JOY
Notes
Transcript
ARE YOU FRUITFUL?
ARE YOU FRUITFUL?
LAST WEEK WE STARTED A NEW SERIES - FRUITS OF THE SPIRIT
REMEMBER WE SAID THAT FRUIT IS THE EVIDENCE THAT A PLANT OR A TREE OR A VINE HAS BEEN PLANTED AND ROOTED AND ESTABLISHED
FED
NURTURED
WATERED
PRUNED
AND NOW IT IS REPRODUCING AND DISPLAYING THE SPLENDORE OF THE VINE
OR TREE.
SPIRITUAL FRUIT IS WHAT RESULTS IN OUR LIVES WHEN WE ROOT OURSELVES IN A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
GALATI
LOVE QUOTE
WE LOOKED AT THE FACT OF LOVE NOT BEING ABOUT WHAT WE FEEL FOR OTHERS BUT WHAT WE DO FOR OTHERS
HAPPINESS vs JOY
HAPPINESS vs JOY
THE WORD HAPPINESS EVOKES VISIONS OF UNWRAPPING GIFTS ON CHRISTMAS MORNING STROLLING HAND IN HAND WITH ONE YOU LOVE, BEING SURPRISED ON YOUR BIRTHDAY, RESPONDING WITH UNBRIDLED LAUGHTER TO A COMEDIAN, OR EVEN A VACATION IN AN EXOTIC PLACE. EVERYONE WANTS TO BE HAPPY, WE MAKE CHASING THE ELUSIVE IDEAL A LIFELONG PURSUIT; SPENDING MONEY, COLLECTING THINGS, AND SEARCHING FOR NEW EXPERIENCES. BUT IF HAPPINESS DEPENDS ON OUR CIRCUMSTANCES, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN THE TOYS RUST, LOVED ONES DIE, HEALTH DETERIORATES, MONEY IS STOLEN, AND THE PARTY IS OVER?
OFTEN HAPPINESS FLEES AND DESPAIR SETS IN.
JOY
OFTEN HAPPINESS FLEES AND DESPAIR SETS IN.
IN CONTRAST TO HAPPINESS IS JOY. RUNNING DEEPER AND STRONGER.
JOY IS THE QUIET CONFIDENT ASSURANCE OF GODS LOVE AND WORK IN OUR LIVES. - THAT HE WILL BE THERE NO MATTER WHAT.
SLIDE JOY DEPENDS ON CHRIST
HAPPINESS DEPENDS ON HAPPENINGS, BUT JOY DEPENDS ON CHRIST.
JOY IS A STATE OF BEING RATHER THAN AN EMOTION
SLIDE JOY
SCRIPTURE TELLS US THAT GOD DESIRES FOR US TO HAVE HIS JOY
JOY IS THE QUIET CONFIDENT ASSURANCE OF GODS LOVE AND WORK IN OUR LIVES.
HAPPINESS DEPENDS ON HAPPENINGS, BUT JOY DEPENDS ON CHRIST.
JOY IS A STATE OF BEING RATHER THAN AN EMOTION
JOY
IN ONE JUICY TANGY BITE THE CHERRY OFFERS IT’S SPLENDOR, BUT WATCH OUT BEFORE SWALLOWING IT’S DELICIOUS MEAT, YOU MUST DISCARD THE PIT.
I HAVE CHOSEN TO DO THE FIRST TWO FRUITS TOGETHER BECAUSE THEY SORT OF GO HAND IN HAND AND WE CAN SEE THIS FROM THE SCRIPTURES IN .
As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love.
If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
.
WHAT DOES IT MEAN WHEN GOD WANTS OUR JOY TO BE COMPLETE?
HAPPINESS IS A GOOD FEELING BASED ON GOOD CIRCUMSTANCES.
IN CONTRAST TO HAPPINESS IS JOY. RUNNING DEEPER AND STRONGER.
JOY IS THE QUIET CONFIDENT ASSURANCE OF GODS LOVE AND WORK IN OUR LIVES.
HAPPINESS DEPENDS ON HAPPENINGS, BUT JOY DEPENDS ON CHRIST.
