The Gift of Laughter
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1 When the Lord brought back the captivity of Zion, We were like those who dream.
2 Then our mouth was filled with laughter, And our tongue with singing. Then they said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”
3 The Lord has done great things for us, And we are glad.
4 Bring back our captivity, O Lord, As the streams in the South.
5 Those who sow in tears Shall reap in joy.
6 He who continually goes forth weeping, Bearing seed for sowing, Shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, Bringing his sheaves with him.
Introduction
Introduction
Laughter is Healthy Video
Laughter is a gift
Laughter is a gift
22 A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones.
Laughter is found in the Bible 40 times. It a gift from God and it is necessary for our emotional and physical well-being.
The Benefits of Laughter - helpguide.org
Laughter relaxes the whole body. A good, hearty laugh relieves physical tension and stress, leaving your muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after.
Laughter boosts the immune system. Laughter decreases stress hormones and increases immune cells and infection-fighting antibodies, thus improving your resistance to disease.
Laughter triggers the release of endorphins, the body’s natural feel-good chemicals. Endorphins promote an overall sense of well-being and can even temporarily relieve pain.
Laughter protects the heart. Laughter improves the function of blood vessels and increases blood flow, which can help protect you against a heart attack and other cardiovascular problems.
Laughter burns calories. Okay, so it’s no replacement for going to the gym, but one study found that laughing for 10 to 15 minutes a day can burn approximately 40 calories—which could be enough to lose three or four pounds over the course of a year.
Laughter lightens anger’s heavy load. Nothing diffuses anger and conflict faster than a shared laugh. Looking at the funny side can put problems into perspective and enable you to move on from confrontations without holding onto bitterness or resentment.
Laughter may even help you to live longer. A study in Norway found that people with a strong sense of humor outlived those who don’t laugh as much. The difference was particularly notable for those battling cancer.
Laughter stops distressing emotions. You can’t feel anxious, angry, or sad when you’re laughing.
Laughter helps you relax and recharge. It reduces stress and increases energy, enabling you to stay focused and accomplish more.
Laughter shifts perspective, allowing you to see situations in a more realistic, less threatening light. A humorous perspective creates psychological distance, which can help you avoid feeling overwhelmed and diffuse conflict.
Laughter draws you closer to others, which can have a profound effect on all aspects of your mental and emotional health.
Be more spontaneous. Humor gets you out of your head and away from your troubles.
Let go of defensiveness. Laughter helps you forget resentments, judgments, criticisms, and doubts.
The joy of the Lord is MY strength
The joy of the Lord is MY strength
2 The Lord is my strength and song, And He has become my salvation; He is my God, and I will praise Him; My father’s God, and I will exalt Him.
Children laugh much more easier than adults. We need to laugh more often. We tend to take ourselves too seriously. We tend to take our lives, particularly our problems, too seriously. They are serious, no doubt. But we still need to take time out to laugh. We can still have laughter knowing God is in control.
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials,
Some people outside of the Christian faith, look at this verse and think we are sadistic. This is not what it is saying at all. It is a change in our perspective when we face problems. Our perspective affects our situation in ways we may not even be aware of.
A woman, in the process of giving birth, is not laughing. She is in pain. But when she sees that baby for the first time, laughter and joy over floods her heart and she forgets her pain.
When you have a child who is not living for the Lord, it is heartbreaking. You pray and cry and plead and pray and cry and plead for God to do a miracle in your child’s life. You are laughing then. But when you see him/her come to the altar and give their heart to God, then the tears and anxieties and sleepless nights spent in pray are forgotten as laughter and joy and thankfulness floods into your heart.
10 Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him; He has put Him to grief. When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days, And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.
it pleased God to bruise Jesus not because He is cruel, because He knew it would restore our relationship with Him. Jesus would be resurrected and will live forever. The bridge would be built through the cross and we would be resurrected from the cost of sin and death. We have every reason to laugh and have joy in our hearts.
God laughs
God laughs
We know God laughs sarcastically at those who try to oppose Him. He views them as foolish and referred to as sons of disobedience.
13 The Lord laughs at him, For He sees that his day is coming.
God loves you so much. When you try to serve Him to the best of your ability, He laughs in love as He rejoices over you.
17 The Lord your God in your midst, The Mighty One, will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.”
There is a another time when not only God, but all of heaven rejoices.
7 I say to you that likewise there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine just persons who need no repentance.
Every person who comes to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ makes the sacrifice worth it.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Are you able to laugh? I mean really laugh
A - Acknowledge
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
B- Believe
31 So they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved, you and your household.”
C - Confess
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.