Inexpressible Joy

Are you looking for joy? Do you long to have joy in your life? Have you found joy? Or is it a fleeting feeling that comes and goes? Have you discovered that your joy is connected to your faith in Jesus?

We all seek joy in our life. Though, for many people, they define joy as happiness, laughing, and getting everything they wish for. That is not how joy is defined by God. It is not to say you won’t receive those, but it is neither dependent nor all encompassed by them.

Joy is expressed and defined in several passages throughout the New Testament. The first thing to remember is joy comes from the Holy Spirit. When we receive the Holy Spirit and allow Him to work in our lives, joy is one of the fruits we experience (Galatians 5:22). In other words, we cannot generate true joy on our own, it is a gift.

We experience joy when we pray for others (Philippians 1:4). Now, that makes sense, doesn’t it? Don’t we fill a peace or calm about our lives when we pray for others? This is one component of the joy we are blessed with by God. Our overall joy is increased as we pray for others.

We are told to count it joy when we experience difficulties because of our belief in Jesus (James 1:2). Those difficulties may come in the form of persecution, which may mean being ridiculed, laughed at, teased, or otherwise ostracized. As we experience these difficulties, we are to give joyful thanks to God for the inheritance we have from Him (Colossians 1:11-12).

Our joy is connected to our faith. As our faith increases, our joy increases. The joy we experience through our faith is inexpressible, as we see in today’s passage. In other words, we have no earthly explanation for the joy we have. It comes from God. Therefore, it is also a glorious joy, rooted in the glory of God.

True joy is more than happiness, laughing, or getting what we want. Sure, those will satisfy us for a short period of time. However, joy is something we have at all times. It includes peace, calm, contentment, confidence, and belief that God will provide for us in every situation.

I pray we all experience the true joy given to us by God. I pray we allow the Holy Spirit to produce joy in our lives. I pray each one of us believes in Jesus and increase our faith in Him. Experience true joy. Allow the Holy Spirit to bless you. Increase your faith. Believe in Jesus.

1 Peter 1:8-9 Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the end result of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

Breaking Bread

What is the most important time of day for you? Are you a morning person? Are you a night owl? Is there another part of the day you prefer? How do you view meals? Not simply eating, but who you are eating with.

We all have our favorite time of day. Some love the morning and get a lot done during the first half of the day. Others prefer the evenings or nights, staying up until the wee hours of the morning. Regardless of which part of the day you prefer, you can learn to appreciate others.

We all have a basic need—we need to eat. Spending time together for meals can be a great time of fellowship. Sitting around the table sharing a meal is an intimate time. We may deny that statement, but it makes it no less true. All you need to do to verify it is pay attention to the moods, attitudes, and topics of discussion at the next meal you enjoy with others. Pay attention when you eat your next meal with your family. Be even more observant of everyone eating together at the next corporate dinner or think back to the last one you participated in.

Why am I focusing so much on meals? I believe Jesus loved having meals with a group. We see recorded several occasions in which He ate or fed others. We see the breaking of bread specifically mentioned on those occasions. We remember most often His breaking the bread at the last supper, but He did this several other times. Have you ever thought there was significance in this? It wasn’t simply a Jewish custom.

I believe Jesus knew exactly what He was doing. In fact, I believe Jesus ensured every word and action of His had meaning. As Jesus broke bread, I wonder if He was thinking about it representing His broken body for us each time. Also, notice that He always gave thanks for the bread before He broke it. I don’t believe it was simply a ritualistic action, but one full of meaning.

As I have pondered Jesus breaking bread and giving thanks, I also noticed one more key. He is always the One who gives the instructions. In other words, He is the host. It doesn’t matter if He is in someone’s home or on a hillside or sitting by a lake. Jesus is in charge of the meal. How much more important are our meals, if we allow Jesus to be the host?

I pray we all invite Jesus to be the host of our meals. I pray we stop taking meals for granted. I pray each one of us realize the food we eat is a blessing from God, just as Jesus did. Let Jesus be the host. Accept Him at your table. Recognize God’s blessing. Give thanks.

Matthew 14:19-20 And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. They all ate and were satisfied, and the disciples picked up twelve basketfuls of broken pieces that were left over.

