Building Godly Character: Joy

Song for the day What a friend we have in Jesus

The words of the song “Hurt” by the man Johnny Cash

I hurt myself today To see if I still feel I focus on the pain The only thing that's real The needle tears a hole The old familiar sting Try to kill it all away But I remember everything

What have I become My sweetest friend Everyone I know goes away In the end And you could have it all My empire of dirt I will let you down I will make you hurt

Wow that’s not a very good way to start a sermon on joy.

Joy: Webster’s Dictionary - the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune or by the prospect of possessing what one desires :

Temporary Joy

Job 20:4–5 Do you not know this of old, Since man was placed on earth, That the triumphing of the wicked is short, And the joy of the hypocrite is but for a moment?

If what you need for joy is something, it will fade. You ever met a kid that needed a toy to be happy. Before you know it the joy of the toy doesn’t last enough. Some people need to turn to the bottle to give them joy. It doesn’t last long and you need more the next time in order to get that feeling of euphoria it is going to take more alcohol another toy another hit of the drug it doesn’t last and it’s effects are fleeting.

The joy of youth is fleeting.

Ecclesiastes 11:9 Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, And let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; Walk in the ways of your heart, And in the sight of your eyes; But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.

If this life is all their is, it’s depressing because you know. You wake up at 18 and the world is your’s to conquer and by the time you are 30 let along 40 let alone 80 and you wake up and you have pain and aches and they don’t get any better. Judgment day is getting closer the grave gets closer. But for the believer eternal life has hardly just begun.

Chasing worldly joy will lead you in the wrong direction.

Proverbs 14:12–13 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death. Even in laughter the heart may sorrow, And the end of mirth may be grief.

Joy: Greek Word Chara - calm delight gladness or chairo pronounced khareero - God speed a greeting a good calm salutation of of being well off

Godly character is built with joy.

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!

A house is made of sticks and bricks while a home is made with joy.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice always,

Real joy comes from the LORD.

Nehemiah 8:10 Then he said to them, “Go your way, eat the fat, drink the sweet, and send portions to those for whom nothing is prepared; for this day is holy to our Lord. Do not sorrow, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”

The strrength to get out of bed in the morning the strength to carry on it comes from the LORD. Is the devil going to try to discourage you, YES! May you have a season of depression, YES! It happens. But lets begin to let God’s house be a place where the joy of the LORD is our strength.

Greet with the joy of the LORD!

Matthew 28:9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.

Hi, How ya doing? ok fine. How about we change that up. Some people aren’t doing well. That isn’t an easy thing to answer sometimes. Christians in the early days of the church greeted with. “REJOICE!”

Couldn’t we do the same. Rejoice the LORD is in control. Rejoice God is good.

I love it when I am with you and we say God is good all the time and all the time God is good

All my life he has been faithful All my life he has been so so good with every breath I will sing of the goodness of God

Joy is peace of Christ and the hope of heaven.

Not a full belly

Romans 14:17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.

You ever notice that the most attended even at church is the church dinner. I have no problem with that. I am not going to outlaw them. But you will never know true joy from pot luck dinners. Some Christians think so. They get excited about pies. I used to go to every church function but avoided the church dinners. I would probably still avoid them if I wasn’t the pastor. Give me a prayer meeting over a Christmas dinner. You find true joy at the feet of Jesus.

Our world is full of these words Anxiety, disturbed, worried, and fearful.

I get calls about those things all the time. I don’t get upset about them. But I want to redirect those people. I want them to find the joy of the LORD.

Cast your anxieties on the LORD.

1 Peter 5:7 casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.

The devil wants to steal your joy.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

The blueprints Joy is found in God’s word.

Jeremiah 15:16 Your words were found, and I ate them, And Your word was to me the joy and rejoicing of my heart; For I am called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.

Joy is constructed through prayer.

1 John 5:14–15 Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him.

Joy is cemented in fellowship.

1 Thessalonians 3:9 For what thanks can we render to God for you, for all the joy with which we rejoice for your sake before our God,

when someone finds a true friend in Christ they have something to be joyful about. fellowship with the saints should bring you joy. Find Christians friend who you enjoy spending time with don’t be someone that other Christians say oh no here comes be the joy of the LORD. That looks different. Some people don’t like large crowds other people can’t stand personal time with others look for what suites you in christian fellowship don’t be a christian hermit.

Paul should have been discouraged. Philippians the next study we are going to have in church is an interesting book. It is one of the prison epistles but the topic is Joy

Joy in faith

Philippians 1:25 And being confident of this, I know that I shall remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy of faith,

A Church should be united in joy.

Philippians 2:2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.

Rejoice in the LORD

Philippians 3:1a Finally, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord.

Rejoice in hardships because with Christ you are blessed.

2 Corinthians 6:10 as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing all things.

When you suffer rejoice.

1 Peter 4:13 but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, you may also be glad with exceeding joy.

Determine in your mind that you are going to be joyful in the LORD no matter what. It doesn’t do you any good to be any other way. There are some people here who have succeeded in being joyful in the LORD through everything good for you. Could you be joyful in prison like Peter and Paul.

In the world you will have trouble.

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.

There are things in this world that are there to give you pause and trouble one of those being what the disciples faced on the night that Jesus died on the cross. Jesus gave the disciples greater things the hope of heaven salvation on the cross the age of grace the gift of the holy spirit. It always bothers me when people complain about the world and don’t acknowledge the blesssings in Christ. Is the world BAD, YES! But is God’s grace better oh yes. I am so glad I live in the age of grace.

Embrace the joy of Christ.

John 15:11 These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full.

One of the greater things that Jesus left us, HIs joy do you have his joy

Don’t let people steal your joy.

John 16:22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you

Rejoice Jesus is risen

Anyone who mopes around all the time isn’t embracing one of the greatest gifts that God has given to the world. Embrace Christ gift.

Have joy, God answers prayer.

John 16:24 Until now you have asked nothing in My name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.

Have joy even in a fallen world.

John 17:13 But now I come to You, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.

The world is not good, but life with Christ is better. You need to focus on the grace that Christ has given you. I often bring up the commmands the night Jesus died. The importance of the Holy Spirit, the joy of the LORD, the love of Christ, the hope of heaven and the power of prayer. I like to follow the marching orders of my Savior.

Jesus’ joy stands strong in the storms.

James 1:1–4 James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad: Greetings. My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.