March 26:  Joy to the World.

God Uses the Elements to Produce Food.
You send rain on the mountains from your heavenly home, and you fill the earth with the fruit of your labor.  You cause grass to grow for the livestock and plants for the people to use.  You allow them to produce food from the earth.--Psalm 104:13, 14, NLT

GOD HAS BOUNTIFULLY PROVIDED for the sustenance and happiness of all His creatures; and if His laws were never violated, and all acted in harmony with the divine will, health, peace, and happiness, instead of misery and continual evil, would be experienced.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, 368.

It is by the mighty power of the Infinite One that the elements of nature in earth and sea and sky are kept within bounds.  And these elements He uses for the happiness of His creatures.  "His good treasures" is freely expended "to give rain...in his season, and to bless all the work" of man's hands.  Deuteronomy 28:12.--Prophets and Kings, 134.

                                 You make springs gush forth in the valleys;
                                             they flow between the hills,
                                       giving drink to every wild animal;
                                       the wild asses quench their thirst.
                         By the streams the birds of the air have their habitation;
                                    they sing among the branches....
                               You cause the grass to grow for the cattle,
                                         and plants for people to use,
                                     to bring forth food from the earth,
                                  and wine to gladden the human heart.
                              
               --Psalm 104:10-12, 14, 15, NRSV

March 25:  Joy to the World.

All Necessities of Life Assured.
Those who are honest and fair, who refuse to profit by fraud, who stay far away from bribes, who refuse to listen to those who plot murder, who shut their eyes to all enticement to do wrong--these are the ones who will dwell on high.  The rocks of the mountains will be their fortress.  Food will be supplied to them, and they will have water in abundance.--Isaiah 33:15, 16, NLT

EVERY DAY YOU ARE TO PRAY, "Give us this day our daily bread."  Be not dismayed if you have not sufficient for tomorrow.  You have the assurance of His promise, "So shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed."  David says, "I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."  Psalm 37:3, 25.--Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 110.

That God who cared for Elijah will not pass by one of His self-sacrificing children.  He who numbers the hairs of their head will care for them, and in time of famine they shall be satisfied.  While the wicked are dying from hunger and pestilence, angels will shield the righteous and supply their wants.  To him that "walketh righteously" is the promise: "Bread shall be given him; his water shall be sure."  "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, and their tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God of Israel will not forsake them."  Isaiah 33:15, 16; 41: 17.--The Great Controversy, 629.

                    Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,
                         and there are no grapes on the vines;
                                 even though the olive crop fails,
                            and the fields lie empty and barren;
                      even though the flocks die in the fields,
                                  and the cattle barns are empty,
                                     yet I will rejoice in the Lord!
                      I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!
                                                                   --Habakkuk 3:17, 18, NLT

March 24:  Joy to the World.

We Should Relish Our Food.
So go ahead.  Eat your food with joy, and drink your wine with a happy heart, for God approves of this!--Ecclesiastes 9:7, NLT

IT IS IMPORTANT that we relish the food we eat.  If we cannot do this, but eat mechanically, we fail to be nourished and built up as we would be if we could enjoy the food we take into the stomach.  We are composed of what we eat.  In order to make a good quality of blood, we must have the right kind of food, prepared in a right manner.

It is a religious duty for those who cook to learn how to prepare healthful food in different ways, so that it may be eaten with enjoyment....The eating has to do with the life....It is highly essential that the art of cookery be considered one of the most important branches of education....Knowledge of how to prepare food healthfully, especially bread, is no mean science.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 1, 681, 682.

To the health and happiness of the whole family nothing is more vital than skill and intelligence on the part of the cook.  By ill-prepared, unwholesome food she may hinder and even ruin both the adult's usefulness and the child's development.  Or by providing food adapted to the needs of the body, and at the same time inviting and palatable, she can accomplish as much in the right as otherwise she accomplishes in the wrong direction.  So, in many ways, life's happiness is bound up with faithfulness in common duties.--Education, 216.

            So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
                                                                                          --1 Corinthians 10:31, NLT

March 23:  Joy to the World.

