Having The Joy Of The Lord
Joy -- more than mere happiness !

Jesus- the center of our joy!

The Joy of the Lord is our strength!

Romans 5:8-11 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we
were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified
by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we
were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much
more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. And not only so, but
we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now
received the atonement.

Happiness fluctuates because it has for its source the "good times" of life.
Whereas joy, in the Holy Ghost, is present in the gloomiest of circumstances.
By the grace of God, we have joy. Jesus-- the joy of our salvation!

JOY... A FRUIT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

Galatians 5:22-23  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance:
against such there is no law.

Joy-- one of the fruits of the Spirit. Joy is given to us by God. It is a Heavenly
gift that cannot be taken away. It is not dependent on external conditions but
rather upon internal possessions. We have grace, peace, blessed assurance, and
fellowship with God Almighty through our Great Mediator-- the Lord Jesus
Christ.

We are Saints of the Most High God. We have access to the very Throne
room of God through the Blood of the Lord Jesus. We have the ever abiding
indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus-- our Savior, our Redeemer, Our Joy-- our Best Friend.

The world cannot give joy. The world offers superficial happiness that renders
a person empty inside. This world did not give us joy and the world cannot take
it away.

JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST

Romans 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but
righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

Faith in Christ implants that joy-- the joy that can see in the midst of a trial and
say, "I have hope! My sins are forgiven! Weeping may endure for the night but
joy cometh in the morning! All things work together for good to them who love
God, to them who are called according to His purpose...Hallelujah!"

1Peter 1:7-8  
That the trial of your faith, being much more precious
than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found
unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:
Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not,
yet believing, ye rejoice
with joy unspeakable and full of glory:

The world does not understand; the ungodly will never understand for they
have no peace, no fulfillment in their lives. They search for joy in their careers
and from the things that they buy. These things are temporal fleeting moments
of happiness and then the emptiness remains. What good is a mansion when
your heart longs for lasting peace? The world searches for joy-- they want
contentment but they search for joy in all the wrong places. Joy is only given to
those who have received Christ as their Savior. He is the One who gives us joy.

OUR SAVIOR'S JOY

Peter said, concerning Jesus, in Acts 2:28  "Thou hast made known to me
the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance."

Hebrews 12:2 : Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith;
who
for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the
shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The Lord Jesus had joy in knowing that He would redeem us, by His sacrificial
death upon the cross. The blessed Savior-- praise His name forever! He has
given us the joy
that world cannot take away.

The material things of this world are temporal indeed. We cannot take them
with us when we die but the things of God-- the treasures of Heaven are
eternal. They last forever. When we remember the love of God-- how that He
loved us with such great love-- How God the Father gave His only Begotten
Son to die for us and to rise again that we might have everlasting life... how
can we not have joy? Our names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life. To
be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.

THE NATIONS SHALL SING FOR JOY

Psalm 67:4 O let the nations be glad and sing for joy: for thou shalt judge
the people righteously, and govern the nations upon earth. Selah.

We believe God's Holy Word. We know that we shall rule and reign with Christ
Jesus forever. We know that our sins are forgiven and washed away. We know
that every promise of God is true. We know that life on earth is as a drop of
vapor. We know that we have riches in Heaven. We know that our God is
greater than any problem. We know that we are joint-heirs with Christ. Our life
is hid in Him. We are citizens of Heaven and our names are written upon the
palm of His hand. If that is not something to smile about, I don't know what is.

Psalm 16:11  
Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness
of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

The people of this present world are constantly looking for the "new and
improved". They improve cars, houses, electronics, etc. All these things will
perish but Christians look for the "new earth" wherein dwelleth righteousness
and when we shall reign with Christ Jesus forever. If God be for us, who can
be against us? Whatever problem...Jesus is the answer. He gives us His peace
and joy in the midst of adversity. Psalm 126:5
They that sow in tears shall
reap in joy.

Jesus-- the joy of our salvation. He will be King forever and we shall reign
with Him. Let that sink in for a minute. He is the giver of Life eternal. He is
the Author and Finisher of our faith. We are to look to Him always.

Psalm 48:2  
Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount
Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King.

