Psalm 4:7–You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine.
In this Psalm, written by David, happiness and joy are contrasted: Joy comes from knowing and trusting God…Happiness comes as a result of pleasant circumstances. Inward joy in our hearts is steady as long as we trust God…Happiness is unpredictable. Inward joy defeats discouragement…Happiness covers it up. Inward joy is lasting …Happiness is temporary and conditional.
As we learn to focus more and more on the Lord; His Spirit flows into our hearts, and overflows and spreads to others. His light flows through us, and shines on all who we come into contact with during the day. Our part and purpose is to stay close to Him, and become reservoirs for His light, through which it flows to to others to bless them.
2 Corinthians 4:7–We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves.
This is not happiness that we made through our own efforts. This is the Lord’s joy given to us as we are drawn closer and closer to Him.
God is in control of this process , we are to just keep focusing on the the Lord, and to be open to all He is doing in our lives. Jesus explained that we cannot control the work of the Holy Spirit, he works in ways we cannot predict or understand.
John 3:8–Jesus tells his disciples: “The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.”
His Spirit flowing through us in this manner fills us with His joy, love, and peace, something the world and its false idols could never do with money, possessions, accomplishments, relationships, power, and status.
Galatians 5:22–When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these.
Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!
My Prayer for the Day:
Lord, thank you for the renewing of my spirit and my mind that has been in progress for the past couple of years…and maybe longer according to your time. Lord, your Holy Spirit is working in me and through me; but Lord, I know I am a work in progress… as the evil one attacks me daily with his evil thoughts trying to distract me and tempt me. Thank you, Lord, for being there with me…to give me strength and guidance during those times.
My Verse for The Day:
Isaiah 33:22–For the Lord is our judge, our lawgiver, and our king. He will care for us and save us.
Author: Ed Koops
Ed Koops is a retired Telecommunications Systems Engineering and Construction Executive. Working for over thirty years in this industry enabled him to experience the "Nothingness" of the World without the Lord in his life. He learned that you should count as "lost" each day you have not used in loving God.
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