Monday
Possessing Joy
Read Psalms 16:11
If I grant you one wish, asking you, "Do you want money or joy?" which one would you choose? Yes, you can only pick one. Now, carefully think it over. I know what's going through your mind; you're thinking, "If I pick money, I'll be able to have joy, too." Certainly, money can buy you almost everything, but can it bring you true joy?
While money may bring us delights for our eyes, it cannot buy us lasting joy for our spirits. If fire meets money, everything that money could bring will shrivel into flames. On the other hand, if you possess joy, no fire can ever burn it. And since you will not be dependent on material riches with true joy, you will be able to be content in whatever circumstances you're in. The apostle Paul said, "I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content in it. I know how to be humbled, and I know also how to abound. In everything and in all things I have learned the secret both to be filled and to be hungry, both to abound and to be in need." (Philippians 4:11-12)
God is our secret to true joy, as the Bible says, "Happy is the people whose God is Jehovah." My relationship with God brings me the greatest joy and contentment. When I know and have God, I have everything else. God is not just my life--He is more than life. After all, Jehovah is the Creator of life, so the Creator is always larger than the creation, regardless how grand the creation may be. God is love. When God is the very representation of love (I John 4.8), we can be certain that we can entirely trust Him. When we can completely trust someone with our very lives, it not only brings security but the greatest joy. God provides direction. On our own, we are like travellers’ trying to find our way in a foreign country without a map and a compass. God delivers us from troubles. And last but not least God gives us an eternal hope. When we abide in God, we receive the greatest opportunity to live forever in fellowship with our Heavenly Father. The relationship that we have truly can define the level of joy that we possess in our lives.
Tuesday
The Secret Of Joy
Read The Book of Philippians
At this very moment people all over the world are experiencing things that are threatening to break into their lives, steal their joy, and leave them miserable. Right now there are people in the city where you live that are experiencing things that are jeopardizing their joy. But you don’t have to travel around the world—or even around town—to witness what I’m talking about. All you have to do is live. Because, every day negative things happen in our lives that threaten to send us spinning in a downward spiral. The good news, though, is that we don’t have to go down with our circumstances. As a Christians, we have the power to rise above our circumstances.
Paul did. He was in prison when he wrote the letter to the church in Philippi. The prospect of death hovered over his head daily. To make matters worse, Paul’s friend—got very sick and almost died while visiting him during his imprisonment. And as if that weren’t more than enough for one person to handle, Paul had enemies within the church that sought to make his life as miserable as possible. Considering the circumstances in Paul’s life when he wrote this letter, one might suppose to read in Philippians the words of a grumpy old man who is mad at the world and at God. After all, less than half of what Paul experienced would be more than enough to make most of us depressed or cynical. However, in spite of his circumstances, Paul writes from prison the most beautiful "joy- letter" ever written. The Romans had hand-cuffs, but they didn’t have heart-cuffs. Therefore, Paul was free to possess joy in jail. He was free to turn a cell into a celebration. Sixteen times in the four chapters of Philippians we read the words joy or rejoice in some form. Paul rejoiced in prayer, in the preaching of Christ, in the unity of the church, in the thought of the second coming, in the thought of death, in the Philippians themselves, and in their care for him. What was the secret to Paul’s joy? Where—if not in his circumstances—did he find his joy? What was the secret to Paul’s joy? Jesus. Where—if not in his circumstances—did he find his joy? Let us never forget that—like Paul—even when we can’t rejoice in our circumstances, we can rejoice in Christ. Remember, the God that you serve wants to bless you with joy in any and every circumstance.
Wednesday
Removing The Spirit of Heaviness
Read Isaiah 61:3
Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? You have been sick for so long that you don't remember what it's like to be healthy. At one time, you battled this sickness, but the sickness seems to be winning. So you think, what’s the use, I might as well accept this sickness and learn to live with it. I'm never going to get well. Perhaps you are tired of fighting for your marriage. You are fed up with your spouse. You think that he doesn't love you anymore, so why fight for his love. You are ready to throw in the towel. Possibly you once waged war against your financial debts. But things haven't changed much, and you're beginning to get discouraged. You think that you are never going to get out from under all your bills. Perhaps you are tired of fighting for your marriage. You are fed up with your spouse. You think that he doesn't love you anymore, so why fight for his love. You might be having trouble with your children. You wonder if they are ever going to straighten up. You are exhausted from their rebellion. Is God ever going to change them? You wonder.
