A Prosperous Life - Lesson 5 - True Joy

Psalm 1:1-3, ‘Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.’

Synonyms for the word delight: enjoyment, pleasure, happiness, joy, glee, gladness, enchant-ment & amusement.

What is your delight?
What brings you enjoyment, gladness and amusement?
What brings you happiness, joy and glee?

Is it your wife’s job to make you happy?
Is it your husband’s responsibility to bring you happiness?
Are you looking to your children for that happiness?

‘But his delight is in the law of the Lord…’

We read here what is to bring us delight,
What can you share with us that bring you true joy?





Maybe we should look at the opposite of joy.
We know what the outward signs of the opposite of you are.
Faultfinding, nit picking, nagging, irritating, troublesome, distressing & harassing.
Did I leave any out?

What can be said of this person?





If you have no joy in your religion, there's a leak in your Christianity somewhere. -Sunday

Sounds like they need to get saved.
But they say they are saved.

If their Christianity is leaking out what can we do to help them repair that leak?





‘Joy is the echo of God's life within us.’ – Marmion

I know what an echo is,
I shout out, my voice bounces off something,
then a short period of time later I hear it come back.
So God’s life should shout out of us,
Then come back.

So if this person is without joy,
If we are without joy,
God isn’t shouting out of us, bouncing off something or someone else
And returning back a short time later.

What advice would you have for this person?





‘But you don’t know what I’ve been through…’
‘But you don’t know what I’m going through.’
‘That’s easy for you to say…’

1 Peter 4:12-13, ‘Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy.’

It gets overwhelming at times.
It gets overwhelming quite often
For some of us in this room things are overwhelming right now.

What advice do you have for us right now?





James 1:2-3, ‘My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.’

I believe we all get overwhelmed at times,
Even when we try our best not to.

What advice would you give us in times like these?





The Christian life that is joyless is a discredit to God and a disgrace to itself. – Babcock

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