DUO Inspirations
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact Me
  • Faith
    • Faith Blog
    • The Purposeful Bible Study For Those Who Want to Lose Weight
  • Education
    • Education Blog
    • Tutoring and Education Coaching Services
    • Educational Resources >
      • Prek/Kindergarten Resources
      • Elementary Grades Resources
      • Math Resources
      • Language Arts Resources
      • Writing Resources
      • Art Resources
      • Organizational Resources

Can You Imagine What 'Fulness of Joy' Means?

4/25/2022

2 Comments

 
Picture
“Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”
                              Psalms 16:11 (KJV)





 
Hi friends,

     How are you?  I hope and pray that you are well.  Today, I would like to talk a bit about joy.  Do you feel joyful?  Do you know what joy feels like?  I think we may have fleeting moments of joy.  I think we may be happy over this or that circumstance in our life.  But, most often, it fades away as circumstances change.

     It is like, we can think about and imagine how sad it is to lose a loved one, but we never know until it happens to us.  We can empathize and try to sympathize with our friends and neighbors as it happens to them, but we can’t truly know their sadness until it happens to us.

     On the flip side, we can hear about how joyous it is to have a child and to hold our baby in our hands for the first time, but unless we have a child and experience it for ourselves, we don’t truly know that joy.  We can only imagine.

     So, with this in mind, we can start to imagine the monumental encouragement in this verse.  We can only imagine what the psalmist is thinking or feeling.  We can tell that he puts his trust in God and has great hope for the future and everything God promises. 

     Let’s look at the first part of Psalms 16:11.  It says, “Thou wilt shew me the path of life.”  The psalmist has great faith and trust in God.  It doesn’t say, “Please, show me the path to life.”  It doesn’t say, “Will you show me the path of life.”  It doesn’t even say, “If I am good, you will show me the path of life.”  The psalmist is very positive and sure of the outcome.  He has complete faith and trust in God.  Do we have such trust in God?
     In Matthew 21:22, it says, “And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”  It seems to me that the psalmist shows that sort of faith in exclaiming that God will show him the path of life.  Do we go to God with that same unwavering faith? 

     The second part of Psalms 16:11 says, “In thy presence is fulness of joy.”  I think this is where we need to consider that we don’t even know what joy means at this point.  We may have experience a partial joy in different moments of our life.  However, I don’t think we can even wrap our head around the idea of what “fulness of joy” could even mean in reality.  We might think we can imagine a joy so magnificent and so total as being in God’s presence forever.  I just don’t think it is possible to even imagine the joy we will feel. 

     The last part of Psalms 16:11 says, “…at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.”  I am not sure if the psalmist could even know or imagine just how wonderful and majestic these pleasures may be.  I don’t know that any of us can.  However, we can see his belief, trust, faith, and passion in this verse.

     The psalmist may not have fully understood his own statement in Psalms 16:11.  Although, he believed what God told him through prayer and scriptures about leading him to eternal life and the joy of being in the presence of God for eternity. 
 
Heavenly Father,
     Thank you for your infinite love and faithful guidance.  Thank you for your mercy and grace.  Help us to value your Word and take to heart your truth as did the psalmist is Psalms 16:11.  Help us to pray and rejoice with the same confidence and faithfulness that the psalmist did.  Thank you for showing us your ways and your love for us.  Help us to love and appreciate all you do for us.  I ask you this through your Son, Jesus.  Amen.

 
  *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *     *    
 

Reflective questions for Psalms 16:11 (KJV):
*What does Psalms 16:11 mean to me?
*Do I know what “fulness of joy” really means?
*Can I imagine what it would be to be in God’s presence forever?
*Can I see and feel the belief, trust, faith, and passion of the psalmist?
*Do I have this same sort of belief, trust, faith, and passion?
*What does God want me to learn from Psalms 16:11?
*How can I better heed the words in Psalms 16:11?

Now, it is your turn.
     I am thankful that you are here.  I appreciate your support and kindness.  I hope and pray that I will find the belief, hope, faith, love, and passion that the psalmist shows in Psalms 16:11.  I believe God is working on me with this.  I hope and pray that you will find it also, if you haven't already. 

     I look forward to reading your comments, thoughts, beliefs, faith, and testimonies.  Please, feel free to leave a comment below or to contact me. 

