One of the greatest turning points in my life and faith was when I realized I don’t have to live a life of reactions: meaning when I speak and my words are favorably received, I’m happy; but when not, my smile quickly disappears.

No longer need I let people and circumstances dictate the inner joy of my heart, leaving me wounded by someone’s words or actions, or down because it’s raining again.

I can cultivate a cheerful heart.

Now maybe you’re thinking, “Life is hard right now. How can I possibly have a cheerful heart in these circumstances?”

Jesus tells us in this present life we will have trouble:

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.  (John 16:33)

But because He has overcome the world, we can be of good cheer. Even in the midst of great difficulty or sorrow, beneath the pain there is peace, because the Lord is present. I can experience deep-seated joy, because Jesus is my strength, and in Him, there is always hope.

In Him, my heart can be cheerful.

Other scriptures talk about the benefits of a cheerful or merry heart:

A merry heart makes a cheerful countenance, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken.  (Proverbs 15:13)

But he who is of a merry heart has a continual feast.  (Proverbs 15:15)

A merry heart does good, like medicine, but a broken spirit dries the bones.  (Proverbs 17:22)

Singing, praising God, and giving thanks lend themselves to a cheerful heart.

Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.  (Ephesians 5:19-20)

When your heart needs hope, and needs to find its happy place—its merry place—try this:

          Sing when you feel terrible. 

          Praise God in the midst of your difficulties. 

          Give thanks when you don’t feel like it.

Soon you’ll be smiling, encouraged by His ever-abiding presence and the peace and hope only He can give.

You will find yourself with a cheerful heart!
Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

The post How to Have a Cheerful Heart appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

A few days ago I lost my favorite watch. After stumbling through the day feeling like part of my arm was missing, that evening I found my watch.

What joy!

A few days later, however, remembering the lost watch incident, my joy was not as intense. After a week, the joy had completely faded away. Yet at that moment the watch was not lost again!

So what happened here?

Simply that what was now lost wasn’t again the watch, but the joy in finding it!

Chinese Christian teacher Watchman Nee likens such an example to the Christian experience. He wrote about the joy we experience when first saved, but over time often dissipates, resulting in a life of spiritual highs and lows, or what Nee calls times of “joy” or “dryness”.

Most think a joyous feeling denotes spiritual height—so when we lose our joy, we ramp up efforts to regain what we think we lost, by going to church, more Bible reading, etc.

But here’s the point: although our joyous feeling is at times lost, the object of that joy—Christ—is not!

What is the secret to lasting joy, and what does it look like?

Nee writes:

Christians nowadays incline too strongly towards a life of feeling. Yet God does not say to live by feeling but He says to live by faith. After years of experience you will come to realize that joy and dryness are really the same.

Oh that we may not act like those with a small capacity—in joy they dance in the house; in dryness they drench the wall with tears. If we live by faith we shall not be swayed by either of them.

Even so, let it be plainly understood that we are not people without emotion. We do have feelings of joy as well as dryness. But we ought not allow these external sensations to touch our inward man . . . the joy which the outward man feels is not that which the inward man enjoys in the Lord, because this latter joy is most deep and unshakable.[1]

Through all life’s seasons, feelings fluctuate. But a life of faith gains joy—and strength—through the inner awareness of the source of that joy, Jesus Christ!

. . . the joy of the LORD is your strength. (Nehemiah 8:10)

As times of joy and dryness become one, inner strength emerges—the deep unshakable joy of His presence—the secret to lasting joy!

[1] Watchman Nee, The Salvation of the Soul, (Christian Fellowship Publishers 1978), p. 114-115.

Copyright © Cheryl Elton 2018

The post The Secret to Lasting Joy appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

There’s nothing I enjoy more than being on the ice, figure skating. The freedom of movement, the cold air, gliding to music, I find invigorating.

While skating, I am immersed in the moment, the rest of the day put on hold.

Yet I didn’t always experience this pure enjoyment.

