm 139:7-10).
His character is constant, He is faithful (James 1:17, 2 Timothy 2:13).
He is bread and living water - He gives strength and nourishment (John 6:35, John 4:7-42).

Is
As a verb, "is" reminds me that God's love is active.
Let's praise Him with our voices and with our lives. Let's share Him with our testimonies and with our hearts. Let's pray for a more active faith, because our Redeemer lives.

Here
What situation are you in? Whom have you come across this week?
He is here:

• for our friend and for the foreigner
• for the executive and for the busboy
• for the person we serve in volunteer efforts and for the widow on our street

He is here - here to save the world, to draw close to a world in need for more of Him. 

Our God manages the world and yet He makes time - He wants time - with each person He created. 

Let's share "He is here" with our hearts that crave more of Him, and let's share "He is here" with others who don't know Him yet as Lord and Savior.

He is here - wherever you go. Amen.

Great songs: "Be Still My Soul" by Page CXVI and "How Deep the Father's Love" by Page CXVI

Great passage: Isaiah 61:1-4

Take the HeartCall SHARE Challenge

36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And He said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the great and foremost commandment. 39 The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Matthew 22:36-39, NASB

February is almost here. Some of us love it; some of us hate it. Our perspective may be related to our season of life: happily or unhappily married, single or single again, unattached or widowed, and the list goes on. Let's turn February into a love fest. Instead of focusing on what we wish we had, let's focus on what we do have...God's love!

 

God's love is what we really live for. It is what gets us through the good and bad times. It is the reason we live and the joy of our lives. Let's live as though we believe that truth! Let's get our perspective straight and this season, let's share the love of the Lord!

 

God's great commandment (listed above) is to love God and love people. We share His love by showing it in every way - believing, giving, caring, sharing, helping, hoping, working, playing, etc. Let's look for ways to show our neighbors (and others) that we love God so much that we want to share His love with them!

 

The HeartCall SHARE Challenge is this: Share God's Love. Give the HeartCall Bible. Show love to others and share the Word with them. Even if you don't have the new HeartCall Bible (https://www.jayemartin.com/shop/heartcall-bible/31/), share the HeartCall message of hope!

If you do, share your story with us at www.facebook.com/JayeMartinMinistries or go to our SHARE page at www.jayemartin.com/share and submit your story on the form at the end of the page.

 

Let's turn February into a HeartCall month of God's love!

 

You know you are loved,

Jaye

 

Give the Bells, Give the Word

"Give, and it will be given to you. They will pour into your lap a good measure—pressed down, shaken together, and running over. For by your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return.” Luke 6:38, NASB

On Sunday, a lady came by the preschool desk (my volunteer job) and gave a knitted bell to my co-worker and to me. To my knowledge, I have never seen her before but she was passing on the spirit of Christ during this Christmas season. She reminded us to give the joy of Christ to others.

In the last few days, I have given out several of our new HeartCall Bibles. These use our logo of a heart, cross and an arrow to share the gospel message. I am amazed and how many who say they will read it! Today I gave one to two ladies who spoke little English. I also gave them a copy of the HeartCall Spanish-English tract. They seemed grateful and interested. I pray that God uses His Word to reach the hearts of His kids, as well as those who want to know Him.

Regardless of how you give during this Christmas season, whether it be by knitting bells or giving Bibles, I pray that when you give, you will share the joy of the Lord and the promise of salvation. It IS the Christmas season and it was...and still is...an announcement of great joy! Ring the bells! Share the Good News! Pass on the love of Christ every way you can!

Merry Christmas to all,
Jaye

You can order HeartCall Bibles and other resources at www.jayemartin.com/shop. If you would rather give so we can train people to go, visit our give page at www.jayemartin.com/give. Blessings to all!

a spark on an ordinary, dark night

"The shepherds began saying to one another, 'Let us go straight back to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us.' 

So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as he lay in the manger. When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child…

The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told to them" (Luke 2:15b-17, 20, NASB). 

