John 15:11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
I bet right now, you're humming that song. There are so many songs about joy that pop into my head right now, but this one just grabbed a hold of me and is not letting me go. Yea, I'm humming it too!! Anyway, this is my Zakkary, he is filled with joy at least 90% of the time. He smiles and grins most of the time. His laughter can be heard for miles, he laughs from deep within his belly. When I think of someone who is joyful, I think of Zakkary. Joy is one of those emotions, one of those feelings us adults tend to bury or hide. Some of us do not know what true joy is, some of us our lives are so complex that we have lost the joy. We have abandoned joy to seriousness. "This world is so filled with evil, how can we be joyful? Don't you watch the news?" Yes I have been watching the news. I know that Christians, including children, are being beheaded over in Iraq. I know that there have been hurricanes that have hit Hawaii. I know there are fires out west and I know that there are murders every minute of every day. But I know that my joy lies in the Lord. I know that the joy I feel every day will someday be an example to someone who is way too serious. Listen I know that I cannot change anything that is happening right now. I cannot convince murderers to stop murdering people. I cannot convince the terrorists to stop beheading Christians. I cannot prevent the fires or the hurricanes, but the one thing I can and must do is to pray to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I cannot and will not let the world news remove my joy, because my friends that is what the devil wants.
This scripture above was said by Jesus before He died. Jesus knew He was going to be crucified. He knew the torture and pain He would have to endure for us, yet this says, "that my joy may be in you". Seriously? How could Jesus be full of joy at a time like that? There is no way that any of us would feel joyful is we knew something bad was coming our way, yet Jesus was. We can learn a lesson from Him. If He could be joyful knowing what was coming His way, what is our excuse? Yesterday, I hit my head getting out of the car and I lost my joy and said a few words I shouldn't have. I am human and the joy I feel most of the time can be easily taken away by a simple word from someone else, an action that hurts or a consequence of not slowing down. That is sad. I want to feel the joy of the Lord at all times, not just when things are going my way. Can you imagine living like that? It would be life changing. Ah!! Maybe that's why Jesus has given us His joy, to be life changing.
Joy, the feeling, the emotion, fills movie screens, in sung about in songs, is written about in books and felt during great times in our life. We dream about joy, but why don't we live it? Why do we feel that it is wrong to be joyful with all that is going on in this crazy, mixed up world? I am a person who always tries to have a smile on my face. Yes there are times when my smile disappears, but for the most part I walk around smiling. I am always amazed when I see total strangers stare at me because I'm smiling. Maybe there's something wrong with me? Maybe there's something wrong with them? Am I making sense? So many of us believers walk around with a chip on our shoulders and a frown on our face. There are some believers who actually scowl and seem angry at the world. Then there are those believers who tend to hate anyone who is not living up to their standards of behavior. Do you know how happy this makes the devil? Christians, believers, followers of Jesus Christ acting like the devil himself. I am sorry but this makes me literally sick. I am tired of Christians who walk around in sack cloth and ashes and I am sick of Christians who condemn everyone but themselves. Let's be honest here, people may say they are Christians, but the condition of their heart, says otherwise. So many Christians out there are sending people running from Jesus. "If that's what Jesus does for you, I want no part of your Jesus." I have heard unbelievers say that. Instead if we lived with the joy of Jesus in our hearts at all times, they would say; "I want to know the Jesus you know." People we could change lives. We could change people's eternities!
My God is bigger than any problem I may have so why shouldn't I be joyful? My God is stronger than the strongest human being in the world, why shouldn't I be joyful? Listen we all have problems, some bigger than others, but Jesus already gave us joy. We just need to tap into it. We need to embrace it. We need to live it. Jesus wants us to be joyful, the devil does not. Jesus wants us to enjoy our life, the devil does not. Jesus wants us to love everyone, the devil does not. Jesus wants us to forgive others, the devil does not. Jesus wants us to reach out to sinners, how can we if we are so quick to condemn them? The devil does not want us to reach out to anyone. He would be so happy to have us feel miserable and depressed. Sadly, some of us Christians fall victim to the lies of the devil. It's written all over our faces and it's in our words and in our actions. Us Christians should be the most joyful people on the planet because we know the end of the story. Even though the in between may be difficult and hard, in the end we win! We have eternity promised to us. Let's take some others with us and stop scaring them off!!
May the joy of the Lord fill your heart today. May that joy transform your words. your actions and your life forever. May the trials and storms in your life never remove the joy Jesus died to give you. May the wars in this world never remove your joy. May joy reign in your heart forever in Jesus name I pray, amen!
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