The Gift of Joy
Today we will talk about the gift of Joy.
I have two gifts to talk about today and I have two gifts to give away right now.
Joy in Japanese is “YOROKOBI”
Great definition of Joy:
“Joy is: The settled assurance that God is in control of every detail in my life; the quiet confidence that ultimately everything will be all right; and the determined choice to praise God in all things.”
From the book Choose Joy by Kay Warren
In happy or sad times, in comfort or difficulty, we find joy in the presence of the Lord. Focusing on Christ – who He is, what He has done to save us, and His promise to keep us – brings a supernatural JOY that cannot compare with temporary happiness.
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Joy Robbers
There are many barriers to joy, things that deplete our joy, enemies of joy, destroyers of joy, things that rob and steal our joy.
What are the “JOY ROBBERS” in your daily routines ?
What people or things or circumstances rob you of joy, maybe worry robs you of joy ?
We have to fight for joy especially in a very negative world.
In the English Standard Version of the Bible, the words “joy,” “rejoice,” or “joyful” appear a total of 430 times, compared with “happy” or “happiness,” which appear only twenty-five times. Joy is lasting, and it satisfies the heart in a unique and marvelous way.
In the birth of Christ: Joy is mentioned eight times, Afraid is mentioned seven times.
Matthew 1:18-25:
18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ took place in this way. When his mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child from the Holy Spirit. 19 And her husband Joseph, being a just man and unwilling to put her to shame, resolved to divorce her quietly. 20 But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” 22 All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: 23 “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” (which means, God with us). 24 When Joseph woke from sleep, he did as the angel of the Lord commanded him: he took his wife, 25 but knew her not until she had given birth to a son. And he called his name Jesus.
Matthew 2:1-4:
1 Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem, 2 saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” 3 When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; 4 and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
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Three Simple Points:
The first destroyer of Joy: Anxiety
The Virgin Mary: engaged, pregnant, informing Joseph, her parents and Joseph’s parents, riding two two-to three days on a donkey then giving birth in a barn.
When May was afraid or anxious, she chose to trust God and accept His Plan.
The second destroyer of Joy: Resentment over a hurt
Joseph I am sure initially was hurt to think the young lady he was committing to marry was pregnant. We do not see or hear of the exact amount of time that Joseph had to wrestle or struggle with feelings of being hurt or feelings of resentment.
When Joseph was hurt, he chose to offer grace and let the pain go.
The third destroyer of Joy: Confusion
We could say that the shepherds, wise men, King Herod were all confused to some degree.
When the wise men were confused, they chose to follow God’s Light one step at a time.
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The Fist Gift Of Today: Joy
Matthew 2:1-4 - Follow, seeking, find, worship = four stages of spiritual growth
I would like to share a few applications for seeking and determining to have JOY in your lives.
Psalms 51:22 “Lord, restore to me the Joy of your salvation.”
・Keep focus on God every morning.
・Worship God in the morning and in music as the day starts.
・Determine to have a life memory verse and even a memorized verse for a specific season of your life.
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Isaiah 55:12 “For you shall go out in Joy and be led forth in peace.”
I never want to minimize that we will suffer sorrow and grief. Christmas can be a sad time, for some a depressing time of the year or a difficult time of the year. It can be a season when we reflect on those we have lost.
John 16:22
So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.
Jeremiah 31:13
I will convert their weeping into laughter, lavishing comfort, invading their grief with Joy.
Another version says:
I will turn their mourning into joy; I will comfort them, and give them gladness for sorrow.
John 15:11:
These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
Psalm 30:5:
For his anger is but for a moment, and his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may tarry for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
Romans 15:13:
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
Psalm 28:7:
The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.
Habakkuk 3:17-19:
“Though the fig tree should not blossom, nor fruit be on the vines, the produce of the olive fail and the fields yield no food, the flock be cut off from the fold and there be no herd in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will take joy in the God of my salvation. God, the Lord, is my strength; he makes my feet like the deer’s; he makes me tread on my high places.”
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The second gift of today: Immanuel
Embracing the year around truth the God is with us.
Two of my favorite verses are at the start and end of the Gospel of Matthew;
Matthew 1:23:
Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel – which means God with Us.
Matthew 28:20:
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.
Book by Ruth Graham Lotz,
Jesus In Me: Experiencing the Holy Spirit as a Constant Companion
It is one of my favorite books this year. I love the title and yet it is really about Immanuel in the truth that God sent us the Holy Spirit to be with us. Jesus in Me is a book about the Jesus in our lives by recognizing God’s gift of the Holy Spirit.
Isaiah 9:6:
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.”
・The name “Jesus” means “Yahweh is salvation” and is our Savior’s personal name, a name which reveals His mission to save His people from their sins.
・The word “Christ” is the official title of Jesus because He is the One anointed to save His people from their sins and reign forever on David’s throne.
・The name “Immanuel” reveals how all of this is possible, by God becoming man and bridging the gap between sinful humanity and a holy God!
If God is with us, then we have hope that there is more to this life then what we see. We have hope that our sin truly is forgiven and when this life is over we will be with God forever. We have hope that while we dwell in a fallen world, God is with us, and He is all we need!
If you want to have God with you,
a choice is required, a decision must be made.
Have you ever recognized your need of Jesus?
Have you received Jesus as Lord of your life?
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Common abbreviation in today’s texting TLTR: Too Long Too Read:
・When Mary was afraid or anxious, she chose to trust God and accept His Plan.
・When Joseph was hurt, he chose to offer grace and let the pain go.
・When the wise men were confused, they chose to Follow God’s Light one step at a time.
Don’t let others rob you of your joy.
Focus on God and the joy that He offers us.
Remember to allow Jesus to be Immanuel – God with Us Every day!
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Questions for reflection and application:
- Ask God to help you to be a conduit for joy this week.
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- What do you do that allows you to hold you back from living a life of joy?
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- Can you think of ways you have killed joy in the lives of others? Which is most common for you: cynicism, criticism, selfishness, or ingratitude.
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- During this month of December review your schedule of activities and obligations. Try to live a less cluttered life. Have room in your season to reflect, relax and have more quiet times. Make room for Jesus.
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