Is there any Joy in the Church?
Psa 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!
Many times as Christians, we find ourselves at Sunday Worship out of a sense of duty, or obligation. We contemplate in our minds and wrestle with the option (at least mentally) of going or not going. So many things we could do and catch up on, not the least of which is rest and relax. It's ok, we all do it sometimes. I head a joke the other day about a lady who went in to wake her husband on Sunday morning. She told him countless times to get up and get ready. Finally after several futile attempts, she pulled the cover off his head and said, " Are you getting up?" in a very stern voice I might add. He replyed and said, " I don't want to go today." To that she retorted, "You have to, you are the Pastor." We All do this at some point.
Psa. 100:2 says, (Read it carefully) Serve the Lord with Gladness. There should be a sense of Joy in our service. There is no worse feeling than being a part of church and the Kingdom, out of dread, fear, obligation, and duty. That my friend is religion. But there is an incredible level of blessing that is experienced when there is a heart of Joy in serving the Lord! Our duties become our delight. Our ministries are filled with power and energy. Our churches take on a new level of excitement and we are contagious.
There are many laws in God's word. Exodus 20 gives us the 10 commandments. Duet. is filled with the "Old Law". Jesus even gave us New Testament law when He commanded we love one another... I believe the command to "Serve the Lord with Gladness" is an eternal law we've forgotten & is much needed to be restored. People who serve God with joy are the people I love to be around. They fuel me, they energize me, they inspire me. ON the other hand, folks who are never filled with this joy, they drain me. They bore me. They are a leech to my spirit. You know the type. You see them at the store and hide in between the isles, hoping they won't spot you. You time it just right when they are passing by you step to the next isle. When they finally move on you run check out so you don't get in that lengthly conversation that leaves you feeling wore out and dirty. (Just an analogy, hahah)
I've found joy is obtainable only when we realize the power of God's Grace. If we are trying to live out of self effort, joy alludes us. If we are living half hearted toward God, it's not present. But when we are living a Cross Centered life and constantly reminded of what Calvary did for us personally, then the Joy of the Lord truly is our Strength!
Grace, Grace, Wonderful Grace!
Many times as Christians, we find ourselves at Sunday Worship out of a sense of duty, or obligation. We contemplate in our minds and wrestle with the option (at least mentally) of going or not going. So many things we could do and catch up on, not the least of which is rest and relax. It's ok, we all do it sometimes. I head a joke the other day about a lady who went in to wake her husband on Sunday morning. She told him countless times to get up and get ready. Finally after several futile attempts, she pulled the cover off his head and said, " Are you getting up?" in a very stern voice I might add. He replyed and said, " I don't want to go today." To that she retorted, "You have to, you are the Pastor." We All do this at some point.
Psa. 100:2 says, (Read it carefully) Serve the Lord with Gladness. There should be a sense of Joy in our service. There is no worse feeling than being a part of church and the Kingdom, out of dread, fear, obligation, and duty. That my friend is religion. But there is an incredible level of blessing that is experienced when there is a heart of Joy in serving the Lord! Our duties become our delight. Our ministries are filled with power and energy. Our churches take on a new level of excitement and we are contagious.
There are many laws in God's word. Exodus 20 gives us the 10 commandments. Duet. is filled with the "Old Law". Jesus even gave us New Testament law when He commanded we love one another... I believe the command to "Serve the Lord with Gladness" is an eternal law we've forgotten & is much needed to be restored. People who serve God with joy are the people I love to be around. They fuel me, they energize me, they inspire me. ON the other hand, folks who are never filled with this joy, they drain me. They bore me. They are a leech to my spirit. You know the type. You see them at the store and hide in between the isles, hoping they won't spot you. You time it just right when they are passing by you step to the next isle. When they finally move on you run check out so you don't get in that lengthly conversation that leaves you feeling wore out and dirty. (Just an analogy, hahah)
I've found joy is obtainable only when we realize the power of God's Grace. If we are trying to live out of self effort, joy alludes us. If we are living half hearted toward God, it's not present. But when we are living a Cross Centered life and constantly reminded of what Calvary did for us personally, then the Joy of the Lord truly is our Strength!
Grace, Grace, Wonderful Grace!
posted by Pastor Steve at
6:20 AM
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