Full Measure of Joy

A couple of years ago when I thought I might become an author, I chose the name Full Measure of Joy. I liked the flow of the words. My granddaughter’s name was included in the name. They were Jesus’ words. The name became special to me.

So imagine my surprise to find that the blog name was available. I was ecstatic last February as I penned my first words on the internet using this name. Full Measure of Joy.

After much thought, discussion and prayer, I felt the next step for me would be to create a website. So imagine my surprise yet again to find that fullmeasureofjoy.com was available! I felt very confident that God was leading, guiding and was beside me during this journey.

I really tried to get the website going on my own, but my lack of knowledge about such things became evident pretty quickly. Because of my frustration, I eventually gave up on trying to make it work.

And then, one of my dear friends, Maria, joined me and believed in me to the point of taking on this project. We discussed my ideas and vision for the site and she began working.

I was amazed at how someone with the right knowledge and skill was able to do so much in such a short amount of time. I love my website…even though it isn’t finished, I love it!

Why? Because it is fulfilling all of my dreams and thoughts and vision. It will be a place where I can write and write and praise God and share His good news and let others know just what Jesus means to me.

What I’d like to share from Scripture with you today is where the name Full Measure of Joy comes from. John 17 is a chapter of Jesus’ prayers. He prays for Himself, His disciples, and for all believers.

In this chapter, Jesus prayed these words for the disciples. “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them.” (John 17:13 – NIV) There it is…full measure of [my] joy.

Jesus spoke similar words to the disciples earlier in John. In His discourse on the Vine and the Branches, Jesus gives the purpose for sharing His instruction with the disciples. “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.” (John 15:11 – NIV)

Complete joy! Isn’t that a goal for each of us? I’d say yes. As we continue to grow and remain in Jesus (the Vine), our joy grows to completion.

Reading through the book of Philippians, we find multiple references to the concept of joy. Take a look at these references. Philippians 1:4; Philippians 1:25; Philippians 2:2; Philippians 2:29; and Philippians 4:1.

Paul also shares the concept of rejoicing in Philippians. Take a look at these references. Philippians 1:18; Philippians 2:17; Philippians 2:18; Philippians 3:1; Philippians 4:4; and Philippians 4:10.

It’s no wonder the book of Philippians is also referred to as the book of Joy.

As we read through this short book, we clearly see how our joy can be made complete through Jesus. We are to pray with joy, have joy in our faith, bring joy through like-mindedness, welcome with joy, love with joy, rejoice that the Gospel is being shared, rejoice in suffering, rejoice in the Lord, and again, rejoice in the Lord. Rejoice!

When we look at joy in this way, we can see how big this small word can truly be.

So I ask you today, have you received your full measure of Jesus’ joy? If not, why not? What is lacking? What are you missing? What steps do you need to take to be filled with His joy?

If you have received this full measure, how are you sharing this joy with others? I pray that your joy will be complete by sharing Jesus with those who need to find this same joy in their lives.

“I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy…” (Philippians 1:3-4 – NIV)

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

Building a Doll House: It’s All About the Details – Chapter 8

NOTE: If you missed Chapters 1-7 of Building a Doll House, you can find it in the column under "blog archive" to the right. 

From the beginning of this dollhouse project, my husband said we needed to be very careful with each piece. During the painting process, it was important that the paint didn’t drip, because that would cause it to be out of line with the rest of the pieces. During the sanding process, we had to be sure that just the right amount was sanded or it would fit.

Then of course, the details of the entire project was overwhelming. The directions. The number of pieces. The step-by-step process to take all of these pieces and create one doll house from them all. It was pretty amazing.

Here’s the thing. If we hadn’t paid attention to the details, it would not have turned out the way it was supposed to. It would not have looked like a house. Or at least not a pleasant-looking house.

It’s the same with our spiritual lives. If we haven’t taken care of the details of our faith, it’s hard to say what the outcome might be. But if we follow God’s plan and pay attention to the details, the results will be exactly what God intended us to be.

God planned that we would be “His chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God.” (1 Peter 2:9 – NIV)

So how do we get to this point? What steps (details) do we need to take to become exactly what God intended us to be?

We must believe

There is a lot that we simply must have faith in. We must believe that God’s Word is living and active and that God breathed life into each verse. (Hebrews 4:12; 2 Timothy 3:16)

We must believe that Jesus is God’s Son, sent to be the Messiah, the Savior of mankind. (John 3:15-16; 1 John 5:1; 5:5; Romans 3:22)

We must believe that Jesus was crucified for the forgiveness of our sins and rose to life to prove victory over death. (Luke 24:46-7; 1 Thessalonians 4:14)

We must repent

Repentance means to turn completely around. To go the opposite direction of our original path. So for a believer, we must put to death the sinful nature in order for the spiritual nature to be visible. (Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38; Acts 3:19)

We must confess

You’ve heard it before, Peter’s great confession of our Lord. “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16 – NIV) Yes, we must proclaim it as well. (Matthew 16:16; 2 Timothy 2:19)