Family Found

There are many in this world looking for a place to belong. They search for a place to fit in. Many of them are ostracized by their peers. Some are rejected or abused by their families. They feel left out. They become depressed.

Some people find a place they feel welcomed. The people they join are open and understanding. Often, these people are more mature and perhaps have experienced being ostracized themselves. They have “been around the block a time or two.”

How are we to find such people? What are we to do when we do find them? Might I suggest we look at those who are followers of Jesus. When we find a group that is welcoming, we should accept being welcomed. Over time, we can let down our guard and stop taking every comment as a personal attack. We begin to realize they are simply accepting us into the family. You see, sometimes families must correct one of their own. But more often than not, they are simply teasing you rather than attacking.

God brings us together as a family. It doesn’t mean we are required to agree at all times. We can agree to disagree and remain a family. God accepts us as we are, but He won’t leave us as we are. He has a plan for each of us. His plan is to bring us to our own glory by following His plan. He has made us brothers and sisters with His Son.

As someone who accepts Jesus as Lord and Savior, we are made holy by God. We follow in Jesus’ footsteps into salvation. We are a member of THE royal family. God’s family is a welcoming, accepting, and open family. While on earth and being human, we are not perfect yet. But we continue to strive to obey God’s commands and improve ourselves.

If you are a person who is longing to belong to something good, look to God. Find a church family that is welcoming. Don’t simply attend but join them. Get involved in the works. Participate in the classes. Build relationships with others. Let down your guard, allowing others to care for you and care for others.

I pray we all discover we are welcomed into God’s family. I pray we become active members. I pray each one of us learn to let down our guard and be caring people. Join God’s family. Follow His plan for you. Be active in His family. Love your brothers and sisters. Accept the salvation He freely gives.

Hebrews 2:10-11 In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.

Ah-ha Moment

Have you ever been surprised? Have you ever had an “ah-ha” moment? Did it happen when a friend revealed something to you? Was it when a co-worker was explaining a process to you? How did you feel when it happened?

We all experience times when something “clicks” and it all makes sense. We often call them “ah-ha” moments. We may feel elated when it happens. We may feel a bit foolish. We may be amazed. One thing we can’t do is ignore those moments.

Think back to your early childhood, perhaps when you were in first or second grade. Think about learning math. Were you amazed when you suddenly understood how counting by tens worked? Understanding that tens counted just like ones, at least until you got to one hundred seemed simply amazing once you got it.

Perhaps you experienced it when you were learning to drive. You understood that by turning the steering wheel to the left caused the front tires to turn to the left. You figured out that the back wheels simply followed in the tracks of the front wheels. It is these little moments of understanding that set us up to understand more complex machinations later in life.

Have you had an “ah-ha” moment with Jesus? Have you begun to understand who he is? Are you piecing together more information to further your understanding? Jesus provides us with many clues and insights to His character, identifying who He is.

We see in today’s passage that a few of His followers had invited Him to eat supper with them yet didn’t know who He was. But once He broke the bread, gave thanks for it, and gave it to them, they recognized Him. They had an “ah-ha” moment. They finally understood why He was so knowledgeable about the Scriptures and prophecy of the Messiah. They realized why their hearts were burning while He was walking and talking with them.

Can you imagine this type of moment? You are talking to a person you met while on a trip. You think there is something oddly familiar about them. While in conversation you keep thinking, trying to determine where you may have seen them before. Suddenly, you realize they were a bit player in a television show you watched. Something similar to this happened to me in the Seattle airport. I saw one of the captains from the Deadliest Catch.

I pray we all have an “ah-ha” moment with Jesus. I pray we put the pieces together and finally understand who He is. I pray each one of us recognize Jesus as the Son of God, our Lord and Savior. Open your eyes. See Jesus for who He is. Come to the true realization that He is your Lord and Savior.

Luke 24:30-31 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.

Spirit or Law

Where does your strength come from? Where do you turn for guidance? Do you turn to written rules and laws to know what is right? Do you look to split hairs to determine what you get away with or follow the spirit of the law? Do you turn to the Spirit of God for guidance?

