All About GOD - Growing Relationships with Jesus and Others
Joy to the World! Are you joyful?
One of the most used words in the bible is the word Joy. Joy is listed as part of the fruit of the Spirit in our lives. We are to be the most joyous people in the world, so why are so many of us not joyful?
In the bible we are commanded to be joyful. Count it all joy the word of God tells us, but what is the problem with that imperative? You are hurting, how can you possibly be joyful, you ask, is there a button I am to push and make myself joyful? We often even get angry when people give us the biblical command to count it all joy and we think they are not sensitive, but are they being insensitive or are we being blinded by pain etc…?
We tend to think happiness and joy is something that happens to us, that is passive, but not something that we have control over. But can we create joy and happiness by an act of the will or by abiding in Christ? Is joy an automatic reaction to abiding in Him, to being filled with the Spirit?
Scripture gives us a command to count it all joy; it’s an imperative, it’s an obligation. It is our duty to be joyful and the failure to be a joyful Christians is a manifestation of the flesh. Don’t misunderstand me, we all experience sorrow and grief. Jesus was called a man of sorrow and acquainted with grief. It is better to go to the house of morning than to spend our time with fools and blessed/happy are those who mourn scripture tells us, but how can a person be in mourning and still be joyful?
How can Jesus be a man of sorrow and be the most joyful human to have ever walked the earth?
How can we experience feelings of mourning (which are not sinful) and have the biblical dimension of joy, even when we are experiencing mourning and grief and in the midst of our sorrow?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Leonard T on
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Char,
I smiled and experienced moments of sadness as I rememebred their life, but I also did rejoice. I had the privilege to do the services for my mother, two brothers and sister-in-law to name just a few of my family members. Three of the four I am sure knew the Lord and we celebrated their home going and look forward to seeing them again.
Lord Bless,
LT
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Permalink Reply by Amanda on
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Men and women differ very much when it comes to emotions and sensitivity and gender differences must be factored in and these gender differences can...well...make all the difference in the way people detect, process, and express emotions. There are different types of personalities as well and some people just do not show their feelings. I have both laughed and cried during funerals for my loved ones. When Dad was dying, we did all the things that people do when a loved one is dying... talk quietly, share memories, laugh at some of them, sipped coffee, sat at his bed side, cried. The human experience is very real and emotions are part of it. There was relief when he finally passed. His suffering was over. There was sorrow for the loss and joy for knowing that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. I can't say I always feel joyful and if that means I am breaking one of God's commands, then I ask God everyday to forgive me, but I can say I have known joy in my life and the joy of the Lord has been my strength many, many times. There have been times when I haven't had joy, too. I can't say I have been joyful for a long while now. I don't know what that means. But it doesn't mean I am not saved and it doesn't mean God has cast me away.
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Permalink Reply by David Velasquez on
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Char,
>>....people say God's "commands" us to be joyful, and other times, they say its a sin if you don't obey all God's commands.
The bible does teach us to rejoice always with commands written in the imperative form. It does not tell us to be joyful only in certain set of circumstances, but always, through it all. God enables us to do so as well. He is not asking us to do something that is impossible for us to do, but something He enables us to do. I don't know of any human that has obeyed that command perfectly, but I have known those who have come close. Personally, to God's glory and praise - I have remained joyful through much or little since Christ came to my life.
>> I guess I'm having a hard time equating a gracious and merciful God with someone who frowns you considering you nothing more than sinful, when all you're doing is naturally grieving a loss.
There are many differences between a person grieving and a person who is overcome by grief. God does not frown at his people nor does He consider them nothing more than sinful when they grieve. We can remain joyful in Christ as we grieve though. Not obeying God’s commands is a sin and a manifestation of the flesh.
Sis this too shall pass. For now and always rejoice in your salvation.
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The enemies of Joy
Luke 10
1 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go.
17 The seventy-two returned with joy and said, “Lord, even the demons submit to us in your name.” 18 He replied, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven. 19 I have given you authority to trample on snakes and scorpions and to overcome all the power of the enemy; nothing will harm you. 20 however, do not rejoice that the spirits submit to you, but rejoice that your names are written in heaven.”
