What do you find joy in?
Is it worthy of joy? Is it a passing feeling or a strong reality in your life?
Can you lose your JOY? Who takes it away from you.
• John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Romans 15: 13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Acts 16:33 At that hour of the night the jailer took them and washed their wounds; then immediately he and all his family were baptized. 34 The jailer brought them into his house and set a meal before them; he was filled with joy because he had come to believe in God—he and his whole family. Paul saw JOY as families came to KNOW Jesus!
• • John 15:10 If you obey My commands, you will remain in My love, just as I have obeyed My Father's commands and remain in His love. 11 I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete. 12 My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.
Luke 8:12-15 Those along the path are the ones who hear, and then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, so that they may not believe and be saved. 13 Those on the rock are the ones who receive the word with joy when they hear it, but they have no root. They believe for a while, but in the time of testing they fall away. 14 The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. 15 But the seed on good soil stands for those with a noble and good heart, who hear the word, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop.
There is real joy in that kind of life! Growing never felt so right!
Be the right seed on the truth of the Gospel.
Allow His Word to take root in you!
Strengthen and Encourage you in your Faith from v2
How can you be Strengthened? What goes into such an event? Can you tell us when you have been strengthened in the Faith? Was it a time of testing? Hardship? Of being alone or were you with others? How did you feel AFTER the event? Tired? Worn out? Defeated? Questioning? Were you feeling alone? With retrospection or hindsight, were you aware of the growth going on? Maybe not. But now? Yes, you can see His Hand in your life. Moving you—strengthening you all along the way.
Through hard times/pain/joy/disappointment/silence/etc.Bible reading
How can you be Encouraged? What does that look like? What goes into being such a person? Last year, we spoke about maybe having the Spiritual gift of encouragement. Who among you have such a gift? How did knowing that help you this past year? Do you ever wonder if others have this gift and use it to the Glory of God, what would happen to the Church in Japan? Get out and encourage each other in the Lord. Via Prayer/words of comfort, visit, reading the Word of God-allowing it to take over our hearts.
Home work: Take some time today and or Monday and ask these questions and search for an answer. Don’t wait until Tuesday—it will not happen! Be practical! Call, write, double-up with a friend.
Q: How can you be THAT for others? Why do we feel it is only a one-way street? Why can’t we Strengthen others? What is holding us back from being an Encouragement to others? What needs to change in our thinking? Is our God too small? Can He not work in us to be an Encourager for others? To Strengthen them in the Faith? A: YES!
“We were encouraged about you because of your Faith”
Send a letter to someone this week who has encouraged your Faith. Let them know of how thankful you are for their working in your life, for that word of encouragement that pushed you to excellence; that moved you to a deeper faith. For being that example of how a Believer should walk. Send it soon or it will not happen. Could be email, letter, phone call, FAX, face to face, but thank them. Give it some thought!
Paul was overjoyed because of what the Lord was doing in the lives of the people of this church. If he’d come to our church, how would he feel about us? Mixed response, maybe? Maybe for others but not too happy about my faith? Again, what is holding you back from being a Faithful follower of the Lord and to have our Faith strengthened? Are we afraid of what the Lord will call us to do—to be? Has He driven you into places that was harmful for you in the past? Is that in His Nature? Just what do we believe about Him? Is He distant? Is He able to see us? Blind? Able to know what we are thinking and doing? Do we feel His ways are way too hard for us to follow? Too deep that we could never be good enough for Him to be pleased with our life?
If that is how you live out your Christian life, I feel sorry for you. That is not the way we should live. We are Children of Creator God. We have been brought into the Family of God—not by our good actions but by the Blood of Jesus. His payment on the Cross-not only provided us with a way to know Him, it guarantees His love and forgiveness. If we feel we need to DO more, than we re-crucify Jesus again on the Cross. He has set us free/be free!
••Yet, Paul was deeply concerned—how human he is! The man who wrote great trust passages still worried and was concerned. I (& YOU) have something in common with Paul! He’s not perfect!
May our God…clear the way so we can come to you.
May the Lord...make your LOVE increase and OVERFLOW. Rom 15:13
May He strengthen your hearts—to be Blameless and Holy when He returns. Get ready now for His return. Get right with Him NOW!
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