f negativism, lying, distortion of the truth and a total lack of ethical/moral base. If you are paying a lot of attention to the elections I would suggest that you do 2 things:

Stop watching and listening to political ads
Focus on prayer - Pray about who you should vote for and let the Lord help you instead of relying on man to inform you. Most of the commentators/experts are ungodly. Why would you go to them for advice? Look at Psalm 1. "Blessed is the man that walketh not in the COUNCIL of the ungodly ..." If you need to come back into the joy of the Lord, quit taking advice (council) from the ungodly.

Sometimes our lack of joy can be traced to what we are experiencing either physically, financially, in our families etc. The circumstances that we find ourselves in, most of the time through no fault of our own. If that is the situation and you seem to have lost your joy because of it, then you are NOT doing what the Scripture plainly tells you to do: " IN EVERYTHING give THANKS" - I Thess 5:18 and "GIVING THANKS ALWAYS FOR ALL THINGS" Eph. 5:20

I Thess. 5:18 plainly says that THIS IS GOD'S WILL FOR YOU! How can you expect to blessed when you won't do God's will? How can you expect to be blessed if you are complaining, griping and negative?

Begin to thank and praise the Lord IN and FOR where you are. Spend time rejoicing before Him for His goodness, His mercy, His love, His compassion, His forgiveness. If it takes all day, spend all day DOING this! Break the spirit of heaviness by putting on the garment of praise... Isa. 61:3

Last, check your attitude. Have you developed a "miserly" spirit? By that, what is your relationship with money like? Remember, the love of money is the root of all evil I Tim. 6:10. Our dealings with money can often show whether we have developed or are developing a love for it.

For instance, when you fill out your tithe check, do you figure it out to the penny? That's a miserly attitude and you need to break it. Do you treat other people that way? People like waitresses? Figuring your tip to the penny! You need to learn what the Scripture says about giving and to PUT IT INTO PRACTICE. Develop JOY in your giving! You should be grateful that the Lord has blessed you enough that you can bless others!!

It is often just the "little" things that rob us of joy. Little attitudes. Little actions. They build up and over time steal from us until one day we wake up and our joy is gone. Begin NOW to deal with the little things.

As you move into the Joy of the Lord you will find you can cope with life's problems and pressures.

I pray that the Lord lead you into His joy today!

Pastor Jim

(PS - Remember .. don't take my word for it -- PROVE ALL THINGS, HOLD FAST THAT WHICH IS GOOD - I Thess. 5:21 -- when you prove it from the Scripture then YOU will know the Truth and YOU will be set free!)