What Is The Source Of Joy?

We want to be joyful people, but joy eludes us. It seems that some people have it and others don't. The Bible teaches we should be joyful but we are not. What is the secret to possessing joy?

"Let the righteous rejoice in the Lord and take refuge in him; let all the upright in heart praise him!" Psalm 64:10, NIV.

JOY
Joy is something beyond happiness, it is more than happiness because happiness comes from experiences or circumstances that are from an external source or event; but joy is regardless of events or actions, joy is in the heart despite events. We may look to things like money, job, family, or some successful project to give us joy, but it is fading and shallow. Joy does not need good things to happen to exist; it is apart from the world around us.

Joy is a gift of God. To rejoice is a spiritual activity. Scripture commands us to be joyful* and to rejoice. The source of joy must be the Lord, not the events of the world around us.

THAT LITTLE WORD "IN"
The verse says rejoice in the Lord, we take refuge in him. The first meaning is that the Lord is the source and object of the joy we experience. The second meaning implies that the saved are brought into something, that when we come to the Lord we have become included into something- Christ* with all the blessings of salvation.

LET
The verse begins with the word, "let." This suggests a decision. We have to make a conscious effort to make the Lord our joy and take joy in him. He will work on our hearts to grow the fruit of joy in us.

We need to...

• Recognize the Lord is the source of true joy.
• Maintain a relationship with Lord.
• Confess the sin of refusing joy.
• Accept the gift of joy from the Holy Spirit.
• Resolve not to feel sorry for ourselves.
• Focus on the Lord and not our problems.
• Spend time in prayer and Bible study to strengthen our relationship with the Lord.

THE RIGHTEOUS
Only the righteous can know true joy. We cannot make ourselves righteous before God, the pure, holy, judge of the earth, but He gives it freely in His son and the work Jesus did on the cross for you and me. When we come to Him, empty handed, in faith, He gives us eternal life and with it comes joy.

To learn more about having a relationship with the Lord follow this link: Salvation.

* Philippians 4:14,  *2 Corinthians 5:17

Is God Against You?

Is God Against You? 

Could God actually be against us? If he a God of love we might assume he is always for us no matter what; but what if there is a trait or attitude on our part that puts God against us?

"But He gives us more grace. That is why scripture says, "God oppose the proud but shows favor to the humble." James 4:6. NIV.

PRIDE
Pride may come in many forms and there is a form of pride that seems to offend God. This is the pride which is referred to as the sin of angles for the Old Testament tells of Satin's boast to set himself up above God and usurp the place of God in the universe. Isaiah 14:12-16. This is the boastful pride of one who considers himself better than others.

No one in their right mind would say they are superior to God in power, status, worth, or glory as the fallen angel did, but we live that attitude in many ways. We refuse to acknowledge his authority and resist obeying his commands. We want to live our own lives and not submit to his design for us.

OPPOSES
God opposes those who are set on their own course. He is sovereign and we do not know just how he will oppose an individual but we can be assured he will. It may not be at a time we would think or way we would expect. What we see may not reflect the secret truths of their lives.

FAVOR
We often say God's ways are not our ways. The world is full of wonderful godly people who live saintly lives of sacrifice and service; many of them live in poverty, struggle in the lower classes of society, and suffer much even persecution to follow their conscience. One looks at them and wonder- yet their biographies are full of joy, and gratitude, seldom complaining about their situations and often giving praise to God. They experience God's favor: they are given a grace that is foreign to the mind of the prideful and worldly. God has blessed these humble ones, and they would be quick to say it.

GOD
God is long-suffering and patient. When we look at the lives of those who deny God's mastery over them we wonder why God does not bring them to some immediate doom. We must remember that God is patient to give each of us every opportunity to turn from selfish ways and come to accept his will for our lives.

If you want to know more about the saving grace of God follow this link: Salvation.