     I pray that you are finding value with the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations.  I pray that it at least touches your heart and gets you to thinking or encourages you to read God's Word more.  If you are finding value with the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations, please share it with friends and family.  Thank you.

     Also, if you haven't done so already, you may want to consider signing up below to receive the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox.  Get my free gift of the "5 Reflective Questions to Delve Deeper into God's Word" by DUO Inspirations as my thank you.  I pray it helps you to get more out of God's Word as you read it.




2 Comments

Psalms 100 Series - Part 4

11/22/2021

0 Comments

 
Picture
“Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name.”
                                         Psalms 100:4 (KJV)
 







Hi friends,


     How are you today?  In pondering Psalms 100:4, I have just as many questions as I do answers.  I am curious about the words gates and courts. Are they meant to be two separate places or does the author just not want to use the same word over and over again? Are they literal places or are they meant to be figurative for drawing close to God?

     Somehow, I don’t think it matters, because I don’t think the “place” is the important part of the message.  I think we are always called to be thankful for all the things God does for us and to bless His name.  So, to say that we should “enter his gates with thanksgiving” and to ponder where those gates may be might mean we are missing the point.  What do you think?  Let’s put our efforts into the thanksgiving part.

     Do we thank God for all that we have, all that we are, all that we do, all that we see, all that we hear, all that we smell, all that we taste, all that we touch, all that we feel, all that we know, and all that we experience?  Do we thank God for our relationships and our very existence?  Do we not only say the words “thank you”, but also show our thankfulness?

     Now, let’s look at the second part of Psalms 100:4.  Not only are we called to be thankful for all God provides and does for us, but we are called to praise Him and bless His name.  So, what does that mean?  What does it mean to “bless His name”?  To me, to “bless His name” is to testify to others about the goodness of God. Do we tell others of the greatness of God?
  

     As we can see that verse four of Psalm 100, keeps with the theme of joy.  We are called to be joyful of what God provides and does for us, to thank Him and to tell others of His greatness as well.  We can be joyful, if we are thankful, encouraging, and praising God.
 
Heavenly Father,
     Thank you for being our Creator, our Teacher, our Heavenly Father, and our Shepherd. Thank you for Psalm 100, which shows us how to be joyful. Help us to come to you in thanksgiving and to sing your praises, so that others will do the same.  I ask you this through your Son, Jesus.  Amen.

 
   *     *    *     *     *    *     *     *    *     *     *    *     *     *    *     *     *    

Reflective questions for Psalms 100:4 (KJV):
*What does Psalms 100:4 mean to me?
*What do “his gates” and “his courts” mean? Is that the point?
*How can I show God my thankfulness?
*How can I bless His name? 
*Do I come to God in thanksgiving?
*Do I praise His name?
*What can I do to better follow the calling in Psalms 100:4?

Now, it is your turn.
     Thank you so much for being here.  If you haven't read other posts in the Psalms 100 Series, you may want to read them as well:
Psalms 100 Series - Part 1
Psalms 100 Series - Part 2
Psalms 100 Series - Part 3.
     I enjoy hearing your thoughts.  I am encouraged by your comments and testimony.  So, please, comment below or contact me.  If you find value in what I write, please share the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations with friends and family.  If you haven't signed up to receive the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content, please consider signing up below.  (Don't forget to check at least the "faith" box.)
    


0 Comments

Psalms 100 Series - Part 3

11/11/2021

0 Comments

 
Image of Psalms 100:3 (KJV) text by DUO Inspirations

​“Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.”
                                    Psalms 100:3 (KJV)

 




Hi friends,

    How are you?  I hope you are enjoying the Psalms 100 Series by DUO Inspirations and are finding more joy in your life.  Today’s verse seems more of a comfort than a joy.  However, it could be a joy as well.  I mean, knowing that “we are his people” and that I am part of the “we” makes me very joyful. 
 
    Psalms 100:3 kind of reminds me of when people need to know their roots.  I have heard stories where adopted children feel uneasy, because they don’t know their ancestry.  They don’t know anything about their biological parents and they just kind of have a hole in their history that makes them feel confused, sad, or lonely. However, in Psalms 100:3, we are told our place in life and our roots.  There is no uneasiness, confusion, sadness, or loneliness.  

    We are God’s people.  He made us.  He loves us.  And, we are the “sheep of his pasture.”  Okay, not all people may like the idea of being referred to as sheep.  However, if you knew how closely the shepherds back in the day watched over and cared for their sheep, you might not mind it so much. I believe it is very much like a term of endearment here.

