{"id":1055,"date":"2025-12-18T00:08:48","date_gmt":"2025-12-18T08:08:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/?p=1055"},"modified":"2025-12-16T20:23:00","modified_gmt":"2025-12-17T04:23:00","slug":"dec-18-christmas-countdown-day-18","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/dec-18-christmas-countdown-day-18\/","title":{"rendered":"Dec.18-Christmas Countdown\u2014Day 18"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong><em><u>HAPPY<br \/>\n<\/u><\/em><\/strong><em>Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!\u00a0 <\/em>Psalm 144:15<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>Today&#8217;s Thought:<br \/>\n<\/u><\/strong>Are you happy? If God is your Lord, you should be.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Happy&#8221; is defined as delighted, pleased, or glad.<br \/>\nIn this verse&#8217;s sense it means &#8220;blessed&#8221;. This verse is saying that God&#8217;s people should be delighted because they belong to Him and in all circumstances, they should be glad because they are blessed to have God as their Lord.<\/p>\n<p><strong><u>Today\u2019s Action:<\/u><\/strong><br \/>\nIf God is your Lord, then let your happiness show forth today. Smile!&#8211;Sing!&#8211;Shine!<br \/>\nShow the world your God is the Lord!<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>SMILE!<\/strong> Give someone your smile today It could make a difference in their day.<br \/>\nAs Jacob said to Esau in Genesis 33:10 <em><em>&#8220;what a relief it is to see your friendly smile.\u00a0 It is like seeing the smile of God!&#8221;<\/em><\/em><\/li>\n<li><strong>SING!<\/strong> Glorify Him with your voice.<br \/>\n<em>Sing about his glorious name. Honor him with praises<\/em>. Psalm 66:2<\/li>\n<li><strong>SHINE!<\/strong> No one lights a lamp and then puts it under a basket.<br \/>\n<em>&#8230;a lamp is placed on a stand, where it gives light to everyone in the house.<br \/>\nIn the same way, let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father.<\/em> Matthew 5:16<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Only 7 days left until Christmas!\u00a0 Make each one count!<\/p>\n<p>\u00a9SGLY Ministry www.smilegodlovesyou.org<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>HAPPY Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!\u00a0 Psalm 144:15 Today&#8217;s Thought: Are you happy? If God is your Lord, you should be. &#8220;Happy&#8221; is defined as delighted, pleased, or glad. In this verse&#8217;s sense it means &#8220;blessed&#8221;. This verse is saying that God&#8217;s people should be delighted because they belong to Him&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1057,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1652],"tags":[36,1661,3,3311,1809,1812,1810,146,1806,1197,1811,1813,30,1687,1814,1808,1807,32],"class_list":["post-1055","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-christmas-countdown","tag-blessed","tag-christmas-countdown","tag-daily-devotionals","tag-december-2025","tag-delighted","tag-genesis-3310","tag-glad","tag-happiness","tag-happy","tag-matthew-516","tag-psalm-14415","tag-psalm-662","tag-sgly-ministry","tag-shine","tag-show-the-world-your-god-is-the-lord","tag-sing","tag-smile","tag-smile-god-loves-you"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Happy-Matthew-5.16.jpg?fit=375%2C326&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":1063,"url":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/dec-20-christmas-countdown-day-20\/","url_meta":{"origin":1055,"position":0},"title":"Dec.20-Christmas Countdown\u2014Day 20","author":"SGLY Devotionals","date":"December 20, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"JOYFUL Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands! Serve the Lord with gladness. Come before His presence with singing. Psalm 100:1,2 Today's Thought: Somedays we don\u2019t feel like making a joyful shout, it\u2019s all we can do to make ourselves smile, yet, each day our joy should\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christmas Countdown&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christmas Countdown","link":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/category\/christmas-countdown\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"CC-Joyful--Psalm-1-1-2","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Joyful-Psalm-1-1-2.jpg?fit=375%2C326&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1033,"url":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/dec-11-christmas-countdown-day-11\/","url_meta":{"origin":1055,"position":1},"title":"Dec.11-Christmas Countdown\u2014Day 11","author":"SGLY Devotionals","date":"December 11, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"DAY This is the day the Lord has made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 Today's Thought: Somedays are not all that we expect them to be.