Day 4 - Week 66 - John 15:11 "I have spoken these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete."

Is your picture of Jesus a picture of joy?  It should be.  While Jesus took many things very seriously, I believe His inner being was full of joy.  Why wouldn't it have been?  Jesus knew where He was heading, He knew the end result of His mission, and He knew He had brought to the earth God's message of eternal love for man.  Not only was He full of joy, He brought with Him the reason for joy, and He was intent on giving joy to those who heard His words.

I realize that last paragraph used the word "joy" way too often to constitute a well-written paragraph...but then again, we're talking about...joy! 

I believe Jesus fully understood the seriousness of this life, and the troubles that come with it.  After all, He spent the majority of His ministry speaking to people who lived in an oppressive environment, Jews under Roman rule.  People who, for the most part, would have been considered in the very lowest of economic classes.  These were not people for whom life was easy and carefree.  And yet, Jesus wanted them to know joy.  He did not promise to change their earthly circumstance, but He promised to give them joy in spite of earthly circumstance. 

For just as I stated at the beginning, Jesus knew the outcome of His mission --- the restoration of relationship between mankind and God.  But He also knew the steps required for the accomplishment of that mission:  His painful death and the excruciating terror of His temporary separation from God.  Yet, in spite of His knowledge of what He would go through, He maintained an incomprehensible spirit of joy.  Because, unlike any other person on earth, up to and including Einstein, Jesus truly understood the theory of relativity.  Jesus knew that this life, relative to eternity, is nothing.  There is no pain, no trial, no trouble that we encounter in this life that can compare to the incomprehensible, undefinable perfection of life with God.

So the next time that you are in the middle of one life's valleys, recall that Jesus, even knowing that He would go through the deepest chasm of earth's darkness, kept His joy because He knew what was beyond the darkness ...the incredible, eternal light of His Father. 

And the next time that you observe one of life's truly beautiful moments, stop and really savor it.  Then recall that Jesus wanted you to have His joy, the joy of knowing that even the most beautiful moment here on earth will pale in comparison to those we behold in eternity.

Day 3 - Week 66 - John 15:11 "I have spoken these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete."

The basis of Rick Warren's best-selling book, "The Purpose Driven Life" is that we all have been put on this earth by God on purpose and with purpose...our base purpose being to bring glory to God.   I believe that God has designed each of us uniquely and specifically for purpose right in the very spot that we have been placed.  Ephesians 4:11 talks about how God has appointed each of us for different purposes within the church body...."It was he who 'gave gifts to people'; he appointed some to be apostles, others to be prophets, others to be evangelists, others to be pastors and teachers." 

When Jesus talked about giving  us His joy, and that we would be able to have complete joy, and since He was speaking those words as a follow up to His words on complete obedience, what I hear Him saying to me is, "Be what I designed you to be...nothing more, nothing less.  Do what I lay before you to do...nothing more, nothing less.  Do it in my name, to my glory.  And you won't believe the joy you will find.  My joy will be in you, and it will be a completely satisfying joy."

So often we set out in life uncertain of who we are to be, what we are to become.  It is hard when you are younger to know which direction to take, and it is hard when you are older to know whether you've chosen the right course, or if you need to change your direction.  Many times we make choices based upon other people's opinions, upon status, and upon financial gain.  The older I get, and the more mature my faith becomes, I realize that those factors are exactly what we do not need to include in our life-path decisions. 

God calls us to bring our plans to Him, to ask Him for His guidance in our life.  He desires to be included, and He promises His wisdom when we ask for it.  (Remember James 1:5 that we discussed last week?)  He is ready to share with us exactly what He designed us for, the gifts that He has enabled us with to perform tasks that we are uniquely able to do, just where we are located, that need to be accomplished for His purposes.  Life can become extremely invigorating and exciting when you start realizing that God is asking us to partner with Him to accomplish His will on this earth.  His plans will take place...but we have a choice whether or not we participate.

Open your spiritual ears today to hear what it is that God has purposed for you to do for Him.  When that event takes place, and you know you have just brought glory to God, there is not a doubt in my mind that you will feel a joy like no other.  Jesus' joy...in you...complete.

Day 2 - Week 66 - John 15:11 "I have spoken these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete."

What has Jesus just told His followers that imparts to them His joy, a full and complete joy?  What kind of joy are we supposed to have as Jesus' followers today?

