The Joy Challenge – Week 5

“For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”
Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT)

In our Joy Challenge, we’ve focused a lot on the joy of the Lord in our lives, but have you ever considered what brings God joy? What causes Him to rejoice? Imagine for a moment how we might bring joy to our Heavenly Father. One of my favorite artistic renderings of Jesus is the one of Him laughing, full of joy and delight. It seems all too common that the picture most people have of Jesus in their mind’s-eye is with a look of disappointment. It’s so easy to feel like we just don’t measure up. We have so many faults and failures. How could a person like me bring joy to God? All I ever seem to do is let Him down. If you’ve ever felt like that I want you to pause and read this passage out loud to yourself. It’s from a little-known Old Testament minor prophet named Zephaniah. He was one of the final prophets before the captivity of Judah into Babylon. Zephaniah was a contemporary of Jeremiah and is credited with giving impetus to the revival during the reign of King Josiah. Zephaniah was a prophet of love during a period of judgment. Despite Israel’s failures look at what Zephaniah said to them in Zephaniah 3:17 (NLT), “For the LORD your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

Commenting on this passage, the late Pastor J Vernon McGee wrote, “My friend, God has a purpose. He goes through the night of judgment in order to bring us into the light of a new day. He does all of this that the day might come when He can rest in His love. God loves you and me today. I don’t know about you, but I doubt very seriously whether He can rest in His love for Vernon McGee. He could say of me, ‘He’s not perfected yet. He seems so immature. He is so filled with faults. He is apt to digress, apt to detour, at any moment.’ God cannot rest in His love today. But the day is coming when we will be in His likeness …. Then He is going to bring us to Himself. What a wonderful and glorious picture this is!” (Thru the Bible with J. Vernon McGee)

How is it that my life might bring joy to God? How could He take such delight in me with gladness and rejoice over me with joyful songs? When I read this description of such joy in the heart of God, I can’t help but envision a mother signing over her infant child as she cradles her baby in her arms.

If you struggle with that kind of image, consider the prayer of blessing that Moses was instructed by God to tell Aaron and his sons to bless the people of Israel with in Numbers 6:24-26. I love the way The Living Bible paraphrases it, “May the Lord bless and protect you; may the Lord’s face radiate with joy because of you; may He be gracious to you, show you His favor, and give you His peace.” Then in verse 27, God says, “This is how Aaron and his sons shall call down My blessings upon the people of Israel; and I Myself will personally bless them.”

How is that possible when Israel made so many mistakes and failed to obey God in the wilderness? The same way in which you and I bring joy to our Heavenly Father. His love for us is not conditioned upon our performance anymore than the love of a mother for her infant. It is His nature to love because God is love! He loves us so much that He sent His one and only Son to die for the sins we committed, the mistakes we made, the failures for which we are guilty. Yet listen to what Jesus said in Luke 15:10 (CCNT), “I tell you that in just that way there is joy in the presence of God’s angels over one sinner who repents.” In verse 7 He said, “I tell you that in the same way there will be more rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who do not need to repent.” (NIV)

Have you repented of your sin? Have you opened your heart to a loving God and sought His forgiveness? What kind of image do you see when you envision God looking at you? Zephaniah reminds us that the LORD our God is living among us, that He is a mighty Savior! Receive Him as your Savior today. Ask Him to save you from your sins. “He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.”

“Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”
Psalm 30:5b (NLT)

God can bring us from a night of weeping to a morning of joy! This is what He did for David. And David recorded it in his prayer journal of Psalms. In Psalms 30:2-5 (NLT) he writes from his own painful experience:

“O LORD my God, I cried to You for help, and You restored my health. You brought me up from the grave, O LORD. You kept me from falling into the pit of death. Sing to the LORD, all you godly ones! Praise His holy name. For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with the morning.”

Scholars believe King David wrote this Psalm following a time of discipline in his life when he had disobeyed God and a national plague broke out in Israel. As a result, 70,000 people died. This caused David great distress. He cried out in brokenness to God repenting of his pride and rebellion against God as their leader. The Lord forgave David and gave him the blessing of a new beginning. Afterward, he would purchase a plot of ground that he dedicated to be the site for the temple that Solomon would build. David began to use that plot as his own personal place of worship reminding him of the high cost of sin and humbling him before the God who forgave him of it.  

Pastor and author, Warren Wiersbe writes of this occasion in David’s life, “For David, this was the dawning of a new day after a painful time of suffering in darkness. Each morning, God’s mercies are new (Lamentations 3:22-23), and God’s special help often arrives in the morning. “God will help her when morning dawns” (Psalm 46:5; and see Psalm 59:16; 143:8). The resurrection of Jesus Christ brought the dawning of a new day for all who trust in Him (Matthew 28:1). Weeping comes as a guest, but God’s gracious favor is with us for a lifetime. (See 2 Corinthians 4.) As Jesus explained to His disciples, God doesn’t replace sorrow with joy; He transforms sorrow into joy (John 16:20-22). The same baby that causes the mother pain also brings the mother joy.”