For many years I took lessons in ice dancing. A group of us adults would take tests, working to move up the ranks of the sport. In my drive to excel, I sometimes deprived myself of enjoying the day’s practice—by focusing on my paucity of progress, or comparing myself to someone else.

During these times, a wise man at the rink often would say, “Enjoy the journey.”

Likewise, we should enjoy our journey of faith each day, without mental distractions. 

God gives us 24-hour day-tight compartments to live in.

My thinking of tomorrow is limited, not knowing what it holds.

God is limit-less.

When we accept the limitations of living one day at a time, life takes on a beautiful simplicity. We’re free to live in an awareness of His presence and can experience His partnership in all we do.

Yet how easily we rob ourselves of this oneness by encasing our thinking in the past or the future—as either a pleasant or fearful thing.

For some, the past is:

A sanctuary: Always thinking of the good ‘ol days; the past always looking better. 

A jailer: A prison that enslaves, causing condemnation, regret, and mental bondage; feeling like victims of past suffering.

For some, the future is: 

A daydream: “I will be happy when I have ‘such and such’, or achieve ‘such and such’.” 

A fear of the unknown: Living with anxieties about what is ahead and can’t be controlled today.

These ways of thinking constrain us, causing us to miss fully living in the now.

In contrast, living in the now—in the presence of God—eliminates worry and increases faith.

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

God knows what we need, and today is enough to take care of. 

London’s Waterloo Station houses a huge 4-faced clock hanging in the center of the main concourse. It’s known as one of the city’s most famous rendezvous places.

Imagine this large clock—with no hands!

“What time is it?”

“NOW!”

Like a clock with no hands, the word of God and the presence of God is our past, present, and future.

Our eternal now.

Our lives are in His hands, therefore our hearts can be at peace and take joy in His presence—every moment of our now.

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

The post Living in the Eternal Now appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

Spring has sprung—except where I live.

Here in northern New York we still have nearly a foot of snow on the ground, although moderating temperatures are bringing the drip drip drip of melting.

Us locals know spring doesn’t really arrive for another month. Yet it will come!

As the sun warms the earth and winter’s glory fades, it’s always amazing how plants in the yard that looked dead return to life. Tender shoots appear, soon to burst into lush green leaves and colorful flowers.

Our lovely lilac bush, nearly buried by recent storms, appears dead and forgotten—but two months from now will be blooming in full glory!

The Old Testament book of Isaiah prophesies of the coming of Christ, comparing him to a tender plant, yet how his life would ultimately be despised and rejected:

“My servant [Jesus Christ] grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.” (Isaiah 53:2,3 NLT)

The Son of God was crucified, fulfilling the prophecy that would make a way to restore relationship with our Creator God once again. The sacrifice of Jesus’ life would pay the price not only for the sins of all humanity, but also for our physical healing.

“Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6) 

Yet the story doesn’t end there!

After burying Jesus in the tomb, three days later the words “He is risen!” echoed throughout the land.

For those who place their trust and hope in Jesus Christ—like the promise of spring—life begins anew: a life not free of trouble, but one of victory, of purpose, and of HOPE.

There is a blessed Hope before us—of one day reigning with Christ on a new and regenerated earth—where there will be no more death, sorrow, or pain.  

As we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, what a glorious time it is to remember not only Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf through his death and resurrection, but also the blessed Hope we have in him of life eternal.

May your heart be filled with the joy of His presence—for HE IS RISEN!

Copyright © 2018 Cheryl Elton

Featured photo credit: 3john2wellness

The post New Life, New Hope appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

One of the most exciting realities of the Christian life is that when we enter into relationship with God through Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit begins a divine work to produce Christ’s character within us.

In doing so, our whole outlook on life changes. His thoughts become our thoughts. His actions become our actions. His purposes become our own.

We become more Christ-like.

No longer living by the old sinful nature, we now live by the Spirit, and in doing so, we bear fruit.