In the verses immediately preceding our verse of focus, we hear these words:

"Remain in me, and I will remain in you."
"I am the vine and you are the branches.  If a man remains in me, and I in him, he will bear much fruit.  Apart from me, you can do nothing."
"If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you."
"As my Father has loved me, so have I loved you.  Now remain in my love."

And John 15:10 states...

"If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love; just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in His love."

Jesus knew joy...real, true, complete joy.  He knew the joy of accomplishing everything that God had designed for Him to do and to be.  He knew the joy of the full realization of being exactly who He was created to be to bring glory to God.  He knew that there was no greater joy....and He wants all who believe in Him to share in that joy, to come to the same point of complete and utter joy.

Jesus knows that kind of joy comes only through obedience and submission to God's will over our lives.  Just as Jesus had surrendered Himself to God's plan of salvation for humanity, He let's us know that we will also find true joy when we surrender our wills to Him, allowing Him to be the strong vine that allows the branches to grow and to bear fruit.

Jesus knows that obedience to God brings a greater realization of the abundant love that God has for us...that as we obey, our faith deepens.  Our love for God grows greater as we understand the greatness of His love for us, a love that is often demonstrated by the commands that He imparts to us to guide our lives into goodness.

I want the kind of joy that Jesus had...that Jesus has.  For truly, Jesus' joy is absolutely complete as He sits at the right hand of God the Father, in His rightful place of honor and glory.  The place created for Him and the place that He is so anxious for those who believe in Him to see.

"Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world."

John 17:24

Day 1 - Week 66 - Let's look at another joyful Scripture!

We are starting the 66th week of our journey.  It just amazes me how fast the time is going and just how many Scriptures we have already looked at.  Along the Appalachian Trail, we are now somewhere around Williamstown, Massachusetts.  Can't you imagine being in this picture on this early June morning?  Absolutely beautiful, isn't it?  But just because I throw in pictures of these beautiful places along the Appalachian Trail (which I'm using as a metaphor for our long trek of 100 memory verses), I don't mean to take away from the beauty of exactly where I am today, or where you might be.  Every place that God has placed us on this earth has some element of His beauty to behold, I really believe that.  Everywhere we can see His hand in the creation process.  Not far from where we live in Amarillo, Texas, is the beautiful Palo Duro Canyon, the second largest canyon in the United States.  Whenever I view it, I picture God's hand of creation carving out the canyon walls and causing the most beautiful colors of rock to be exposed.  I know that scientists explain that the canyon has been caused by thousands of years of water erosion, but that doesn't take the thought away from me that it was God's hand directing the waters in just the right manner to create a place so beautiful.  And, even though geologists would probably scoff, I still have the thought that maybe God just made it that way from the start!

So, let's review and start again down our trail....

Obedience (10)
2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people who are called by My name humble themselves, pray and seek My face, and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.
Lamentations 3:40 Let us examine our ways and test them, and let us return to the Lord.
Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern the good, pleasing and perfect will of God.
Romans 12:11 Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord.
Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction, be persistent in prayer.
Romans 12:18 If possible, on your part, live at peace with everyone.
2 Corinthians 9:7 Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
Hebrews 10:25 "Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching." (NKJV)
Proverbs 1:7 "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction."
Proverbs 15:1 "A gentle word turns away anger, but a harsh word stirs up wrath."

The Holy Spirit's Role in our Lives (6)
Ephesians 5:18 "And don't get drunk with wine, which leads to reckless actions, but be filled with the Spirit."
Ephesians 5:19 "Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making music in to the Lord in your hearts."
Ephesians 5:20 "Giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Ephesians 5:21 "Submitting to one another in the fear of Christ."
Galatians 5:22 "The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."
2 Timothy 1:14 "Guard the good deposit that was entrusted to you...guard it with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us."

Joy: God's Kind of Happiness (12)
Psalm 118:24 "This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it."
Philippians 4:4 "Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!"
Philippians 4:5 "Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near."
Philippians 4:6 "Do not worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God."
Philippians 4:7 "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Romans 15:13 "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope through the power of the Holy Spirit."
James 1:2 "Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds."
James 1:3-4 "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. But endurance must do its complete work, so that you will be mature and complete, lacking nothing."

Diverting just a bit from Robert P. Morgan's trail to add John 15:11.  I love the verses that come straight from Jesus' mouth, don't you?

John 15:11 "I have spoken these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and your joy may be complete."

Can't wait to talk about this one as we journey down the trail beside each other!  Have a beautiful Sunday!!