Have sin and bad choices brought sorrow and discipline in your life? The Bible says, “My child, pay attention when the Lord disciplines you. Don’t give up when He corrects you. The Lord disciplines everyone He loves. He severely disciplines everyone He accepts as His child. Endure your discipline. God corrects you as a father corrects his children. All children are disciplined by their fathers. If you aren’t disciplined like the other children, you aren’t part of the family. On earth we have fathers who disciplined us, and we respect them. Shouldn’t we place ourselves under the authority of God, the Father of spirits, so that we will live? For a short time our fathers disciplined us as they thought best. Yet, God disciplines us for our own good so that we can become holy like Him. We don’t enjoy being disciplined. It always seems to cause more pain than joy. But later on, those who learn from that discipline have peace that comes from doing what is right.”Hebrews 12:5-11 (GW)

God can turn your night of weeping into a morning of joy when you confess your sins to Him and seek His mercy and grace. Maybe this is a good time to pause and take inventory in your life. Do a little soul detox. 1 John 1:9 (NIV) says, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”

When David made his confession to God, he entered these final verses in Psalm 30:11-12 (TLB), “Then He turned my sorrow into joy! He took away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy so that I might sing glad praises to the Lord instead of lying in silence in the grave. O Lord my God, I will keep on thanking You forever!”

“But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.”
Acts 20:24 (NKJV)

If you’ve ever run a marathon, you know how sweet the finish line feels! A sense of personal joy fills your soul having accomplished something you began as a goal and trained so hard to achieve. Whether it was a marathon, or some other milestone in your life, there is joy at the finish line. As the apostle Paul neared his own finish line, he gave a stirring farewell to the leaders of the church of Ephesus where he had spent three years of his ministry. He sent word for them to meet him on the shores of Miletus, which is the port of Ephesus where he would board a ship on his way to Jerusalem. He knew he would never see these leaders he had personally discipled again. Can you imagine the emotion of this final gathering? Paul wanted to give them a final charge to encourage, equip, and warn them so they would be prepared and successful in their ministry. Many would plead with him to reconsider his trip to Jerusalem knowing that severe trials lay ahead for him. Look at Paul’s response, “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” Acts 20:24 (NKJV) Paul saw himself as a runner who wanted to finish his race with joy! He realized that his life was God’s gift to him and that God had a special purpose for his life that would be fulfilled in his ministry which he had received from the Lord Jesus many years ago. He had faithfully given himself to that ministry with a determined desire to finish his race with joy!

How do we finish our race with joy? The writer of Hebrews tells us how. Because joy is a focus and not a feeling, we must keep “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV) Jesus showed Paul how to finish with joy and He shows us as well. It was because of the joy awaiting Him that He could endure such unimaginable pain on the cross and disregard its shame. He knew He would come out of the tomb alive! He knew He would be exalted to heaven in glory! In John 6:38, He began His ministry saying, “I have come down from heaven not to do my own will, but to do the work of My Father.” Then in John 19:30, He said, “It is finished!” This was the joy set before Him, that He would complete the Father’s will providing redemption and atonement for the sins of the world! He had a purpose in life worth dying for! Do you? You’re never really prepared to live until you’re prepared to die. When you’ve given your life away to Jesus as Paul had you can say with confidence, “I do not count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy.”

Finishing with joy comes from the convictions of your life and is expressed by the contribution of your life. When you truly believe that life is short, eternity is long, and heaven and hell are real you have a mission to share the grace of God with everyone. Like Paul, you believe that Jesus can change lives and change the world! So you risk it all with nothing to lose and everything to gain! Such was the case for American missionary Jim Elliott whose life and death influenced people to spread the Gospel. God used him to bring salvation to the Auca Indians in Ecuador where he gave his life. Was it worth it? He once said, “He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.”

What about you? For what or whom are you giving your life? Will you finish with joy? Live in such a way that you hear your Heavenly Father say, “Well done, good and faithful servant! … Enter into the joy of your Lord!” Matthew 25:21 (NKJV)

“But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”
Matthew 6:33 (NKJV)

In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus gave us the secret to sustaining joy and living a blessed or “happy” life. This secret trumps worry and offers us a confident hope no matter what our situation or circumstance. What is it? In Matthew 6:33 (NKJV), Jesus said, “Seek FIRST the kingdom of God and His righteousness….” Don’t miss the benefits for those that do because He adds, “… and ALL these things shall be added to you.” What did He mean by all these things? Here are a few mentioned in this chapter: Money in verses 19-24; Food and Clothing in verse 25; Savings in verse 26; Personal Value in verses 26-30; All Material Needs in verses 31-32. Every one of these material things can become killjoys if we let them. How much of our time is consumed with working and worrying over them?

Rather than stressing over material things, Jesus promises His followers that IF we would put God first and His righteousness (doing what we know is right) that ALL THESE THINGS shall be added as we need them. We can rest in His ability to provide all we need when we need it.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve found it so easy in my life to say I’m putting God first, but what does that really mean? How do we put God first in our lives so we can experience sustaining joy? Let’s take what Jesus said and apply it in four very practical ways that demonstrate we are effectively seeking first the kingdom of God. We’ll cover two of them today and the other two tomorrow.

