Journey To Joy

The Journey To Joy

Isaiah 55:6-13,

“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near. Let the wicked man forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon.

For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways.” Declares the Lord. As the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.

As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from My Mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hlls will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands. Instead of the thornbush will grow the pine tree, and instead of the briers the myrtle will grow. This will be for the Lord’s renown, for an everlasting sign, which will not be destroyed.”

Today I want to Talk about The “Road to Joy.”

Websters describes Joy as, “exhilaration of spirits.” I’m not talking about happiness which is described as contentment, or fortunate.” I’m talking about something on the inside that you can’t help but be joyful at all times. And God wants that for you. He wants you joyful in times of stress and times of peace. I believe that there are 5 things that need to happen in our lives if we are going to be traveling on along the road to Joy. The trouble with too many of the people of our society and even the Church of Jesus Christ is that we aren’t full of the Joy of the Lord. Nehemiah says, the “joy of the Lord is our strength.” (8:10). Joy is an important aspect of belonging to Jesus. God eagerly desires for His people to have joy. The only problem that we have with Joy is that we want Joy on our terms instead of God’s terms. God wants us to be joyful in our tribulations for James says, “Brothers, count it pure joy when you experience trial and persecutions of many kinds.” James 1:2. In order for us to realize the Joy of the Lord, we must do 5 fundamental actions according to the verses here in Isaiah 55:6-13.

First, God wants us to seek Him: (Conduits of His Person)

I believe that deep in the heart of every man and woman on the face of the Earth is what I like to call and some others have called it, “a GOD-SHAPED HOLE” inside of us. I mean that there is a missing link to our lives that is the center of our being that can only be filled with the missing piece that is a relationship with God.

We look around the world today and we see immorality at an all time high. And we ask ourselves, Why? Why do people act so immorally. I’m talking about the fact that we see sexual immorality, greed and hunger for money to the point that white collar men are willing to do unjust book keeping to make the extra dollar in the corporate world. I’m talking about Lust of the flesh that we need more things in life, more wealth in the bank, nicer cars in our driveway, and better, faster ways of doing things. We live in an instant gratification society. Our love for the immediate has grown into infatuation with our own selfish desires. And do you know why??? Simple.

We have something in each and every one of us that is desirous of God Almighty and true and living relationship with Him. The problem with Mankind is that he can’t see God, and doesn’t want to find God because he lives according to what he sees and doesn’t realize that those that Come to God must come by faith for “faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen.” Hebrews 11:1, and that if you want to please God, you must first come to God with faith and believe that He “rewards those that diligently seek Him.”

What is that reward???? - A real and dynamic relationship with Him through Jesus Christ, God’s Son.

The promise of seeking God is that we will surely find Him. Jeremiah 29:13, “You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. I will be found by you.” Declares the Lord,”