Fruit is mentioned many times in the Bible, both literally and figuratively. The concept of bearing fruit is used often.

Fruit, as the result of work or activity, can be either good or bad. And just as with literal fruit, no fruit grows until seeds are planted.

Likewise for us: the fruit evidenced in our lives grows from what we allow to take root in our hearts.

Galatians 5:16-25 contrasts the fruit of our old sinful nature with the fruit of the Spirit—our new nature in Christ—and what it looks like to be directed by or live by each. The section concludes: 

“But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” (Galatians 5:22-23)

Interestingly, the Greek word for “fruit” (karpós) is in the singular, indicating there is one fruit with nine attributes, or characteristics.

Like a bowl filled with various kinds of fruit—strawberries, apples, pears, grapes, etc.—yet together referred to as a single bowl of fruit.

By definition, karpós[1], used figuratively, results from the joining of two life-streams—the Lord living His life through ours—to yield what is eternal. In this usage, it implies that everything is done in true partnership with Christ.

What an awesome reality!

As we learn to partner with Christ and live in His presence, the Spirit helps us practice the same love Jesus had when He laid down His life for us.

The joy Jesus experienced begins to fill our hearts.

The same peace that guarded Jesus’ heart, even as He endured the cross, protects ours.

The kind of patience Jesus showed to Peter works in us.

The kindness Jesus showed to the woman taken in adultery starts to soften our hearts toward others.

The Father’s goodness that Jesus showed others, the Spirit now works in us.

The same faithfulness that caused Jesus to always seek and obey the Father is built into our hearts.

The gentleness Jesus showed to children wells up within us.

The self-control Jesus exhibited by always doing the Father’s will, the Spirit now grows in us, so we may resist temptation and do what is right.

Like fruit ripening on the vine, all fruit of the Spirit is grown as we cultivate a close love relationship with the Master.

Throughout our lives, we grow in displaying Christ to the world around us through the love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control God develops in us.

The Holy Spirit guides this process—growing this wonderful spiritual fruit in us—transforming us toward full maturation in Christ.

[1] See Strong’s 2590

Part 2 will explore more on how to grow spiritual fruit in our lives and its purpose.

Copyright © 2017 Cheryl Elton

The post Growing Spiritual Fruit: Part 1 appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

In 2014, Burger King ditched its 40-year-old slogan, “Have It Your Way” for the more personal “Be Your Way.”

A BK management official noted in an interview that the former slogan focused only on the food purchase, while the new one is about connecting with a person’s greater lifestyle.

In a world where we’ve been conditioned to have everything instantly—our way, right away—little room is left for what’s often the hardest part . . . waiting.

Waiting in line, waiting for test results, waiting in traffic, waiting for an appointment, or a spouse . . . can make us restless, uneasy.

What about waiting on God?

Waiting on Him involves trust—trusting God with all your heart instead of trying to figure everything out yourself—and hope—looking to Him in hopeful anticipation of what He will do.

Waiting on God is being still in His presence, rather yielding to anxiety about circumstances. 

“Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for him to act.” (Psalm 37:7) 

Waiting on God is how He designed us to live—staying mindful of His presence as we go about our daily duties, one day at a time. 

“Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in him.” (Psalm 62:5) 

The ability to live above one’s circumstances each day comes from a strong and steady relationship with the Lord and a deep dependence on Him.

Renewed strength comes to those who wait upon Him:

“But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” (Isaiah 40:31 NKJV)

Take joy in His presence today . . . trusting, hoping, waiting for God . . .

Our lives are in His hands!

Copyright © 2016 Cheryl Elton

The post Waiting On God appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

Spring signals new beginnings.

As the sun warms the earth and winter’s glory fades, it’s always amazing how plants in the yard that looked dead return to life. Tender shoots appear, soon to burst into lush green leaves and colorful flowers.

Easter heralds new beginnings also.

