In His Presence My Cup Runs Over
In His Presence My Cup Runs Over
Ever notice when your cup of happiness is full, someone always bumps your elbow?
You’re no longer happy.
Maybe even a little wet!
That little action just stole your Happy away.
Why?
Because happiness is dependent on "happenings".
What goes on around you--circumstances—they dictate whether you will be happy.
But, there’s something far more outlasting available to us--Joy. Joy comes from inside.
Bible tells us that the LORD is our joy.
Read: Ps 16:11 in His presence is fullness of joy; complete joy.
Joy allows you to rise above difficult circumstances, challenges and painful situations.
Joy comes from knowing who is in control.
Knowing there is One who is far bigger than my problem.
One Who is far stronger than the challenge I’m facing.
Regardless of what is going on around me, I can still have joy knowing that God is on my side.
Psalm 16 teaches us that by staying in God’s presence we will discover fullness of joy.
By staying close to God...in His Presence...
Through His Word,
And in continuous conversation with Him...
I will experience His joy.
The fullness of it.
That’s abundance! Spilling out, overflowing joy!
It’s staying in His presence that is the difference.
Happiness is dependent on happenings...
How they go,
What comes out of them,
Things going my way,
Pretty much doing as I want when I want and on and on.
But, true joy...comes from spending time with God.
Talking. Listening. Following.
" “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."
(Matthew 13:44, NIV)
Time with God builds our faith and our trust.
"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," (1 Peter 1:8, NIV)
Happiness comes and goes but Joy remains.
An old man was asked what robbed him of joy the most in his lifetime.
He replied, "Things that never happened."
Sounds as though he wasn’t too joyful.
Sounds like he was always "waiting" for something to happen that would make him happy.
All those years —waiting— for something to happen…to make him happy.
A backwoods farmer, sitting on the steps of a tumble-down shack, was approached by a stranger who stopped for a drink of water.
Noticing the farmer looked very unhappy, the stranger began to talk with him.
“How’s your wheat coming along?” asked the stranger.
“Didn’t plant none.”
“Really, I thought this was good wheat country.”
“Afraid it would rain.”
“Well, how is your corn crop?”
“Ain’t got none. Afraid of corn blight.”
The stranger, confused but persevering, continued, “Well, sir, how are your potatoes?”
“Didn’t plant no potatoes either … afraid of potato bugs.”
“For Pete’s sake, man,” the stranger asked. “What did you plant?”
“Nothing,” said the farmer. “I just played it safe.”
Fear kept him from taking risks, and as a result, he lost out.
What about you?
Are you waiting for something around you to change to make you happy?
Are you waiting for something bigger, better, newer…so you’ll be happy?
Happiness comes and goes but Joy remains.
Joy was announced by the Angels.
"But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people." (Luke 2:10, NIV)
Joy once again at His resurrection.
"Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples." (Matthew 28:7-8, NIV)
Joy is described as a fruit of the Spirit…
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness," (Galatians 5:22, NIV)
There are 3 keys to experiencing joy:
First
1. Fret Not -- knowing God loves you 1Jn 3:1
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." (1 John 3:1, NIV)
Don’t worry about things you can’t control. Focus on God and let the him worry for you…
“Why can’t you sleep?” a wife asked her husband, as he paced the floor at 3 a.m. “Honey, I borrowed a thousand dollars from Sam next door, and I have to pay him back tomorrow,” the husband replied. “I just don’t have the money,” he said wringing his hands. The man’s wife jumped out of bed and flung open the bedroom window.
“Sam! Sam!” she shouted. After a few minutes the groggy neighbor opened his window. “What is it?” he mumbled.
“You know the thousand dollars my husband owes you? He doesn’t have it,” the woman yelled.
Turning to her husband, she said, “Now, you go to sleep and let him pace the floor.”
"How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him." (1 John 3:1, NIV)
Fret Not -- knowing God loves you
Second
2. Faint Not -- knowing God holds you Jn 10:28
"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." (John 10:28, NIV)
The population of this country is 220 million, 84 million over sixty years of age, which leaves 136 million to do the work.