We all follow some form of rule, law, or principle as guidance for our lives. We begin learning rules as early as a baby in our mother’s arms. As we begin toddling, we are told what we are not to touch. We continue learning rules, laws, and principles as we grow older.

By and large, rules, laws, and principles are good. Sure, we know there are some laws that are discriminatory. Yet, in order to have a functioning society, we need laws. Why? As humans, without laws we would live in utter chaos because we don’t follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

Those of us who are followers of Jesus, who have been gifted the Holy Spirit to guide us, should follow the Holy Spirit rather than the law. No, this doesn’t mean purposely disobeying the law. It does mean purposely doing the right thing. What is the right thing? Doing God’s will.

Jesus told us all the law hangs on two commands—love God and love your neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40). Going about our lives solely living by the law makes for a harried life. We push the edge of the envelope to determine how far we can go, while also looking over our shoulder with anxiety to determine if we are going to be caught doing something wrong. This becomes so engrained into our being and we are so filled with worry and anxiety that we don’t even recognize it is there anymore.

We would be much better off to take Paul’s message from today’s passage and apply to our daily living. As he rebukes the Galatians for trying to abide by the law rather than the Spirit, so we should accept this rebuke and change how we go about our lives. As we increase our following of the Spirit, we increase our peace, joy, and contentment.

For far too many of us, this appears to be foolish advice. Yet, we know that “the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom” (1 Corinthians 1:25). By following the Spirit to do what is right, we no longer need to worry about the law. We don’t need to remember all the laws, if we remember to love God and love neighbor, and treating everyone based on that.

I pray we all choose to follow the Spirit. I pray we choose to love God and love neighbor. I pray each one of us begins to feel the peace, joy, and contentment from doing so. Follow the Spirit. Love God. Love your neighbor. Find peace. Experience joy. Be content.

Galatians 3:2-3 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?

Overjoyed

What has been the happiest moment of your life? When have you been so happy that you cried? Have you been happy to the point of falling on your knees? Can you imagine the pure happiness of Mary Magdalene when she saw Jesus alive on the third day?

We all have experienced days of happiness. Perhaps it was winning a championship. It might have been the day you were married. Your highest point of joy may have been when your child was born. You may have some other achievement or event that comes to mind.

As I look back over my own experiences, though I’ve experienced championships, I was never overwhelmed with happiness by them. Marriage and seeing my son born were at the top of the list, until….I will get to what topped those.

If you are a person who is seeking the filling of a void, might I suggest filling it with Jesus. Would you listen to a bit of advice from someone who has been around the block a few times? Chasing the world’s dreams and expectations end in an empty reward. Only a close relationship with Jesus can truly fill the void. Only He can complete you with that final piece. Otherwise, you live your life like a puzzle with a missing piece in the middle. The picture isn’t complete.

So, what was the moment that I experienced the most joy? When I was baptized. I was thirty-six years old. I had been raised in the church as a child. I had wondered out on my own and chased what I thought the world wanted of me. Though I had achieved more than most, I wasn’t truly satisfied. When I was baptized, it was like a heavy weight was lifted from my shoulders. I had a joy that could not be explained.

Now, don’t misunderstand. There were trials to come, heartache to experience, and a lot to learn as I walked with God. What I found is He is true to His Word. He has carried me through the bad and lifted me even higher in the good. I have found over time that the closer I walk with Him, the more content I am, the less anxious I am, and the more joy I experience.

The biggest difference, aside from baptism itself, has been understanding the miracle of Jesus rising on the third day—coming to believe it in a deep place in my heart rather than superficially acknowledging it in my mind. Oh, I still pursue living the life God has granted me to the best of my ability, but now I also live for eternal life, knowing He has given me a life with Him forever.

I pray we all experience the joy of baptism. I pray we come to believe in the resurrection of Jesus. I pray each one of us seeks to grow closer to God, allowing Jesus to fill the void inside us. If you haven’t been, be baptized, accepting Jesus as your Lord and Savior. Seek a closer relationship with Jesus. Be amazed by Jesus’ resurrection. Know that He wants you by His side.

