Overall Question - What is true joy?

Memory Text: John 15:11 NKJV “"These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and [that] your joy may be full.”

Sunday – The Command to Rejoice
Philippines 4:4 ESV “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.”
Philippines 4:4 COMMENTARY BY ADAM CLARKE Be continually happy; but this happiness you can find only in the Lord. Genuine happiness is spiritual; as it can only come from God, so it infallibly tends to him. The apostle repeats the exhortation, to show, not only his earnestness, but also that it was God's will that it should be so, and that it was their duty as well as interest.
Philippines 4:4 PEOPLE’S NT COMMENTARY That a prisoner, soon to be tried for his life, should not only rejoice but bid others to rejoice, shows the power of the gospel to comfort one who has made Christ all in all.
Psalm 139 NRSV “1 ¶ O LORD, you have searched me and known me. 2 You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away. 3 You search out my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, O LORD, you know it completely. 5 You hem me in, behind and before, and lay your hand upon me. 6 Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is so high that I cannot attain it. 7 ¶ Where can I go from your spirit? Or where can I flee from your presence? 8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. 9 If I take the wings of the morning and settle at the farthest limits of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me fast. 11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night," 12 even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you. 13 For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. 14 I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; that I know very well. 15 My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth. 16 Your eyes beheld my unformed substance. In your book were written all the days that were formed for me, when none of them as yet existed. 17 ¶ How weighty to me are your thoughts, O God! How vast is the sum of them! 18 I try to count them—they are more than the sand; I come to the end—I am still with you. 19 O that you would kill the wicked, O God, and that the bloodthirsty would depart from me— 20 those who speak of you maliciously, and lift themselves up against you for evil! 21 Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD? And do I not loathe those who rise up against you? 22 I hate them with perfect hatred; I count them my enemies. 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my thoughts. 24 See if there is any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.”
Romans 8:28 -- Simple English “We know that all things work together for good for people who love God. They are called for God's purpose.”
1 Peter 1:8-9 -- New Jerusalem “8 You have not seen him, yet you love him; and still without seeing him you believe in him and so are already filled with a joy so glorious that it cannot be described; 9 and you are sure of the goal of your faith, that is, the salvation of your souls.”

Monday – The Joy of Christ
Luke 15:4-7 NLT “4 "If you had one hundred sheep, and one of them strayed away and was lost in the wilderness, wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine others to go and search for the lost one until you found it? 5 And then you would joyfully carry it home on your shoulders. 6 When you arrived, you would call together your friends and neighbors to rejoice with you because your lost sheep was found. 7 In the same way, heaven will be happier over one lost sinner who returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!”
Luke 15:8-10 NIV “8 "Or suppose a woman has ten silver coins and loses one. Does she not light a lamp, sweep the house and search carefully until she finds it? 9 And when she finds it, she calls her friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost coin.’ 10 In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents."”
Luke 15:10 COMMENTARY FAMILY BIBLE NOTES As God, angels, and all holy beings rejoice at the repentance of sinners, all who repent, and all who are successful in leading others to repent, are increasing the happiness of heaven.
Luke 15:11-24 God’s Word to the Nations “11 ¶ Then Jesus said, "A man had two sons. 12 The younger son said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the property.’ So the father divided his property between his two sons. 13 "After a few days, the younger son gathered his possessions and left for a country far away from home. There he wasted everything he had on a wild lifestyle. 14 He had nothing left when a severe famine spread throughout that country. He had nothing to live on. 15 So he got a job from someone in that country and was sent to feed pigs in the fields. 16 No one in the country would give him any food, and he was so hungry that he would have eaten what the pigs were eating. 17 "Finally, he came to his senses. He said, ‘How many of my father’s hired men have more food than they can eat, while I’m starving to death here? 18 I’ll go at once to my father, and I’ll say to him, "Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and you. 19 I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore. Make me one of your hired men."’ 20 "So he went at once to his father. While he was still at a distance, his father saw him and felt sorry for him. He ran to his son, put his arms around him, and kissed him. 21 Then his son said to him, ‘Father, I’ve sinned against heaven and you. I don’t deserve to be called your son anymore.’ 22 "The father said to his servants, ‘Hurry! Bring out the best robe, and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let’s celebrate with a feast. 24 My son was dead and has come back to life. He was lost but has been found.’ Then they began to celebrate.”

