The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in 2 Corinthians 7:4,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
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"I have great confidence in you; I take great pride in you. I am greatly encouraged; in all our troubles my joy knows no bounds."
Paul speaks of a boundless joy he experienced. Where did this joy come from? Certainly not from the absence of difficulty and troubles as he says it was in the very midst of those that his joy knew no bounds.
Joy seems to me to be a word we are all familiar with but use rarely, maybe it is just my imagination. Scripture has much to say about joy. In Romans 12:12 we are told to be joyful in hope – our great hope is in our coming resurrection. There should certainly be much cause for joy in that! We are told that the kingdom of heaven is not about a bunch of rules but about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, Romans 14:17. The Thessalonian believers were commanded to be joyful always, 1 Thessalonians 5:16! Apparently if a believer could not find great joy in their new life in Jesus Christ it was an aberration. There is great joy within the Trinity: in quoting Psalm 45:6,7 the writer of Hebrews speaks of the Father anointing the Son with the "oil of joy", Hebrews 1:9. We are told that Jesus Christ endured the cross "for the joy set before him", Hebrews 12:2. Angels gather in joyful assembly, Hebrews 12:22!
Paul told these Corinthian believers that he worked with them for their joy as an outcome, 2 Corinthians 1:24. He says the same thing to the Philippian believers, Philippians 1:26. He desired they would share in his joy, 2 Corinthians 2:3. The Macedonian believers found themselves overflowing with joy as a result of the ministry of the gospel through Paul, 2 Corinthians 8:2. Paul found great joy in the Thessalonian believers, 1 Thessalonians 2:20, 3:9 because of what God had done in their lives. In times of great trials and tribulations the Hebrew believers were joyful even when their property was confiscated, Hebrews 10:34! James tells us to consider it pure joy whenever we face "trials of many kinds", James 1:2. Peter tells us that because of our belief in Jesus Christ we are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 1 Peter 1:8!
We learn that joy ultimately has its origin in, and comes to us through, the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:22. As we come near to God, he comes near to us and the Holy Spirit bears fruit in our lives, among which joy is prominent. As I think of the future we have in Jesus Christ, life in the resurrection, how can I not be joyful? What a wonderful God we have who has given us all we need to be the most joyful folks this world has ever known!
Paul speaks of a boundless joy he experienced. Where did this joy come from? Certainly not from the absence of difficulty and troubles as he says it was in the very midst of those that his joy knew no bounds.
Joy seems to me to be a word we are all familiar with but use rarely, maybe it is just my imagination. Scripture has much to say about joy. In Romans 12:12 we are told to be joyful in hope – our great hope is in our coming resurrection. There should certainly be much cause for joy in that! We are told that the kingdom of heaven is not about a bunch of rules but about righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, Romans 14:17. The Thessalonian believers were commanded to be joyful always, 1 Thessalonians 5:16! Apparently if a believer could not find great joy in their new life in Jesus Christ it was an aberration. There is great joy within the Trinity: in quoting Psalm 45:6,7 the writer of Hebrews speaks of the Father anointing the Son with the "oil of joy", Hebrews 1:9. We are told that Jesus Christ endured the cross "for the joy set before him", Hebrews 12:2. Angels gather in joyful assembly, Hebrews 12:22!
Paul told these Corinthian believers that he worked with them for their joy as an outcome, 2 Corinthians 1:24. He says the same thing to the Philippian believers, Philippians 1:26. He desired they would share in his joy, 2 Corinthians 2:3. The Macedonian believers found themselves overflowing with joy as a result of the ministry of the gospel through Paul, 2 Corinthians 8:2. Paul found great joy in the Thessalonian believers, 1 Thessalonians 2:20, 3:9 because of what God had done in their lives. In times of great trials and tribulations the Hebrew believers were joyful even when their property was confiscated, Hebrews 10:34! James tells us to consider it pure joy whenever we face "trials of many kinds", James 1:2. Peter tells us that because of our belief in Jesus Christ we are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, 1 Peter 1:8!
We learn that joy ultimately has its origin in, and comes to us through, the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:22. As we come near to God, he comes near to us and the Holy Spirit bears fruit in our lives, among which joy is prominent. As I think of the future we have in Jesus Christ, life in the resurrection, how can I not be joyful? What a wonderful God we have who has given us all we need to be the most joyful folks this world has ever known!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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