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Archive for the ‘Joy’ Category

Where Joy Lives

Posted in Christ, Joy, King David, Paul, Podcast, tagged , , on January 3, 2022| Leave a Comment »

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In thy presence is fullness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.” – Psalm 16:11b

The Jewish King, David, was a passionate man with strong emotions.  Anger, Love, Gladness, Fear.  He was 100% everything he felt.  And Joy was a big part of his life and faith.

Writing to God he said, “in your presence is Joy!”, and “at your right hand is constant and forever joy”.  Term, “at right hand” in ancient times was a special place of honor.  

Jesus, when he arose from the dead, after paying the price for our sins, was seated at God’s right hand.  In fact, many think the 16th Psalm was written about Jesus’ resurrection, from his perspective.

That’s great for Jesus, seated where there is eternal Joy, but what about us?

The Apostle Paul wrote,
"God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus" - Ephesians 2:6

How could he say that?  Paul was a logical man, where was the logic in this, we are on this side of eternity.

The thought process is this…  When we give our lives to Christ, he enters us, literally, and we enter him.  Where we go, he is there in us, AND where he is, we are there in him.  The first part is fairly easy to understand, but the second part is also true!

In Christ we live at God’s right hand where Joy is, and, if we let ourselves believe it, we can feel it this side of eternity.

Sometimes, here, we get knocked around a bit and stop feeling very joyful, but that is not where we stay. 

King David wrote 

These things I remember
    as I pour out my soul: 
how I used to go to the house of God
    under the protection of the Mighty One
with shouts of joy and praise (Psalm 42:4)

The king was not feeling it, so what did he do?  He gave himself a good talking to!  He told himself this…

Why, my soul, are you downcast?
    Why so disturbed within me?
Put your hope in God,
    for I will yet praise him,
    my Savior and my God.
    among the festive throng (Psalm 42:11).

Give yourself a good talking to!  Embrace it by faith!

Life is intended to be lived in Joy; it is found in God’s presence.  Surrendering to Jesus put us smack dab in the middle of it.

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Joyful Monday! Facing Rejection with Joy

Posted in Faith, Holy Spirit, Joy, Podcast, Rejection, tagged on December 27, 2021| Leave a Comment »

Seemed like a tough couple of weeks for Paul and Barnabas. 

The story is in Acts 13:15-52

The two apostles preached a really good sermon about God’s promise to send a messiah, Jesus, who was raised from the dead, offered forgiveness of Sins and a hope for the future.

But some of the religious people didn’t like their message and tried to put a stop to it, using devout men and women of the area to raise a stink.

The passage is clear, it was the good people doing the persecution. Rejection from bad people is expected but from those trusted to live right?

But it didn’t bother Paul and Barnabas, they just moved on to the next town. Neither did it bother the new converts, Acts 13:52 said they were “filled with Joy and the Holy Ghost”.

This is the focus of today’s “Joyful Monday”.  

We all want to be appreciated, especially by those we value. But JOY must be found elsewhere than acceptance from people, even good people.

Joy comes from a personal relationship with Jesus and is empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Martin Luther, from back in the 1500’s, wrote these Lyrics,

“The Spirit and the gifts are ours; through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go, this mortal life also;
the body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever!” (“A Mighty Fortress is Our God”)

Full surrender to Christ and living in the Holy Spirit is where JOY invades.

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Joy! Trifecta of God’s Kingdom

Posted in Christ, Joy, Podcast, tagged , on December 20, 2021| 1 Comment »

“For the kingdom of God is … righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.  For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.”

Romans 14:17-18

This was written to a diverse group of believers in an international city, Rome, blending many ideas and cultures.

Some were vegetarians and others were carnivores, some revered special days (the Jewish culture had many holidays with fasting and feasting, totally lost on those not Jewish) others disregarding.  Paul indicates these are not what’s important in God’s kingdom.

There are three important things in God’s Kingdom: 1) Righteousness; 2) Peace; and 3) Joy from the Holy Spirit – here is where the focus should be.

We should allow each other to enjoy Jesus!

If your faith is not allowing you to live at peace with God and have Joy in your heart, something is wrong. Be fully convinced in what you think is “right” while allowing others to be “wrong”, in your opinion.  Encourage even the “wrong” ones to love Jesus and serve him with joy and peace. Don’t be shaken by what someone else thinks of how you serve Jesus.

Prayer: “Jesus, for this new week, help me to find a way to enjoy you in what I do, to live in the peace of Christ, and act right, allowing others to do the same.

-fritz

* 1 Peter 5:7

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