Joy, The Choice Of Celebrating

JOY, THE CHOICE OF CELEBRATING…

By Wade Martin Hughes, Sr.

DO WE KNOW WHAT THE SADDEST TRADE EVER KNOWN TO HUMANITY COULD BE? NO ROOM…

MY MOM TAUGHT ME ONE OF THE SADDEST STORIES OF THE BIBLE… Mom told me of King Herod killing all the baby boys… That was mean. But the story mom told me was of the SON OF GOD that was at the creation. Jesus watched Noah build the ark. Jesus visited Abraham. Jesus was God’s son… Jesus walked down streets of gold… Jesus had a rose garden that had no thorns. Jesus lived where there were no graves and death never visited. Jesus was God’s only begotten son… NO TEARS, NO PAIN, NO HURT, NO HATRED… PERFECTION AND LOVE WAS THE NORM… JESUS TRADED EVERYTHING FOR REJECTION AND TO BE DESPISED AND HATED…

Luke 2:7 And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

I SAID: MOM, I WOULD HAVE GIVEN MARY MY BED…

JOY TO THE WORLD, JESUS GOD’S ONLY SON REIGNS FOREVER AND FOREVER…

Luke 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

JOY IS A FREE GIFT TO THOSE THAT WILL RECEIVE GOD’S PLAN. WHERE THERE IS JOY THERE WILL ALWAYS BE MUSIC AND SINGING… MAKE A JOYFUL NOISE…

Psalm 100:1 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands. 2 Serve the LORD with gladness: come before his presence with singing. 3 Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. 4 Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless his name. 5 For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.

Psalm 96:2 Sing unto the LORD, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day to day.

A LARGE PART OF THE STORY OF JESUS’ BIRTH IS THAT WE HAVE BEEN DELIVERED FROM SIN AND SORROW. THE CURSE HAS BEEN REVERSED… GOD HAS BUILT A BRIDGE TO THE HOPELESS, LOST AND DYING HUMANITY.

JOY? A SONG OF HOPE?

There was a hymn writer that was very gifted by God. His name was ISSAC WATTS. ISSAC WROTE OVER 750 HYMNS. He wrote “WHEN I SURVEY THE WONDROUS CROSS,” “ ALAS AND DID MY SAVIOR BLEED,” and he wrote: “O GOD OUR HELP IN AGES PAST.”

ISSAC PUBLISHED A FAMOUS SONG IN 1719 THAT WE ALL KNOW: “JOY TO THE WORLD.” The song goes on to say: LET HEAVEN AND NATURE SING.”

Many people think this is a song of the birth of baby Jesus to Virgin Mary. Let us look at this more closely. While the song is about the FIRST ADVENT… much of the song is about the SECOND ADVENT… The song is very prophetic. The song reminds us of WHY JESUS WAS BORN but the song also encourages us TO LOOK FORWARD TO JESUS COMING BACK FOR US. Jesus will show the world and prove HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS and WONDERS OF HIS LOVE…

JOY TO THE WORLD! THE LORD HAS COME…

JOY TO THE WORLD! THE LORD IS COME. LET EARTH RECEIVE HER KING!

LET EVERY HEART PREPARE HIM ROOM.

AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING, AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING.

AND HEAVEN, AND HEAVEN AND NATURE SING…

JOY TO THE WORLD! THE SAVIOR REIGNS.

LET MEN THEIR SONGS EMPLOY. WHILE FIELDS AND FLOODS, ROCKS HILLS AND PLAINS

REPEAT THE SOUNDING JOY, REPEAT THE SOUNDING JOY, REPEAT, REPEAT THE SOUNDING JOY.

NO MORE LET SIN AND SORROW GROW, NOR THORNS INFEST THE GROUND;

HE COMES TO MAKE HIS BLESSINGS FLOW, FAR AS THE CURSE IS FOUND.

FAR AS THE CURSE IS FOUND, FAR AS, FAR AS THE CURSE IS FOUND.

HE WHO RULES THE RULE WITH TRUTH AND GRACE AND MAKES THE NATIONS PROVE

THE GLORIES OF HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS AND WONDERS OF HIS LOVE, AND WONDERS OF HIS LOVE.

AND WONDERS AND WONDERS OF HIS LOVE.

JOY IS A CHOICE… YOU CANNOT HELP WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU… BUT MY FRIEND YOU DAILY HAVE A CHOICE OF JOY. HOW YOU ACT AND HOW YOU REACT. Why do we excuse our behavior? Why do we blame others? A BAD MOOD IS A WAY TO PUNISH YOURSELF AND PUNISH OTHERS.

Psalm 98:4 Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise. 5 Sing unto the LORD with the harp; with the harp, and the voice of a psalm. 6 With trumpets and sound of cornet make a joyful noise before the LORD, the King.