Joy
While it is true that sorrow may teach us more than happiness (Ecclesiastes 7:2), joy and gladness are certainly more appropriate in the hearts and attitudes of those who know and love God. The psalmist exclaimed, “Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him” (Psalm 33:1). Paul exhorted us, “Rejoice in the Lord always, I will say it again: Rejoice!” (Philippians 4:4).
Would you be counted by your friends and coworkers as one who is obedient to that biblical command? Are you seen as someone whose temperament is characterized by a biblical optimism? Would others say you are quick to smile at the thought of God’s grace and his ever-present help in your life? It may be a challenge in a world filled with so much pain, but how displeasing and unbecoming it is for the forgiven children of God to be the most sour, critical, discouraged and pessimistic people on the block.
Let this never be true of us. Let us find our joy in the transcendent truths of God’s word. May we learn to rejoice as we meditate on the forgiveness, grace and acceptance that is ours in Christ. Let us be those who are known for smiling, singing and reveling in God and our standing in grace.
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The joy that you speak of is not achieved by mental assent or the act of the will, but only by the filling of the Holy Spirit (i.e. grace) rejoicing in the life of the obedient believer. Even in deepest sorrow there can be joy that unbelievers will never understand or experience. Genuine joy is a fruit of the Holy Spirit. How many Christians would attest to this truth! The command to “rejoice in the Lord, and again I say rejoice,” is therefore possible if the source is the Holy Spirit bearing fruit in our daily lives.
I am nothing without Jesus Christ. I can’t claim anything of works, but by “His” power and grace; my life means nothing to me.
This posted topic struck a cord with me and is so important; though I am nothing.
It’s not easy to find that balance of living peacefully, or peacefully with others in the workplace or out in the world; selfcontrol is a spiritual gift and a nessesary part in the life of a born again Christain.
My job is to keep everything running at work; my place of employment. Though my job discription and title is what my boss says, “You’re a mushroom where all the manuer is heeped on top of you and you can’t, or don’t get to see the light.”
My life prior to this employment, and prior to Jesus Christ, I was the worst offender I knew (even today), hating myself. Somehow God graced me with that deep profound desire for ‘His will’ in my life; complaining cannot take place nor can a poor attitude, both in my walk with the Lord and at work. It is SO WONDERFULL to rely on our sovereign Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ because that is actually where He reveals Himself; He is my peace and esteem, and for the most part, He is my thoughts when I don’t get in the way of His desires for my life.
Relying on God Christ is doing what “He” says and then watching “Him” work. This is also where “No one can boast.”
If we do what God says, it is not us who do it, but God and our response to Him, because no one seeks Him; He seeks us from heaven. This is that faith entrusted to the saints. This is the same faith the patriarchs had; they listened to God doing what He had asked of them (Hebrews 11) just as Jesus did. Grace is what Jesus had actually acomplished on the cross for the world, for those who BELIEVE HIM. Those who do not believe Jesus’ words wont do what “He” says; His teachings and commands. That is all there is to it.
God gave us breath and life and everthing in it, “That’s Grace!” Because God has perdestined the times and places each person would live, in the hopes that they would reach out (ESV: feel thier way) and find Him; man plans his ways, but the Lord directs man’s steps, and many still refuse Him.
I often wonder if I am cold hearted torwards those who struggle so, though I withold my words for the most part because of decernment. Yet because of the JOY AND LIFE THROUGH THE PROMISES I FOUND IN JESUS CHRIST, I speak.
Just speaking openly…
I think at times, ‘How could anyone in Christ complain, be sad, or have a bad attitude, when we are not actually living for this life, but for Him, unto the next.’ The Lord tests the hearts and minds.
Today I wonder why so many don’t believe the promises that come, due to obedience. I wonder why so many wont cry out for HIS WAYS and experience HIS LOVING DISCIPLINE. Well, I actually know why: Jesus became the eternal salvation for all who obey Him.
We all see and know where we fall short, and it would be a lie to think we can’t see and know these faults today, well, I guess unless of course one hasn’t sincerely and truly desired God to reveal it to them by taking away their denial; yet even then in thier denial thier conscious convicts them and they do nothing about it. He who hides his transgressions not forsaking them, wont find mercy.
There is safety amongst the multitudes of counselors. Well, that is just not the case today; we as believers need to strongly consider the things WE DONT WANT TO HEAR found within the Word of God. If we dont want to Hear all of God’s word, we are not going to keep producing the fruit that God is pruning our branches for, more fruitful growth and are endangered of being cut off; remain in His kindness.
How does one balance what is right in the sight of God when man (people/humanity) have become so flesly, overly sensitive not giving God the reverent fear WONDERFULLY DUE HIM?
If one truly wants to press forward for which they are called heaven word, even in this life’s kingdom of God , we need to become, make that decision, “I am going to be quick to hear, slow to anger, and slow to speak, and do what the word says.” Also desiring to understand the faith and actions of others through their experiences with Lord, being ecouraged by each other’s faith.
We are all brothers and sisters under one head, Jesus Christ. Those who humble themselves will be exaulted.
Scripture is being distorted and until a word or sentance that Jesus had spoken is without any “Buts”, it will only continue.
Too many are focus on man’s gathering of Biblical history (knowledge and not wisdome) and not the very words of the Lord, the ONLY TEACHER, The Christ. They can go on endlessly about history, customs, traditions, how they built thier homes back then, and other things that might have some benifit, and on and on, but not about what it is to BELIEVE GOD; FAITH. Faith is always the doing, the action one takes within obedience towards God in Jesus Christ, and that action is also confessing our sins to one another until Christ overcomes. Who is that overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.
So what that there are 4 gosple perspectives, so what about the struggles of early Church. The Laws of Christ have been spoken, and they are backed up with His promise(s) both towards those who have accepted His word, and towards those who reject it.
People try to make faith this wishful airy-fairy thing, but “ALL” of God’s WAYS ARE RIGHT AND TRUE, or He would not have spoken those words if this wasn’t the case.
It amazes me the one major Christain contradiction, ‘You dont get to have eternal salvation unless you believe in Jesus Christ.’ Then they say, “You must accept Jesus into your Hearts asking Him to forgive your sins to be saved.” THIS IS NOT HOW THE LORD JESUS CHRIST WORKS, NOR IS IT HOW ONE BECOMES BORN AGAIN. HE TESTS THE HEARTS AND MINDS. How does one past this test?
If you obey My commands…
John 14-15
God is not a man that he should lie; does He speak and then not act?
God is not a man that He should change His mind; does He promise and then not fulfill?
GRACE IS LIVING AND BREATHING BEING ABLE TO LIVE FOR GOD, not because we did anything where one can boast, BUT THE LORD GOD DIRECTED OUR STEPS TO HIM AND HIS WAYS, whereas we are no longer living our ways but HIS, whereas no one can boast!!! Because what is right and true came from God through Christ the Lord and not from us! No one is righteous, no not one. All have fallen short of the glory of God.
Christains have justification through Christ all mixed up! Justification is the evidence, the proof that Christ bore fruits within a person. It is not something we can claim of ourselves, but it is gift of grace through Jesus Christ. No one can do anything apart from Christ, once again whereas, NO ONE CAN BOAST, but WE BOAST IN HIM.
WE DIDN’T invent the wheel, God gave us the geometry; the breath and life and EVERYTHING IN IT! GOD invented the wheel.
God actually causes all men to will and act according to His good pleasure, we saw this through Pharoh. He does so to test the hearts and minds of man; He can even make the stones cry out. He does so to glorify Himself as King and ruler over EVERY PERSON, PLACE, and THING in the hopes that we will find Him.