Full Joy

Hardly a day goes by without us hearing of someone saying, "Why me, why now, why this?".

In Peter, he told the believers not to be surprised but the troubles and trials they experienced because they believed and followed Christ:
Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed.
(1 Peter 4:12-13 NIV)

While we may not face persecution because we believe in Christ, as those Peter was writing to did, we do all face pain and suffering at some time in our lives. So these words of Peter can be used for ourselves.

Are you finding it difficult to be full of joy because your life is full of pain and hurt? Do you feel God is far away from you? Well Peter also reminds us to trust God even though we can't see Him or even see Him working.

Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
(1 Peter 1:8-9 NIV)

Even when we are facing troubles, we too can express joy because we believe and trust in God. After all Christ wants us to enjoy our reward for following Him, He says so in 1 Peter 1:9 (see above).

The song Great, Great Joy sung here by the International Staff Songsters fits in excellently with my message:

Total Joy

If Jesus is the only source of true joy and he lives in our hearts, how come we're all so miserable a lot of the time? When we have Jesus in our hearts it should follow that we should be brimming with joy, shouldn't we?

John 15:11 (NIV)
I have told you this so that you will be filled with my joy. Yes your joy will overflow!

Jesus prayed that His disciples would be filled with His joy. He also prayed that those who would become His followers in the future would also receive true joy. i.e. US! Jesus prayed that we would know and share in His joy.

So how do we find this wonderful joy of God?
It can only be found by letting the Spirit of Christ enter into our life.

But how do we let Christ enter our life?
By invitation only!

Christ will only enter into our lives when we invite Him to enter our heart. he'll not force himself into your life because he wants us to have hearts that are open and willing to receive Him.
Have you asked Christ to enter into your life yet?

You may be wondering how to do this, so here are a few of my thoughts on how we should invite Him into our lives:

• What words should we use when we speak to Him? Call him Saviour or Lord, because that's who he is.
• How do we invite Him in? Simply say "Spirit of the living God, come into my life today".

Don't keep God waiting, ask Him to enter your life today, and receive total joy!

Let Jesus be at the centre of your joy!

Keeping Joyful

"Joy is the infallible evidence of the presence of God!" - Pierre Teilhard de Chardin

Wow, what a statement, but what a true statement! The joy of the presence of God is a joy that lasts, not just for a few moments, but forever. It's easy to get happiness and joy mixed up, I know I do at times, but they are in fact very different things.

Happiness depends on happenings while joy does not. Happiness doesn't last well and often relies on "pressure feelings" to fuel it. The pleasures of this world and the pleasures of sin only last for a few moments. Sin wants us to believe that it's flowers and sunshine, but while sin might be fun, it's always fleeting.

Psalm 16:11 (King James Version)
In they presence is fullness of joy: at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.

Real joy can only be found in the presence of God. Our God is a God of joy, so we need to find and acknowledge God as our friend and get to know Him. Keeping our joy means realising that the pleasures of sin are only temporary and that true joy is only available through God.

Choose to side with the people of God today, rather than those who enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. We may have to become very different people from who we are just now if we are to be able to turn away from certain activities and obey God. We may find we lose some of our friends in doing this, but we we'll certainly keep our joy!

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Singing With Joy

Isn't it great when God sets your heart singing with joy. But how can we keep in tune and not go off-key? One ways of doing this is to realise that a singing heart is a separated heart. Separation in this way does not mean isolation, it simply means separate from sin but will to be friends with sinners.

There is joy in separating ourselves to God. We must stand apart from sin, while still standing up for others, committing ourselves, as Jesus did, to be a friend to those who don't know our Saviour, but still abstaining from activities that Jesus wouldn't take part in if he we here with us today.

We may find when we try to separate ourselves from sin, those we're trying to help, may not understand. However don't let this bring you down, as we will bring joy to the Lord, and that joy will be reflected and experienced in our own hearts.

Go on, try and separate yourself from sin!