Next to each one write why it cant deliver the real joy you are looking for. Is there a difference between joy and happiness? Hes too busy blocking his own way! In Nehemiah, we find this familiar statement: 18 The joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10). And the temptation of envy to kill the peace and joy others that you dont have will be ever present and likewise destructive toxic force against those who will offer all for the gift of Joy that God gives for those who truly will trust in Him. According to Webster's dictionary, joy means " to experience great pleasure or delight ". Such characterization of the Puritans is simply not true.92 Nothing could be further from the truth. He is author of. The joy of the Lord should characterize our service and our worship. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned to joy (John 16:20). The ark of the covenant had been stolen, and David brought it back to . Supernatural Encounters: Miracles and Prophecy On today's broadcast, Lance is joined by Mario Murillo as they discuss the great awakening and the. Be imitators of me as I am of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1). (Philip. He gives us the means to do that which He expects and requires. God delights in His people (Psalm 149:4). A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones. Proverbs 17:22 (ESV). One of these things has to do with the source of our joy. Even Jesus told us this in John 15:11: I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. The person who pleases God receives many benefits like wisdom and happiness. To write the same things again is no trouble to me, and it is a safeguard for you (Philippians 3:1). Thank you and God Bless. (Col. 1:24). It is a supernatural life. Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice (Philippians 1:18). Dig deeper into walking in the fruit of joy in this seven-day study. So, unless we want to limp along through life, wed better focus on being joyful! 9 For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account (1 Thessalonians 3:9). James 1:2-3 - Pure Joy In Suffering & Trials. They celebrated Gods greatness until they overflowed with such joy that the sickness in their bodies suddenly seemed like nothing at all, and they went home well! Amen. You cannot serve both God and money.". ERV Nehemiah said, "Go and enjoy the good food and sweet drinks. If we substitute Jesus with anything else, then it wont be possible for us to know the kind of joy that Paul talks about and Jesus holds out to us. "No one can serve two masters. Jonathan Most certainly not! Seventh, it comes from the sanctifying effects of tribulations. In the first story, Jesus said there was joy in heaven over the one who repented (verse 7). He insists that it is not wrong for a Christian to have pleasure or to seek pleasure; it is only wrong to seek pleasure in the wrong place. J. Thats because you cant live a life of faith without being strong in the Lord. All eight episodes of Quarterback will be available to stream at 12:00 a.m. Pacific Standard Time (3:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time) beginning Wednesday, July 12. We can see from these passages how the joy of the Lord is an essential part of life with Christ and what He has done for us on the cross. You now have my joy in you and you enjoy what I enjoy as your joy, as you abide in me.. When youre full of the joy of the Lordit is your strength. They were angry that Jesus was manifesting grace toward these unworthy sinners. It is not the knowing of Gods will, but the doing of it, which is hard. A joyful heart really does good like medicine. He says that, Real, deep, and lasting joy is found only in Jesus. 7 So the Lord said, I will wipe mankind, whom I have created, from the face of the earthmen and animals, and creatures that move along the ground, and birds of the airfor I am grieved that I have made them (Genesis 6:5-7). And, He is the One who will be characterized by joy, a joy which surpasses that of all of His brethren: 6 Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of uprightness is the scepter of Thy kingdom. Matthew 6:24 NIV. The implication of our Lords words is that because God rejoices over the salvation of one lost sinner, the angels do likewise. Have a lovely day dear. #trinity #christian #worship #praise #church #trinity #mission #prayer #jesus #music #hymns And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength. And the joy referred to in Hebrews 12:2 is clearly the very joy that Jesus himself has today in heaven which sustained him through suffering. We must imply from these verses that those who are not Christians, in whom the Holy Spirit does not dwell, do not and cannot experience Gods joy. 6 The Lord was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain. 10Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of the Lord is your strength. In addition, we see that joy is the motivation for Christian witness and service. Jesus makes it clear that these two stories are understood as illustrative of His seeking after lost sinners and then rejoicing over their salvation. This incredible little phrase, one that we've quoted, one that hangs up like artwork, one that we sing - means this. "The joy of the Lord is your strength."-. 16 Rejoice always (1 Thessalonians 5:16). These are only three powerful reasons the joy of the Lord is your strengthbut they certainly arent the only ones! Please reload CAPTCHA. May God always help us run to his word for direction. The fruit of the Spirit is joy (Galatians 5:22). 