Want To Know A Secret? Promise You Won't Tell? Joy

WANT TO KNOW A SECRET? PROMISE YOU WILL NOT TELL?

A BUCKET WITH A HOLE IN THE BOTTOM…

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

I have a bucket (or glass) with the bottom cut out of it. I ask for a volunteer to bring me a bucket (or glass) of water. It is impossible to fill something with no bottom. Please help me? Identify who your real enemies are? If you have little to no joy there is a BIG LEAK IN YOUR CHRISTIAN WALK.

The young boy said: GRANDPA DOES OUR MULE HAVE RELIGION? Grandpa sat up straight in his chair and said: WHY WOULD YOU ASK SUCH A STUPID QUESTION? Grandson said: PA, THE MULE AND THE PEOPLE AT CHURCH HAVE THE SAME LOOK ON THEIR FACE?

JOY SHOULD BE LIKE A MAGNET THAT CAN DRAW OTHERS TO THE ONE THING THEY DO NOT HAVE… JOY!

In the Bible there are at least 15 different words for JOY… JOY IS NOT A SEASON… JOY IS A WAY OF LIVING! A CHOICE!

WHAT ARE 3 SURE SIGNS THAT JESUS LIVES WITHIN YOUR HEART. 1. THAT YOU KEEP GOD’S COMMANDMENTS. 2. THAT YOU LOVE ALL PEOPLE. 3. THAT YOU LIVE IN JOY… OXIMORON OR MAY MORONIC: BEING A SAD CHRISTIAN? WITH NO JOY … WE MIGHT BE LIVING BENEATH OUR PRIVILEGE. NO JOY? SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES?

Nehemiah 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.

WHAT STATE ARE YOU IN… ? KENTUCKY, OHIO, TEXAS… WE ARE TALKING ABOUT MENTAL --- SPIRITUAL STATE…

Philippians 4:11 Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.

UNDERSTAND THE DIFFERENCE IN INSTINCT AND LEARNED BEHAVIOR… for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. Joy and contentment are learned behaviors…

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

John 10:10 The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 Rejoice evermore.

1 Thessalonians 5:16 (MSG) Be cheerful no matter what;

1 Thessalonians 5:16 (NLT2) Always be joyful.

ANSWER THIS QUESTION: IS REAL LASTING JOY POSSIBLE? JOY IS AN ATTITUDE OF THE HEART AND MIND… ANY ONE THAT STUDIES ENGLISH KNOWS THERE IS POWER IN REPETITION!

Philippians 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.

Is it possible to have real joy without having faith and trusting GOD’S WORD?

THERE ARE NO LAWS AGAINST JOY, UNLESS YOU MAKE THE CHOICE. JOY IS A FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT! JOY IS A BYPRODUCT OF KNOWING JESUS IN A PERSONAL WAY.

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

COULD IT BE THAT HAPPINESS IS AN EMOTION? JOY IS AN ATTITUDE? HOW FULL OF JOY DO YOU THINK JESUS WANTS YOU TO BE?

A PERSON IS AS UNHAPPY AS MUCH AS THEY CONVINCE THEMSELF TO BE…

A PERSON IS AS JOYFUL AS THEY MAKE UP THEIR MIND TO BE… JOY IS A STATE OF MIND…

ASK YOURSELF: COULD THERE BE A HEALING POWER IN JOY?

Joy goes beyond the definition in the dictionary. The dictionary may say JOY is an emotion or feeling of pleasure and happiness. The Bible clearly informs us that GODLY JOY HAS NO LIMITS… BUT WE MUST MAKE THE CHOICE OF LIVING IN JOY… LOVE, HOPE, PEACE AND JOY ARE CHOICES THAT WE MAKE DAILY.

CAN WE DEFINE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JOY AND HAPPINESS? IN GOD’S PRESENCE THERE IS JOY… AWAY FROM HIS PRESENCE MIGHT BRING HARM…

Joy is found within… INTERNAL. Happiness often deals with external issues.

JOY IS A FIRST COUSIN TO CONTENTMENT.

JOY IS A CHOICE THAT YOU LEARN BY YOUR WORDS, YOUR MINDSET, YOUR PRACTICE

TROUBLES, TRIALS AND PROBLEMS CAN GIVE BIRTH AND DELIVERY OF REAL JOY. LET US CONSIDER IS THE JOY OF THE WORLD AND THE JOY OF THE LORD THE SAME THING?

Do we honestly realize JOY COMES FROM THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD? Can we have Godly joy IN HARD, BAD TIMES? HOW QUICK CAN WE LOSE OUR JOY?

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 16:22 (MSG) The sadness you have right now is similar to that pain, but the coming joy is also similar. When I see you again, you'll be full of joy, and it will be a joy no one can rob from you.