The Old Testament book of Isaiah prophesies of the coming of Christ, comparing him to a tender plant, yet how his life would ultimately be despised and rejected:

“My servant [Jesus Christ] grew up in the LORD’s presence like a tender green shoot, like a root in dry ground. There was nothing beautiful or majestic about his appearance, nothing to attract us to him. He was despised and rejected—a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief. We turned our backs on him and looked the other way. He was despised, and we did not care.” (Isaiah 53:2,3 NLT)

The Son of God was crucified, fulfilling the prophecy that would make a way to restore relationship with our Creator God once again. The sacrifice of Jesus’ life would pay the price not only for the sins of all humanity, but also for our physical healing.

“Yet it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down. And we thought his troubles were a punishment from God, a punishment for his own sins! But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all.” (Isaiah 53:4-6)

Yet the story doesn’t end there!

After burying Jesus in the tomb, three days later the words “He is risen!” echoed throughout the land.

For those who place their trust and hope in Jesus Christ, like the promise of spring—life begins anew—a life not free of trouble, but one of victory, of purpose, and of HOPE.

Shortly after his resurrection, Jesus gave his followers these instructions and this promise:

“Jesus came and told his disciples, ‘I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Yet the story doesn’t end here!

There is a blessed Hope before us—of one day reigning with Christ on a new and regenerated earth—where there will be no more death, sorrow, or pain.  

For the Christian, this life is not all there is! 

“Death is not the end of the road; it is only a bend in the road.”[1]

As we celebrate Resurrection Sunday, what a glorious time it is to remember not only Christ’s sacrifice on our behalf through his death and resurrection, but the blessed Hope we have in him of life eternal.

May our hearts be filled with the joy of His presence—for He is Risen!

Copyright © 2016 Cheryl Elton

[1] Erwin W. Lutzer, The Vanishing Power of Death, (Moody Publishers 2004) 

The post Resurrection Hope appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

Psalm 1 describes the person who doesn’t follow worldly methods and means, but who takes their greatest delight in the Lord.

Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. (Psalm 1:1-3) 

Great joy, blessings, fruit, and prosperity follow this person. So how do I make the Lord my delight above all else?

Yes, I can quote Bible verses telling me to “praise the Lord,” to “be thankful,” and to “be joyful.” But there are times I just don’t feel like doing these things.

Yet I’m finding as I faithfully choose to spend time in His Word, praise Him despite how I feel, and seek His presence, He meets me right where I am and pulls me ever closer toward Him.

Delighting in God isn’t something I feel, it’s something I do.

Praising and delighting in God goes deeper than hearts swelling with emotion as hands rise upward during a stirring praise song. It dares us to step out of ourselves, and our souls’ emotions. It invites us to leave behind our own well-worn heart paths and reach for something beyond ourselves—the very heart of God. 

Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you your heart’s desires. (Psalm 37:4) 

This command is also a promise. It confronts us when we’re weary, and calls our thinking to higher ground. As we decide to delight in the Lord, He not only gives us our heart’s desires (puts them there), He becomes our heart’s sweetest yearning and resting place.

Nothing matches the joy of His presence. With every effort we make to draw near to Him, He promises to be there. 

Come close to God, and God will come close to you. (James 4:8a)

He is only a thought, a heart-cry away. In His presence is fullness of joy. When discovered, it becomes our heart’s greatest desire to delight in God each day.

Copyright © 2015 Cheryl Elton

The post Delighting in God appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

All smiles and laughter, two small boys ran across the yard, on a mission to find hidden “treasure.”

The instructions given by grandma had been clear: In the patch of tall ferns there would be four promised “gifts”—all the same item but in different colors. They were to search for them until they found them. Once discovered, they could trade colors if they wanted to.

