The Christmas season – the time we as Christians claim to celebrate the birth of Christ – is a season of love, joy, and peace. The story of Christ’s birth is beautifully wrapped up in one verse, John 3:16; “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes […]
In 2 Corinthians 7:4, Paul, whose Christian life was marked with persecutions and suffering (2 Corinthians 11:22-28), says “I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.” Paul had tapped into a source of Joy beyond human understanding. If you spend enough time with someone that is full of joy, some of that joy is likely […]
The Bible is a book filled with many ambiguities, and often the Christian life seems very confusing to the natural carnal mind. There are numerous paradoxes, one of which is found in James 1:2: “count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” Other scriptures speak of having joy in affliction, as in 2 […]
Gloom and joy are totally opposite of each other; where one is present the other will quickly take flight. Gloom, despair, and all of their relatives come from Satan; how do I know that? Because joy, the very opposite, comes from Jesus, who in John 15:11 said, “These things I have spoken to you, That […]
Looking again at the promise of joy we find a classical verse in Nehemiah 8:10, where the returnees from captivity assemble in the open square and Ezra the priest reads extensively from the law of God with a group of Levites meticulously explaining the meaning. This apparently produced sorrow for breaking the law, and repentance, […]
Jesus promised joy to His disciples (including you and me) in spite of the fact that they would be facing many trials and difficulties, even persecutions, and that there would be adverse circumstances in the world in which we live. The key to having this joy is that of knowing Him, and abiding in Him. […]
In Psalm 16:11 David said, “You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” David did not find his walk with God to be drab, dull, boring, or wearisome; rather he found it to be exhilarating and exciting! As you read and […]
During the Christmas season several outstanding words that are prominently used are Love, Joy, and Peace, each being a treasure in itself. God has brought all three to us as a gift in “the Man Christ Jesus” 1 Timothy 2:5. To have the love of family and friends is a treasure greater than earthly wealth […]
Another asset of the kingdom of God is joy; and like righteousness, peace, and all the other assets of the kingdom, when you truly invite Christ into your heart as Savior the seeds of these kingdom qualities are planted within you. But like a garden must be cultivated, watered, fed, and weeded to produce the […]
In Philippians 4:4 we are instructed to “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice.” Then again in 1 Thessalonians 5:16 to “Rejoice always.” The Christian life is intended to be a joy-filled life, and accordingly Jesus speaking to His disciples said “…that my joy may remain in you, and that your joy be […]