Greater Joy

Services

Sundays @ 12 noon, Tuesdays @ 7:15 pm

by: Pastor Joey Vazquez

12/28/2021

0

Psalm 4:7-8 (NLT) You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

Happiness is very fleeting. It's momentary because it depends on what is happening at the moment. If what is happening is really good, then you will be happy...until something happens that is not good. That something that is not good could very well come immediately after something that just made you happy. This life is so unpredictable that you can experience a wide range of emotions in a short period of time, all depending on what is going on around you. Because of this, the Lord has given us something better.

The Lord gives us joy, which has similarities to happiness, except that it perseveres under severe trials and tribulations. That's why the psalmist says in Psalm 4 that God had given him greater joy than those who had a lot of what the world says you must have in order to be happy. The thing about that, however, is that what the world says will make you happy turns out to be a false promise. If money and possessions could make people happy, then a lot of people in this country would be extremely happy. But they are not. You would be hard-pressed to find people that are happy with their lives, starting with the ones that have a lot of possessions. It might seem as if they are happy, and they may post pictures and statements on Facebook that would make you think that they are happy, but the sad truth is that a lot of people are just faking it. They are actually sorrowful about life.

The reason for everyone's sorry state is that their souls cannot be satisfied. If you do not have a relationship with the Lord Jesus, then you are subject to the mood swings that life's ups and downs bring. When you do have that relationship with Jesus, then your soul is in a state of peace because you have peace with God. Problems and situations will try to disturb that peace, but if you stay close to Jesus, you will maintain the joy that a relationship with Jesus brings. Notice that the psalmist says that it is the Lord that has given him greater joy than those who have an abundance of things. The reason the joy doesn't ever go away is because it is based on a person, but not just any person. This person, Jesus, remains the same all the time (no mood swings). He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) and He has promised to always be with you and me (Mathew 28:20). That is cause for great joy and it is greater than anything that the world or anyone else can offer. Enjoy greater joy with Jesus! There is nothing better!

Pastor Joey Vazquez

Blog comments will be sent to the moderator

Psalm 4:7-8 (NLT) You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O Lord, will keep me safe.

Happiness is very fleeting. It's momentary because it depends on what is happening at the moment. If what is happening is really good, then you will be happy...until something happens that is not good. That something that is not good could very well come immediately after something that just made you happy. This life is so unpredictable that you can experience a wide range of emotions in a short period of time, all depending on what is going on around you. Because of this, the Lord has given us something better.

The Lord gives us joy, which has similarities to happiness, except that it perseveres under severe trials and tribulations. That's why the psalmist says in Psalm 4 that God had given him greater joy than those who had a lot of what the world says you must have in order to be happy. The thing about that, however, is that what the world says will make you happy turns out to be a false promise. If money and possessions could make people happy, then a lot of people in this country would be extremely happy. But they are not. You would be hard-pressed to find people that are happy with their lives, starting with the ones that have a lot of possessions. It might seem as if they are happy, and they may post pictures and statements on Facebook that would make you think that they are happy, but the sad truth is that a lot of people are just faking it. They are actually sorrowful about life.

The reason for everyone's sorry state is that their souls cannot be satisfied. If you do not have a relationship with the Lord Jesus, then you are subject to the mood swings that life's ups and downs bring. When you do have that relationship with Jesus, then your soul is in a state of peace because you have peace with God. Problems and situations will try to disturb that peace, but if you stay close to Jesus, you will maintain the joy that a relationship with Jesus brings. Notice that the psalmist says that it is the Lord that has given him greater joy than those who have an abundance of things. The reason the joy doesn't ever go away is because it is based on a person, but not just any person. This person, Jesus, remains the same all the time (no mood swings). He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8) and He has promised to always be with you and me (Mathew 28:20). That is cause for great joy and it is greater than anything that the world or anyone else can offer. Enjoy greater joy with Jesus! There is nothing better!

Pastor Joey Vazquez

cancel save

0 Comments on this post: