March 17:  Joy to the World.

Labor Is a Blessing.
For every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor--this is the gift of God.--Ecclesiastes 5:19, NKJV

GOD APPOINTED LABOR as a blessing to man, to occupy his mind, to strengthen his body, and to develop his faculties.  In mental and physical activity Adam found one of the highest pleasures of his holy existence.  And when, as a result of his disobedience, he was driven from his beautiful home, and forced to struggle with a stubborn soil to gain his daily bread, that very labor, although widely different from his pleasant occupation in the garden, was a safeguard against temptation and a source of happiness.  Those who regard work as a curse, attended though it be with weariness and pain, are cherishing an error.  The rich often look down with contempt upon the working classes, but this is wholly at variance with God's purpose in creating man.  What are the possessions of even the most wealthy in comparison with the heritage given to the lordly Adam?  Yet Adam was not to be idle.  Our Creator, who understands what is for man's happiness, appointed Adam his work.  The true joy of life is found only by the working men and women.--Patriarchs and Prophets, 50.

                  Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife,
          and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying 'You shall not eat of it';

                          "Cursed is the ground for your sake;
                                   In toil you shall eat of it
                                   All the days of your life.
                      Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you,
                               And you shall eat the herb of the field.
                        In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread
                                    Till you return to the ground,

                                   For out of it you were taken;
                                          For dust you are,
                                   And to dust you shall return."
                              
                                          --Genesis 3:17-19, NKJV

March 16:  Joy to the World.

Happy in Useful Labor.
Even so, I have noticed one thing, at least, that is good.  It is good for people to eat, drink, and enjoy their work under the sun during the short life God has given them, and to accept their lot in life.--Ecclesiastes 5:18, NLT

THE HABIT OF ENJOYING useful labor, once formed, will never be lost.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, 336.

He who is indolent and willingly ignorant places in his pathway that which will always be an obstruction.  He refuses the culture that comes from honest toil.  By failing to put forth a helping hand in behalf of humanity, he robs God.  His career is very different from the career which God marked out for him; for to despise useful employment encourages the lower tastes and effectually paralyzes the most energies of the being.

Not a few, but thousands, of human beings exist only to consume the benefits which God in His mercy bestows on them.  They forget to bring the Lord gratitude offerings for the riches He has entrusted to them in giving them the fruit of the earth.  They forget that God desires them, by trading wisely on the talents lent them, to be producers as well as consumers.  If they had a realization of the work the Lord desires them to do as His helping hand, they would not feel it a privilege to shun all responsibility and be waited on.

Real happiness is found only in being good and doing good.  The purest, highest enjoyment comes to those who faithfully fulfill their appointed duties.--Messages to Young People, 210.

March 15:  Joy to the World.

Rejoicing in the Power of God.
"Have you given the horse its strength or clothed its neck with a flowing mane?  Did you give it the ability to leap like a locust?  Its majestic snorting is terrifying!  It paws the earth and rejoices in its strength when it charges out to battle."--Job 39:19-21, NLT

THE SPASMODIC, FITFUL MOVEMENTS of some who claim to be Christians are well represented by the work of strong but untrained horses.  When one pulls forward, another pulls back, and at the voice of their master one plunges ahead and the other stands immovable.  If men will not move in concert in the great and grand work for this time, there will be confusion.  It is not a good sign when men refuse to unite with their brethren and prefer to act alone----If men wear the yoke of Christ, they can not pull apart; they will draw with Christ.

Some...pull with all the power that God has given to them, but they have not yet learned that they should not pull alone.  Instead of isolating themselves, let them draw in harmony with their fellow laborers.  Unless they do this, their activity will work at the wrong time and in the wrong way.  They will work counter to that which God would have done, and thus their work is worse than wasted.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, 258.

God is the embodiment of benevolence, mercy, and love.  Those who are truly connected with Him cannot be at variance with one another.  His Spirit ruling in the heart will create harmony, love, and unity.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, 28.

Jesus has made it possible for you to accept His love and in happy co-operation with Him to work under its fragrant influence.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 9, 50

March 14:  Joy to the World.

