Bradenton Seventh Day Baptist (S.D.B.) Church

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Joy

Posted on Fri, Feb 19, 2010

Highlights of a sermon given by Pastor Michael Spearl on January 23, 2010 by Susan Bond

Training to be like Jesus requires that we arrange our lives around activities that build us up in Him. Pastor Michael described a pillow fight scenario between him and his son Sammy when Sammy was just a child: "Life was dancing before him. Every moment was pregnant with opportunity. At first, my mind accustomed to being on work, I almost missed this chance to just play with my son." Joy is at the heart of God's plan for humanity.

On the first day of creation, God created the light and said, "It is good." Jesus is a man of sorrows only because man messed up God's creation. When He comes again, sorrow will be done with.

Psalm 19 describes God's joy. Joy is the serious business of heaven. Jesus came "...that your joy may be complete." "Rejoice in the Lord always." In Nehemiah 8:9-10 we read, "This day is sacred unto the Lord...the joy of the Lord is your strength." Joylessness is weak. Rejoicing in the Lord can be as much a discipline as fasting. The time has come to take joy seriously. You cannot just pray for joy. Joyfulness is a skill. You can't expect others to give it to you; it is your responsibility. You may be joy-impaired. One discipline to acquire joy is celebration (Sing and dance while reflecting on a wonderful God Who has given wonderful gifts, simple new things in each new day). First step? Begin now! The Psalmist says, "This is the day that the Lord has made." Not yesterday or tomorrow.

How can I embrace joy in a world of hunger and injustice? Missionaries administer mercy in the worst of conditions. True joy comes to those who use their lives for more than personal happiness. Authentic joy is defiant in the face of bitterness. If you wait for conditions to be right to rejoice, you will be waiting until you die. The joy rejecters are the black holes of humanity. They will suck the joy right out of you. Proverbs 15:30 reminds us that "A cheerful look brings joy to the heart."

This is the day you eat what you love to eat, wear what you enjoy, read good books, appreciate God's good things. Consider Revelations 19:7: "Let us be glad and rejoice and let us give honor to Him." The joy that is in store for God's people is so great that the only image that can do it justice is the joy between a groom and his bride: "For the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready."

Discussion: Joy

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Reply Voni Mattison (anonymous) on Feb 20 2010 @ 4:57pm
Joy

Just what I needed to jolt me into the joy of the Lord. Thank you so much!! I still treasure our visiting you all and worshipping with you in January. God's Blessings, Voni

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