JOY IS A STATE OF BEING RATHER THAN AN EMOTION
JUST AS WE HAD TO CHOOSE TO LOVE WITH AGAPE LOVE, SO WE NEED TO GROW INTO THE SPIRIT OF JOY.
FINDING JOY AMIDST TURMOIL IS NOT AN EASY TASK AND IT DOES NOT MAKE SENSE AT ALL.
HOW ARE WE MEANT TO FIND JOY WHEN EVERYTHING AROUND US IS FALLING APART OR OUR FRIENDS ARE BETRAYING US AND CHILDREN ARE GOING ASTRAY AND PEOPLE ARE LETTING US DOWN AND WE HAVE BEEN DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER OR SOME KIND OF SICKNESS AND OUR WHOLE WORLD IS FALLING APART?
THE FRUIT OF JOY IS CONFIDENCE IN GOD, CONFIDENCE IN GOD’S GRACE DESPITE CIRCUMSTANCES DESPITE WHAT HAPPENS.
JOY IS CONVICTION THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL OF EVERY DETAIL OF OUR LIVES EVEN WHEN THOSE DETAILS APPEAR TO BE OUT OF CONTROL.
TAKE PAUL FOR INSTANCE ALL THE HARDSHIPS THAT HE ENDURED WHILE HE WAS PREACHING THE GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST, HOW MANY TIMES HE WAS IN PRISON AND BEATEN AND BROKEN YET HE STILL WROTE IN
Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.
PHIL 4:REJOICE AND AGAIN I SAY REJOICE. AND
AND JAMES TELLS US....
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds,
for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness.
,
DR JEREMIAH REMINDS US THAT:
SAYS…
THE JOY OF CHRIST IS ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH A PERSON. IT IS SOMETHING WE HAVE ACCESS TO, BUT IT IS ALSO SOMETHING WE MUST CHOOSE
LEADING LIFE AS A CHRISTIAN WE SEE THE THREAD OF JOY IN OUR LIVES.
SALVATION - WHAT A JOYFUL OCCASION - WEIGHT LIFTED OFF OUR SHOULDERS AND KNOWING THAT YOU ARE NOT ALONE GOD IS WORKING FOR YOU AND WITH YOU.
BAPTISM SLIDE - VIDEO CLIP
BAPTISM
https://youtu.be/AETTU9WBfc0
DURING TRIALS
“Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man!
Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
LUKE 6:22
And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit,
JOY IS KNOWING THAT GOD IS IN CONTROL OF MY KIDS WHEN I CANNOT BE NEAR TO PROTECT THEM FROM THAT KID THAT BULLIES THEM OR THAT PERSON THAT WILL SAY NASTY THINGS ABOUT THEM TO OTHERS TRYING TO RUIN THEIR REPUTATION, JOY IS KNOWING THAT WHEN A LOVED ONE LIES ON THEIR DEATH BED OR A FRIEND IS IN NEED GOD WILL MEET THAT NEED BECAUSE WE TRUST HIM AND HAVE HEARD HIS PROMISES.
JOY THAT THRIVES FROM THE MOMENT OF SALVATION TO THE MOMENT OF OUR DEATH CANNOT BE FOUND OUTSIDE OF CHRIST - (DR.J)
For as a young man marries a young woman, so shall your sons marry you, and as the bridegroom rejoices over the bride, so shall your God rejoice over you.
GOD DELIGHTS IN US AND OVER US AND WANTS US TO EXPERIENCE HIS JOY
JESUS GAVE MUCH JOY TO THE PEOPLE :
I will rejoice in Jerusalem and be glad in my people; no more shall be heard in it the sound of weeping and the cry of distress.
And he laid his hands on her, and immediately she was made straight, and she glorified God.
Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;
And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God.
PAUL WROTE:
For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
I THINK WE OFTEN GET RIGHT WITH GOD AND EVEN EXPERIENCE PEACE MOST TIMES JOY ELUDES US AND WE FEEL THAT WE HAVE TO GRIN AND BEAR OUR CROSS THAT WAS GIVEN TO US TO CARRY AT SALVATION
LEWIS SMEDES SAYS: YOU AND I WERE CREATED FOR JOY, AND IF WE MISS IT, WE MISS THE REASON FOR OUR EXISTENCE.
