Dear Northside
What is your source of joy?
This has been an interesting week. The uncertainty of Monday. The chaos President Trump is causing globally. Have you been able to face all that is happening in you and around you with joy? How can we have joy in the midst of our circumstances?
Jesus says in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” The Apostle Peter says in his first letter, I Peter 1:8, “Though you have not seen Him, you love Him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in Him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory.”
Our joy comes from Jesus. This joy arrives in our hearts when we hear and receive His words. The first believers were there with the Lord. They heard Him speak those words that brought them joy. We, however, have not seen Him and have not heard His words directly spoken from His mouth to our literal ears. But even without directly seeing Him or hearing Him, we love Him and are filled with His joy through the written and preached Word that He has provided for us. We can be filled with an amazing joy when we grasp just what He has done for us. When we truly understand our sin and how awful it is, and when we truly understand our Saviour and how incredible He is, then there is nothing for us to do but be filled with thankfulness and joy at what is in store for us. In knowing Jesus, there is available to us great joy – a permanent satisfaction. This is how I would define the Joy of the Lord; this Joy is a permanent satisfaction. It is a satisfaction which cannot be reduced or eradicated. In this world there are many sources of temporary satisfaction, but no sources of permanent satisfaction. It is difficult to break the human habit of looking for satisfaction from other sources. But this is one of our goals in understanding the joy of the Lord, to break the habit of seeking our joy in other things.
Where are you looking for joy? Relationships, money, things. No earthly thing will bring you permanent joy.
As we continue through our Lent preparations, let us read God’s Word and listen to the preaching of God’s Word. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus and let God’s Spirit fill you with Joy. It is my prayer that God’s joy will not only fill you, but overflow and you will be a witness to Jesus and the Easter story this year.
Please take advantage of the Easter programme this year. Commit to being a part of all our services from the 6th of April to the 4th of May. AND invite someone or more than one person to come with you. If you wish to attend the Passover Meal, please register and pay so we can start making preparations.
God bless, Pastor Gary