Mar 20, 2025 … Joy In Christ

Mar 20, 2025 … Joy In Christ   

Devotional Song: ... GO TO THIS LINK ...    Please take the time to take in this song with music and lyrics with Cece Winans singing … I’ve God Joy,  showing that all Christians have joy when they have and hold onto Jesus.

Highlight Passage: … John 16:20…[NLT] … 

20   I tell you the truth, you will weep and mourn over what is going to happen to me, but the world will rejoice. You will grieve, but your grief will suddenly turn to wonderful joy.             

… Jesus promises His disciples to find wonderful joy by trusting in Him.              

Highlight Passage (in context): … John 16:16-24 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …  

… Jesuspromises HIs disciples that they will ultimately find joy in the midst of their grief in losing Him.                                                                              

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Reference Passage:… Psalms 16:11 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru King David’s song, shows that God’s joy comes from trusting in His presence.. 

Reference Passage: … Ecclesiastes 9:7  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… God, thru Solomon, commends believers to have joy as they (we) live in God’s presence.

Reference Passage: …  Matthew 6:33 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK …

…Jesus, in His sermon on the Mount, teaches that seeking God first in our lives will bring joy and all that we need in life. 

Reference Passage: …  John 16:24 [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… Again, Jesus, trying to relief the angst of HIs disciples in the upper room, promises that they (we) find joy by simply trusting Him and going to Him with our desires.

Reference Passage: … Romans 15:13  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul prays and teaches that fellow Christians will find their (our) joy by trusting and following our Lord thru the power of God’s Spirit dwelling in their (our) hearts.  

Reference Passage: … Philippians 4:4  [NLT] … USE THIS LINK … 

… The Apostle Paul exhorts fellow Christians to be full of joy, rejoicing in the presence of Christ in their (our) lives ALWAYS.

                            

My Devotional Journal: Today’s Our Daily Bread Author - Tim Gustafson … AT THIS LINK         …  related the mistaken claim from a teenager testifying before a legislature that she had the right to be HAPPY.  And that may be the claim and pursuit of any or all of us; but the reality is that our momentary circumstances may cause us sorrow instead of joy at any given moment.  

But that reality and truth of the presence of joy in our lives is really determined by the presence of Christ in our lives.  Because, as we glean from Cece Winan’s song and meditating on the Scriptures above, our relationship and trust in Jesus as Christ is where our joy comes from, not the fleeting happiness we experience from the good times in our lives.   And I’m praying that all my readers here today are relishing in the joy that comes from our relationship with Jesus.  Can I get a witness?!! 

         

My Thanksgiving: … Oh, King Jesus, thank You, … for being my joy … now and always!  …                      

My Prayer Today: Oh Abba Father, ... King Jesus, ... . I pray, … again today, … that all reading here will join me, …  to find joy always in You, Lord.  … AMEN

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Blogger Note:  Everyday during this year, my daily devotional blogs are influenced by the reading and study of the online devotional blog entitled “Our Daily Bread,” distributed online via email by RBC Ministries.  If you GO TO THIS LINK on the date of my blog, you can read/study the ODB blogs; or you can subscribe to the blog via email at that site.