Choose 'JOY'!

"Jabez was more honorable than his brothers.  His mother had named him Jabez, saying, "I gave birth to him in pain."  Jabez cried out to the GOD of Israel, "Oh, that YOU would bless me and enlarge my territory!  Let YOUR hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain."  And GOD granted his request.
1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Today, being Monday, the first busy day of your week, we pray that you get your 'JOY' ON and praise the LORD with us, the whole week long!

What a hard road for Jabez to walk in his young life!  His own momma cruelly named him pain! When Jabez walked down the road people would stop what they were doing, look at him and point at him and say; "Look everyone!  Here comes Pain now!"  Jabez, named Pain, born a pain, lived as a pain.  The meaning of a name is important as the name of a person measures them. The definition of a name is an expression of their character. 

What about you?  Are you known as "Pain" to your family and friends?  Do people look into your life and see you as "Pain"?  Do you look into your own life  and see yourself only as "Pain"? Does it really matter how your pain came about, who brought you the pain, why you may be hanging onto the pain for whatever reasons?

The real question is; "How long will you let pain rule over you, keep control over your life? Will you keep yourself down under your pain forever?  Or, will you cry out to the LORD and receive HIS Mighty Baptism in 'JOY' for you? Now is the time, today is the day, to be baptized into HIS 'JOY'.

The LORD'S Yoke is easy, HIS Burden is light, you must choose HIS Way, HIS Methods, for HIS plan is to take away your pain.  CREATOR'S Mighty Baptism in 'JOY' is prepared for you to receive from HIM this moment!

What will people say when the see you, "Look everyone! Here comes "Pain" now!"  -or- " Look everyone!  Here comes " 'JOY' " now!"  What will your name be for the rest of your life?  Will it be "Pain", because you choose to remain as "Pain"?  Will your name be 'JOY' because you choose to cry out the the LORD and have HIM take away your pain with HIS Mighty Baptism of 'JOY'?  Today and everyday, live your life in the 'JOY' of the LORD!