Beholding Jesus.
Truly the light is sweet, and it is pleasant for the eyes to behold the sun.--Ecclesiastes 11:7, NKJV

IF WE GAZE even a moment upon the sun in its meridian glory, when we turn away our eyes, the image of the sun will appear in everything upon which we look.  Thus it is when we behold Jesus; everything we look upon reflects His image, the Sun of Righteousness.  We cannot see anything else, or talk of anything else.  His image is imprinted upon the eye of the soul and affects every portion of our daily life, softening and subduing our whole nature.  By beholding, we are conformed to the divine similitude, even the likeness of Christ.  To all with whom we associate we reflect the bright and cheerful beams of His righteousness.  We have become transformed in character; for heart, soul, mind, and irradiated by the reflection of Him who loved us and gave Himself for us....

Jesus Christ is everything to us--the first, the last, the best in everything.  Jesus Christ, His Spirit, His character, colors everything; it is the wrap and the woof, the very texture of our entire being.  The words of Christ are spirit and life.  We cannot, then, center our thoughts upon self; it is no more we that life, but Christ that liveth in us, and He is the hope of glory.  Self is dead, but Christ is a living Saviour.  Continuing to look unto Jesus, we reflect His image to all around us.  We cannot stop to consider our disappointments, or even to talk of them; for a more pleasant picture attracts our sight--the precious love of Jesus.--Testimonies to Ministers and Gospel Workers, 388, 389.

March 13:  Joy to the World.

The Sun of Righteousness Lights Our Day.
Their line has gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.  In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun, which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices like a strong man to run its race.--Psalm 19:4, 5, NKJV

WE NEED THE ENLIGHTENMENT of the Holy Spirit in order to discern the truths in God's word.  The lovely things of the natural world are not seen until the sun, dispelling the darkness, floods them with its light.  So the treasures in the word of God are not appreciated until they are revealed by the bright beams of the Sun of Righteousness....

As we study the Scriptures, we should pray for the light of God's Holy Spirit to shine upon the word, that we may see and appreciate its treasures.--Christ's Object Lessons, 113.

He whose heart has responded to the divine touch will be seeking for that which will increase his knowledge of God, and will refine and elevate the character.  As a flower turns to the sun, that the bright rays may touch it with tints of beauty, so will the soul turn to the Sun of Righteousness, that heaven's light may beautify the character with the graces of the character of Christ.--The Desire of Ages, 468.

His love gives us the privilege of sitting together with Him in heavenly places.  When the blessed light of the Sun of Righteousness shines into our hearts, and we rest in peace and joy in the Lord, then let us praise the Lord; praise Him who is the health of our countenance and our God.  Let us praise Him, not in words only, but by the consecration to Him of all that we are and all that we have.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 6, 479.

                          "And the day which is coming shall burn them up,"
                                               Says the Lord of hosts,
                              "That will leave them neither root nor branch.
                                        But to you who fear My name
                                   The Sun of Righteousness shall arise
                                          With healing in His wings;
                                                  And you shall go out
                                       And grow fat like stall-fed calves"
                              
                                                      --Malachi 4:1, 2, NKJV

March 12:  Joy to the World.

Nature Obeys His Will.
Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders.  From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy.  You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile.  The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so.--Psalm 65:8, 9, NLT

THIS EARTH IS THE LORD'S.  Here it may be seen that nature, animate and inanimate, obeys His will....

How wonderfully, with what marvelous beauty, has everything in nature been fashioned.  Everywhere we see the perfect works of the great Master artist.  The heavens declare His glory, and the earth, which is formed for the happiness of man, speaks to us of His matchless love.  Its surface is not a monotonous plain, but grand old mountains rise to diversify the landscape.  There are sparkling streams and fertile valleys, beautiful lakes, broad rivers, and the boundless ocean.  God sends the dew and the rain to refresh the thirsty earth.  The breezes, that promote health by purifying and cooling the atmosphere, are controlled by His wisdom.  He has placed the sun in the heavens to mark the periods of day and night, and by its genial beams give light and warmth to the earth, causing vegetation to flourish.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, 311, 312.

I call your attention to these blessings from the bounteous hand of God....Our kind heavenly Father has given us so many things to promote our happiness....He is the very fountain of love, the giver of blessings innumerable.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 5, 312, 314.

               Dear friends, let us continue to love one another, for love comes from God.
                               Anyone who loves is a child of God and knows God.
                     But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
                                                                                             --1 John 4:7, 8, NLT

March 11:  Joy to the World.

A Delightful Land.
"And all nations will call you blessed, for you will be a delightful land," says the Lord of hosts.--Malachi 3:12, NKJV

AS YOUR SENSES DELIGHT in the attractive loveliness of the earth, think of the world that is to come, that shall never know the blight of sin and death; where the face of nature will no more wear the shadow of the curse.  Let your imagination picture the home of the saved, and remember that it will be more glorious than your brightest imagination can portray.  In the varied gifts of God in nature we see but the faintest gleaming of His glory.  It is written, "Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him."  1 Corinthians 2:9.

