Daily Thought for Monday, December 12th

December 12, 2011 

Tis The Season of Glad Tidings and Good Cheer

Today’s Thought:

“Wondrous is the strength of cheerfulness, and its power of endurance – the cheerful man will do more in the same time, will do it better, will preserve it longer, than the sad or sullen.” – Thomas Carlyle

Today’s Quote:

“The highest wisdom and the highest genius have been invariably accompanied with cheerfulness.” – Thomas Love Peacock

Today’s Question:

Have you ever found that: “The best way to cheer yourself up is to try to cheer somebody else up?” – Mark Twain

Today’s Bible Verses:                Acts 27:22,  Proverbs 15:13-17  &  John 16:33

And now I exhort you to be of good cheer:…

A merry heart maketh a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. The heart of him that hath understanding seeketh knowledge: but the mouth of fools feedeth on foolishness. All the days of the afflicted are evil: but he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. Better is little with the fear of the Lord than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of herbs where love is, than a stalled ox and hatred therewith.

These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

Today’s Spiritual Thought:

“The true source of cheerfulness is benevolence.” – P. Godwin

There is a children’s song whose lyrics instructs us as follows: “If you’re happy and you know it say amen.  If you’re happy and ya know it, then your face will surely show it; if you’re happy and you know it, say amen.”  Since amen means ‘so be it’ are you saying amen?

When you think about what God gave you when He sent His son, Jesus to be born of a virgin that first Christmas, many, many years ago: and when you think of the sinless life that Jesus lived; and when you think of His death and resurrection: and when you think that He is seated at the right hand of the Father, interceding for you: and when you think about His promise that He is preparing a place for us that where He is we can be also: and when you think about the fact that He is coming soon to take us all to Heaven:  How can you resist being cheerful and happy?

And if that doesn’t make you happy enough and provide you with an ample amount of cheer – go out and touch someone else’s life with God’s love:  see the joy in their countenance as you are blessing them and your cheerfulness meter will go over the top.

The best way to walk in the fullness of the joy of the Lord is to reach out to others and love them with the love with which God loves you.

Even though we acknowledge the Christmas Season as the time of good cheer for the year – we Christians need to spread cheer all year and let the world know that there is hope, there is life and that it is all because of Jesus.

Today’s Prayer:

Father, let the cheerfulness of this season and the joy it brings be more real to me and may I be more committed to sharing it with the world every day, all year long.

“The sign of wisdom is a continual cheerfulness.”

- A French Proverb