Weekly Devotion
09/03/10 16:38 Filed in: Devotions
"The Joy Of The Lord"
I returned last week from a week long mission trip in the Dominican Republic. It was an amazing time for me, and for all the went and were a part of it. The church services were lively, passionate, and rather long. Some of the days we spent visiting the churches and ministering to them were rather long, too, but full of great stuff.
I was challenged by the Haitian people that we help support that live in the Dominican.
I was challenged by their joy and their happiness.
Despite some incredible challenges of poverty and hardly any work available these people seemed to be very happy.
I don't think you can the kind of passionate worship services they had if you don't have joy.
I hear on study after study that more Americans are depressed.
I hear from study after study that more suicide rates are up.
I hear from study after study that many Americans are not happy with their lives.
How is this possible?
We are the richest country in the world. We have more educational opportunities than any country.
We have the best health care of any country. We have more job opportunities than any country even in what some would call a recession. How could people be unhappy in a country like the USA?
I believe it's all about where our source of joy is. How could people in incredible poverty and trouble be full of joy while people in incredible wealth be miserable and depressed?
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.--Psalms 26:7
The joy that David is speaking of is found in the Lord. What is so special about this joy?
1. It transcends circumstances.
As you read through the Psalms you'll find that David's life was not easy. There were many times when he writes about his enemies about to overtake him and ruin him. He had many struggles, but he found joy in the Lord.
Paul speaks of a peace that goes beyond human understanding in Philippians:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
--Philippians 4:6-7
Many would not understand how people in poverty can be joyful, but this verse explains it. God gives us this joy and this peace. This joy and peace that we only can find through God guards our hearts against discouragement and depression. It guards our hearts so that we do not give up. This peace guards our hearts so that we can be a witness to others in times of trouble.
2. This joy causes us to worship.
David said that because of his joy he worshiped God in song, but this worship is more than just in song.
Idolatry was a big problem among the Israelites. God severely warned His people in the 10 Commandments and many times beyond to not worship any god but the true God.
As Americans we don't worship Golden Calves or anything like that, but we still struggle with idolatry.
We may worship our job. Our job may come before anything--even our families and our soul.
We may worship the approval of others. We do or say anything to make sure that people approve of us.
We may worship our possessions. We may take every measure to make sure we can keep them.
All of this idolatry forces us to worship something other than the true God.
Oh, we may still go to church, but this doesn't mean that we God is our sole source of worship. If God is not your only god He doesn't want to be a god at all. He's a jealous God.
Sometimes we have to lose something to realize we need the joy that only comes from God.
Maybe we lose our good health for a time.
Maybe we lose a job or some possessions.
When we realize that all we really need is our relationship with God than we can possess true joy.
Then we find true worship in our life.
Look at the great promise Jesus gives in his Sermon on the Mount:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.--Matthew 6:33
When we choose to worship God and find joy in Him every material need we have will be met.
Maybe we have to go through some trials to learn that. I hope we don't, but who knows.
I know I love America. I know that I feel blessed that I was born here.
I also know that we could learn some lessons from many Christians who live in much worse conditions, but seem to understand joy.
I hope you can learn the lesson without having to suffer.
I returned last week from a week long mission trip in the Dominican Republic. It was an amazing time for me, and for all the went and were a part of it. The church services were lively, passionate, and rather long. Some of the days we spent visiting the churches and ministering to them were rather long, too, but full of great stuff.
I was challenged by the Haitian people that we help support that live in the Dominican.
I was challenged by their joy and their happiness.
Despite some incredible challenges of poverty and hardly any work available these people seemed to be very happy.
I don't think you can the kind of passionate worship services they had if you don't have joy.
I hear on study after study that more Americans are depressed.
I hear from study after study that more suicide rates are up.
I hear from study after study that many Americans are not happy with their lives.
How is this possible?
We are the richest country in the world. We have more educational opportunities than any country.
We have the best health care of any country. We have more job opportunities than any country even in what some would call a recession. How could people be unhappy in a country like the USA?
I believe it's all about where our source of joy is. How could people in incredible poverty and trouble be full of joy while people in incredible wealth be miserable and depressed?
The LORD is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and I am helped.
My heart leaps for joy
and I will give thanks to him in song.--Psalms 26:7
The joy that David is speaking of is found in the Lord. What is so special about this joy?
1. It transcends circumstances.
As you read through the Psalms you'll find that David's life was not easy. There were many times when he writes about his enemies about to overtake him and ruin him. He had many struggles, but he found joy in the Lord.
Paul speaks of a peace that goes beyond human understanding in Philippians:
Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
--Philippians 4:6-7
Many would not understand how people in poverty can be joyful, but this verse explains it. God gives us this joy and this peace. This joy and peace that we only can find through God guards our hearts against discouragement and depression. It guards our hearts so that we do not give up. This peace guards our hearts so that we can be a witness to others in times of trouble.
2. This joy causes us to worship.
David said that because of his joy he worshiped God in song, but this worship is more than just in song.
Idolatry was a big problem among the Israelites. God severely warned His people in the 10 Commandments and many times beyond to not worship any god but the true God.
As Americans we don't worship Golden Calves or anything like that, but we still struggle with idolatry.
We may worship our job. Our job may come before anything--even our families and our soul.
We may worship the approval of others. We do or say anything to make sure that people approve of us.
We may worship our possessions. We may take every measure to make sure we can keep them.
All of this idolatry forces us to worship something other than the true God.
Oh, we may still go to church, but this doesn't mean that we God is our sole source of worship. If God is not your only god He doesn't want to be a god at all. He's a jealous God.
Sometimes we have to lose something to realize we need the joy that only comes from God.
Maybe we lose our good health for a time.
Maybe we lose a job or some possessions.
When we realize that all we really need is our relationship with God than we can possess true joy.
Then we find true worship in our life.
Look at the great promise Jesus gives in his Sermon on the Mount:
But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.--Matthew 6:33
When we choose to worship God and find joy in Him every material need we have will be met.
Maybe we have to go through some trials to learn that. I hope we don't, but who knows.
I know I love America. I know that I feel blessed that I was born here.
I also know that we could learn some lessons from many Christians who live in much worse conditions, but seem to understand joy.
I hope you can learn the lesson without having to suffer.
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