\u00a0 Things may happen that upset our plans, or we get news that causes us to feel sad. Sometimes we\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christmas Countdown&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christmas Countdown","link":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/category\/christmas-countdown\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"CC-Day--Psalm-118.24","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Day-Psalm-118.24.jpg?fit=575%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Day-Psalm-118.24.jpg?fit=575%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Day-Psalm-118.24.jpg?fit=575%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1030,"url":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/dec-10-christmas-countdown-day-10\/","url_meta":{"origin":1055,"position":2},"title":"Dec.10-Christmas Countdown\u2014Day 10","author":"SGLY Devotionals","date":"December 10, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"DAILY Give us this day our daily bread...\u00a0 Matthew 6:11 Today's Thought: Blessed be the Lord, Who daily loads us with benefits, The God of our salvation! Selah Psalm\u00a068:19 At Christmas time we often get lots more gifts, attention and good things than we normally do, but the Lord blesses\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christmas Countdown&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christmas Countdown","link":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/category\/christmas-countdown\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Daily--Psalm-68.19","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Daily-Psalm-68.19.jpg?fit=575%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Daily-Psalm-68.19.jpg?fit=575%2C500&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/Daily-Psalm-68.19.jpg?fit=575%2C500&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1049,"url":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/dec-16-christmas-countdown-day-16\/","url_meta":{"origin":1055,"position":3},"title":"Dec.16-Christmas Countdown\u2014Day 16","author":"SGLY Devotionals","date":"December 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"FOREVER Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Psalm 136:1 Today's Thought: Forever means ENDLESS The Lord's goodness is endless! Forever means EVERLASTING The Lord's mercy is everlasting Forever means ENDURING The Lord's truth endures forever Today\u2019s Action: Today, Focus on Forever!\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christmas Countdown&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christmas Countdown","link":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/category\/christmas-countdown\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"CC-Forever--Psalm-136.1","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Forever-Psalm-136.1.jpg?fit=375%2C326&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1095,"url":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/dec-30-new-year-countdown-day-5\/","url_meta":{"origin":1055,"position":4},"title":"Dec.30\u2014New Year Countdown\u2014Day 5","author":"SGLY Devotionals","date":"December 30, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"STEADFAST My heart is steadfast, O God, my\u00a0heart is steadfast; I will sing and give praise. Psalm 57:7 Today's Thought: A Steadfast Heart is fixed in its direction. It is firm and faithful in its faith. It can sing and give praise in any situation because it is constant in\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;New Year Countdown&quot;","block_context":{"text":"New Year Countdown","link":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/category\/new-year-countdown\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"NYC-Steadfast--Psalm-57.7","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Steadfast-Psalm-57.7.jpg?fit=375%2C326&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":1039,"url":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/dec-13-christmas-countdown-day-13\/","url_meta":{"origin":1055,"position":5},"title":"Dec.13-Christmas Countdown\u2014Day 13","author":"SGLY Devotionals","date":"December 13, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"DELIGHT Delight yourself also in the Lord, and he shall give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4 Today's Thought: DELIGHT--Take great pleasure in Him today \u201cI take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.\" Psalm 40:8 REVEL--Be highly pleased with\u2026","rel":"","context":"In &quot;Christmas Countdown&quot;","block_context":{"text":"Christmas Countdown","link":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/category\/christmas-countdown\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Delight-Psalm-37.4","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Delight-Psalm-37.4.jpg?fit=375%2C326&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1055","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1055"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1055\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1059,"href":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1055\/revisions\/1059"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1057"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1055"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1055"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/smilegodlovesyou.org\/devotionals\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1055"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}