Romans 14:17 – 18 “For the Kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit. For he who serves Christ in these things is acceptable to God and approved by men.”
The attitude with which we serve God is crucial.
Deuteronomy 28:47 – 48 “Because you did not serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything, therefore you shall serve your enemies….”
The emphasis is on “Gladness of heart” God looks at the heart and not on the outward appearance. There is something about gladness.
Philippians 2:14 “Do all things without complaining and disputing.”
Numbers 11:1 “Now when the people complained, it displeased the Lord; for the Lord heard it and His anger was aroused. So the fire of the Lord burned among them, and consumed some in the outskirts of the camp.”
Let your life have a foundation. Storms will come but if you have a solid foundation, you’ll weather these storms. Jesus sees and knows our thoughts. He hears the complaints of the people…….he heard the complaints of the people against Moses and his anger was aroused. We can’t pretend before God. Let’s have the right attitude. Are we serving God in joy? All our works are going to be tested. When God sends someone into our life, it’s to speak to us and be a blessing. God doesn’t change.
Let’s finish our race with joy and not grumbling.
Joy is the fruit of the spirit. 11 Corinthians 9:7 “So let each one give as he purposes in his heart,…..”
If we are willing and obedient, we’ll eat the good of the land. Get into the word of God. Let’s live our lives by principle. Don’t judge people. Whatever you do, purpose to do it in your hearts. Do what God has laid on your heart.
Nehemiah 8:10 “…..do not sorrow because the joy of the Lord is your strength.” You can’t afford to have your joy stolen from you. We need the joy of the Lord 24/7. He is our strength.
John 4:14 “but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life”. Jesus is speaking about the salvation experience. How many of us still hunger and thirst after God. Do we experience dry periods? The key is the well of water inside us. Let’s draw from the well of salvation. It’s a continuous experience and the key is the key of joy!
You have a right to be happy. Why focus on the wrongs all the time. Jeremiah 29:11 “For I know the thoughts I think towards you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”
Hannah’s (the mother of Samuel) countenance changed when Eli said to her that the God of Israel heard her petition. God is no respecter of persons. He can be real in our lives. He can change our countenance.
Let’s encourage others. The communication of your faith becomes more effective as you acknowledge the good things. Your testimony gets bigger as you confess. The downfall of a man is not the end of his life. In the midst of all the problems, encourage yourself in the Lord as David did.
How do you get your joy? Read on……
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