(c)Adron Dozat

Where Can You Hide from Troubles, Psalm 46:1-3

There are many things a person can take refuge in, things like home, hobbies, relationships, music, money, drugs, pleasure, etc. But all man made forms of refuge will eventually weaken and fail.

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging." Psalm 46:1-3 NIV.  

REFUGE

In ancient times a refuge was a place where you escaped an enemy and found safety. Today a refuge may be a place where you go to hide from it all, a place where our troubles can't get to us. The Psalmist says, "God is our refuge and strength." What better refuge than the All-powerful, Creator and Master of the universe?" What better strength than The Lord?

EVER-PRESENT
The word "ever-present" reminds us that God is here no matter what. No matter where we go or what happens He is not going be overwhelmed and beaten. No matter what we do He is not going to desert us. He is "ever present." He is always present, he is in all the "right heres" there ever could be.

HELP
There are different kinds of "help." One is a personal side by side- a one with one helping out, like a peer or equal, and we each do half and the job gets done. Another kind of help is where no matter what you do your efforts are futile, like being stuck at the bottom of a well. Then we need a superior person to help, a person who is not in the pit, but is above and strong- only he can pull us out. The Lord is not an "equal to me helper," where I do some and He does some. The Lord is TOTAL HELP. Sometimes we have to stop struggling and just hold on the rope and He pulls us up. (We do not go through life sitting on our hands and doing nothing. We do have responsibility for our actions and many times we have to act.)

GOD'S HELP
God's help was not just an ideal or philosophy. It is the result of a relationship; we make the Lord our help, strength, and refuge. We didn't just sing songs about it and read books about it we make a decision and act on it; then we will experience God as our refuge and help. We have to decide to not look to other things, instead we express to God that He is our refuge and help.

If you have never trusted God as your refuge for your soul follow this link: Salvation.

(c)Adron Dozat

How Does Fearing God Bring Prosperity? Psalm 25:12

If you fear God you will keep out of trouble with him and society at large but can you actually get ahead in this world by the fear of God?

"Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? The Lord will instruct them in the ways they should choose. They will spend their days in prosperity and their descendants will inherit the land." Psalm 25:12-13, NIV.

FEAR
The fear of God is a complicated issue. On one hand we should love God and have a sense of gratitude for our lives and his blessings. On the other he is really, really, REALLY powerful and awesome. He creates and gives life so also he can destroy and take life. His love of mankind has caused him to be merciful toward mankind.

This fear is not the panicked terror of a nightmare but it is a reverential respect and a sense of gratitude for his mercy.  We should acknowledge he has power to punish wrongs, and as the Perfect Justice he must. We should also acknowledge it is by his mercy and patience with us that we are here.

INSTRUCT
Instruct means to give correct teaching; it has the idea of the boss giving the workers their orders for the day. God would teach us the way we should go through life. He has provided us the tools to receive that instruction in our intelligent minds, the Bible, the Holy Spirit, and the counsel of wise men.

A stranger does not instruct, the one who instructs must have your respect and obedience. The one who teaches must have some way of communicating with the pupil. God must be known personally to receive his instruction so he has made a way available for us to enter into a relationship with him; a relationship where the barrier of our sins and wrongs are wiped clean through the payment of his Son on the cross on our behalf.

CHOOSING
God instructs us in the ways we will choose. God gives us free will and allows us to make choices, some good and others bad. He allows prosperity to happen when we choose those things that are compliant with his instructions. This requires knowledge of God, his ways, and his Word the Bible.

PROSPERITY
Do not confuse prosperity with wealth. The prosperity of the Bible is more of an enlarging of one's life, it may be finical, or relationships, or service, or gifts of character.

When we come to God through the way he provides we will have a fear that is not dread but of respect, and a fear that is balanced by love that is greater.

If you want to know more about coming to God follow this link: Salvation.


(c)Adron Dozat

How Did Jesus Handle Rejection?

When we experience rejection we are sometimes angry and hurt, we lash back or pout. What did Jesus do when he was rejected?