One of the most popular passages in the Bible is Nehemiah 8:10: "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength." Why is joy important? Because the "joy of the Lord is your strength!" Joy produces strength. And strength is needed to fight. You are called to "fight the good fight of faith" (1 Timothy 6:12). Isaiah 61:3 tells us that when we feel we are backed in to a corner and there is no hope, we are to put on a garment of praise (my interpretation). I have found that when I do just that PRAISE, my spirit lightens and is lifted up to new heights, the despair, hopelessness and depression leaves. Get rid of that heaviness; Praise the one whom our strength comes from.
Thursday
Serving with Gladness
Read Psalms 100:1-2
There are moments in our lives when we can serve the Lord with gladness, and it appears such a natural thing for us to do. Yet there are other moments when things happen in our lives that we don’t understand, and in those moments sometimes we find it hard to serve our Lord with gladness. It’s not that we don’t want to serve him continually with gladness. It is the sadness often of our circumstance that takes our Joy and we allow those circumstances to steal our opportunity of that moment in serving our God with gladness. In those moments, it is so very important that no matter the circumstances we learn to trust God even more and Praise Him through every circumstance. Our God never changes and He is the same in the good and bad times.
Our God is an awesome, loving, caring God, before our time, while in the womb of our Mother, he knew what our lives would be, and to this day already knows what lies ahead in our future. It is so important that we realize just what we mean to Him, and in doing so we will learn what He means to us. Peace, Contentment, Joy, Happiness, Blessings, God’s Love, Understanding and so much more the list is endless. It is time we realize that we can serve the Lord with gladness. Give to Him our all and allow Him to work through us every day in everything we do as we serve the Lord with gladness and rest in knowing it is He that hath made us and not we ourselves and it is He that will lead, guide, and direct our lives to work for our good if we only summit our whole being unto Him.
Friday
Strength In Joy
Read Nehemiah 8:10
Nehemiah 8:10 says, “The joy of the Lord is your strength.” It’s been said that true joy always involves three things. First we have to make conscious decision to focus each day on God and His goodness. Second we must reach out and bless others every chance you get. This is a proven fact. Not long ago my family and I were going through a very rough patch and someone who was praying for us sent us an e-mail and told us that while she was praying that God reminded her of something and she wanted to pass it on. The advice was that each day for one week we were to bless someone less fortunate than us and through our blessing others that God would move on our behalf, well let me tell you that on the second day of doing this, we received a phone call that the need that we had was taken care of……two days!!! So my family and I have made it a point in some way we are going to do our best each day to bless someone. Third we must understand that joy produces strength, which we also need to realize that this makes our joy satan’s target. When we lose our joy we lose our strength and when we lose our joy, satan wins.
There are basically three kinds of people: there are those whose joy is impaired this is the one who believes that we’re not supposed to be happy. The joy killer….this is the one who’s been hurt by life and they don’t want others to be joyful either. Then, there is the joy carrier...these are the ones who when you’re around them, they exhilarate you, and what they are experiencing is often contagious. Many times joy was the word of the day so to speak with Jesus, wherever Jesus was there was joy. With Jesus living inside us and having a right relationship with Him, Real joy...wonderful joy is a result of our relationship with Jesus Christ...then we can say, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.”
The Weekender
Take Your Joy Back
Like last week let’s take today and look back at what you have learned this week and reflect. In reflecting it is our desire that if something that you have learned really stands out that you look at ways in which you can implement them into your situation and life that will make a difference in your life.
In taking possession of joy, does the relationship that you have with God bring you joy and contentment?
Do you allow circumstances to interfere with your joy? If so take a look at Paul’s life and how he dealt with the circumstances he faced and try some of the methods he used to retain his joy. Make a list of ways that Paul possessed joy:
Why is joy important in our lives? Are you sick and tired of being sick and tired? What are ways that we can overcome the feelings of wanting to give up and draw on the strength that God has for us?
Would you like to experience immeasurable, eternal joy? Do you possess eternal hope? If you answer no to any of the above questions take a moment and reflect on your relationship with the Father, do you see something in your relationship that is preventing you from possessing the joy that God has for you?
Steps you can take to possess joy in your life: Make a conscious decision to focus each day on God and His goodness. Reach out and bless others every chance you get. We must understand that joy produces strength, which we also need to realize that this makes our joy satan’s target. Serve the Lord in gladness. Praise Him and most of all when you welcome Jesus into your heart, for nothing and no one else can ever promise you the kind of joy only God can bring you!
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