Faithlife Women Conference. Angela Thomas

These are Angela Thomas’ speaking notes from the Faithlife Women Conference, presented unaltered and in their entirety.

 

The followers of Jesus have been given lavish gifts from God. Most of us open the ones we need most and too many of us leave the gift of joy unwrapped or still in the box.

The gift of God is life eternal. (Romans 6:23)

God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable. (Romans 11:29)

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding. (Ephesians 1:8)

What has happened to all your joy? (Galatians 4:15)

I was asked to write the devotional called Choosing Joy.
I found that I knew very little about God’s instructions regarding joy.
Turns out God, in the Bible, God is serious about His followers living in joy.

JOY defined – the inner attitude of rejoicing in one’s salvation regardless of outward circumstances. One of the fruits of a right relationship with God.

Why should we unwrap the gift of joy?

Take it out of the box. Put that baby on. Show it off!

1. The Bible clearly commands

Rejoice in the Lord – Phil 3:1 – is a command

Be joyful always. (1 Thessalonians 5:16)

The Bible uses the word joy (Greek and Hebrew) to communicate a positive human condition that can be either a feeling or an action. In this passage the Greek uses the word “joy” in the action sense. Choosing the action of joy.

God did not stutter – always means always.

2. Our joy is for God’s glory

How will we choose joy for the glory of God:

O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my body longs for you, in a dry and weary land where there is no water.” (Psalm 63:1)

The goal is to become a living expression of joy.

3. Choosing joy (surrender to the work of the Holy Spirit) transforms your life and therefore all those you influence, love, parent, etc.

4. Joy is evangelistic. Missional. Mountain moving.

Some protest that the pursuit of joy seems self-centered:

It’s NOT!! Pursuing joy and glorifying God are not in conflict. To pursue joy with your whole life is to honor the One who has given you life.

Pursuing joy in God is very different from just enjoying His gifts. Most of us know how to enjoy His gifts, but the pursuit of joy actually transforms us.

His word and our pursuit,
His power and our surrender,
The creator of joy can put His joy inside of us,
HE can create what we cannot manufacture.
The more we approach God for this transformation, the more of God we will encounter.

God desires that we find our joy, happiness, peace and purpose in Him. When we have done so – HE is glorified!

John Piper – we must fight for joy. We must fight for the relationship that God has called us to. Fight to become the woman filled with joy.

Fight our natures.
Fight sin and countless distractions.
Even fight against the ones who discourage you, so the pursuit of joy becomes your priority.

What the Bible has to say about joy:

1. Joy comes from God

Joy was created in the character of God.
Joy was born in the person of Jesus Christ.
Gospel means “message bringing joy.”

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid.’ I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David, a Savior has been born to you, he is Christ the Lord. (Luke 2:10-11)

Gospel has been communicated as a message of condemnation or separation, but the NT intent is that the life and message of Jesus be communicated as a message of joy!

The power to choose joy comes from the Holy Spirit.

2. The bible says that joy is a gift to those who belong to Jesus.

Joy is given by God to His followers.
Don’t Postpone your Joy.
Don’t keep waiting to open the gift.

May the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful. (Psalm 68:3)

3. The bible shows that joy increases because of our increasing relationship with God.

In our obedience to God, his word, the prompting of the Holy Spirit – there is greater joy.

4. The bible teaches that joy is an action choice (obedience) we make because we follow Jesus Christ. The action can result in the feeling – but they don’t always follow each other.

The bible says this kind of obedience produces joy:

Following God’s Word – Psalm 119:14, Psalm 19:8
Trusting God – Romans 15:13
Being in God’s presence – Psalm 16:9-11
Understanding God’s Word – Jeremiah 15:16, John 17:13
For peacemakers – Proverbs 12:20, Matthew 5:9
Surrender – Psalm 37:4-5
Hope in God – Romans 12:12
Becoming Wise – Proverbs 15:23
Worship – Psalm 100:2, Psalm 149:1-5
Serving others – Philippians 2:1-5
Abiding in Christ – John 15:9-11
Being generous – 2 Corinthians 8:2
Faithful work – Matthew 25:21
Thankfulness for our blessings – Psalm 126:1-6

Joy that comes from obedience has benefits:

Freedom from things – Ecclesiastes 2:10-11
Freedom from despair – Isaiah 61:1-2
Comfort – Psalm 63:6-8, Psalm 94:18-19
Forgiveness/Restoration – Psalm 51:12
Peace in our loss – Habakkuk 3:17-18
Peace in our waiting – 2 Chronicles 20:21, 27
Peace through trials – Isaiah 12:2-4
Peace when you are ridiculed – Acts 5:41-42, Romans 12:14
Peace in our trials – James 1:2-4
Freedom from bitterness – Lamentations 3:19-23
Strength when you are weak – Nehemiah 8:10
Joy even in our sorrow – 2 Corinthians 6:10

The benefits transform me. JOY is a characteristic of spiritual maturity AND surrender

5. The bible says we have the promise of future joy.

We only know joy in part but one day . . . in full. In your everyday life – FIGHT FOR JOY.
First, fight for the transformation in your very own heart and attitude. You cannot impart what you do not possess. You cannot give the gift you left unopened.