Aisles and aisles of red, green and white was all I could see for a while. My shopping cart was popping out with the same colors as I emerged from this sea and approached the check-out line. Then - in the middle of this busy day - a man at the check-out begun talking with me about Christmastime and church. And there it was - a glimmer in the middle of the day of Christ, our Savior, who was part of God's plan to sacrificd Himself as a ransom for all. This message is for all people. Even on the seemingly most normal of days, God is at work to spread this message, to save us and  to draw us all closer to Him.

That night, I was reminded of the shepherds' reactions in Luke 2, the night of Christ's birth:

• First, they were terrified by the angel that visited them in the fields (v. 9). Who wouldn't be? A heavenly creature appeared during their work shift and in the dark.
• They went to see what the angel had told them (vv. 15-16). After hearing the angel's message that the Savior was born in Bethlehem, they decided to check it out. They were filled with joy to see that what the angels had told them about Jesus was so accurate.
• They praised God and told others what the angels had told them about the Child (vv. 17-18, 20). And they brought glory to God.

I pray that God helps us see each day - no matter how ordinary or how unusual it seems - as a time that He can move and bring light along with His love. I pray He gives us His heart, along with the words to share what He has shown us about Him, this good news for all people, that our Savior is here.

"But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord'" (Luke 2:10-11). 

the hope of Christmas

My soul, wait in silence for God only, for my hope is from Him. He only is my rock and my salvation, my stronghold; I shall not be shaken. On God my salvation and my glory rest; the rock of my strength, my refuge is in God. Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah. Psalm 62:5-8

On this cyber Monday, you may catch yourself glancing at all the sale messages in your inbox or on Facebook and for just a moment think that your hope is in finding the perfect gift at an unbelievable price and that securing it will give you and others the ultimate gift of hope for a cheery season. Be not mislead. While the ads promise all these things, in our hearts we know that the only real hope we have is in Christ.

 

Christ is the perfect gift. He is all knowing, all understanding, all sufficient, all powerful, and

full of hope!

 

The psalmist says to wait in silence for God only; and reminds us that our hope is in Him. No matter what the Christmas season brings, we are not shaken if we hope in Him. He is our rest, strength, salvation, refuge and more. As we pour out our hearts to Him, He meets us at our point of need.

 

Amy Grant's song, I need a little silent night, really speaks to me. http://www.metrolyrics.com/i-need-a-silent-night-lyrics-amy-grant.html#startvideo

Take a moment and listen. Let's live the hope we know we have. Let's share it with others so they too may have the hope of Christ this Christmas.

 

Hope in Christ is the first chapter in our new work, HeartCall New Heart: What it Means to Believe. Find it in the shop. Bless someone this Christmas with our Fresh Start Kit: this book, the Bible, the journal and our new devotional book. www.jayemartin.com/shop.

 

 

The Beauty of Need

"For he trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. For he clung to the LORD, he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses" (2 Kings 18:5-6). 

With Thanksgiving coming up, I bet you've heard lately, "What are you thankful for?" At the same time, I have been seeing a flood of ads that suggest what we may need for Christmastime.

My prayer is that as we realize our blessings and our needs, we are drawn to an even deeper relationship with God. This may seem odd in a society that often praises independence and self-reliance. Yet, I know God is stronger than anything I can do myself. So, when I read the passage above, I long to have a solid trust in God like King Hezekiah's.

Hezekiah's trust was not only remarkable in itself but also stood out among his generation. How did he trust? Hezekiah clung to the Lord. He persevered in following God and keeping His commandments.

Kelli Martin

Wherever God leads you today, cling to Him. Remember His faithfulness and saving grace. Keep learning from His Word and following the Holy Spirit's guidance. Turn to the Lord in prayer and reliance. Express to Him your thanks and your needs in full trust of His listening ear, faithfulness and plans.

There's a world full of people who may be noticing their blessings or needs this season. In prayer, let's ask for moments to share about God, the One we trust with our lives. Let's share stories of what He has done in our hearts and lives, and what He can and wants to do in anothers' heart and life.

"Trust in Him at all times, O people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah" (Psalm 62:8).