Joy of the Lord...

Ever have a day in which you are just glad that the Joy you have comes from the Lord and not from your surroundings. Yesterday, I found that a man I look up to in the ministry resigned his church due to moral reasons. Also found out that my parents surprised me by showing up a little earlier here in South Carolina. Both are big news to me. One had the potential to shatter a church, the other is a great surprise! Just two examples of information or outside circumstances that could have an affect on our mood. Our joy isn't dependent on ouside circumstances or information. Psalms is full of verses about joy, but just two are Psalm 28:7 "The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song." and Psalm 30:11 "You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy," Notice that in the midst of wailing and wearing sackcloth, there was the Joy of the LORD! The LORD is our strength, not the things happening around us. HE gives us joy! Have a day full of JOY, no matter what the circumstances.