People under twenty years of age total 95 million, which leave 41 million to do the work.
There are 22 million who are employed by the government, which leaves 19 million to do the work.
Four million are in the Armed Forces, which leaves 15 million to do the work.
Deduct 14,800,000, the number in state and city offices, leaving 200,000 to do the work.
There are 188,000 in hospitals, insane asylums, etc., so that leaves 12,000 to do the work.
Now it may interest you to know that there are 11,998 people in jail, so that leaves just 2 people to carry the load.
That leaves Ken and me—and brother I’m getting tired of doing everything myself.
This week I felt so much like the little old lady who was asked by an usher in the theater
“How far down do you want to sit?”
The little old lady answered “All the way,”. “I’m very tired.”
Dale Carnegie said…
Our fatigue is often caused not by work, but by worry, frustration, and resentment.
"I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand." (John 10:28, NIV)
Faint Not -- knowing God holds you
And Thirdly..
3. Fear Not -- knowing God keeps you Heb 7:25
"Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." (Hebrews 7:25, NIV)
A child had to walk each evening past a dark, spooky house.
Some adults sought to give him courage.
One handed him a good luck charm to ward off the ghosts.
Another had a light put on the dreaded corner.
Still another said earnestly, “Trust God and be brave!”
The advice was good, but he offered nothing more.
Then someone said with compassion,
“I know what it is to be afraid.
I will walk with you past the house.”
He did nothing to remove the fear—except to lift it from the child’s shoulders and place it on his own.
That’s what God is saying to us… I’ll walk with you.
Keeping these 3 keys close in thought will keep your joy close to the surface.
Then when a difficult or painful circumstance touches you, you’ll be able to ride it through with the joy of the Lord.
Joy is what carried Jesus to the Cross.
"Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2, NIV)
That joy was you and me!
Because of His love for you and me...
He endured the cross.
His focus was us.
He chose to come to earth and die rather than stay in Heaven without you.
Max Lucado puts it this way…
“He Chose The Nails”
He gave His life so you could live.
He rose again and returned that you could follow.
The joy set before Him helped Him endure the Cross.
Because of what is set before us through Him --eternal life-- we too can have that same kind of joy.
When He’s our focus, we’re filled with joy.
Happiness comes and goes but Joy remains.
There are some specific things we can do to have joyful living:
First
There is Joy in reading God’s Word…
"When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart’s delight, for I bear your name, O Lord God Almighty." (Jeremiah 15:16, NIV)
Second become a servant to others…
Do a kind act -- and forget about it (no reward)
Give something away --and don’t expect it back
"The people rejoiced at the willing response of their leaders, for they had given freely and wholeheartedly to the Lord. David the king also rejoiced greatly."
(1 Chronicles 29:9, NIV)
"I know, my God, that you examine our hearts and rejoice when you find integrity there. You know I have done all this with good motives, and I have watched your people offer their gifts willingly and joyously." (1 Chronicles 29:17, NLT)
Ask yourself--what do I want to accomplish for God before I die?
Chuck Swindoll made this quote…
We are faced with great opportunities brilliantly disguised as impossible situations.
Recognize the opportunities God sends your way.
And then--take a step toward that purpose
Today...tomorrow...the next day...pin it down!! and then let your joy be full.
Pray before you act,
Give thanks for what you do have
Think before you speak
Live as though you might die tomorrow.
Finally,
Pray for a renewing of your Joy…
"Restore to me the joy of your salvation and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me." (Psalm 51:12, NIV)
Stay close to God so that your joy be full.
Joseph Haydn, the great musician, was once asked why his church music was so cheerful, and he replied,
“When I think upon God, my heart is so full of joy that the notes dance and leap, as it were, from my pen, and since God has given me a cheerful heart it will be pardoned me that I serve Him with a cheerful spirit.”
Happiness comes and goes but Joy remains.
Let’s pray.