We must be baptized

Jesus teaches that baptism is part of the salvation plan and was himself baptized. Peter preached it on the day of Pentecost. Paul also was baptized and preached baptism. (Matthew 3:13; 28:19-20; Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Acts 9:18; Galatians 3:27)

We must live

Live lives that bring honor, glory and praise to God who has freely lavished grace upon us. There are plenty of passages that lead us in this direction, but I’m just listing two here. (Galatians 5:16-26; Ephesians 2:10)

We must tell

If in fact we have the greatest news mankind has ever heard, why do we keep silent? Why isn’t His message on the tip of our tongues constantly? I don’t know the answer to that question, but I know that Scriptures tell me to share the Gospel. (Matthew 28:19-20; Luke 24:47)

These are the “details” of our spiritual lives. They each fit perfectly with the next, like a plan, and exactly as God intended. By paying attention to each of these details, we ensure that our salvation will be complete.

Oh, I know that we’ll mess up along the way. I know that a detail will be missed or we’ll botch it up. But please know that God can take all those mishaps, those imperfections, and turn them into a thing of beauty. That’s an added bonus of loving God. Grace.

If you have a question about these “details,” I’d be happy to chat with you. I do know that there is nothing like being in God’s grace.

I’d also love to hear your story of grace. How your faith has been built through the years. What God’s grace means to you. Would you be willing to share?

In the end, the pieces of the dollhouse went together pretty well. There were a few pieces that didn’t quite fit, but a little sand paper and caulk covered a lot of mistakes. Please don’t look too closely at the dollhouse. You just might find those mistakes.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

I Did It!

It is November 1. That means, last night was Halloween. On my way into women’s Bible study yesterday morning, I was listening to K-Love. Perhaps you heard the announcer say these words (my paraphrase).

“Whether you are for or against Halloween, here is one thing to think about. Tonight, people will knock on your door. They will be asking you for something. Begging you for something. What is the one thing you can give them?”

I knew immediately the “one thing” I could give. God’s love.

So I stopped by my local office supply store, purchased small labels and proceeded to print 450 labels. The labels read, “God love YOU! John 3:16.” I then put one label on each piece of candy.

As each child came to my home last night, I gave them a piece of God’s love.

You know that’s one of our commands. To make disciples. In Matthew 28:18-20 (NIV), Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

“Go” is usually the word people focus on. Perhaps we are to go somewhere, but last night these children came to me. So if we focus on “make disciples” we can do that anywhere, anytime. And that is what we are called to do.

Now I’m not saying that every person who received candy at my home last night will turn their lives to Jesus, but I’ve at least planted a seed. It is at least a possibility now.

Paul shared his thoughts on this in 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 (NIV). “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.”

So you see, I’ve done my little piece, but at least I did something. To be honest, I am ashamed that I haven’t thought to do this until now…and it wasn’t even my idea!

Since my journey to SE Asia, I’ve been more conscious of my American freedoms. Sharing God’s love with others is one of those freedoms.

I’m wondering if each person who comes to my door (you know those solicitors) shouldn’t receive this same message? I’m thinking “YES!” They are coming to me. I have something to share with them.

So what are you willing to do today to “make disciples?” I know it’s a daunting task. I know you may need to step out of your comfort zone. I know you may feel uneasy. But be assured of this. If you choose to do so, Jesus will be with you. Always. He said He would be.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

And Waiting Again...

I have anticipated this day for over two weeks now. The other half of our service team to SE Asia returns home today.

I’ve missed them so much. They were inspirational. They were prayer warriors. They were cheerful. They were wonderful mentors. They led wisely. They are good friends.

Being back in America without them has been okay, but the idea of them returning, to reunite the team is more than exciting to me. It is exhilarating!

I wonder if this was how the Apostles felt after Jesus left them. Acts 1:4-5 (NIV) shares the account of Jesus’ instructions. “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: ‘Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’”

They were to wait. Wait for the rest of the team to arrive.

It isn’t fun to wait. I’ve had to wait quite a bit in my lifetime. Wait for pregnancies to come to term. Wait for news of an upcoming, possible job. Wait for the arrival of wonderful guests. Wait for surgery to be finished on a loved one.

Waiting. It isn’t an easy task.

The Apostles kept busy while they were waiting however. After Jesus left them, they returned to Jerusalem to wait as Jesus had requested. We see in the first chapter of Acts that they chose a replacement for Judas (Acts 1:12-26).

In Luke’s account of the time after Jesus’ ascension, we come to an understanding of other things the Apostles did while waiting.

“When he (Jesus) had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.” (Luke 24:50-53 – NIV)

The Apostles were continuously in the temple. They continuously praised God. Now that was something to do while waiting for the rest of the team to arrive. They were preparing themselves for what was to come.

Under these circumstances, I suspect the wait wasn’t as difficult as we might think.

So what should we do while we’re waiting?

Be productive. Don’t sit around with only the wait on your mind. Find something to do that will be of good. It will help take your mind off the wait period.

I believe we can also spend time with fellow believers. Just as the Apostles were always at the temple, we can find ways to be near others who believe as we do. This too will help us from becoming so focused on the wait that we miss the anticipation. The joy of something to look forward to.