Food Provided by God.
Out of the ground the Lord God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food.  The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.--Genesis 2:9, NKJV

GOD HAS FURNISHED man with abundant means for the gratification of natural appetite.  He has spread before him, in the products of the earth, a bountiful variety of food that is palatable to the taste and nutritious to the system.  Of these our benevolent heavenly Father says that we may "freely eat."  We may enjoy the fruits, the vegetables, the grains, without doing violence to the laws of our being.  These articles, prepared in the most simple and natural manner, will nourish the body, and preserve its natural vigor without the use of flesh meats.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 3, 50.

Persons who have accustomed themselves to a rich, highly stimulating diet have an unnatural taste, and they cannot at once relish food that is plain and simple.  It will take time for the taste to become natural and for the stomach to recover from the abuse it has suffered.  But those who persevere in the use of wholesome food will, after a time, find it palatable.  Its delicate and delicious flavors will be appreciated, and it will be eaten with greater enjoyment than can be derived from unwholesome dainties.--The Ministry of Healing, 298.

                  The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden
            to work it and take care of it.  And the Lord God commanded the man,
                              "You are free to eat from any tree in the garden;
                 but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil,
                                 for when you eat from it you will certainly die."
                                                                                           --Genesis 2:15-17, NIV

March 22:  Joy to the World.

Labor Yields True Joy.
When you eat and labor of your hands, you shall be happy, and it shall be well with you.--Psalm 128:2, NKJV

JESUS LIVED in a peasant's home, and faithfully and cheerfully acted His part in bearing the burdens of the household....He learned a trade, and with His own hands worked in the carpenter's shop with Joseph.  In the simple garb of a common laborer He walked the streets of the little town, going to and returning from His humble work.  He did not employ His divine power to lessen His burdens or to lighten His toil.

As Jesus worked in childhood and youth, mind and body were developed.  He did not use His physical powers recklessly, but in such a way as to keep them in health, that He might do the best work in every line.  He was not willing to be defective, even in the handling of tools.  He was perfect as a workman, as He was perfect in character.  By His own example He taught that it is our duty to be industrious, that our work should be performed with exactness and thoroughness, and that such labor is honorable.  The exercise that teaches the hands to be useful and trains the young to bear their share of life's burdens gives physical strength, and develops every faculty.  All should find something to do that will be beneficial to themselves and helpful to others.  God appointed work as a blessing, and only the diligent worker finds the true glory and joy in life.--The Desire of Ages, 72.

                         In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters,
                                   to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive
                               and does not live according to the teaching you received from us....
                                   For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule:
                                         "The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat."
                              
                                                              --2 Thessalonians 3:6, 10, NIV

March 21:  Joy to the World.

Joy in the Harvest.
The people who walk in darkness will see a great light.  For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine.  You will enlarge the nation of Israel, and its people will rejoice.  They will rejoice before you as people rejoice at the harvest.--Isaiah 9:2, 3, NLT

GOD'S GREAT COVENANT declares that "while the earth remaineth, seedtime and harvest...shall not cease."  Genesis 8:21.  In the confidence of this promise the husbandman tills and sows.  Not less confidently are we, in the spiritual sowing, to labor, trusting His assurance: "So shall My word be that goeth forth out of My mouth: it shall not return unto Me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it."  Isaiah 55:11....

The wheat develops, "first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear."  Mark 4:28.  The object of the husbandman in the sowing of the seed and the culture of the plant, is the production of grain--bread for the hungry, and seed for future harvests.  So the divine Husbandman looks for a harvest.  He is seeking to reproduce Himself in the hearts and lives of His followers, that through them He may be reproduced in other hearts and lives.--Education, 105, 106.

                          In the morning sow your seed,
                 And in the evening do not withhold your hand;
                     For you do not know which will prosper,
                                  Either this or that,
                        Or whether both alike will be good.
                              
                             --Ecclesiastes 11:6, NKJV

March 20:  Joy to the World.

Being Faithful in Every Detail.
"Be careful not to sacrifice your burnt offerings just anywhere you like.  You may do so only at the place the Lord will choose within one of your tribal territories.  There you must offer your burnt offerings and do everything I command you....You must eat these in the presence of the Lord your God at the place he will choose.  Eat them there with your children, your servants, and the Levites who live in your towns, celebrating in the presence of the Lord your God in all you do.."--Deuteronomy 12:13, 14, 18. NLT

TO BECOME A TOILER, to continue patiently in well-doing which calls for self-denying labor, is a glorious work, which Heaven smiles upon.  Faithful work is more acceptable to God than the most zealous and thought-to-be holiest worship....Prayers, exhortation, and talk are cheap fruits, which are frequently tied on; but fruits that are manifested in good works, in caring for the needy, the fatherless, and widows, are genuine fruits, and grow naturally upon good trees.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, 24.