First, if I am truly putting God first in my life, I will give Him the first part of my day in personal worship through meditating on His Word (reading the Bible contemplatively) and talking with God about whatever concerns me, as well as what I’m discovering as I read His Word. If you want to experience sustaining joy set aside some time each morning as you begin your day to be alone with God. Start with 5 or 10 minutes and let it grow naturally. It may feel strange at first if you’re just beginning but that’s ok. Sometimes, I will put an empty chair by where I’m sitting and invite the Lord to join me as I seek His presence. Underline or highlight whatever verse or verses seem to speak to your heart as you read the Bible. Pray them back to God with thanksgiving. Sometimes He will use His Word to warn me, guide me, correct me, teach me, or encourage me to pray in alignment with His will for my life as well as intercede for others. You might try reading through Psalms or Proverbs or take a New Testament book like one of the four Gospels and read a chapter or two a day. Find a quiet place and remove any distractions like your cell phone or TV. Learn to listen as you pray and talk to God. Thank Him for all He has done and is doing in your life and praise Him for who He is.

If you’re reading this, you’ve already started! Great job! When you finish, tell God what’s on your heart and worship Him. You’re giving Him the first part of your day to establish the rest of your day in alignment with His will for your life.

Second, give God the first part of your week in corporate worship at church. God created you and me for community! Our faith is more than just believing, it’s about belonging as well. As Christ followers, we belong to Him and one another. The Bible says, “Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.” Romans 12:4-5 (NLT) I love that, don’t you? Belonging connects us with one another! We’re better together! We are part of a family – the family of God! That’s why the writer of Hebrews tells us, “In response to all He has done for us, let us outdo each other in being helpful and kind to each other and in doing good. Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of His coming back again is drawing near.” Hebrews 10:24-25 (TLB) Are you part of a church family? Do you give God the first part of your week in worship with other Christ followers? If you don’t have a church home, let me invite you to ours at Woodlands Church. Join us at one of our campuses or online at live.WC.org.

If we are to really put God first in our lives, we will give Him the first part of every day in personal worship and the first part of every week in corporate worship at church. We’ll discover the other two ways we practically put God first in our lives tomorrow. These are the secrets to sustaining joy! Start practicing these two today!  

“In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.”
Proverbs 3:6 (TLB)

Keeping first things first seems to be a recurring theme in Scripture, doesn’t it? When Jesus told us to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness with the promise that all these things, whatever material needs we had would be added to us, He was echoing the wisdom found in Proverbs 3:6 (TLB). “In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.” Putting God first honors God. In 1 Samuel 2:30 (NLT), God says, “I will honor those who honor Me.” The point is clear. God wants first place in our lives.

How do you know when you are giving God first place? Yesterday we looked at the first two ways we practically demonstrate that God has first place in our lives. Each one reveals the secret to sustaining joy.

First, give God the first part of my day in personal worship through a daily time alone with God. Spend those moments reading the Bible and talking with God in prayer.

Second, give God the first part of my week in corporate worship at church. Connect with other Christ followers in worship and through a life group where you can grow together and encourage one another.

Third, give God the first part of my income. The Bible says, “Honor the Lord by giving Him the first part of all your income, and He will fill your barns with wheat and barley and overflow your wine vats with the finest wines.” Proverbs 3:9-10 (TLB) Jesus said, “There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.” Acts 20:35b (TEV) Givers are joyful people. In 2 Corinthians 9:7 (NIV), the Bible says, “God loves a cheerful giver.” Are you a cheerful giver? Have you ever noticed that the root word for “miserable” is “miser?” Misers are miserable people. One of the secrets of sustaining joy is giving God the first part of my income and doing it gladly considering how much He has given me.

Fourth, give God first consideration in every decision. To sustain joy in my life, I’ve discovered I experience less stress and more confidence when I defer every decision in my life to God before acting. Remember what Paul said in Philippians 4:6, “Pray about everything!” Giving God the first consideration in every decision honors God and aligns my life to His will rather than falling into the snare of going my own way or going the wrong way.  The Bible says, “There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.” Proverbs 16:25 (NKJV) One of the most deceptive traps of the devil is to convince us we don’t need to pray about this one. Even Joshua fell for that deception in the Old Testament when he made a judgment call by appearance and failed to pray about his decision. A group of men from Gibeon set out to deliberately deceive him and the leaders of Israel when they entered the Promised Land. And the Bible says, “Joshua and the other leaders finally believed them. They did not bother to ask the Lord….” Joshua 9:14 (TLB) We lose our joy when we fail to give God first consideration in every decision and set ourselves up for failure. What decisions are you facing right now that you need to consult with God about first? Take a moment and do that in prayer. Ask God to give you His perspective, to give you wisdom, and help you make the right decision.

If you want sustaining joy in your life begin to practice these four secrets. Give God the first part of your day, the first part of your weekend in worship, the first part of your income, and the first consideration in every decision. You’ll experience what Peter calls “joy unspeakable that is full of glory!” 1 Peter 1:8 (ASV)