His delight is not in personal, selfish, sensual pleasures, but he finds pleasure in God: 13 “If because of the sabbath, you turn your foot from doing your own pleasure on My holy day, And call the sabbath a delight, the holy day of the Lord honorable, And shall honor it, desisting from your own ways, From seeking your own pleasure, and speaking your own word, 14 Then you will take delight in the Lord, And I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; And I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, For the mouth of the Lord has spoken” (Isaiah 58:13-14). 14 “For it is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves, and entrusted his possessions to them. When men sin, God’s joy turns to sorrow: 5 The Lord saw how great man’s wickedness on the earth had become, and that every inclination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil all the time. For the Christian, joy is not an option, for we are commanded to experience and to express joy as Christians: 12 “Rejoice, and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you” (Matthew 5:12). This time, I am especially interested in why this slave failed to do as he should have done. He loves just weights (Proverbs 11:1) and the blameless (Proverbs 11:20). We will begin by surveying the Scriptures in search of evidences of God’s delight and pleasure (His joy). HOW GREAT OUR JOY Verse1 C F G7 C While by the sheep we watched at night Am Em C F G7 C Glad tidings brought an angel bright Verse2 C F G7 C There shall be born so he did say Am Em C F G7 C In Bethle-hem, a Child to--day Chorus Am E E7 Am How great our joy E7 Am Great our joy Am G C Joy joy joy Am G C Joy joy joy C E7 Bdim E7 Am Praise we the Lord in heaven on high C E7 Bdim E7 … We must imply from these verses that those who are not Christians, in whom the Holy Spirit does not dwell, do not and cannot experience God’s joy. “Great joy” at Christmas tells us something profound about God and how he works in our world. Joe Bonamassa. The lack of a glad heart was the source of Israel’s sin and divine judgment. The joy they would experience was first and foremost His joy, a joy into which they would also enter. 18 But he who received the one talent went away and dug in the ground, and hid his master’s money. Kirk Franklin - Joy Lyrics Chorus: Joy, joy, God's great joy. This slave was wicked because he did not see his master as gracious and (may I be so bold as to say) happy. He thought of his master as one who expected a profit where he made no provisions. The faithful servants were to enter into this joy. When the lost object was recovered, the one who searched for it rejoiced and invited others to join in the celebration in the joy of this recovery. The presence and ministry of the Holy Spirit produces joy in the life of the Christian. (Philip. The reward of the faithful slaves was to enter into their master’s joy. Late in the midnight hour I talk to my God and He gives me joy, joy in my soul. 9 For what thanks can we render to God for you in return for all the joy with which we rejoice before our God on your account (1 Thessalonians 3:9). 92 I recommend for your understanding of the Puritans J. I. Packer’s excellent book, A Quest For Godliness, a study of the Puritans which corrects many contemporary misconceptions (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 1990). 2 Samuel 7:12-16). Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice (Philippians 1:18). Tagged: Ronjour Locke, Christmas, Birth of Christ, Hope, Justice, 4. Christ is the good news of God’s great joy. 20 “Truly, truly, I say to you, that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned to joy” (John 16:20). Author John Piper has recently taken up the theme of pleasure in a refreshing way which I recommend to the reader. Nevertheless, I strongly recommend his writings as a source of edification and a stimulus to the pursuit of joy. He finds joy in uprightness (1 Chronicles 29:17) and loyalty (Hosea 6:6) and undying love (Micah 7:18). And the wicked man had no grasp of God’s joy at all. Verse 3: 20 “Nevertheless do not rejoice in this, that the spirits are subject to you, but rejoice that your names are recorded in heaven” (Luke 10:20). 20 “He also brought me forth into a broad place; He rescued me, because He delighted in me” (2 Samuel 22:20). This was certainly true of the scribes and Pharisees described in Luke 15 and elsewhere in the Gospels. 6 You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 1:6). He is making all things new. He chooses that which is pleasing to God (Isaiah 56:4). Jesus makes it clear that these two stories are understood as illustrative of His seeking after lost sinners and then rejoicing over their salvation. Through Christ, he is intensely determined to make his glory known far as the curse is found, and he will rid the cosmos of this curse once and for all through his Son. 11 Do not cast me away from Thy presence, And do not take Thy Holy Spirit from me. Yet I believe we should redefine and seek to reclaim the term. He will bring shalom. The Masters joy. This is the way Paul approached life: 9 Therefore also we have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him (2 Corinthians 5:9). The book of Psalms is full of joyful statements, often created amid difficult circumstances. Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. 25 Days. And the service He requires of us even now is to be done joyfully rather than sullenly. The lost items—a sheep and a coin—were found because the owner who had lost them sought for them. Up to date with upcoming events own hearts and lives another example of the forest will sing for joy Psalm... 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