In our homes. Marriage. Church. School. Every sphere of influence.

Mamas – you have the opportunity to give your children something you may have never known.
Single moms – you have the great privilege of setting the tone for your home.

Be the sunshine . . .

You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

The righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of the Father. (Matthew 13:43)

Women's Who Made an Impact in the Bible - Here I am Lord, Mold Me!

• Introduction to For Such a Time as This
• 1. Deborah and Jael
• 2. Ruth
• 3. Hannah
• 4. Abigail
• 5. The Widow of Zarephath
• 6. Esther, Part I
• 7. Esther, Part II
• 8. Esther, Part III
• 9. Mary, the Mother of Jesus
• 10. Mary of Bethany

7 Practices of the Effective Woman: 

1.    She rises early
2.    She maintains the spiritual disciplines
3.    She focuses on relational priorities for every season
4.    She sets up regular times for planning
5.    She develops an effective to-do list system and calendar/planner system
6.    She establishes an efficient routine for managing her home
7.    She organizes her house systematically

JOY, The Noun

Good morning Lord,

Today, well, yesterday .... at 2am and its dark ...

I made the self-reflection that I do not know joy.

I know hope, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

I know contentment, peace, safe, grateful, and many more.

Just not joy.
noun

1.

a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. 

delight, great pleasure, joyfulness, jubilation, triumph, exultation, rejoicing, happiness, gladness, glee, exhilaration, exuberance, elation, euphoria, bliss, ecstasy, rapture. A noun is a part of speech that denotes a person, animal, place, thing, or idea. It a state of being, not an action.

2 Corinthians 4:7-10 describes God's followers as broken clay jars who have God's radiant, joy-filled light shining through them.

7 But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. 8 We are hard pressed on every side,but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; 9 persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 10 We always carry around in our body the death of Jesus, so that the life of Jesus may also be revealed in our body.

The dictionary and the Bible have very different definitions of joy ... Lord, I definitely understand and relate to the biblical reference to joy. Looking at both, I have never had that dictionary feeling of joy - jubilation, glee, exhilaration, bliss, rapture.

Have I felt exultation ... for sure. When Your presence is engulfs me. 

Doesn’t everyone want to be happy? God never promises happiness? Can’t I be happy without joy? It’s easy to be happy when I have freedom from suffering, financially secure, and all my relationships are good, but then you have trouble with one or more of these, what happens to the “happiness?” 

 I believe when you have joy, you are also happy. 

You said “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full” (John 15:11). 

You do promise joy. When? When I see You again! 

You will have “sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you” (John 16:22). 

If I don't have joy now .... perhaps, I will have joy later :)

Jesus also says “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid” (John 14:27) so “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me” (John 14:1).

I can live with this!

Thank you Teresa for provoking thoughtfulness within me to seek out the meaning and purpose of joy.

Thank you Lord!

Today's Sermon, " Jesus Cares, & Will - Do Whatever He Tells You!

Good evening Jesus,

Thank you Lord for using Pastor Picket's sermon today providing confirmation for all I was feeling and wrote before going to church this morning.

John 2:1-11 This is way Jesus, where your first miracle is chronicled.

John 2:11, HCSB: "Jesus performed this first sign in Cana of Galilee. He displayed His glory, and His disciples believed in Him. "

You were invited to a wedding where both you and your mom were present. Who would have ever thought that you would be at a party --- the Son of God! The first miracle recorded was at a wedding, an event, that everyday people attend, an ordinary event of daily life.

Then the worse thing that could have happened happened ---- they ran out of wine!

So, what did mom do ... will the story reads that she told You! Then gave her the return ... what do I have to do with this????

Did mom give you the eye and say, Help, you know how embarrassing it will be for them to run out of wine? They will be the ridicule of the village. A blame the irresponsibility of the family responsible.

King James Bible
1Corinthisans 6:20, 'For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.'