And then the last thing we can learn from the Apostles is to praise God while we’re waiting. Of course we should praise God all the time, but in times of waiting, I believe praising God will again take our focus off of ourselves and place it directly on God. And let’s face it, there’s always something to praise God for.

I wish God had brought these concepts to my mind two weeks ago. I might have viewed this wait period much differently. Yes, I’ve done these three things, but I might have done a few things differently.

The good news is that now that I’ve learned a lesson, I can use it the next time I am required to wait. And that starts now.

I’m waiting for my fourth grandchild to be born. A little girl. Oh, how difficult it is to wait, but I know the importance of waiting for this baby to develop fully before birth.

So until that time, I will be productive. I will continually be in God’s house with His people. And I will not stop praising God. And so it begins.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna

Missed it By That Much

Have you ever missed out on something wonderful? Something that you know you would have enjoyed if you had been part of it? Something so awesome that it would have fulfilled at least one of your dreams in life?

I have.

Earlier this summer, my favorite race car driver, Michael Waltrip, came to Denver. He was raising money for the folks who lost their homes and possessions in the devastating wildfires we’ve had this year.

Mickey (as he is known by his family, friends and fans) signed autographs at the NAPA distribution center and then delivered a check to the disaster relief fund at the Colorado National Speedway. But it gets even better…he raced that night in his famous NAPA #55 Toyota.

And here’s the crazy part. This speedway is two miles from my house. I hear the cars race on Saturday evenings during the summer. That particular night they were really loud. I remember making that comment.

So how did I miss this? I don’t get a newspaper. I watch the news irregularly. I didn’t follow MWR tweets the week before. And I missed it.

I am not the only one who has missed out on something wonderful.

I’m sure there were plenty of people who missed what Jesus had to say. They sat at His feet hearing His words, but they never really sunk in. They thought His words were entertaining, but that was as far as the words went.

There is one such account we find in Scripture. You’ll know him as the Rich Young Man or the Rich Young Ruler. Three of the Gospels record his story. And the ending is the same in each (Matthew 19:16-30; Mark 10:17-31; and Luke 18:18-30).

This wealthy young man had heard Jesus’ message. Perhaps several times. It had made an impact on him and he desired to find out how to guarantee his spiritual salvation. His exact question was, “Good Teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?” (Mark 10:17 – NIV)

Jesus quoted some of the commands given by Moses in the Old Testament. The ones about murder, adultery, lying, and honoring parents. This young man was pleased to declare that he had kept them all since he was a young boy. Perhaps he thought he had this. Perhaps he thought he was going to be able to get by with these obediences of God’s commands.

But then, Jesus spoke again, with love in his heart for this young person standing before Him.

“Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” (Mark 10:21 – NIV)

Oh, how disappointed this poor lad was. Scripture says his “face fell.” He had heard Jesus’ teachings, but had missed the real message. He hadn’t realized the importance of putting God first in his life.

Upon hearing these words, he knew that he could not do as Jesus requested. Scripture says he had “great wealth.” He wasn’t willing to give it all away for eternal life. And this man walked away from Jesus.

Jesus continued with His teaching after this encounter. Teaching about the rich and heaven. And in the midst of this teaching, Jesus delivered two one-liners that we all know.

“With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.” (Mark 10:27 – NIV)

And, “But many who are first will be last, and the last first.” (Mark 10:31 – NIV)

What can we take away from this account?

I believe we can understand the importance of putting God before everything else. Anything that we love more than God will be in the way of our relationship and that relationship will be damaged.

I also believe that Jesus is telling us here that even if there is something between us and God, with God’s help, we will be able to put it behind us. With God, we are capable of placing God first in our lives.

And I believe Jesus is sharing the timely message that a servant heart is what God is looking for. The attitude of our hearts make us usable vessels. When we have a willing, servant heart, God can do mighty things through us.

And lastly, I believe we can understand the importance of getting the whole message. God’s entire message. Don’t pick and choose the parts you want to learn, know and obey. It is a whole package deal. You take it all or leave it all. There can be nothing in between.

I pray that you haven’t missed it. Missed the important message that Jesus shared with this young man. It is a life-changing message. It is a mind-altering message. It is a forever message. If you have missed it, what is holding you back from accepting God’s message? What is standing between you and eternal life? Is it worth it?

If you’ve only captured a part of God’s message, I pray that you’ll take the time to continue studying God’s Word to hear the rest of the message.

And if you haven’t missed it, praise God for His glorious gift of grace and salvation. Praise Him for what He has done in your life. Thank Him for the changes He has made. Don’t take His gift for granted. Share His message with those around you. Let them know exactly what it has meant in your life.

This missed opportunity to meet Michael Waltrip was actually the second time I’ve missed him. I just shake my head and wonder if it will ever happen. I don’t know.

What I do know, however, is that I haven’t missed God’s message. I understand it fully. I have accepted it fully. I try (very hard) to live it fully. I find complete satisfaction in knowing that my future is secure in God my Savior. I pray that you have that same satisfaction.

Grace and peace be yours in abundance,

Donna