    I was never a shepherd and don’t really know, but I am going to do a little imagining.  I imagine that a shepherd led his or her sheep out to a part of the land that is filled with green grass for them to eat.  It was far away from the house, so the shepherd had no one with whom to speak, so the shepherd probably often talked to the sheep. I imagine that the shepherd even named all the sheep, and got to know the sheep as individuals with their own little quirks.  And, every so often when the shepherd counted the sheep to make sure they were all there, he or she would leave the flock to go find the one or two who had wandered off.
 
    This was probably not only done out of necessity of needing all the sheep for making a living, but also out of love.  After all, I can imagine that if you spend most of your waking hours tending sheep, you tend to have a pretty close bond with those sheep.  They are almost like friends and family.

    So, being called sheep isn’t so bad. And, being called God’s sheep is actually quite wonderful.  God made us, knows all our little quirks, leads us, cares for us, searches for us when we are lost, and loves us.  It is a wonderful feeling!

    There is a part of this verse that I don’t want to overlook and that is “not we ourselves.”  It seems like that we are being reassured that we are made well and correctly.  We are not “cheap reproductions”, but the real thing.  We are made in God’s perfect way and not in any half-hearted, knock-off way. We are special to God.

    I know that in the beginning of this post, I said that this verse seems to be more of a comfort verse than a joy verse. However, as I wrote, I have felt myself feeling more and more joyful.  So, I can actually say that I believe this is a joy and a comfort verse. 
 
Heavenly Father,
    Thank you for being our Creator and Shepherd.  Thank you for telling us and reassuring us that we are your people and we are well loved. Help us to know the joy and comfort of the words in Psalms 100:3 in our every day lives.  Help us to act and feel like your people.  Help us to let you care for us and lead us as a shepherd cares for and leads his sheep.  I ask you this through your Son, Jesus.  Amen.

 
  *     *     *     *    *     *     *    *     *     *    *     *     *    *     *     *     *
 
Reflective questions for Psalms 100:3 (KJV):
*What does Psalms 100:3 mean to me?
*How does Psalms 100:3 make me feel?
*Do I feel like God’s own?
*Do I let God lead me in the same way that shepherds lead sheep?
*Do I feel like God knows me?
*Do I feel like I know God?

 
 Now, it is your turn.
     If you haven't read the Psalms 100 Series - Part 1 or the Psalms 100 Series - Part 2, you may want to do that.  I hope you are enjoying the series as much as I am.  I am so thankful that you are here.  You are important to me.  I look forward to reading your thoughts, so please comment below.  What are your thoughts?  If you have any prayer requests or suggestions, please contact me.
     If you find value in what I write, please share it with friends and family.  Also, if you haven't already, please consider signing up to get the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox.
                                      


0 Comments

Psalms 100 Series - Part 1

11/1/2021

6 Comments

 
Image of Psalms 100:1 KJV text by DUO Inspirations
​“(A Psalm of praise.) Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.”
                                          Psalms 100:1 KJV



 


Hi friends,

     How are you this week?  As it is November and November is a month of thanksgiving, I thought I would do a series on a psalm that calls people to worship the Lord with song and thanksgiving, Psalms 100.  I came across this psalm kind of accidently as I was searching verses about thankfulness. I don’t mean that I have never read it before.  I mean that I have never noticed its beauty before.

     I don’t know about you, but I have kind of nonchalantly referenced some of the words in Psalms 100:1 when talking about my singing ability.  I might say something like, “Well, I don’t know if I can sing, but I can make a joyful noise.”  However, I think the words in Psalms 100:1 don’t really have anything to do with singing ability, but have a deeper meaning.  I think the verse sets the tone for the entire psalm.

     In Matthew 12:30 (KJV),Jesus gives us these words: "And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment."
It occurs to me that if we follow these words of Jesus, this verse and Psalms 100 will be like a summary of our behavior in life.  So, how do we do that?  What does that look like?

     In Psalms 100:1, we are all called to make a joyful noise.  As with many other things in life, God doesn’t tell us exactly what to say or how to do it.  He just says to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord….” I don’t know God’s intentions for sure here, but as for me, I think a joyful noise can be anything thing from laughter, to humming, to singing, to praising, to complimenting, to thanking, to glorifying God.  What do you think?

