A Key to a Stress-Free Christmas is…. Joy

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you.

Psalm 13:5–6 NIV

But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation. I will sing the LORD’s praise, for he has been good to me.

I presume everybody has known some one whose life was just radiant. Joy beamed out of their eyes; joy bubbled over lips; joy seemed to fairly run from their fingertips. You could not come in contact with them without having a new light come into your own life. They were great electric batteries charged with joy. If you look into the lives of such radiantly happy persons—not those people who are sometimes in the valley, but people who are always radiantly happy—you will often find that this a man or woman who spends a great deal of time in prayer alone with God. God is the source of all joy, and if we come into contact with Him, His infinite joy comes into our lives.—Rev. R. A. Torrey

I had that proven again this week. As many of you know, Ginny and I moved to Greenville this week. The movers we had were wonderful, well most of them. I was drew to an older african american. He was always smiling. He just radiated joy. I had a chance to talk to him. He is retired from a job, and needed a little more money, but also he works every day to give him something to do. He was out working the younger, and more grumpy guy he was teamed with. As I talked with him, I discovered he was a follower of Jesus Christ. And ever though his circumstances are not great, He decides every day to be Joyful. They worked so hard and so fast they beat the estimate. The church will be getting a refund, of about $400.00. Can you believe it.

Your Joy is the result of your Attitude

Ecclesiastes 8:15 NIV

So I commend the enjoyment of life, because there is nothing better for a person under the sun than to eat and drink and be glad. Then joy will accompany them in their toil all the days of the life God has given them under the sun.

In his book the “Winning Attitude,” John Maxwell tell the following experience.

It was a beautiful day in San Diego, and my friend Paul wanted to take me for a ride in his airplane. Being new to Southern California, I decided to see our home territory from a different perspective. We sat in the cockpit as Paul completed his instrument checks. Everything was A–Okay, so Paul revved the engines and we headed down the runway. As the plane lifted off, I noticed the nose was higher than the rest of the airplane. I also noticed that while the countryside was truly magnificent, Paul continually watched the instrument panel.

Since I am not a pilot, I decided to turn the pleasure ride into a learning experience. “All those gadgets,” I began, “what do they tell you? I notice you keep looking at that one instrument more than the others. What is it?”

“That’s the attitude indicator,” he replied.

“How can a plane have an attitude?”

“In flying, the attitude of the airplane is what we call the position of the aircraft in relation to the horizon.”

By now my curiosity had been aroused, so I asked him to explain more. “When the airplane is climbing,” he said, “it has a nose–high attitude because the nose of the airplane is pointed above the horizon.”

“So,” I jumped in, “when the aircraft is diving, you would call that a nose–down attitude.”

“That’s right,” my instructor continued. “Pilots are concerned about attitude of the airplane because that indicates its performance.”

“Now I can understand why the attitude indicator is in such a prominent place on the panel,” I replied. Paul, sensing I was an eager student, continued, “Since the performance of the airplane depends on its attitude, it is necessary to change the attitude in order to change the performance.” He demonstrated this by bringing the aircraft into a nose–high attitude. Sure enough, the plane began to climb and speed decreased. He changed the attitude, and that changed the performance.

Paul concluded the lesson by saying, “Since the attitude of the airplane determines its performance, instructors now teach ’attitude flying.’ ”

That conversation triggered my thinking concerning people’s attitudes. Doesn’t an individual’s attitude dictate his performance? Does he have an “attitude indicator” that continually evaluates his perspective and achievements in life? What happens when the attitude is dictating undesirable results? How can the attitude be changed? And, if the attitude changes, what are the ramifications to other people around him? My friend Paul had an instructor’s manual on “Attitude Flying,” the relationship between the aircraft’s attitude and its performance. We, too, have been given a handbook to attitude living … the Bible. The apostle Paul, when writing to the church at Philippi, placed before those Christians an attitude indicator.

“Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 2:5).

Your joy is the result of Your Relationship to God

John 15:10–11 NIV

If you keep my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commands and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.

Our joy is a conditional joy. Let's look closely at this verse. Do you see the condition, the requirement, our responsibility? Yes, the "If" clause. If you keep my commands. So if we keep his commands what will happen, we will remain in Christ's love. Then Jesus, here is the promise, and here is the proof, He has kept his Father's commands, and he remained in his love. Now here is the ultimate promise, Jesus said this so his joy might be in us, and our joy be less than complete, lacking something, right. No, no way, not in this life time, so our joy may be complete, lacking nothing, a joy that is with us, and in us. At all times, and in all places.

Because Jesus wants our joy to be full, to over flow, he gave us this next promise...

John 16:24 NIV

Until now you have not asked for anything in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete.

This is verse that has been misused and abused.

Robert West, in his book, "The 10 Commandments, Then and Now," points out, The words, "In Jesus' name" are not a magic incantation, like hoc cus pok us. Jesus is not going to wave a magic wand and suddenly your old Buick will be transformed into a new Porsche. It does not work that way. So Pastor T if I don't get everything I want by praying this way, what does it do. To pray in Jesus name is to identify with Christ, to be come one with Him. To be so close, that his wants are your wants, His hopes your hopes, and yes, His joy is your joy.

Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament: John (1) Jesus is the Way (14:1–14)

Praying in Jesus’ name does not involve magical incantations but rather expresses alignment of one’s desires and purposes with God

Now wait a minute Pastor T. You said this message would be about having a Stress Free Christmas, how does this help to low my stress level? Is there any better way to lower stress then to do what you were made to do? Really, is there any greater way to lower stress then to know what to do, and what not to do. And Is there any greater joy than to know you are fulfilling your purpose here on earth?

Please join me silently as I pray a prayer from Anslem of Canterbury, a Bishop from the second century, which I think really closes this message well.

I pray, O God, to know you, to love you, so that I may rejoice in you. And if I cannot attain to full joy in this life, may I at least advance from day to day, until that joy shall come to the full. Let the knowledge of you advance in me here, and there be made full. Let the love of you increase, and there let it be full, that here my joy may be great in hope, and there full in truth. Lord, through your Son you command, no, you counsel us to ask; and you promise that we shall receive, that our joy may be full. I ask, O Lord, as you counsel through our wonderful Counsellor. I will receive what you promise by virtue of your truth, that my joy may be full. Faithful God, I ask. I will receive, that my joy may be full. Meanwhile, let my mind meditate upon it; let my tongue speak of it. Let my heart love it; let my mouth talk of it. Let my soul hunger for it; let my flesh thirst for it; let my whole being desire it, until I enter into your joy, O Lord, who are the Three and the One God, blessed forever and ever. Amen.

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