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Monday, June 18, 2007

Joy

Hello!

Personal updates:
Thanks so much for your love and prayers for us and for the family at church. The funeral was Saturday. It was a heartfelt remembrance of a beautiful young lady.
Lauren is healing up wonderfully since her surgery!
We’ve had one phone call from Matt. He’s homesick, but doing well. Today starts his 3rd full week of basic training.

We’ve talked about love and peace and I thought that it was just fitting that we discuss JOY today.

Psalms 30:5
Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
NKJV

First I want to clarify that joy is not the same word as happy.

Happiness is an emotion that is based on external circumstances.
Happiness is temporary.
Happiness can come and go with the ups and downs of life and our feelings.

JOY on the other hand is based on the internal state of our heart. It’s who and what you KNOW at the very core of your being.
It is the steady, constant assurance of the love and truth of our God.
Joy doesn’t come and go with changing times.
Joy is not based on our feelings!

Here’s one definition:
Joy is a delight of the mind arising from the consideration of a present or assured possession of a future good.
(from The New Unger's Bible Dictionary. Originally published by Moody Press of Chicago, Illinois. Copyright (c) 1988.)

Acts 2:28
28 You have made known to me the paths of life;
You will fill me with joy in Your presence.
NIV


I would say it like this;

I know my God, I know He’s faithful, He’s always with me and He fills me with HIM, which brings joy.

How else could we swallow a verse like James 1:2?

James 1:2

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds
NIV


Joy comes when we know our God and walk with Him.

Even in the darkest times, we can have joy because we trust that our God is working things out. That His Word is true and does not lie.

Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.
NIV


Joy can affect my feelings, but it is not determined by them.

Joy goes much deeper than happiness.

Nehemiah 8:10
This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of
the LORD is your strength."
NIV


The word strength can be defined in the Greek as:
A fortified place and a defense

How awesome is that?!

Not only does He give us joy in the midst of trial and tragedy, but it also becomes our place of safety and strength!

Our God is so good to us! I love Him so much don’t you?!

This verse sums it all up:
John 15:9-11
9 "As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love.
10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.
11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
NIV


There it is! We can have joy because He loves us!

Lord, I ask You to make Your love so real to us that it changes us! Let us remain in Your love and experience the joy that only YOU can give!

10 comments:

Jen said...

I am so thankful that God has given us Joy...something we can hold on to INSPITE of our circumstances...not BECAUSE of them.
I continue to pray His Strength through Joy for all of those touched by the passing of this young life.

Shaun and Holly said...

Thanks! Love your blog.

Susan said...

Okay, Sue. Are you reading my journal???? Seriously, I have not touched my bible study in an entire week and today I picked it up and did Day 1 of Week 4...and this week is entitled, "The Joy of the Lord is Our Strength" and today's lesson is entitled, "Joy's Bedrock". This is Beth Moore's "Living Beyond Yourself." All of today's scripture and study is just amazing.

And then I came to your blog this morning and you're talking about JOY! I took all of this as a sure sign that I am lacking in some Joy in my life. It definitely made me feel some Joy!

Connie Barris said...

you are right.. Joy doesn't mean happy.. it is far beyond that... it is so deep.. so intimate in our precious Savior.
refering to this and your other post....

one of my bestfriends lost her 9-year-old son in a car accident. I have watched that journey now for the past 6 years.

Let me share something so sweet. The week before he died, he asked his daddy to read the Bible to him. So for one year after his death, his dad went to the cemetary and read the Bible to him until he had completely read the Bible. His dad had never read the Bible. so God had mighty plans in this story as it unfolded. Still does.

This little boy did mighty things for his family....

I will so be in prayer for this family...their grief, eventhough she stands in the presence of our Jesus, is still overwhelming...
For we are of the flesh, "Jesus wept"

blessings....

Steffie B. said...

Hey.....how are you? Do you want to come over next week? Email me and we can set up a play date!

Anonymous said...

Hi Sue!

Want you to know that I have been praying for your family-I tried to post a prayer for you...but somehow the computer kept eating my post...which is okay, because the Lord heard my prayer for you ;-)

I liked how you explained joy being different that happiness- thanks for bringing us in deeper and pouring so much Word into your sharing. We are blessed.

Can I add you to my friends list?

Kimmie
mama to 6
one homemade and 5 adopted
(working on #7 to Guatemala...come join our journey!)

Praise and Coffee said...

kimmie, thank you so much for the prayers! Yes of course you can add me to your list, thanks.

PandaMom said...

My, my, my. I NEEDED to hear this today. Thank you for writing it all out. I know these verses, but today I needed a reminder. Thanks. ; )

Monkey Giggles said...

Thank you for inspiring me.

Tamatha said...

warm fuzzies! Joy is great!:o)

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