Joy to the World

Words by Isaac Watts

Joy to the world, the Lord is come
Let earth receive her king
Let every heart prepare him room
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and nature sing
And heaven and heaven and nature sing

Joy to the world the savior reigns
Let men their songs employ
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains

Repeat the sounding joy (repeat the sounding joy)
Repeat the sounding joy (repeat the sounding joy)
Repeat, repeat the sounding joy

He rules the world with truth and grace
And makes the nations prove
The glories of his righteousness
And wonders of his love (wonders of his love)
And wonders of his love (wonders of his love)

And wonders, wonders of his love
And wonders, wonders of his love
And wonders, wonders of his love

Joy to the world
The wonders of your love
The wonders of your love!

Joy to the World is Isaac Watts interpretation of Psalm 98 and celebrates Christ’s second coming as well as His birth.

The Messiah’s Coming and Kingdom
4 Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
burst into jubilant song with music;
5 make music to the Lord with the harp,
with the harp and the sound of singing,
6 with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
shout for joy before the Lord, the King.

7 Let the sea resound, and everything in it,
the world, and all who live in it.
8 Let the rivers clap their hands,
let the mountains sing together for joy;
9 let them sing before the Lord,
for he comes to judge the earth.
He will judge the world in righteousness
and the peoples with equity.
Psalm 98: 4-9

Joy to the World sung by Celtic Women

Peace and Joy! 🌺

Lead me: Psalm 143:10

You are my God. Show me what you want me to do, and let your gentle Spirit lead me in the right path.
Psalm 143:10 CEV

You are my God, you hear me, You comfort me, You lead me in the right path. When we feel confused, overwhelmed, or lost, God is waiting to help us and direct us. God is for us He is good, He loves us, and His gentle Spirit will teach us and guide us through trying times. Let our hearts and minds be open to God’s direction. Lord lead me, show me what you want me to do.

Where do you need to pause and ask God’s for direction, to let His gentle Spirit lead you?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, you are our God, our strength, and protector. We thank you for your love, forgiveness, and guidance. Teach us to let your gentle Spirit lead us on the right path. Like the flowering almond lifts it delicate flowers toward the Sun, let us lift our faces toward Jesus Your Son and our Light. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Sincere Love: Romans:12:9-10

^9-10Love from the center of who you are; don’t fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.
Romans 12:9-10 The Message (MSG)

In this verse, the apostle Paul speaks of sincere love, a true love coming from the center of the heart. A love for others that includes compassion, actions of kindness, and charity. Not a self-serving love, but a humble, playing second fiddle love, a love which embraces everyone, especially those in need. We are reminded to run for dear life from evil including, unkindness, malice, and prejudice, and to hold on tightly to all that is pleasing to God.

What is holding you back from a sincere, open-hearted love toward others?

Prayer: Dear Lord, we thank You for Your forgiveness of our sins and Your open-hearted love for us. Teach us to love You with our full hearts and to have sincere love for others. As the individual flowers of the rhododendron radiate from the center cluster, let us radiate love to those around us. Help us to embrace compassion and carry out acts of kindness. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Transformed: Romans 12:1-2

Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. ²Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Romans 12:1-2 (NIV)

God is merciful and full of grace to us His people. In return, His wish is for us to renew our minds to be transformed, open to His guidance and Word. To open be open-hearted to turn to God for direction, to conform to do His will, what is good, acceptable, and perfect, learning to be more Christ-like. To focus on being good Christians pleasing in our actions and deeds.

During troubling times do you dwell on worldly problems, or is your mind transformed and focused on God?

Prayer: Our Father, we thank You for Your mercy and love. Help us to be transformed by Your love and guidance. Teach us to focus on being pleasing to You by following Your commandments, doing Your will. Like the bright yellow flowers of the Jerusalem artichoke blossoms reach united toward the sky, let us reach united toward Your kingdom. In Jesus’ Holy name. Amen

God Is With Us: Zephaniah 3:17

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.
Zephaniah 3:17 English Standard Version (ESV)

God is with us, and He loves us with an everlasting love. He rejoices over His people with gladness. The Lord’s love encompasses us which brings tranquility and quiet peace. God takes delight in His people. God’s love is unconditional He freely gives it to those who humble themselves and seek Him. Put your faith in Immanuel, God with us, Almighty and powerful, who can save us and rejoices over us when we do good and seek Him first above all things.

God is with us and takes delight in us when we seek Him. What is hindering you from feeling God’s love?