King James Bible
New American Standard Bible 
Go to the source - Jesus, your mom knows better than any of us,  that YOU HAVE THE POWER! Just like that couple, we all, I have troubles, pain. But you know that because when you agreed to come down and be flesh ... like me, you went through life troubles, temptations, pain. But unlike me, you remained sinless. We'll have to talk about this when we sit down!
Jesus you will provide in all my life events down to the smallest detail, heartache, celebration!
New American Standard Bible 

Matthew 7:7-8, 'Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you'

Jeremiah 33:3, 'Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'



Jeremiah 3:33, 'Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know.'

Jesus the passage goes on to say, your mom --- Mary, commanded the servants to do whatever you tell them." Bossed up!

They did just what you said ... how you said it. Fill the jugs up with water .... give some to the master of the house. As he drank ... he was drinking wine! And it was good, better than what they had offered!

Not only did you turn water into wine and save the day for couple ... You gave them better than what they offered on their own. You took a process that normally takes months, maybe years and made it happen in a matter of minutes ... as long as it took the servants to fill the water jugs with water and serve the master of the house.

New American Standard Bible 
Philippians 4:19, 'And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.'

Jesus, I want you to know that I will do whatever you tell me to do!

New American Standard Bible 
"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

Jesus, I am not afraid of You but I do fear being out of Your presence, Your will. I guess, Yes, I do fear your wrath for being disobedient. The fear a child has for their parent. Knowing loves exists at all time.

Thank you for the confirmation that I must bring everything to you but I already knew this.

Thank you!

Love, Yo

Good evening God, Good evening Jesus,

I thought about this while sitting in church .... I normally open my letters to God but I got to thinking about the scripture, John 14:6

New International Version
Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

New Living Translation
Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me.

So from now on God, my Father, to stay in order .... I will be asking or addressing my vents to my Savior Jesus Christ .... cuz I want them to reach you!

Love you both,

Yo

LifeStorage

Good morning God,

I've wanted to package The Cross and preparing to ship it home. I was also prepared to do it myself. So, why did I ask him to help me????????????????????????????????????????????

Last Monday, Memorial Day. We go to the locker. We got The Cross boxed.

Now, I'm re-organizing the locker. Kitchen stuff, lunch box containers - stuff that was at the rental property. Everything in this locker was left in the middle of the living room, boxed for preparing to move at the lease end.

The acquisition of the locker is the direct result of my coming home to an empty home - my husband moved with no notice. I slept and woke up with the MF - God, it still angers me.

So, why did I invite him?

I opened a box - mini crockpots.

"No, leave it here. There's no room for it. You're junking up the place. You already have a crockpot. That's enough.

You are taking up two rooms.  You're sleeping upstairs.

You've taken over Miles' room. There's no guest room if someone wants to visit me because you're sleeping upstairs."

This grown man who never lived with you the child's entire life. You've never made a space for him before. Left Grambling and went back to live in Florida. A room with a futon, lamp, and chair. He didn't come to visit when he was two hours away. A pass through on spring and winters break .... wash clothes, gas money ... up at 5am ... no breakfast .... gone! And he needs a room. The last time he stayed. He slept in your bed and you slept on the couch. Whatever!

The arguing escalated quickly. What the heck! I need permission to bring home the mini crockpots. No, I need permission about everything. To switch lamps between the two upper stairs bedrooms. To hang clocks where there are no time devices. To bring in a pilates machine. Because he can - he can control what comes in his house.

From the time I moved in and up till this moment, all I ever had in this dwelling is my clothes. I've never been allowed to empty the locker and bring my personal belongs home.

"Get out! I don't need your assistance. Don't touch my things. I am escalating ... Just leave me here. You have your car and I have mines. I'll finish the rest by myself."

Does he leave no. He refuses. He doesn't have to leave. He's not going to leave. He steps over to help leverage The Cross. "Leave it alone" "Get out" "You're not needed ... I don't need you."

Then, he steps to me and raises his fist as if to punch me in the face. So familiar to me ... Then, he fixes his mouth to spat in face. Also, familiar.

When I arrive home, I was greeted with the familiar spouting of vulgarities: "leach, bitch, whore, you sell pussy don't you - isn't that what a whore it. You don't pay any rent. (What wife pays rent????) You're just a leach. From day one, I never wanted you here. I bought this house with me in mind .. you were never a consideration. You were never suppose to be here." (Then why am I here? Why didn't you agree with separation papers???)

Yesterday, coming back from the locker. Switching summer and winter clothes. He wants to talk. About what?? The crockpots. Hell no, God.

Way pass the crockpots. Your fist in the air to punch me in the face. Your mouth pouted to spat in my face. The spewing of vulgarities ... all repetitive.

When will it stop? NEVER!

God, I am still asking you to fix this marriage. Or open a door for me to leave with support and better than when I came in. Retored, please.

God, your my Father. I love you always and thank you for all that you do for me.

Yo