While we live on this present earth, there is much beauty to behold in the
natural world-- the plants, creatures, clouds, skies, sunshine, flowers, etc.
We have yet to see our eternal home-- but wherever Jesus is, there is home
for the Believer who has put his trust in Him.

Isaiah 12:2-4
Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid:
for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become
my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of
salvation. And in that day shall ye say, Praise the LORD, call upon his
name, declare his doings among the people, make mention that his name
is exalted.

The Lord is with us and we recognize His handiwork in the nature that is all
around us.

JOY OF OUR SALVATION

Many people cannot believe the Gospel because their eyes do not look upon
the things, which God has made. They do not acknowledge their Creator.
Those who are religiously lost, they say, "We must work for salvation for
nothing is free..." The Bible
clearly states that salvation is a free gift from
God. Jesus paid the price. Our salvation cost Jesus His life! He died for us; He
shed His precious blood for us; He paid the ultimate price and arose from the
dead on the Third Day. He paid the price for our sins. He freely offers eternal
life to all who will receive.

James 1:17  
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and
cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness,
neither shadow of turning.

The sunset is free, the ocean is free, the butterflies do not charge you a fee,
and the tree does not charge a service fee for blowing in the breeze. Bees do
not expect a fee for making honey-- so why would not God's gift of salvation
be free as well? The best things in life are the things that money can't buy and
the things that God has freely given to us.

Psalm 43:4  
Then will I go unto the altar of God, unto God my exceeding
joy: yea, upon the harp will I praise thee, O God my God.

Isaiah 29:19 The meek also shall increase their joy in the LORD, and the
poor among men shall rejoice in the Holy One of Israel.

The Lord has given us a glimpse of Heaven within our heart. How awful it
must be for the unsaved to go through life with no joy in their heart. What a
horrible thought to die without knowing Christ Jesus as Savior-- and the joy
that He gives to each Believer. What a horrible life the unsaved must experience
as the weight of their sins rest upon their shoulders. They try to gain the whole
world but for a moment in time. What will it profit them when they lose their
own soul? The unbeliever knows not God and cannot have lasting peace. They
run to and fro...searching for something to quench the longing of their heart.
Their happiness is fleeting-- it depends on the day that they are having-- sad,
moody individuals who shift and toss about as the wind with no real substance.
Jesus gives life... a joy in Him that shall never pass away.

Jesus said in John 10:10,
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill,
and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might
have it more abundantly.

Acts 13:52  And the disciples were filled with joy, and with the Holy Ghost.

Aren't you glad you know the Giver of Life? Aren't you glad that you know
Jesus-- the giver of all joy and peace? True joy resides in the Christian's heart
for they know the Lord. He is Alpha and Omega...He is the joy of our salvation.
He is the Way, The Truth and the Life.

2Tim 1:12b
...for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he
is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.

Psalm 51:12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me
with thy free spirit.

THE JOY OF THE LORD IS OUR STRENGTH

Joy of the Lord is my strength -- How are you going to get through whatever
may face you on the road ahead? It is the Lord who will carry you. Know that
the joy of the Lord is your strength. God will never leave us, nor forsake us.
Faith in Christ Jesus arises above the present circumstances because faith in
Him sees a better outcome. If you have full faith in God, then you will have
fullness of joy. How can you be
anxious or worried when the God whom you
serve holds you in the palm of His hand...can anything but fullness of joy be
present?

Romans 15:13  
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in
believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy
Ghost.

Trials will come our way. Problems might, for a little while, stay. But we who
know the Lord know that He will see us through every trial. Our hope, our trust,
our joy is in Him. We must cast our cares upon Him for He cares for us. The
Bible says in Philippians 4:4  
Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say,
Rejoice.

When our life on earth is through, we shall enter into the joy of the Lord and
shall reign with Christ Jesus forever! That alone is worth singing about! Amen!

Matt 25:21  
His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful
servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler
over many things: enter thou into the
joy of thy lord.


©2006 Cobblestone Road Ministries
All Rights Reserved



FURTHER READING:
Trust In God, Hope in God
Restore Unto Me The Joy Of Thy Salvation
JESUS IS...Jesus is the Greatest Treasure!
The Bible Cure For Doubting Christians -For when doubt comes your way
God Is Our Shield Bible Study
The Bible Cure For Bad Attitudes
Learning To Lean on Jesus - Devotional
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