Check out Pastor Joe’s devotion below on having and maintaining a merry heart.  Always choose joy and do not let anything or anyone steal it!!

The Impact of A Merry Heart

It’s God’s desire that today be the best day of your life and that tomorrow be even better. When a person is obedient to God’s Word, the results are like having heaven on earth. Deuteronomy 11:21, John 10:10, 3 John 2

“The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.” NAS

The only thing standing in the way of God’s plan is our desires and yielding ourselves to the ways of Satan or the world rather than to God.

Once we have repented of our sins and surrendered our life to Jesus Christ, we enter into salvation—the Born-Again experience. It is at this moment that we have the opportunity to walk in newness of life. Because of Jesus, Satan’s back is broken. Satan no longer has authority over the child of God. However, we have to learn the ways of God and put on the mind of Christ and take the authority that Jesus gave to us (Psalm 119:105, Luke 10:19) in order to possess this life. As we practice the Word – we are resisting Satan and his influence in our life will diminish, (James 4:7-8).

After salvation in Jesus Christ, if we get into the Word of God and DO IT, we begin to experience the supernatural life that God provided through His Son and His Word (who are one in the same – John 1:1).

Proverbs 4:18 states “But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day.”

Following Jesus Christ is simply a matter of knowing and practicing the Word of God, (Hebrews 5:14, 2 Peter 1:10, John 14:21).

All of God’s Word was given to help us know and walk in truth (2 Timothy 3:16-17, John 8:31-32). Knowing and doing the truth sets us free from addictions and the desires of the flesh which will eventually destroy us if we continue practicing them. However, the Word of God, when obeyed enhances our life (Proverbs 3:7-10, 4:20-22). When we disobey the Word we suffer a piece of death, (Romans 8:6)—the result of simply doing the wrong thing. If we want a life that is compared to heaven on earth, we must choose to honor/obey the Word of God.

Today, the world/science is discovering the Truth of God’s Word. However, we do not have to wait for the World to discover Truth, we can know Truth by getting into the Word of God and letting God reveal it to us, (John 8:31-32).

The World has found that a positive happy attitude has an effect on the brain chemistry; i.e. Neurotransmitters. God knew this long before man and science. That’s why He said…

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones. Proverbs 17:22

In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.1 Thessalonians 5:18

Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. Philippians 4:4

God, in over 100 different places in His Word, tells us to maintain a happy disposition. Because the thoughts of our hearts will define our future.

A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for out of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. Luke 6:45

Scientific research shows that all our thoughts create chemicals in our body, called neuropeptides. Happy thoughts produce chemicals that actually strengthen the body, and negative thoughts produce chemicals that weaken the body.

God, who created the body, already gave us a heads up and explicit instructions in His owner’s manual, the Bible, concerning the attitude from which we should approach life. Thankful, cheerful, joyous, courageous, positive and loving thoughts cause our bone marrow to produce red and white blood cells prolifically. The red blood cells bring oxygen and life and the white blood cells destroy infectious disease. Thousands of years before man conceived this wisdom, God declared that a merry heart doeth good like a medicine. Man can only dream of duplicating what God created.

What are you going to do with God’s Word and your attitude?  Choose today to follow the ways of God in His Word and cast all your cares on Him, for He cares for you, 1 Peter 5:7. You will then be able to have a joyous heart/life and live in better health.