SURRENDER
TRUE JOY IS DOING WHAT YOU KNOW GOD HAS IN STORE FOR YOU, FINDING OUR JOY IN CHRIST IS WHAT WE NEED TO DO.
Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
DO WE WAKE UP IN THE MORNING AND FIND JOY?
DO WE REJOICE IN THE FACT THAT WE WOKE UP AND HAVE ANOTHER DAY TO FACE?
CAN WE MAKE THIS STATEMENT IN OUR LIVES:
“JOY IS THE FLAG THAT IS FLOWN FROMT HE CASTLE OF YOUR HEART WHEN THE KING IS IN RESIDENCE”
THIS IS NOT THE SAME AS WHEN THE QUEEN OR KING IS IN RESIDENCE
The Royal Standard is flown at royal residences only when the sovereign is present. If the Union Flag flies above Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle or Sandringham House, it signals that the Queen is not in residence.
OUR CHRISTIAN JOY NEEDS TO BE CONSTANT AND CONTINUOUS AND NEVER ENDING
NOT DEPENDANT ON HAPPENINGS.
JESUS SAID TO HIS DISCIPLES AS THEY WERE SADDENED BY THE NEWS OF HIS IMPENDING DEATH
SLIDE
So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
;22
I LOVE THE WAY DR JEREMIAH PUTS IT IN HIS BOOK
“JOY ISN’T AN EMOTION THAT COMES AND GOES; IT’S AN ATTITUDE THAT COMES AND GROWS”
cs lewis in his book Mere Christianity says:
“God made us: invented us as a man invents an engine. A car is made to run on petrol, and it would not run properly on anything else. Now God designed the human machine to run on Himself. He Himself is the fuel our spirits were designed to burn, or the food our spirits were designed to feed on. There is no other. That is why it is just no good asking God to make us happy in our own way without bothering about religion. God cannot give us a happiness and peace apart from Himself, because it is not there. There is no such thing.” (p.50)
NOW I AM NOT SAYING THAT YOU CAN NEVER BE HAPPY BUT WHAT IM SAYING IS THAT TRUE JOY WILL NOT BE FOUND OUTSIDE OF CHRIST.
NOW I SAY THIS ALSO TO ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE CAN HAVE CHRIST IN OUR LIVES YET STILL NOT GIVE HIM FULL PERMISSION TO RULE IN OUR LIVES.
HE DOES NOT JUST WANT TO BE PRESENT BUT TO BE PRESIDENT OF UR LIVES. IN CONTROL AND IN THE DRIVER SEAT.
WOAH - THAT IS SOME SCARY THOUGHT THAT SOMEONE ELSE IS IN CONTROL OF MY LIFE.
SLIDE
BE IN THE WORD
PHILIPPIANS - JOY BOOK
BIGINS AND ENDS JESUS
40 TIMES MENTIONED
SCRIPTURE CULTIVATES JOY
And Ezra opened the book in the sight of all the people, for he was above all the people, and as he opened it all the people stood.
And all the people went their way to eat and drink and to send portions and to make great rejoicing, because they had understood the words that were declared to them.
SLIDE
PRAYER
Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.
Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
SAD PRAY FOR JOY
JOY CAN BE QUIET
Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul.
slide
SHARE YOUR LIFE
WE NEED TO BE IN COMMUNITY
LOOK FOR THOSE WHO REJOICE IN THE LORD
I NEVER FOUND TRUE JOY WORKING IN THE BANK, I WAS HAPPY TO EARN THE MONEY BUT TRUE JOY CAME WHEN I STEPPED OUT IN FAITH TO DO THE WORK GOD INTENDED FOR ME FOR LESS WORLDLY COMPENSATION BUT MORE GODLY REWARDS.
TRUE JOY IS STANDING HERE IN FRONT OF YOU KNOWING I AM FULFILLING GOD’S WILL FOR MY LIFE.
Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
Then he said to them, “Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”