"But when the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, 'Hosanna to the Son of David,' they were indignant. 16. 'Do you hear what these children are saying?' 'Yes,' replied Jesus, 'Have you never read, from the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise.' 17. And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night." Matthew 21:16-17, NIV.

SO SAD
This is the sorry end of what should have been the greatest day in history. The people were ready to receive him as king, he came riding humble on a donkey to fulfill prophecy, (Zechariah 9:9), he cleansed the temple, the children were praising him, and he healed the sick, all are actions demonstrating that he was the rightful king- but, the leaders out of jealousy rejected him.

JESUS' REACTION TO REJECTION
     * Jesus did not argue further with them.
     * He did not demand they accept the evidence of his authority and Kingship.
     * He did not force himself upon them.
     * He did not use power to overcome the rejection.
     * He did not command angel armies or followers to support of His Kingship.

He does not force himself on anybody, Jesus offers himself.

REJECTING JESUS TODAY
The offer was rejected, "and he left them and went out of the city..." Though he is Savior forever; there are times when we may reject his influence in our lives. There may be an area of thought, family, job, friendships, or time management where he is waiting to be the king, but we reject his kingship. When we reject him he withdraws, he won't force himself where he is not invited.

When the leaders rejected Jesus they rejected blessing, glory and salvation for themselves and Israel. When a person today rejects Jesus as king of family, thoughts, money, some other area then they may be rejecting blessings.

WARNING TO US
There is a warning in the words, "and went out of the city."  When rejected Jesus completely removed himself from them. His influence was gone. No more healing, miracles or teaching in the city that day. Jesus promises to never leave nor forsake his own, he said that no one can snatch those who come to him out of his hand, ( John 10:28); but the Christian life is a living, and growing relationship with Christ, and relationships are work. We must be open to Jesus and careful to not reject him in any area of our lives.

May our response to Jesus not cause him to withdraw his blessings and influence in our lives.

If you are interested in receiving Jesus follow this link: Salvation.

(c)Adron Dozat

Does God Have a Purpose For Me?

Sometimes we feel like we are not getting anywhere in our lives, and we wonder if God has given up on us.

"Yet you, Lord, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are the work of your hands." Isaiah 64:8, NIV. 

LORD AND FATHER
The two names of God are comforting together. He is the Lord, the one who rules the universe and controls all circumstances. He is the mighty creator; with a word he put galaxies in the correct place. He is awesome in authority and power.

God is a nurturing and caring Father, who protects and provides for his children. He corrects and trains his children; He considers our ways and best decides how to bring us to full spiritual adulthood. He is the father whose hand we may hold.

CLAY
This is a reminder that God formed man from the dust, (see Genesis 2:7). We are formed out of the common and ordinary. Dust is weak and soil is a poor construction material.

We are the clay in God's hands. That which is common and little valued becomes treasure when God puts his hand to it. He can form us and remake us to an object of beauty or service.

POTTER
The potter is a purposeful craftsman. He prepares the clay and equipment. He uses skill to accomplish his designs. The clay cannot resist the pressure of his hands. The clay will not look like anything when it is mined from the soil but when it yields to the potter it becomes beautiful. The potter knows the results and each step brings the clay toward completion.

WORK
God has a work plan for each of us. He is making us into a new image- the image of Christ, (see Galatians 4:19).  We might feel like we are spinning on a potter's wheel, covered with mud, being pushed and pulled this way and that but God is working. He has all power to complete his work, and he is the caring Father- he will not fail.

God made heaven and Earth by his command but when he works in our lives he touches us with his hands. So tender and gentle is his designs he will only accomplish it by his touch.

ACKNOWLEDGE
The verse above is a statement that acknowledges truth. We must make it our truth and become soft clay in the Father's hand.

If you want to learn more about having a relationship with the father follow this link: Salvation.

(c)Adron Dozat