John 20:19-20 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

A Dark Day

What do you know of the Easter story? Do you only look at Sunday? Do you only focus on Jesus rising up? Is it the miracle of overcoming death that draws all of your attention? Perhaps we should all focus a little time on the events leading up to the crucifixion and the crucifixion itself.

A lot happens in the final week leading up to the crucifixion. But let’s just focus on those last couple of days. Let’s start with Jesus instructing His disciples to prepare the Passover meal for them to share on Thursday. Jesus gives specific instructions for where they will eat it.

While they were eating the meal, Jesus states that one of them will betray Him. He knows that Judas has already made the agreement and already been paid for the deed. He also institutes the new covenant through the giving of bread and wine, which we call The Last Supper. We commonly call the reenactment of this The Lord’s Supper, Communion, or The Eucharist.

Jesus then leads His disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane and prays. His soul is troubled. He doesn’t want to face the brutality of what He knows is coming. He prays so fervently that He sweats drops that appear like blood. Yet His Apostles could not stay awake with Him.

Judas leads a contingent of priests, Pharisees, and Roman soldiers to arrest Him. He is taken away to Anas (a priest), then to Caiaphas (the high priest), and finally to Pilate (the Roman Governor). This all happens throughout the night and into the early morning.

Pilate attempts to release Him. The Jewish leaders continually accuse Him and demand Him to be crucified. Pilate sent Jesus to be flogged and brought Him before the crowd in an effort to satisfy the crowd while not sentencing Him to death. They were not satisfied and continue to demand Him to be crucified. Pilate relents and gives them what they want.

Jesus is sent to Golgotha (the place of the skull) to be crucified alongside two criminals. He is jeered, mocked, and spit on. One criminal joins those who are mocking Him. The other criminal demonstrates his belief in Jesus. Jesus forgives him while on the cross.

The soldiers divide up His clothes. The sky turns dark for three hours. The curtain that separates the Holy of Holies from the rest of the temple is miraculously torn in two as Jesus breathes His last. A Roman soldier pierces His side to verify He is dead. Jesus is taken to a new tomb and buried.

I pray we all spend time thinking about the horrible death of Jesus. I pray we come to realize He did this for us. I pray each one of us are sorrowful for our part in causing Him to die. Recognize your sin. Realize you are a reason for Jesus’ death. Repent of your sin. Be truly sorrowful for it.

John 19:28-30 Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Whose Will?

Whose will do you follow? Do you follow the will of someone you know? Your boss? Your spouse? Someone close to you? Your own? Are you willing to submit to God’s will? Do you know that is what is expected of you?

We all follow a will of someone, whether our own or someone else’s. We all submit to some form of guidance and direction. Our desire comes from the will of the person who dominates our heart and mind. Who dominates yours?

As stated in the earlier question, God desires us to follow His will. He wants us to follow His guidance and direction. He desires us to return His love. God has given us wonderful guidance and direction in His Word. He provided a perfect example in Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.

Our dilemma is to decide to follow Him or not. Far too often, we decide not to follow. We go about our lives believing we are in control. We chase after our dreams. We allow others to tell us what we are to do or to desire. Our desire is worldly rather than Godly. Our number one priority is to satisfy our human pleasures.

On the other hand, Jesus showed us what it means to follow the Father’s will. Though He did not want to go to the cross, He did in order to please the Father. He asked that it may not come to pass but submitted to what the Father desired.

Of course, this doesn’t mean we will have to die on a cross! It does mean we likely will need to do some things that we don’t particularly want to do. We may be called to go into an uncomfortable situation to minister to people. God may ask us to perform tasks we would prefer not to. He may even desire for us to go on a foreign mission trip. There are any number of requests that may come from God to us.

We can decide to go where He wants us to go, do what He wants us to do, or decide to go our own way. To follow Jesus, we must do what the Father asks us to do. God would never put us in a situation in which we would be harmed. He loves us too much. Yet, He will put us in difficult and challenging situations so that we learn to rely on Him.

I pray we all decide to follow God’s will. I pray we decide to follow Jesus’ example. I pray each one of us learn to rely on God. Go where God wants you to go. Do what God wants you to do. Trust Him. Choose God’s will over you own. Love God as He loves you.

Matthew 26:39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.”

