Joy from the God filled with His own joy Christian Joy Seekers Joy from the God filled with His own joy

On A Quest For Joy Where is joy to be found? “I’ve never felt like I was in the cookie business. I’ve always been in a feel good feeling business. My job is to sell joy. My job is to sell happiness. My job is to sell an experience. -- Debbi Fields

9 Weeks On Joy What is the REAL source of JOY? Can it be bought? Can it be sold? Can it be banked? Can it be found and lost? Does it ebb and flow like the tides? Is it the same as happiness?

Jeremiah 32:36-41 “Now therefore thus says the Lord God of Israel concerning this city of which you say, ‘It is given into the hand of the king of Babylon by sword, by famine and by pestilence.’ Behold, I will gather them out of all the lands to which I have driven them in My anger, in My wrath and in great indignation; and I will bring them back to this place and make them dwell in safety. They shall be My people, and I will be their God…

…and I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me always, for their own good and for the good of their children after them. I will make an everlasting covenant with them that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; and I will put the fear of Me in their hearts so that they will not turn away from Me. I will rejoice over them to do them good and will faithfully plant them in this land with all My heart and with all My soul.

Our Joy In Our God God drove them away in His wrath. God will bring them back and keep them safe. God will unite them with one heart. God will bind them to Himself with one flawless covenant. God will do them good continually. God REJOICES IN DOING GOOD FOR US! Invests all His heart and soul in our wellbeing.

True Joy Seekers Know The Source Psalm 37:3-4 – “Trust in the Lord and do good; Dwell in the land and cultivate faithfulness. Delight yourself in the Lord; And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Psalm 42:1-2 As the deer pants for the water brooks, So my soul pants for You, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God; When shall I come and appear before God? Context? One who is deep in despair but recognizes the source of joy. Vs. 11 – “Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him, the help of my countenance and my God.

Fleeting Pleasures – Eternal reward Hebrews 11:24-26 -- By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward.

Clues From Jesus On Joy Isaiah 11:3 – “And He will delight in the fear of the Lord….” Hebrews 12:2 – “…fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Joy From God Showing Us What Is Good Micah 6:8 – “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God! The pursuit of joy is the pursuit of what God says is good.

By being transformed Romans 12:2 -- And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Rather than joining the lustful throngs in self-gratification Matthew 6:32-33 – “For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things….But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

God’s Joy Arises In Himself Exhibited in His relationship to the Son Matthew 3:17 – “…This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.” Hebrews 1:3 – “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature….”

God’s Joy Arises In Himself, (cont.) Psalm 115:3 – “But our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases.” What God does pleases God, because He is perfectly good, right, righteous, holy. Daniel 4:35 – “….But He does according to His will in the host of heaven and among the inhabitants of earth; and no one can ward off His hand, or say to Him, ‘What have You done?’”

So That God Shows Mercy To Us We brought misery upon ourselves by not holding to God’s perfection of joy. Sin brought us low. God, because He is well pleased within Himself, can therefore extend mercy and grace to us.

So That God Shows Mercy To Us Jeremiah 9:23-24 – “…Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might, let not a rich man boast of his riches; but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the Lord.”

Which He Did Through Jesus Isaiah 53:4, 10 – “Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried; Yet we ourselves esteemed Him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted….But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; If He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand.”

God’s Joy Christ’s Joy Our Joy Jeremiah 33 – concerning salvation… Vs. 9, 11– “It will be to Me a name of joy, praise and glory before all the nations of the earth which will hear of all the good that I do for them, and they will fear and tremble because of all the good and all the peace that I make for it….the voice of joy and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the voice of those who say, ‘Give thanks to the Lord of hosts, for the Lord is good, for His lovingkindness is everlasting….”