     In Matthew 7:20 (KJV) Jesus says, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”  And, in Galatians 5:22, one of the fruits of the Spirit is joy.  So, this sums up the reason why we are called to make a joyful noise.  If we know God and love God, it is often so easy to make a joyful noise.  When our heart is full of love and thankfulness, we want to sing out or praise God spontaneously.   If God lives within us, we will be joyful and people as well as God will know that we are His.

     At the end of Psalms 100:1, we are reminded that everyone in all the lands are called to be joyful and make a joyful noise unto the Lord.  I am glad.  It is nice to see others happy and it is even catching, just as a smile is apt to provoke a smile in return or a compliment is apt to provoke a compliment in return. Songs are like that too sometimes. We might hear someone singing a song and we just want to join in and sing along. 
 
     Part of me wonders if the last part of the verse doesn’t just refer to people, but to all God’s creations.  I feel joyful when I hear waves crashing against the shore, leaves rustling in a gentle breeze, hummingbirds humming and fluttering about, the gurgle of a babbling brook, or a crackling of a campfire.  To me, they are all “singing out” and testifying of God’s glory and greatness.  If they can do it, can’t we do it all the more?
 
Heavenly Father,
     Thank you for being our Creator and Heavenly Father.  Thank you for calling us to be joyful.  Help us to fulfill this calling not only when we are getting our way, but during all times to show others that we are yours.  Help us to us to get close you and to “sing out” and testify of your glory and greatness.  I ask you this through your Son, Jesus.  Amen. 

 
   *    *     *     *    *     *     *    *     *     *    *     *     *    *     *      *     *
 
Reflective questions for Psalms 100:1 (KJV):
*What does Psalms 100:1 mean to me?
*Why do I think we are called to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord”?
*Do I “make a joyful noise unto the Lord”?
*What can I do to better fulfill the calling in Psalms 100:1?


Now, it is your turn.
     What are your thoughts?  Please, leave me a comment.  I enjoy reading your thoughts and comments.  I am so thankful that you are here.  I pray the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations blesses someone.  If you find value in these words, please share them with your friends and family.  Consider making an announcement at church that the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations is here.  I pray before each post and pray that I write down God's message and His words for the blog and not my own.  You may even want to sign up to get the Faith Blog by DUO Inspirations and other faith content in your inbox.  Also, if you have a prayer request, idea, suggestion, question, or topic request, please feel free to contact me.  Thank you.  God bless.


6 Comments
    2 Timothy 1:7 image by DUO Inspirations

    Hi friends!

    This is Jodi.  I am so glad you are here!  I am a Christian and life-long learner.  I enjoy sharing and encouraging others.  I pray you are blessed by this blog.  Thank you for being here.

    Archives

    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    November 2022
    October 2022
    September 2022
    August 2022
    July 2022
    June 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    August 2021
    July 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021

