10-17-2016

Good Morning All,

                Romans 15:13; “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

       “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy, down in my heart.”   This gospel song is known by many Christians throughout the world.  It is a song that makes its appearance at VBS schools, Sunday Schools and Christian camps.   It is sung by children and speaks of joy.  Yet where do we, as adults, find joy?  One look at the world around us and joy would seem to be in short supply.  Yet, if we look at God’s Word we’ll see where our joy comes from.

    First we want to see that the biblical definition of joy is “a mental and emotional appreciation for good things received.  A result of God’s grace toward believers.”  This is how God uses the word joy.  It is important to see that having joy and having happiness is not necessarily the same thing.  We can have joy and not be happy.  We can have joy even at funerals.  We may be sad that we will no longer see the person who has died but we can take joy in the truth that we will see them again when Christ returns and we will live together in perfect union with Christ and all other believers.  Happiness is an emotional condition that fluctuates and depends on our situation.  I can be happy my team won the ballgame or I can be sad that they lost but true joy comes from the truth that we have already received great things from God. 

    True joy results when we remember what God has done for us, what God is doing for us and what God promises to do for us tomorrow.  True joy is not the result of how I feel but the result of an action taken by God for my benefit.  I can live in joy because I know that I am saved.  I can have joy because, no matter what is driving my emotions, God’s love and grace will never abandon me.  This is a gift from God; it is a promised mercy that he has given us.  Because we have His sure and certain promise, we can live confident in that promise.  We have hope and hope never fails.  By living as people of hope we can have peace and joy.  We have peace with God because of Jesus; we have joy because this great gift has been given to us.  We do not have to merit this gift; it does not depend on me it depends entirely on God and his loving kindness. 

    So we can have joy in all life’s situations and events.  We know that God will never abandon us and in Him our hope is secure.  Because of this secure hope, we can live in his peace with joy, a joy that fills our heart and our soul because it is built upon God and his great mercy.  Feelings vary depending upon our view of a situation or event we are experiencing.  Yet our joy is outside of us; our joy comes from God, a very blessed gift that we can always hold on to.  This joy from God helps us as we face the events of this sin filled and broken creation.  No matter what befalls us, we are the redeemed of Christ and we live with the promise of salvation in His name alone.  This is the source of our hope, our peace and our joy.

Father, you graciously fill us with joy and peace.  Strengthen our hope that we may always look to you for our protection and preservation.  Keep us mindful of your everlasting mercy.  Help me to always trust in your grace and to always cling to the cross of Jesus.  In His precious name we pray, amen.

God’s Peace,

Pastor Bret