Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

The Place Of Joy

ISAIAH 56:6-7 – “And the foreigners who join themselves to the Lord, to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, everyone who keeps the Sabbath and does not profane it, and holds fast my covenant— these I will bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer; their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house shall be called a house of prayer for all peoples.”

THEME OF THE DAY. THE PLACE OF JOY. Every Christian wants to experience and walk in the joy of the Lord. And it is the Lord’s desire that every child of His lives in the abundance of His joy. It is the joy of the Lord that enables us to endure suffering with glad submission. It is the joy of the Lord that allows us to see hard seasons of pain as His work making us like Himself. It is the joy of the Lord that shows the world we have a power source elevating us to live above, not by, life’s difficult circumstances. Yet, why do so many Christians seem to be able to talk about the joy of the Lord but don’t live in the joy of the Lord? Oh, I am not passing a quick judgment. In my own experience as a Christian I see way too many times in my life I live in fear, not joy; worry, not joy; sadness, not joy; discontent, not joy; anxiety, not joy; and allowing a critical heart, not joyful heart, rule me. And I am not alone. In my pastoral experience, I counsel Christians, more than not, who are not walking in joy. I also observe each Lord’s Day from my church’s pulpit the faces of God’s people with a noticeable joylessness in their faces. Yes, faces, my face, your face, is a great and accurate barometer to measure the presence or lack of joy in our hearts. King Solomon wrote, “A glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of heart the spirit is crushed” (Proverbs 15:13).

So if my assessment of an epidemic of joyless Christians is correct, what is the cause? Well, I don’t believe it is singular. The range is far and wide; living in known sin, unbelief, spiritual laziness, worldliness, and not doing daily battle against our sinful flesh are five causes of being joy-less. But there is another. It is one I am not sure many Christians grasp. If so, then it would show in our churches and Christian fellowships. Before we see this joy-producing practice the Lord has given us, let me make a plug for it. I know from personal experience it is true. Really true. I also know from not practicing it, joy is elusive. Hopefully, you are able to nod your head with a whispered “Amen, brother, I know it is true also.” If not, it can be . . . if you begin to practice this joy-producing gift God has given us, and yes, it is a gift. This practice is found in today’s scripture. Go back up and look for the only reference to joy in the entire verse.

Did we find it? Grasp the significance of this in two directions. First, God promises He will make us joyful. And that is the “real thing” – His joy, not fabricated happiness or feeling over a song, sermon, church service, book, or Bible study. Now look at where God says He will make His people joyful – in my house of prayer. Friend, if the joy of the Lord is eluding you, stop and ask this . . . “Am I regularly meeting with God’s people for prayer?” This is a source of joy. Please don’t be self-deceived and ask God to give you more of His joy if you are willfully neglecting to be where He has promised joy – praying with His people. And oh the joy that does come when believers get together, unhurried, seeking the face of the Lord in prayer! There is a “slice of heaven” that comes in many a prayer meeting. Don’t neglect prayer meetings, and should your church not have any, start one. Go to your leadership and say, “May we start prayer meetings among us? Just like we read in our Bibles?” We will know far more of the Lord’s joy if we start seizing His promises of joy in the place He promised it would occur – the prayer meeting.

PRAYER: “Father, don’t let me ask You for joy without earnestly seeking the sources of joy You already gave me.”

QUOTE: “Don’t pray for the joy of the Lord if you willingly neglect the means He has given us to know His joy.”