Prayer: Lord, help us to seek You and follow your Word. In times of trouble teach us to realize that You are with us and love us with an everlasting love. Like the bright yellow pansies seem to smile with joy, let us realize that You are for us, and rejoice over us with joy. Lord, teach us to put our faith in You and find peace. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Thanks to the Lord: Psalm 136:1

Snapdragon flowers

¹Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.
²Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.
³Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.
Psalm 136:1-3 (NIV)

When worried and during times of stress, do we dwell on only our difficulties, or do we take time to count our blessings? It is easy to dwell on all that we are concerned about, but it is important to remember to thank the Lord for his unconditional love and His continuing blessings. To take time in prayer to give thanks to the Lord for He is God of gods, Lord of Lords, He is good, and His love endures forever.

The Lord is always open to our prayers, He is our rock and our salvation. His love endures forever. Do you take time in prayer to give thanks to the Lord?

Prayer: Our heavenly Father, we praise You and give thanks to You. Lord, You are our rock, our shelter, and our hope. We thank you, Lord, for the beauty that surrounds us, the hope we find in You, and the forgiveness that You grant us. As the bright and colorful snapdragon blossoms continue up the stem, help us to appreciate Your continuing grace and love for us. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Meditation of My Heart: Psalm 19:14

¹⁴Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
Psalm 19:14 King James Version (KJV)

Lord, my strength and redeemer, let my words and actions praise you. Through Your grace, teach me to guide my lips, so I utter no evil. Let my actions be blameless, and my words pleasing to You. Help me to embrace Your Word and rest in Your strength. Lord, guide me, so the meditations of my heart, my thoughts are righteous and pure in Your sight. Lord, you are my rock, my redeemer. You deliver me from evil.

When you are unsure, confused, and afraid, what does your heart meditate on?

Prayer: Our Heavenly Father, let our words and actions praise and glorify You. Lead us on Your path of righteousness. Lord, like the petals of the phlox radiate from the center of the flower, let us radiate Your love in our words and in the meditation of our hearts. Guide us to be righteous and glorify Your name. Lord, you are our strength and our redeemer. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

God is For Us: Romans 8:31

Spring Magnolia

So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn’t hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn’t gladly and freely do for us?
Romans 8:31… The Message (MSG)

Where do you put your trust during times of crisis and moments of despair? The answer to that question and every other anxious question is God Our Father. When we reach out to Him and open our hearts to Him we realize if God is for us who can be against us and how can we lose? When the people had rejected God, He sent us His own Son, Jesus, to bring salvation. He demonstrated His unconditional love for us. Who do you turn too, who is on Your side? Our Almighty God.

The Lord is for us He is waiting to hear us call His name. Do you reach out to God when you are lost, confused, worried, or afraid?

Prayer: Our Father, we thank you for being on our side. We worship Your Holy Name and praise You. We realize with God for us, who can be against us. As the open blossoms of the Magnolia brighten our Spring day, reaching toward the sun, let us, in turn, open our hearts and reach out to You basking in the light of Your Son Jesus. Amen

Confident Hope of Salvation: Romans 5:3-5

3 We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance.4 And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation.5 And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.
Roman 5:3-5 NLT

Our earthly problems and trials, help us to develop perseverance and endurance. Endurance strengthens our character, bringing God’s approval, and creating hope, a confident hope of salvation. This hope does not disappoint us, for God has poured out his endless love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, His gift to us. For Christians, the hope of salvation keeps us rejoicing while going through problems and trials. The Lord is calling us closer to Him, to trust in Him more deeply.

When times are difficult are you able to rejoice, confident in the hope of salvation?

Prayer: Dear Lord, in difficult times, let us turn to you, You are our confident hope of salvation. Like the crocus has two sets of 3 petals that surround the center, we have the Holy Trinity that surrounds us with hope and love. We thank you and rejoice that the Holy Spirit fills our hearts with Your love. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen

Safe: Proverbs 18:10

¹⁰The name of the Lord is a strong tower;
The righteous runs to it and is safe and set on high [far above evil].
Proverbs 18:10 (AMP)

A mighty fortress is our God, a strong tower, our salvation, and hope for days to come. We can find strength in God’s word amid the struggles of life. Being righteous is acting in a way that glorifies the name of Jesus, and fulfills the Word of God. His love keeps us safe and secure. When in trouble, we should run to God in prayer.

Is God your safe tower, do you run to Him, when you feel insecure, lost or afraid?

Prayer: Lord, you are our strength, our fortified tower. Like the open blossoms of the water lily, reach toward the sun, help us to open our hearts and reach toward Jesus, Your Son. We thank You for Your open, loving arms, keeping us safe during life’s storms. In Jesus’ holy name. Amen