    Categories

    All
    1 John 4:18
    1 John 4:8
    1 Peter 4:8
    1 Thessalonians 5:11
    2 Chronicles 7:14
    2 Corinthians 1:3-4
    2 Corinthians 13:5
    2 Corinthians 6:14
    2 Peter 3:9
    Acceptable Thoughts
    Armor Of God
    Battered Women
    Beatitudes
    Be Careful For Nothing
    Believers
    Believers And Unbelievers
    Be Thankful
    Bible
    Bible Study
    Blessed
    Blessed Be God
    Bribes Against The Innocent
    Call Upon God's Name
    Celebrate
    Charity
    Charity Is Love
    Children Of God
    Christian
    Christianity
    Christian Lifestyle
    Christian Role Models
    Christians
    Christmas
    Christmas Tree
    Colossians 3:17
    Colossians 4:6
    Comfort
    Commandment
    Compassion
    Courage
    Covid-19
    Creativity
    Daily
    Depressed
    Depression
    Desperation
    Deuteronomy 8:18
    Devotion
    Diligent
    Discernment
    Do Everything For God
    Don't Be Wasteful
    Don't Give Up
    Drink His Blood
    DUO Inspirations
    Eat His Flesh
    Education
    Encouragement
    Encouraging Others
    Ephesians 4:23-24
    Ephesians 5:20
    Ephesians 6:11
    Faith
    Faith Blog
    Fear
    Fear Of The Lord
    Fellowship
    Flood
    Focus
    Focus On God
    Forgiveness
    Friend
    Friends
    Friendship
    Frlendliness
    Galatians 6:7
    Galatians 6:9
    Genesis 6
    Genesis 7
    Genesis 8
    Genesis 9
    Give
    Give God Thanks
    Give Thanks To God
    Giving
    God Is Love
    Godly Love
    God's Glory
    God's Kingdom
    God's Timing
    God's Word
    Good Judgment
    Good Works
    Guidance
    Heavenly Father
    Heavenly Peace
    Heavenly Vs Worldly
    Hebrews 10:24
    Hope
    How Not To Treat Others
    How To Treat Others
    In God's Presence
    In Jesus' Name
    Inspiration
    In The Name Of Jesus
    James 1:2-4
    James 1:26
    James 1:27
    John 14:15
    John 15:5
    John 6:12
    John 6:54
    John 7:24
    Joy
    Judging Others
    King David
    Knowing God
    Knowledge
    Lazy
    Leftovers
    Life And Death
    Lot's Wife
    Love
    Love God
    Love Of God
    Love One Another
    Love Your Enemies
    Loving Jesus
    Luke 17:32
    Luke 3:11
    Luke 6:38
    Luke 7:37-38
    Mark 12:30
    Matthew 16:22
    Matthew 22:37
    Matthew 5:10
    Matthew 5:13
    Matthew 5:3
    Matthew 5:4
    Matthew 5:44
    Matthew 5:5
    Matthew 5:6
    Matthew 6:10
    Matthew 6:11
    Matthew 6:12
    Matthew 6:13
    Matthew 6:9
    Meek
    Merciful
    Mercy
    Mischief
    Mistakes
    Needs
    New Believers
    Noah
    Noah's Ark
    One Day At A Time
    Opportunity
    Ordinary People
    Pandemic
    Parenting
    Patience
    Pay It Forward
    Peace
    Peacemakers
    Persecuted Christians
    Persecution
    Perseverance
    Peter Rebukes Jesus
    Philippians 4:6
    Plan
    Power Of Words
    Praise
    Praise God
    Prayer
    Prejudice
    Preparedness
    Proverbs 13:13
    Proverbs 13:4
    Proverbs 16:24
    Proverbs 17:22
    Proverbs 18:15
    Proverbs 18:24
    Proverbs 22:13
    Proverbs 22:6
    Proverbs 24:16
    Proverbs 24:27
    Proverbs 6:6-8
    Prudence
    Psalms
    Psalms 100
    Psalms 105:1
    Psalms 119:127
    Psalms 119:66
    Psalms 13
    Psalms 13:1
    Psalms 13:2
    Psalms 13:3
    Psalms 15
    Psalms 15:1
    Psalms 15:2
    Psalms 15:3
    Psalms 15:4
    Psalms 15:5
    Psalms 16:11
    Psalms 31:24
    Reap What You Sow
    Reliance On God
    Religion
    Renewal
    Repent
    Repentance
    Righteous
    Righteousness
    Salt Of The Earth
    Search For Truth
    Self Examination
    Self-examination
    Self-righteous
    Sermon On The Mount
    Servant Of God
    Serving The Lord
    Share With The Poor
    Sharing
    Shepherd
    Sinners
    Slothful
    Small And Fragile
    Solve Our Own Problems
    Sorrow
    Speak With Grace
    Strength
    Talk
    Temptation
    Testify
    Thankful
    Thankfulness
    Thank God
    Thanksgiving
    The Lord's Prayer
    Those Who Mourn
    Thoughts
    Train Up A Child
    True Friends
    Truth
    Uneqaully Yoked
    Usury
    Vanity
    Violence
    Wants
    Wasteful
    Wealth
    We Need Jesus
    Wisdom
    Work Ethic

    RSS Feed

P.O. Box 104
New Haven, VT 05472
Home
Contact me
Thank you for the opportunity to inspire and be inspired!
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact Me
  • Faith
    • Faith Blog
    • The Purposeful Bible Study For Those Who Want to Lose Weight
  • Education
    • Education Blog
    • Tutoring and Education Coaching Services
    • Educational Resources >
      • Prek/Kindergarten Resources
      • Elementary Grades Resources
      • Math Resources
      • Language Arts Resources
      • Writing Resources
      • Art Resources
      • Organizational Resources