The poet and the naturalist have many things to say about nature, but it is the Christian who enjoys the beauty of the earth with the highest appreciation, because he recognizes his Father's handiwork and perceives His love in flower and shrub and tree.  No one can fully appreciate the significance of hill and vale, river and sea, who does not look upon them as an expression of God's love to man.--Steps to Christ, 86, 87.

                      "You are under a curse, for your whole nation has been cheating me.
                 Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple....
                  Then all nations will call you blessed, for your land will be such a delight."
                              
                                                                        --Malachi 3:9, 10, 12, NLT

March 10:  Joy to the World.

Nature Created for Our Joy.
It is good to give thanks to the Lord, and to sing praises to Your name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning, and Your faithfulness every night, on an instrument of ten strings, on the lute, and on the harp, with harmonious sound.  For You, Lord, have made me glad through Your work; I will triumph in the works of Your hands.  O Lord, how great are Your works!  Your thoughts are very deep.--Psalm 92:1-5, NKJV

IN THE LOVELINESS of the things of nature you may learn more of the wisdom of God than the schoolmen know.  On the lily's petals, God has written a message for you, written in language that your heart can read only as it unlearns the lessons of distrust and selfishness and corroding care.  Why has He given you the singing birds and the gentle blossoms, but from the overflowing love of a Father's heart, that would brighten and gladden your path of life?  All that was needed for existence would have been yours without the flowers and birds, but God was not content to provide what would suffice for mere existence.  He has filled earth and air and sky with glimpses of beauty to tell you of His loving thoughts for you.  The beauty of all created things is but a gleam from the shining of His glory.  If He has lavished such infinite skill upon the things of nature, for your happiness and joy, can you doubt that He will give you every needed blessing?--Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 96.

March 9:  Joy to the World.

Rejoicing With All Nature.
Let the heavens rejoice, and let the earth be glad; let the sea roar, and all its fullness; let the field be joyful, and all that is in it.  Then all the trees of the woods will rejoice before the Lord.--Psalm 96:11-13, NKJV

GOD WOULD HAVE His children appreciate His works and delight in the simple, quiet beauty with which He has adorned our earthly home.--Steps to Christ, 85.

That Creator who planted the beautiful Eden for our first parents, and who has planted for us the lovely trees and flowers, and provided everything that is beautiful and glorious in nature for the human race to enjoy, designed that they should enjoy it....

That God who has planted these noble trees and clothed them with their rich foliage, who has given us the brilliant and beautiful shades of the flowers, and whose lovely handiwork we see in all the realm of nature, does not design to make us unhappy; He does not design that we shall have no taste for, and take no pleasure in, these things.  It is His design that we shall enjoy them and be happy in the charms of nature, which are of His own creating.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, 588.

Let me enjoy the beauties of the kingdom of God.  Let me delight in the paintings which His own fingers have colored.  I may enjoy them.  You may enjoy them.  We may not worship them, but through them we may be directed to Him and behold His glory who made all these things for our enjoyment.--Testimonies for the Church, 592.

March 8:  Joy to the World.

His Wisdom Brings Joy.
Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace.  She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her; those who hold her fast are called blessed.--Proverbs 3:17, 18, ESV

THE WISE MAN SAYS that wisdom's "ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace."  Proverbs 3:17.  Many cherish the impression that devotion to God is detrimental to health and the cheerful happiness in the social relations of life.  But those who walk in the path of wisdom and holiness find that "godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come."  1 Timothy 4:8.  They are alive to the enjoyment of life's real pleasures, while they are not troubled with vain regrets over misspent hours, nor with gloom of horror of mind, as the worldling too often is when not diverted by some exciting amusement.--Counsels on Health, 627.

True religion ennobles the mind, refines the taste, sanctifies the judgment, and makes its possessor a partaker of the purity and the holiness of heaven.  It brings angels near and separates us more and more from the spirit and influence of the world.  It enters into all the acts and relations of life and gives us the "spirit of a sound mind," and the result is happiness and peace.--Counsels on Health, 629.

                   They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them.
                   For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky.
                   Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities--
            his eternal power and divine nature.  So they have no excuse for not knowing God.
                                                                                       --Romans 1:19, 20, NLT