The disciples were joyful that they had power and success, but power and success comes and goes while we are on earth. Jesus told them not to set their joy in such things, but to instead rejoice in an unchangeable truth.
When our joy is founded on our success or any other thing than the fact that we are in Christ and He is in us, our joy will come and go like the waves. However when our joy is in the fact that our names are written in the book of life, than our joy remains through it all.
Having our names written in heaven means we are forgiven. So there is no condemnation for us. Guilt feelings about our past or present sins, will rob our joy as well. Beloved once we confess our sins with a contrite heart we are forgiven, there is no reason to walk around condemned.
The pleasures of this world that go against God’s will, will rob our joy, because they produce guilt in us and guilt is a direct killer of joy. Following after the pleasures of this world will definitely rod us of our true joy.
J Jesus
O Others
Y yourself
When Jesus is first and others are second in our lives and we have a servant’s life style our joy is complete. Obedience brings Joy!
There is real pain in this life, but:
Paul said: I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. Romans 8:18
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Permalink Reply by Rita Cullimore on
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I may not always be happy, but I have Joy always knowing that whatever happens God has my back. When I succeed in living as God wants me to....making progress in growing in the Lord....changing the way I look at various things...I have Joy knowing that God is pleased with my progress.
Joy is a quiet thing...not causing laughter...but bringing a warmth that nothing else can touch. That warmth is God's Love flowing over one.
My blessing for you all is that you all may experience the Joy that I speak of....
Rita
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Amen Rita!
>>Joy is a quiet thing...not causing laughter...but bringing a warmth that nothing else can touch. That warmth is God's Love flowing over one.
Thank you for this excellent description of what the joy of the Lord looks like in our lives.
Blessings
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It says:
You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever.--Psalm 16:11, NLT.
What if you have no joy and life is a heartbreak and you can't find your way back from that place of sadness? Do you have to wait for physical death to once again know His presence?
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Permalink Reply by JB on
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We used to sing a song at church taken from Isa.61:3-4,
“Put on the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness and lift up your voice to God, pray with the spirit and with the understanding, Oh magnify the Lord…..”
See, most of the time when we get ourselves in these situations, we are magnifying our situation above the Word of God.
And when we magnify our problems over the promises of God; the devil has a hey day.
So magnify the Lord with me and let us exalt His name together. Amen?
In my opinion!! Usually when we get down a little, so to speak, it is usually caused by being a little fearful of something, meditating on that for any length of time will bring on doubts, more fear, and even leads to depression, and this becoming a strong-hold, makes it more difficult to overcome. So when you feel it coming on, put on that garment of praise, Same as submitting yourselves to God, and resisting the devil. Look what happened to Paul and Silas in Acts 16:25-26 (KJV)
25 And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. and
26 And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one's bands were loosed.Isaiah 61:3-4 (KJV)
3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.
4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
BlessingsJoe
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Sometimes we get "down" not because we are afraid but because we are hurt. People have a way of hurting each other...with words and actions. Didn't you know?
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Char and Amanda,
I will reiterate, We will invariably magnify our situations, depressions, infirmities, etc. above the promises and infallible Word of God.
As I have said before, so say I again; when the Word of God becomes a reality, rather than a theory, or just a doctrine, then you will walk in victory over all the attacks and firer darts of the wicked one, the devil.
And yes, I am aware of the various ways of feeling down by and from out side influences that work on our senses, distractions from the Word are ever present with us. Don’t grow weary in well doing, for in due season: you will reap if you faint not. Gal.6:9 Do we really believe this?
What is well doing? Is it not acknowledging God (or His Word) in all thy ways.??
REJOICE!!!! Arise, shine; for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is risen upon you………. Isa. 60:1,
Joe
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I agree, Char. It is sad when people are so puffed up in their faith that they must condescend to those whom they think are inferior and of great disbelief in order to give them a little encouragement and set them "straight."
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Char,
May Our Lord restore your joy of your salvation, is my prayer for you. You are loved and appreciated here.
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