3-17-15 Joy

                             ...the joy of the Lord is your strength.         Nehemiah 8:10

True joy is rooted in the Person of the Lord Jesus Christ. It is an observable evidence or fruit of the ministry of the Holy Spirit in our lives. As we imitate the life characteristics of submission, sacrifice and service which Christ demonstrated, we will know the same kind of joy in obedience that He knew in His relationship with the Father.

There are times when the details and difficulties of our physical lives seem to sap our spiritual and emotional strength. However, we know from the Word of God, that the joy of the Lord is our strength. When we know Him personally, and communicate with Him intimately, He will give us great joy and peace in the midst of turbulence and trials.

To the child of God, He has promised to keep us from falling and to present us pure and perfect before Himself with exceeding joy for all of eternity. On earth, when the fellowship of a sweet relationship with Christ is broken by sin, joy is dissipated until that fellowship is restored. When self-will replaces total submission to God’s will, both peace and joy vanish. Conversely, when our human will is under complete submission to His divine will and purpose, His peace and joy are renewed.

    1.    Have you come to Christ for salvation and thus know the joy of receiving Him? If not, I encourage you to
           do so today.

    2.    Have you allowed the details and difficulties of this life to draw your love and attention away from
           your intimate fellowship with the Lord Jesus? If so, I encourage you to return this moment to the joy
           of fellowship with Him and depend upon His sustaining grace and power to face the details and
           difficulties of life.



                                                                    JOY:

                                                                Jesus alone--

                                            nothing more, nothing less, nothing else!



                                                        (C) 1992, 2015 N.A. Collins
                                           Limited copy permission to one personal file copy