#2 Joy Is Essential Series

#2 JOY IS ESSENTIAL

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr. Kyfingers@aol.com

I have a baby diaper hidden with me.

I ask what does it take to bring JOY to your being?

Then I ask what brings JOY to a baby? The answer is a DIAPER CHANGE.

Often all it takes in a person to focus more on JOY is a change, an attitude change.

TEXT JOY IS ESSENTIAL:

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

DO NOT COUNT YOUR TROUBLES... COUNT YOUR BLESSINGS...

I. JOY IS A SHOCK ABSORBER THAT CAN EASE THE BLOWS LIFE DEALS...

YOUR ENEMY IS OUT TO STEAL YOUR JOY... THE MODERN CHURCH HAS TO LEARN TO GUARD

OUR JOY...

PEOPLE DO NOT QUIT LAUGH BECAUSE THEY ARE OLD,

PEOPLE GET OLD BECAUSE THEY QUIT LAUGHING...

1. I heard a study the average child laughs 400 times a day...

The average adult laughs 15 times a day...

WHAT HAPPENS IN LIFE THAT STEALS OUR LAUGHTER?

Neh. 8:10 Then he said unto them, Go your way, eat the fat, and drink the sweet, and send portions unto

them for whom nothing is prepared: for this day is holy unto our Lord: neither be ye sorry; for the joy of

the Lord is your strength.

2. No man is poor that remembers to KEEP JOY and laughter in their home and church.

POOR IS THE MAN THAT LOOSES HIS JOY...

3. If I can keep my JOY through it, I can SURVIVE THIS...

4. It takes more muscle to FROWN than to SMILE...

Perhaps a sour-puss gave give way to MANY WRINKLES?

5. Joy and Peace are cheap tranquilizers with little to no side effects.

6. Try to make your friends laugh, in life they have cried enough...

7. FOR EVERY MINUTE YOU ARE ANGRY, YOU LOOSE 60 SECONDS OF JOY THAT CAN

NOT BE RECALLED.

8. Ask any doctor: ULCERS SELDOM GROW WHERE JOY/ HAPPENESS REIGN.

9. JOY, laughter, peace and happy voices do more in a home to keep the kids out of trouble...

more than the strictest rules and laws.

10. WE MUST HAVE JOY, LAUGH AND SING BECAUSED WE ARE BLESSED BY EVERYTHING.

11. If you allow fear & worry to reign you will die before you can laugh.

II. SIX TIMES IN THE BIBLE IT SAYS THAT OUR JOY MAY BE FULL...

THAT JOY SHOULD REMAIN, CONTINUE, STAY, STICK, TARRY...

A. We are designed to OPERATE WITH FULL JOY TANKS...

B. Do you know a gas tank ran empty is prone to pick up water and rust...

John 15:11 These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy

might be full.

C. Your joy DEPENDS ON NO ONE...

No one can make you happy or sad, it is your choice... HOW WILL I VIEW THESE FACTS?

John 16:22 And ye now therefore have sorrow: but I will see you again, and your heart shall rejoice,

and your joy no man taketh from you.

John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

1 John 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.

2 John 1:12 Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you,

and speak face to face, that our joy may be full.

III. IDENTIFY JOY STEALERS... A TROUBLED HEART IS UP TO YOU,

EITHER ASK AND BELIEVE OR REALIZE I CAN DEVELOPED A LONG TERM TROUBLED HEART.

A. What is a troubled heart? How do you get a troubled heart?

How long does a troubled heart stay?

John 14:1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.

B GOD HAS A GIFT, ACCEPT IT OR REFUSE IT?

John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you.

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

C. YOU MUST LEARN TO ASK AND BELIEVE...

GOD HAS A BETTER IDEA...

John 16:24 Hitherto have ye asked nothing in my name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.

IV. THERE IS EXCEEDING JOY IN KNOW GOD AND IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS SWEET SON...

A. EXCEEDING: Be more or greater, go beyond or do more than is warranted, surpass.

Be superior, outrun ... EXTREMELY...

B. WHAT IS EXCEEDING JOY? DO WE HAVE EXCEEDING JOY... ???

IS EXCEEDING JOY POSSIBLE?

Jude 1:24 Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence

of his glory with exceeding joy,

1 John 1:4 And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.