14 For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves, and entrusted his possessions to them. And how can we apply this joy to our own lives?. It is a depth of assurance and confidence that ignites a cheerful heart. I have been and am guilty of looking for joy in every single place this blog mentions. but the key to joy so wonderfully penned in this devotional radiates from having the Lord of life in the driver seat in control. By submitting your email address, you understand that you will receive email communications from Bible Gateway, a division of The Zondervan Corporation, 3900 Sparks Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49546 USA, including commercial communications and messages from partners of Bible Gateway. So many non-Christians seem to think that becoming a Christian spells the end of pleasure and the commencement of a dull and joyless life. This is why we rejoice constantly and celebrate due to our relationship with an everlasting source of happiness it gives us strength! If we are Gods children, then we are in tune with the heart and character of God and should thus be characterized by joy as well. As an Amazon Associate, we earn affiliate commissions from qualifying purchases. But what does it really mean? In particular, I have never cared for the smiley face as a Christian logo or symbol. The joy of the Lord is a powerful thing. Youre never without it. And the service He requires of us even now is to be done joyfully rather than sullenly. H. SPURGEON,At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington. Im joyful in God my savior!!!! The more loving fellowship you have with Him, the more joy youll walk in. 30 And cast out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth (Matthew 25:14-30, emphasis mine). But a joyful heart does the following: And those benefits are just a few! In Psalm 16:11, we read: You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.. Psalm 16:11 says, "You will make known to me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; In Your right hand there are pleasures forever.". She moved to the United States for college and attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago where she met her husband. =
But what does this all mean? When the lost object was recovered, the one who searched for it rejoiced and invited others to join in the celebration in the joy of this recovery. Its meant to be celebrated because joy itself gives strength- spiritual strength. Experience The Joy Of The Lord Through God's Word 3. Even Jesus told us this in, I have told you this so that my joy may be in you. . The joy of the Lord gives us strength to reach for God's provision of love and salvation. Joy is an inner gladness; a deep seated pleasure. In the words of Jesus in Matthew 25, they enter into the joy of their Master. The fact that the scribes and Pharisees were not rejoicing is therefore a serious problem. Read or subscribe:https://www.desiringgod.org/interviews/what-is-the-joy-of-the-lord-and-where-can-i-find-it 15 And to one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. In Hebrews 12:2 and Nehemiah 8:10, what is meant by the phrase: the joy of the Lord? .hide-if-no-js {
It's a refuge from the MAGA Christianity that's all too present . Listen to how Jesus prays for us at the end of John 17: I made known to them your name [Father], and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them (John 17:26). The joy they would experience was first and foremost His joy, a joy into which they would also enter.
The word blessed used here by Paul is the same term our Lord employed in the Sermon on the Mount, which is rendered blessed in the King James Version, the New King James Version, the NIV and the NASB. They think if their problems disappeared and they suddenly had everything they wanted, they would be happy. Here are 3 Powerful Reasons the Joy of the Lord Is Your Strength. All rights reserved. God likewise took pleasure in making David king over Israel and then in rescuing him from danger. A dictionary definition of happiness is "a state of well-being; a pleasurable or satisfying experience." A definition of the word rejoice, related to the word joy, is "to feel great delight; to be glad." Depending on the translation, the Bible uses the words happy and happiness about 30 times, while joy and rejoice appear over 300 times. 7 Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready (Revelation 19:7). They have to be intentionally cultivated and harvested. Piper says something very important about joy or pleasure. Because God never changes, His joy never changes. He also delights in the growth and godliness of His people. He says that joy is found in the Lord and not in the flesh. Of course. We must guard it so that we arent led astray by false teachings. 4:4). I am glad in God my savior. In answer to that prayer, God will give you significant measures of the joy of the Lord in this life and then, at the end, you will hear him say, Enter into the joy of your master (Matthew 25:21, 23). When your faith is unswerving when it is steadfast then no matter what your circumstances are your joy can be overflowing. We must guard it so that we arent led astray by false teachings. by Jen Thorn | | No matter how strong we think our faith is, we all struggle with believing many of the things that Jesus tells us. Jen lives in the suburbs of Chicago, where her husband is the pastor of Redeemer Fellowship. );
How can I find joy in the midst of trials. . Just as in everything with God, each of His commands are meant to accomplish countless benefits in our lives. More recently, he has authored a book entitled, Let The Nations Be Glad: The Supremacy of God in Missions. 19 Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. But, as the Lord said, even the gentiles rejoice when things go well. The joy of the Lord comes from Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit, and it has the power to give us strength in difficult times. What is extraordinary about Paul is how unbelievably durable his joy was when things werent going well. All Rights Reserved. Gerald is the producer of GospelChops and the Chairman of the GospelChops Foundation.