The Joy of The Lord Is Your Strength

The Joy of the LORD - The Wall is Dedicated & The Word is Preached! — The Joy of the LORD – The Wall is Dedicated & The Word is Preached!

The Joy of the LORD – Celebrate!

Nehemiah 8:7-12
7 The Levites—Jeshua, Bani, Sherebiah, Jamin, Akkub, Shabbethai, Hodiah, Maaseiah, Kelita, Azariah, Jozabad, Hanan and Pelaiah—instructed the people in the Law while the people were standing there. 8 They read from the Book of the Law of God, making it clear[a]and giving the meaning so that the people could understand what was being read.
9 Then Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites who were instructing the people said to them all, “This day is sacred to the Lord your God. Do not mourn or weep.” For all the people had been weeping as they listened to the words of the Law.
10 Nehemiah said, “Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength.”
11 The Levites calmed all the people, saying, “Be still, for this is a sacred day. Do not grieve.”
12 Then all the people went away to eat and drink, to send portions of food and to celebrate with great joy, because they now understood the words that had been made known to them.

They did not know how to respond at first. They knew they were far from God, they did not know the law, they were cut by this realization and then very sad about it – but it was not the response that was needed! It was time to repent and celebrate!

Then the leaders encouraged them – repentance is something that refreshes – and they celebrated. Why? A principle – this was a time to celebrate God, and “the joy of the Lord is [our] strength!”

The people responded to this admonishment from their leaders – they celebrated GOD.

I must do the same, GOD is awesome. He is worthy of praise and worthy of celebration! I need to make sure I celebrate this Christmas with this in mind.

There is so much to be grateful for this thanksgiving – God’s true Word and God himself!

Consider Jesus’ Joy and Don’t Lose Heart!

Hebrews 12:3
“Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

A man who is weary does not have the joy of the LORD, and he loses heart – he lacks enthusiasm. When I get weary, I need to realize that it is because in my sin I rely on flesh for strength! There will be opposition in following Jesus – that’s a fact (2 Tim 3:12)

I need more GOD when I feel this way. More prayer, more bible, more faith, more hope! I need to FIX my eyes on JESUS – he is perfect, and the author of my faith.

Hebrews 12:2-12
2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
4 In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5 And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:
“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6 because the Lord disciplines those he loves
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”[a]
7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is not disciplined by his father? 8 If you are not disciplined (and everyone undergoes discipline), then you are illegitimate children and not true sons. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! 10 Our fathers disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.
12 Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. 13 “Make level paths for your feet,”[b] so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.

I am not bleeding here. I am not being so hard pressed that I am in prison or that my blood is being demanded of me from scourging or beatings. And yet, Paul, when under such duress wrote the most joyful book in the scriptures – Philippians! Jesus himself, overcame his sorrow through prayer and more prayer – this is what I must imitate in the LORD and in men like Paul who followed him.

Whatever suffering on this road of life, it is at those times that God is disciplining me as his son – a true son! Amen! His goal? I would grow in my holiness – have I not asked God for this almost every single day? He is answering my prayers.

I need to pray to be trained by discipline or it will be wasted on me! I’ll either be trained or embittered by hardship!

How amazing the scriptures are – “strengthen your[my] feeble arms and weak knees.” It is as if the word of God knows, if you are getting disciplined, you can feel weak and lose motivation (arms for work, knees for legs that go).

There is a harvest here – I must get – righteousness, holiness and peace, should I just submit to my Father’s will and learn.

I must not let any unresolved issues or hardship control my demeanor, my devotion, my motivation.

Train my heart to see the amazing good that has come out of God’s church! “Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.” – Phil 4:8

Learn Obedience, Harvest Peace & Joy

Jesus learned obedience when he suffered…I am following Jesus, and I will learn obedience in the same way as my brother (Rom 8:29), my LORD (1 Cor 12:3), my King (Rev 17:14), and my Friend (John 15:14).

Heb 5:7-10
7 During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience from what he suffered 9 and, once made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation for all who obey him…

Amen.

The Joy of The Lord Is Your Strength

The Joy of the LORD – Celebrate!

Consider Jesus’ Joy and Don’t Lose Heart!

Learn Obedience, Harvest Peace & Joy

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