Jesus Christ is my God!
Issued 30.05.1999
Joy is abundance
A satisfied is rich. He rejoices at that what he has. A dissatisfied is poor. He worries about that what he has not. Complete joy comes from the full life.
Joys of spirit, soul and body
When we have eaten a good meal, we will be nourished and have joy in our body. When we are surrounded by the light, wide and beautiful nature, it nourishes us and we have joy in our soul. When we have heard a good message, we will be nourished with it and have joy in our spirit.
All people have reason to be grateful to God for the joy they have got. "Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." Acts.14:17
It is not enough to man to have joy in our body and soul. He seeks the complete joy.
After getting the joy from abundant nourishment for his body and the joy from richness for his soul he feels that something is missing. Also his spirit wants to reach the sources of joy. He would like to be praised that the pride of his spirit would be nourished. If he reaches fame and honour, he will have joy. Finally also that is not enough.
Although he doesn't know it, he suffers from the fact that he has not got the acceptance of God. Therefore he may seek for himself a religion which assures him that he is in the favour of God. Even this doesn't give the complete joy, because his spirit has not the real connection with God, but he gets only some comfort from a spirit who is pretending to be God.
When we have eaten a good meal, we will be nourished and have joy in our body. When we are surrounded by the light, wide and beautiful nature, it nourishes us and we have joy in our soul. When we have heard a good message, we will be nourished with it and have joy in our spirit.
All people have reason to be grateful to God for the joy they have got. "Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy." Acts.14:17
It is not enough to man to have joy in our body and soul. He seeks the complete joy.
After getting the joy from abundant nourishment for his body and the joy from richness for his soul he feels that something is missing. Also his spirit wants to reach the sources of joy. He would like to be praised that the pride of his spirit would be nourished. If he reaches fame and honour, he will have joy. Finally also that is not enough.
Although he doesn't know it, he suffers from the fact that he has not got the acceptance of God. Therefore he may seek for himself a religion which assures him that he is in the favour of God. Even this doesn't give the complete joy, because his spirit has not the real connection with God, but he gets only some comfort from a spirit who is pretending to be God.
Rich and glad or poor and sad
All seek abundant life and feel joy and sorrow according to the success they have in their efforts. In this way rich ones have joy and poor ones have sorrow. A rich man said to his soul: "And I'll say to myself, 'You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.' But God said to him 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' This is how it will be with anyone, who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God." Luke.12:19-21
The experience of joy in basic needs, which doesn't lead to generosity, grows to selfishness. The experience of joy in ownership, which doesn't lead to thankfulness, grows to greed.
The experience of joy in dominance, which doesn't lead to humbleness, grows to pride.
Selfish gorging is the sin of body. Greedy possession is the sin of soul. Proud power-searching is the sin of spirit.
The joy of lustful is in the abundance of sex. The joy of greedy is in the abundance of property. The joy of proud is in the abundance of fame and honour.
If one is selfish one's lot is to be deceived. If one is greedy one's lot is to be robbed. If one is proud one's lot is to get shame.
In this way many one's journey of exploration to joy has led to the bitter pill in their heart. Their restless bodies try to get joy in sensual pleasures. Their sad souls try to get joy in jokes, dreams and illusions of arts. Their godless spirit nourishes itself with malicious delight or reaches for joy at the victory in a war.
All seek abundant life and feel joy and sorrow according to the success they have in their efforts. In this way rich ones have joy and poor ones have sorrow. A rich man said to his soul: "And I'll say to myself, 'You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.' But God said to him 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?' This is how it will be with anyone, who stores up things for himself but is not rich towards God." Luke.12:19-21
The experience of joy in basic needs, which doesn't lead to generosity, grows to selfishness. The experience of joy in ownership, which doesn't lead to thankfulness, grows to greed.
The experience of joy in dominance, which doesn't lead to humbleness, grows to pride.
Selfish gorging is the sin of body. Greedy possession is the sin of soul. Proud power-searching is the sin of spirit.
The joy of lustful is in the abundance of sex. The joy of greedy is in the abundance of property. The joy of proud is in the abundance of fame and honour.
If one is selfish one's lot is to be deceived. If one is greedy one's lot is to be robbed. If one is proud one's lot is to get shame.
In this way many one's journey of exploration to joy has led to the bitter pill in their heart. Their restless bodies try to get joy in sensual pleasures. Their sad souls try to get joy in jokes, dreams and illusions of arts. Their godless spirit nourishes itself with malicious delight or reaches for joy at the victory in a war.
Pure joy
An unclean spirit cannot rejoice at clean things. Sin separates from God and prevents from experiencing the complete joy. The causes of joy show the values of heart and the causes of sorrow test them. He who regrets his selfishness, greed and pride will be nourished, when he gets forgiveness from God. Through the faith to the reconciliation work of Jesus our spirits are able to get the acceptance of God and in that experience our joy will be complete.
With the joy of the salvation God gives us the promise that we will get the victory over our temptations. He who rejects his salvation, tries to have fun that he would forget his shame, but he who grows humble, tries to "have sorrow" of his evilness that he would rejoice in grace.
Jesus is my richness and treasure. He nourishes my spirit through His grace and mercy. He stores up things for me and takes care of my needs. My soul is nourished from His loveliness and divine power. Jesus promises to us: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John.10:10
An unclean spirit cannot rejoice at clean things. Sin separates from God and prevents from experiencing the complete joy. The causes of joy show the values of heart and the causes of sorrow test them. He who regrets his selfishness, greed and pride will be nourished, when he gets forgiveness from God. Through the faith to the reconciliation work of Jesus our spirits are able to get the acceptance of God and in that experience our joy will be complete.
With the joy of the salvation God gives us the promise that we will get the victory over our temptations. He who rejects his salvation, tries to have fun that he would forget his shame, but he who grows humble, tries to "have sorrow" of his evilness that he would rejoice in grace.
Jesus is my richness and treasure. He nourishes my spirit through His grace and mercy. He stores up things for me and takes care of my needs. My soul is nourished from His loveliness and divine power. Jesus promises to us: "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John.10:10
The Bible version used in references is NIV