Tuesday – Joy in Obedience
John 15:10-11 -- New American “10 If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and remain in his love. 11 I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”
John 15:11 COMMENTARY BY ALBERT BARNES My joy. This expression probably denotes the happiness which Jesus had, and would continue to have, by their obedience, love, and fidelity. Their obedience was to him a source of joy. It was that which he sought and for which he had laboured. He now clearly taught them the path of duty, and encouraged them to persevere, notwithstanding he was about to leave them. If they obeyed him, it would continue to him to be a source of joy. Christ rejoices in the obedience of all his friends; and, though his happiness is not dependent on them, yet their fidelity is an object which he desires and in which he finds delight.
Psalm 19:8 KJ21 “The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.”
Jeremiah 15:16 -- New American Standard “Thy words were found and I ate them, And Thy words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; For I have been called by Thy name, O Lord God of hosts.”
Matthew 7:21-27 CEV “21 ¶ Not everyone who calls me their Lord will get into the kingdom of heaven. Only the ones who obey my Father in heaven will get in. 22 On the day of judgment many will call me their Lord. They will say, "We preached in your name, and in your name we forced out demons and worked many miracles." 23 But I will tell them, "I will have nothing to do with you! Get out of my sight, you evil people!" 24 Anyone who hears and obeys these teachings of mine is like a wise person who built a house on solid rock. 25 Rain poured down, rivers flooded, and winds beat against that house. But it did not fall, because it was built on solid rock. 26 Anyone who hears my teachings and doesn’t obey them is like a foolish person who built a house on sand. 27 The rain poured down, the rivers flooded, and the winds blew and beat against that house. Finally, it fell with a crash.”
Matthew 7:21 COMMENTARY BY MATTHEW HENRY Christ here shows that it will not be enough to own him for our Master, only in word and tongue. It is necessary to our happiness that we believe in Christ, that we repent of sin, that we live a holy life, that we love one another.

Wednesday – Joy in Tough Times
John 16:33 -- Simple English “I have said these things to you, so that you may have peace in me. You will have trouble in the world, but be strong; I have conquered the world.''
Galatians 6:9 -- Living Bible “And let us not get tired of doing what is right, for after a while we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't get discouraged and give up.”
James 1:2-4 Holman “2 ¶ Consider it a great joy, my brothers, whenever you experience various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 But endurance must do its complete work, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking nothing.”
1 Peter 1:6 NLT “So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while.”

Thursday – Joy That Lasts
Hebrews 11:24-25 William Tyndale NT “24 By faith Moses when he was of a great age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 and chose rather to suffer adversity with the people of God, then to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season,”
Luke 9:23 -- New American “Then he said to all, "If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me.”
Luke 9:23 COMMENTARY FAMILY BIBLE NOTES To deny one's self some things for the sake of obtaining others more valuable, instead of lessening, greatly increases enjoyment. This, to be a follower of Christ, a person must do daily, and thus be daily promoting his highest good.
Acts 14:22 -- Living Bible “where they helped the believers to grow in love for God and each other. They encouraged them to continue in the faith in spite of all the persecution, reminding them that they must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations.”
Philippines 1:29 -- Simple English “You not only have the privilege of believing in Christ, but also the privilege of suffering for Christ.”
Hebrews 11:16 “NIV Instead, they were longing for a better country— a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them.”
Hebrews 11:16 PEOPLE’S NT COMMENTARY They desired a country better than Chaldea, better even than Canaan. They had a faith which looked for a heavenly country.
1 Peter 1:6-8 NRSV “6 ¶ In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, 7 so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed. 8 Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy,”

I liked the third choice the best. I feel that the closer I get to God the more joy I feel even though things are not at there best.

pk

JAMES423

I HAVE to agree with PKRAUSE about the closer
I get to GOD the more joy I have

dgrimm60

Did you notice that these are three views of joy, only one of which is really Christian?

JAMES423

WELL yes t is......this is interesting

dgrimm60

That is interesting James, hadn't thought about that before.

pk

I was going to pick #3 but when I thought about it, from what I've read from EGW and my own personal experience, the closer we come to the presence of the glory and holiness of God, the more we are aware of our sinful state. And that is not a joyful experience - at least for me anyway.

"Be ye perfect as I am perfect" is a lifelong journey. I think that if I reach Heaven, then I will have the joy that I equate with "the peace that passeth understanding."

Alex

I know what you mean, and I agree we do feel like we are not worthy but at the same time I do feel more joy. I guess that is kind of strange or different.

pk

Joy is a thing of faith and Hope, In this sinful word were things are not right, were someone is been oppressed, where you have to fight hard to get fed, in the midst of all these we still say JOY? Who will take it up, the Haiti in trouble, The Philippines without homes, The African nations in war, Climate problem, Bomb and terrorist attach, where could this Joy come from? preaching the bible alone, telling about God's Love and Promises?....Who will take and believe in these, Joy goes beyond mere talking and preaching, joy comes from the inner mind no matter the circumstances of life, God has given us the spirit of Joy, we can embrace it with Faith and happiness, right we can! but what about those that knows nothing about it? Do we just preach and preach. I think to let them get this joy via Christ helping us to do , we need to share out the joy , either sharing of what we have to people around who need it mostly and give them the promises of God