Our job as adults was to follow and observe. Three-year-old Benjamin was the first to find a large packaged green glow stick. He raised it in the air shouting, “I found it!” with delight. Seconds later Jonathan, four, was jumping up and down with excitement as he discovered a blue glow stick in the tall grasses. Within a short time all four were exposed, packages torn open, the boys waving the brightly glowing sticks in the air as they ran and jumped with joy.

The eight of us adults returned to gather around the campfire. Our fellowship that night centered on a discussion of how to grow our faith and develop childlike trust.

We had observed that throughout Scripture God often addresses us as “little children,” never “little adults.” Could that mean God wants us to approach Him with the attitude of a child? What would that look like?

We talked about what we saw. When the trusted adult gave instructions, in this instance the children quickly obeyed. They were confident in what was told them, not arguing, questioning, complaining, or agonizing over what they were being asked to do. They didn’t ask for more, or less. Rather, without hesitation or doubt they took action quickly. The pure pleasure on their faces as the promise of “treasure” came to pass was undeniable and real.

What is God speaking to us today? Are the promises in His Word so living and real that we don’t question but simply take the appropriate action with unflinching faith?

Now faith is the confirmation of the things we hope for, being the proof of things we do not see and the conviction of their reality. (Hebrews 11:1 AMP)

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word [rhema, or speaking] of Christ. (Romans 10:17 NASB)

The takeaway from the evening for all of us was how important and necessary it is to spend time in His presence. Only then will we have ears to hear His instructions to us—both written and through the Spirit—providing the opportunity to grow in childlike trust and faith.

What are you doing to become more like a child in your faith today?

Copyright © 2015 Cheryl Elton

The post Childlike Faith appeared first on Cheryl Elton.

What brings God joy?

He wants us to know joy—not circumstantial happiness, but the deep and unshakable joy He gives, rooted in an awareness of His presence. Joy that keeps us going in good times or bad, because we know who is ultimately in control.

But what brings a smile to His face?

The simple answer is us, His people.

For the Lord delights in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. (Psalm 149:4) 

In Scripture, we’re often referred to as “sheep” (Psalm 100:3). Sheep require constant care to survive and thrive. If left alone they easily wander off and get in trouble.

In A Shepherd Looks At Psalm 23, W. Phillip Keller explains a common problem  sheep get themselves into when they roll onto their backs and cannot get themselves up again—the dilemma of a “cast” sheep.

Keller writes: 

A cast sheep is a very pathetic sight. Lying on its back, its feet in the air, it flays away frantically struggling to stand up without success. Sometimes it will bleat a little for help, but generally it lies there lashing about in frightened frustration. 

If the owner does not arrive on the scene within a reasonably short time, the sheep will die. This is but another reason why it is so essential for a careful sheepman to look over his flock every day, counting them to see that all are able to be up and on their feet. If one or two are missing, often the first thought to flash into his mind is, “One of my sheep is cast somewhere. I must go in search and set it on its feet again.” 

In what is commonly called the parable of “the lost sheep,” Jesus goes in search of what may have been a cast sheep. The outcome elaborates on God’s greatest joy.

If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them gets lost, what will he do? Won’t he leave the ninety-nine others in the wilderness and go to search for the one that is lost until he finds it? 

And when he has found it, he will joyfully carry it home on his shoulders.

When he arrives, he will call together his friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Rejoice with me because I have found my lost sheep.’

In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away! (Luke 15:4-7)

The Good Shepherd will go to great lengths to find a lost or perhaps a cast sheep—one that has wandered off and gotten in trouble.

He will joyfully carry that sheep home on His shoulders, rejoicing that it was lost but now found.

God’s great pleasure is His people—those who endeavor to walk in His truth, may at times wander off, yet return to Him again and again.

 I could have no greater joy than to hear that my children are following the truth. (3 John 4) 

Praise God for our Good Shepherd, whose watchful care brings us home to His presence. May we live in such a way that we bring a smile to God’s face and great joy to His heart.

Copyright © 2015 Cheryl Elton

The post God’s Greatest Joy appeared first on Cheryl Elton.