REPOST: Repeat the SOUNDING JOY!!

I wanted to share this repost (with a few minor additions) from December 2015.  There are many times when I feel the LORD causes us to reflect on what He has said in order to gain new revelation of what He IS SAYING. There are many reasons why this repost is ministering to me at this season, it isn't simply because of the Christmas season because JOY is spiritual. It is part of the KINGDOM of God. Jesus said the Kingdom of God is within you and it is righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. When Jesus came to earth, He brought with Him the Kingdom...the government was upon His shoulders. Remember that JOY is spiritual, it isn't emotional...it is part of the Kingdom of God and it is our portion and inheritance in HIM. 

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Many years ago, when I was a history teacher at a Christian school, I did an activity with my class that required each of us to come up with a name for ourselves.  This name had to reflect a godly characteristic of our personality or one we desired.  If my memory serves me correctly, the purpose of the activity was to emphasize the importance of the spoken word and our names.  I chose "Mrs. Maintaining-A-Spirit-of-Joy-Wagner".  Whenever we addressed one another in class, we had to use our chosen name. It was an interesting activity!  The class and I had fun with it. At the time, I thought that was the name that most reflected my heart's desire.  Fast forward about 18 years. (Now about 20).  Even today, I want to maintain a spirit of joy. I believe joy is so important to our spiritual life. 

Yesterday, I was listening to a new DVD of Christmas music I had just received from a ministry, simply having what I call my praise and worship break.  Then the song Joy to the World came on and it was like I was hearing it in a different way. The words of the song made my eyes well up with tears and my heart overflowed with worship. Here are the lyrics...yes...I know we know them but just read them slowly....ponder them.

JOY to the WORLD
the LORD has 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, repeat the sounding JOY.

NO more let SINS and SORROWS grow
nor THORNS infest the ground
He COMES to make HIS BLESSINGS FLOW
Far AS THE CURSE IS FOUND, far as the curse is found, far as, far as the curse is found.

He rules the world with TRUTH and GRACE
and makes the NATIONS prove  
the GLORIES OF HIS RIGTHEOUSNESS
and WONDERS of HIS LOVE, and wonders of His love, and wonders, and wonders of His love. 

Selah. 

Luke 2:8-14

Now there were in the same country shepherds living out in the fields, keeping watch over their flocks by night.  And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the GLORY of the Lord shone around them, and they were greatly afraid. Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of GREAT JOY which will be to ALL PEOPLE.  For there is born to you this day in the city of David, a Savior who is Christ the Lord. And this will be the sign to you: You will find a Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

And suddenly there was with the angel a MULTITUDE of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"

As I was worshipping, I just keep hearing in my spirit, repeat the sounding joy, repeat the sounding joy.   It was as if I saw a picture of heaven and earth singing, praising God for the joy that had come into the earth through Christ His Son.  Real Joy. Eternal JOY.  The joy that can only come from the Source of Life.  Just think about the fact that ALL of heaven repeats the sounding joy.  All of nature, repeats the sounding joy.. the fields, the floods, the rocks, the hills, the plains...repeat the sounding joy.  This is the joy that Jesus gives us as gifts, His Joy, not just Christmas joy but eternal joy that the world can't take away. Finally, this joy has an expression. It has a sound. It is a joyful praise. It is a joy that can't be silenced. It is joy worth repeating.  Joy worth sharing. JOY JOY JOY.

JOY to the WORLD! Great joy to all people.

May the Presence of the King and His JOY touch your heart and the hearts of those you love  every day...and may we all repeat the sounding joy! 

#choosejoy

© Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles, 2013-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

Tis the Season for a Tell

The holiday season is entirely upon us. The first snow has come and gone with its wintery winds. It is a time of giving and receiving, not only of material gifts but spiritual ones as well. A few years ago, I shared about the gifts that Jesus has given to us: His love, peace, and joy.  What beautiful gifts to receive! This season the Father has been speaking to me about something I refer to as His “tell.”  You may be thinking, what are you talking about? First, since the word tell is a homonym, let me give you the definition to which I am referring. The tell I am referencing is the “tell” of a poker game.  (I know this might sound strange, but this is what the Father and I were talking about.) “A tell in poker is a change in a player’s behavior or demeanor that is claimed by some to clues to that player’s assessment of their hand.” (Wikipedia.com).  I am not a poker player, so in layman’s terms, it is when a player has a behavior that gives a clue as to what is in their hand.

Last week during my bible study devotions, I noticed what I am calling a “tell” from the Father. Without going into detail, it was something that let me know what the Father was doing. It could be called a confirmation, which is Christian lingo, for something that confirms God’s will. But as I pondered it and listened to the Father, I sensed He was saying,” I send out ‘tells’ all the time. Are you paying attention?” I had to ponder it. I have been pondering it.

Some of you might be thinking, it also sounds like discernment. For example, it is when someone is trying to “figure out” what is happening in a situation or the spirit behind an action. I agree that it sounds like discernment too, but I would argue that discernment can be about you or others.  As I pondered this idea of the Father sending “tells”, I thought, this is personal communication. It is something the individual will pick up that is a specifically “designed” to get their attention. Discernment is not always that way.

God is personal. Despite what you may have heard or learned elsewhere, He is very personal. He prefers one on one, close intimate communication but all too often we are going about our daily business, so He uses other means of communication to get our attention. Sometimes we call it coincidence, serendipity or synchronicity.  Sometimes it is something that just makes us go hhhhmmmm. Regardless of how we name it, I am suggesting that these are incidents or events in which God is garnering our attention-it’s a tell. He is allowing something that will get our attention so that we can look to Him and see His plan.

For me, a week ago, it was the reoccurrence of a word. It was not a heavily used word, but rather a rarely used Hebrew word.  I happened to come across it several times in one week. That is when I realized it was a tell, for me specifically. Another person probably would not react the same to hearing or noticing the word. This is why I argue that the “tells” are specific to the person. It was not a confirmation because it was not confirming anything. It got my attention and caused me to ponder the message that Father was communicating to me. It caused me to seek Him deeper and listen to what He is saying.

Now here is the million-dollar question, have you noticed any “tells” from the Father? Tis the season for a tell. How might the Father be speaking to you through unusual occurrences or circumstances? This is not superstition or anything of that nature. These are real incidents that bear witness with your spirit that whatever the “tell” may be, one thing that it is not, is random or coincidental. It is to get your attention. It is a means of the Father to get you to see what He is doing or going to do.

I started this blog out defining the word “tell. " This is not a play on words, but it is interesting to note that even the most general definition of the word encourages us to pay attention and listen up. We are living in miraculous times; honestly, anything could happen at any time. Let’s put our faith out there for the manifestation of the Kingdom of God in our midst. Be on the look-out for the “tell’ that the Father is sending to you: tis the season for a “tell”.

© Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles 2013-2018. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without the express and written permission of this blog's author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.  Excerpts may be used provided full and clear credit is given to Ronda Wagner and Kelbey Chronicles with appropriate and specific direction to the original content