GOD WANTS YOU TO HAVE JOY

Yes, God wants you to have joy. Joy is so important for your life. The Bible says that, "The joy of the Lord is your strength." Joy is not the same as being happy. Happiness is dependant on circumstances in your life; if you have someone to love you, or a happy family, or you have lots of money or you are popular at school or work, or you have the best job in the world, a new car, or you are able to travel or meet famous people,etc., then you are happy. Joy is what you have, even when you don't have all OR any of these things. You can't get real joy anywhere except from the Lord. To expand that verse, it says,"In His presence is fullness of joy." Then it says, "The joy of the Lord is my strength." Every believer (in Jesus) should be full of the joy of the Lord. Then every believer would be strong in the things of the Lord and in daily life. We should be a shining light, right? The Word says to let our lights so shine before all men (mankind). What is the light inside of you? You should be shining joy being strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. If you are always unsure of God's love for you and will He take care of you and basically insecure about the things of the Lord, you have not been feeding on the "meat of the Word," you have been taking in the milk of the word also known as "baby food." Now if you have only been saved a very short time, then this can be common unless you are going to a good "Word" church and are spiritually ravenous.However, if you have been saved a while and you have been going to a church that is more of a social club or only stories are preached and not the Word of God, you need to RUN not walk to a Bible believing, people loving, Spirit- filled church and start feeding on the WORD of the living God. Then you will begin to see that God loves you and wants you to have joy in your life. Maybe you already know about the joy of the Lord but you have put Him on the back burner and so you haven't felt the love or the joy of God. Just remember it is not God withholding His love or joy; He is always ready, willing, and able to give to you. Don't stand "afar off". Come back to Him, He has been waiting all along for you to return to your first love! God has so much for all of us who will receive from Him. In these days that are so uncertain for so many, we desperately need the joy of the Lord. Let's face it; stuff happens to all of us but we can face it and go through it with the love and joy and strength that God has for us. Now is the time to receive what you need from God. He loves to give good gifts to us because He is a giving God. Be Blessed!