Success in this life, success in gaining the future life, depends upon faithful, conscientious attention to the little things.  Perfection is seen in the least, no less than in the greatest, of the works of God.  The hand that hung the worlds in space is the hand that wrought with delicate skill the lilies of the field.  And as God is perfect in His sphere, so we are to be perfect in ours.  The symmetrical structure of a strong, beautiful character is built up by individual acts of duty.  And faithfulness should characterize our life in the least as well as in the greatest of its details.  Integrity in little things, the performance of little acts of fidelity and little deeds of kindness, will gladden the path of life; and when our work on earth is ended, it will be found that every one of the little duties faithfully performed has exerted an influence for good--an influence that can never perish.--Patriarchs and Prophets, 574.

                              "If you are faithful in little things, you will be faithful in large ones.
    But if you are dishonest in little things, you won't be honest with greater responsibilities."
                                                                                      --Luke 16:10, NLT

March 19:  Joy to the World.

Duty Well Done Brings Happiness.
So I perceived that nothing is better than that a man should rejoice in his own works, for that is his heritage.  For who can bring him to see what will happen after him?--Ecclesiastes 3:22, NKJV

THOSE WHO ARE ALWAYS BUSY, and go cheerfully about the performance of their daily tasks, are the most happy and healthy.  The rest and composure of night brings to their wearied frames unbroken slumber.  The Lord knew what was for man's happiness when He gave him work to do.  The sentence that man must toil for his bread, and the promise of future happiness and glory, came from the same throne.  Both are blessings.--Testimonies for the Church, vol. 2, 529.

Let us remember that while the work we have to do may not be our choice, it is to be accepted as God's choice for us.  Whether pleasing or unpleasing, we are to do the duty that lies nearest.  "Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do it with thy might..."  Ecclesiastes 9:10...

We are to look upon every duty, however humble, as sacred because it is a part of God's service.  Our daily prayer should be, "Lord, help me to do my best.  Teach me how to do better work.  Give me energy and cheerfulness.  Help me to bring into my service the loving ministry of the Saviour."--The Ministry of Healing, 472, 474.

                            Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might;
                                      for there is no work or device of knowledge
                                      or wisdom in the grave where you are going.
                                                                                    --Ecclesiastes 9:10, NKJV

                           The sleep of a laboring man is sweet,
                                  Whether he eats little or much;
                   But the abundance of the rich will not permit him to sleep.
                                                                                      --Ecclesiastes 5:12, NKJV

March 18:  Joy to the World.

God Gives Us the Fruit of Our Labor.
"The Lord your God will make you abound in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your body, in the increase of your livestock, and in the produce of your land for good.  For the Lord will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers."-Deuteronomy 30:9, NKJV

HE WHO FED the multitude with five loaves and two small fishes is able to give us the fruit of our labor.  He who said to the fishers of Galilee, "Let down your nets for a draft," and who, as they obeyed, filled their nets till they broke, desires His people to see in this an evidence of what He will do for them today.  The God who in the wilderness gave the children of Israel manna from heaven still lives and reigns.  He will guide His people and give skill and understanding in the work they are called to do.  He will give wisdom to those who strive to do their duty conscientiously and intelligently.  He who owns the world is rich in resources, and will bless everyone who is seeking to bless others.

We need to look heavenward in faith.  We are not to be discouraged because of apparent failure, nor should we be disheartened by delay.  We should work cheerfully, hopefully, gratefully, believing that the earth holds in her bosom rich treasures for the faithful worker to garner, stores richer than gold or silver.  The mountains and hills are changing; the earth is waxing old like a garment; but the blessing of God, which spreads for His people a table in the wilderness, will never cease.--The Ministry of Healing, 200.

                      "Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written,
                                  'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.' "...

                  "Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead."...
                "This is the bread which came down from heaven--not as your fathers
                ate the manna, and are dead.  He who eats this bread will live forever."
                              
                                                               --John 6:31, 49, 58, NKJV

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