How can God expect me to Always Rejoice?

Nehemiah 8:10 NIV84

Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

This was the first time God’s word was read after the people were released from Babylonian captivity.

It was read at God’s perfect timing: during what would have been the “Feast of Booths” , probably the biggest “JOY” festival of the Israelites.

It happened once every seven years. It has been exactly 7 years since I preached on this passage.

Philippians 4:4 (NIV84)

Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Isn’t this just a little too much to expect?

Philippians 4:5–8 (NIV84)

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

This passage is all about imitating God. It is like that perfect mirror in 1 Corinthians 13 which we will only achieve when we see God face to face.

2 Corinthians 6:3–10 (NIV84)

We put no stumbling block in anyone’s path, so that our ministry will not be discredited. Rather, as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: in great endurance; in troubles, hardships and distresses; in beatings, imprisonments and riots; in hard work, sleepless nights and hunger; in purity, understanding, patience and kindness; in the Holy Spirit and in sincere love; in truthful speech and in the power of God; with weapons of righteousness in the right hand and in the left; through glory and dishonor, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as impostors; known, yet regarded as unknown; dying, and yet we live on; beaten, and yet not killed; sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; poor, yet making many rich; having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Again, How do we accomplish this when we can find so many little things to complain about?

Romans 14:17 NIV84

For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit,

We sang earlier what is commonly considered a Christmas Carol, but that was not what it was intended to be. It was an adaptation of Psalm 98 and intended to show the impact that the Almighty God would have when HE comes again. But you can’t have the second coming without the first coming, so it does also celebrate the truth of Christmas. And what was a word used continually through that story?

Luke 1:14 “He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth,” Matthew 2:10 “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed.”

That is our goal; to share the joy of knowing Jesus with a world that sees all their glasses 1/2 full and help them to rejoice in the Lord always. Yes again I say REJOICE.