JOY, JOY, JOY

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JOY.  

Joy, true joy.

There is so little of it today.

Oh there is a lot of momentary pleasure.

But it generally is gone in the morning.

But mostly we have; fear, concerns, anxieties, pain

and jealousy.   And no wonder with the mess that the

world is in today.  My friend, it is only going to get

worse.

But for true lasting joy, are we looking in the right place?

For a joy that is deep down in us and lasting.  Not dependent

on someone else.  Not on something that is temporary out of 

a bottle or a pill or a smoke.  Nor something we try to hype

up and lasts only as long as we can keep fooling ourselves.

True joy is found only from the one who gives us life anyway.

That is God Himself.  His word "The Holy Bible" has a lot to

say about joy.  The subject is brought up about two hundred

times in the Scriptures.

When Jesus Christ was talking with his disciples about abiding

in him - that is; to dwell with, reside with, live with or stay in

relationship with Christ - and obeying his commands he said,

"These things I have spoken to you so that 

My joy may be in you, and that your joy

may be made full." 

(John 15:11 NASB)  

If you want true, deep, lasting joy -

get acquainted with Jesus Christ 

the source of joy and life it's self.

HE CARES FOR YOU

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"Casting all your care upon him,

for he careth for you."

(1 Peter 5:7 KJV)

"Cast all your anxieties on him,

for he cares about you."

(1 Peter 5:7 RSV)

"Leave all your worries with him,

because he cares for you."

(1 Peter 5:7 GNB)

God cares for us.

But I am afraid that I have been thinking of God's

caring for me - too much in the way I care about people or things.

Dr. PB Vargis gives a better insight regarding God's care.

My appreciation for Vargis' view point is that it stems from

many years of living by faith, totally dependent on God.

Not from the study of some student, nor from institutions of higher

learning.  But from experience.  Hard cold experience.

Dr. Vargis states,

"When the Word says that He 'cares for' us, 

it doesn't mean God feels sorry for us.

It means He takes full responsibility for us."

(Compelled... to share His love. p.86)

PRAISE GOD.

God wants to be my caretaker.

My care provider.

My caregiver.

TODAY'S PROMISE

"Cast your burden on the LORD,
and he will sustain you;
he will never permit the righteous to be moved."
(Psalms 55:22 RSV)

"Cast all your anxieties on him,
for he cares about you."
(1 Peter 5:7 RSV)

"The promises of the Lord can be trusted;

they are as genuine as silver refined

seven times in the furnace."

(Psalms 12:6 GNB)

1. Meditate on God's Promises.

2. Plead the Promises at the throne of Grace.

3. Act in Faith that God Will Perform His Promises.

(William Gurnall)