The Choice is Yours

Do you know where you are from? Do you know where you want to be? What kingdom do you want to belong to? Do you know there is only really two kingdoms to choose from? There will only be two left when all is said and done.

We all talk about where we are from. We talk about where we were born. We talk about where we have lived and where we live now. We talk about our state. We talk about our country. Yet, all of these will have no bearing on where we end up.

We will spend eternity in one of two places. Unfortunately, there are some misperceptions on what those two places are. Most believe the two are heaven or hell. That’s not really true. We will spend eternity on the new earth (Revelation 21:1) or in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:11-15).

Jesus tells us that His kingdom is not of this world, and that is true. However, many interpret this as His kingdom being in heaven, which is only true until He institutes the new earth. When the new earth is put in place, Jesus will reign forever with those of us who follow Him. True, He reigns in heaven for now. At the end of time, the new heaven and new earth will become one. We will be in the presence of God forever. So, when Jesus states His kingdom is in another place, He is speaking of heaven and the new earth.

Though it is hard for us to wrap our mind around it, Jesus is there right now. We can’t quite understand what it means to live outside of time. Yet, Jesus and God the Father live outside of time. That is how they are everywhere at all times. It is also how they know what is going to happen now, tomorrow, and a hundred years from now.

Jesus’ kingdom truly is in another place, which doesn’t mean He isn’t with us now. In His true kingdom, we will no longer experience sorrow, nor tears, nor pain, nor anger, nor anxiety, nor fear, nor anything that hurts us in any way. Our experience will be pure love, joy, and awe. We will be satisfied beyond our imagination.

I pray we all seek an eternity with Jesus in His kingdom. I pray we seek to live forever on the new earth. I pray each one of us make the right choice now for our ultimate ending place. Seek Jesus. Allow Him into your life. Long for spending eternity with Him. He wants you there.

John 18:36 Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.”

Heartbroken

What are your thoughts as we approach Easter? Do you observe Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, and Good Friday? If not officially, do you think about the timeline? Do you think about the days leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion? What was He going through?

Some denominations observe the various special days of Holy Week and some don’t. Some people, even if not officially, walk through the sequence of events during the week leading up to Jesus’ crucifixion. Some will read the Scriptures and contemplate the events.

When we read those events closely, we see Jesus experiencing deep sorrow. It starts when He rides into Jerusalem in what we call His triumphal entry. True, He came riding in like a humble king, but He also wept (Luke 19:41). Why was He in such sorrow?

I believe Jesus recognized the sad state of humanity. God had made an effort to give us laws, rules, and principles to live by. Yet, as corrupt humans, we failed to follow His guidance. Jesus was required to come to earth to be our perfect sacrifice to bring us back to God the Father.

Jesus’ heart was breaking because of our lack of discipline and failure to take His Father seriously. He was saddened by our conniving, backstabbing, hatred, anger, sniping, arguing, fighting, worry, anxiousness, and simply failing to rely on God for our provision. Jesus saw our human desire to climb the corporate ladder, putting more stock in physical possessions over our relationship with God, our willingness to step on whomever got in our way, our hard headedness, and our maltreatment of one another. Jesus saw all the horrible behavior and attitudes of all time, and it broke His heart. He was overwhelmed with sorrow.

Unfortunately, we continue to cause Him sorrow. In many ways, our attitudes and behaviors are no better today than those of the Romans and Rabbis of the first century. Rather than helping one another, we look to dominate one another. Rather than lifting one another, we put one another down. Rather than turning to God as our provider, we rely on ourselves. We are selfish, ambitious, and down right mean. Even people we call good fall short of God’s expectations. May we all fall on our knees and beg forgiveness from God, expressing sorrow for our sinful behavior. Personally, my heart breaks as I observer our behavior toward one another.

I pray we all turn to God. I pray we turn from our horrible behavior and attitudes. I pray each one of us begs forgiveness and asks God to change our hearts. Contemplate Jesus’ sorrow. Wake up! Recognize your own failings. Turn to Jesus. Beg for forgiveness. Seek a change of heart.

Matthew 26:38 Then he said to them, “My soul is overwhelmed with sorrow to the point of death. Stay here and keep watch with me.”