I Got THIS JOY

The speaker talks about the Christmas season and their recent trip to Disney World with their family. They discuss the importance of joy and happiness in life and different perspectives on what brings true happiness. They emphasize the role of God and His word in finding happiness and peace. They share a personal experience of finding joy in the presence of God and encourage listeners to trust in God and His promises. They remind listeners of the true meaning of Christmas and the joy that Jesus brings. They end with a prayer thanking God and asking for His presence and guidance during the Christmas season. This is Robin from New Generation Christian Family Matters. God bless you. This is the Christmas season and we are all just in a festive mood. My husband and I met. We just came back from the happiest place on earth, the Disney World. We just flew back yesterday. We had a great time with family, our daughter and her family. They gave us a gift of travel to there and we had a just beautiful, beautiful time of family bonding and fellowship. As I was looking around at the crowd of people, we could see children laughing, we could see children running around, parents holding hands. You could tell people were just really enjoying life. As I bring this podcast to you today, I want to talk a little bit about joy and happiness. I know I don't want to tell my age, but I remember back in 2015, I believe it was by Kirk Franklin, the song, I Just Want to Be Happy. And then in 2014, there was a song that was really hot on the chart called Happy. And then I know a lot of us know this one. Back in 1988, Don't Worry, Be Happy, that song. Catchy tunes were created to lift the mood in the spirit of music lovers with dance beats and lyrics of joy and happiness. But truth be told, all men desire and strive to be content with happiness and joy in life. Some believe, and we know this for a fact, some believe that wealth, power, fame, success, or pleasure generates lasting happiness. To others, happiness is nurturing a love of family, and I know that's what makes me happy, is family. Meaningful purpose in life and generosity given to others. Psychologists, philosophers, and even religious leaders have tried to define the meaning of what true happiness is. I researched articles, secular and religious editorials, and I gleaned information from psychologists, philosophers on the meaning of happiness. When I completed my findings, I returned to God's Word. In Luke 11, 28, it says, Blessed, which means happy and joyful, are they that hear the word of God and keep it. When we sincerely hear and receive the word of God in our hearts, it gives birth to abundant life. It restores relationship with God, our Father. It brings to light His Word and provides spiritual guidance in every aspect of our lives. Psalms 84 and 12, and I'm going to read this out of the NIV, Lord Almighty, blessed, okay, again, happy and joyful, is the one who trusts in you. That is pretty awesome. This is what brings happiness. One way we can have happiness, trusting in God. The Lord is truly our rock, our strength, and firm foundation. And in this day and time, with foundations, it is so important that we truly stand on the rock of our salvation, which is Christ. The Lord is our shield according to the scripture, our defense, and we can trust Him with this present life and our future plans. So again, happiness and joy is knowing, because I want to say that again, happiness and joy is knowing God. We're awesome security within our soul and mind, knowing that if God is for us, we can be against us. And God loves us. He cares for us. He's there for us. All we have to do is let Him into our lives, trust Him in our lives, stand on His Word, or be filled with the Holy Spirit. This life is not promised, always not having challenges. We live in this world. There are a lot of uncertainties. Our trust, our confidence is in Jesus. Our confidence is in who we are in Christ. Knowing that even when we go through life challenge, when we go through trials and tribulations, we can hold on to God's hand and He can strengthen us. And not only that, He can bring us peace in our souls and mind. And God knows that in this day and time, we need peace. With wars and moments of wars, and we talk about this over and over in other podcasts, we need peace in our hearts and mind, and that peace can only come from God. It's a peace that even though the storms of life are raging and the billows, the waves are just so high that it's frightening and scary, but with God we can be secure and we can be safe. Knowing that can bring joy. I remember one time I was feeling really, really down, and I may have shared this experience. I felt really by myself. And sometimes we do go through moments in life where we feel, you know, by ourselves, or we feel pain, or we feel distress in our hearts and mind. And I began to pray to God. And He does this. He bids us to come to Him. All who are weary and heavy laden and burdened and sad and scared, fearful, come to me and I will give you rest. I will bring you peace. I will bring you joy. And I just remember praying at that moment. I was by myself in the house. And then all of a sudden I thought, okay, the joy of the Lord is my strength. And that's in Nehemiah. This was the Word of God that He gave to the people who were sorrowful at that time. And they were weeping before the Lord. And He said, don't do those things. Just know that the joy of the Lord is your strength. So I thought about that. And so what I started to do is to, I thought about David, King David. He was a musician, skillful on his harp and whatever other instruments that the Lord gave him talent to play. And there was a scripture that talked about him dancing before the Lord. Mind you, I had to lift feet and I don't know much about dancing. And so I decided, okay, scripture says the joy of the Lord is my strength. So I began to dance before the Lord. And somebody had a video, they probably would have laughed and said, you know, awkward movements or whatever. But I was dancing in the presence of the Lord. And before I knew it, it became such a reality. I was in the presence of the Lord and the joy flooded my soul. The presence of the Lord came down. It was an experience that I'll never forget. With hands lifted up, my heart filled with praise and my feet, my two left feet dancing before the Lord. The burden lifted, the burden lifted. I can't remember every detail, but I was a changed person at that moment because the joy of the Lord gave me strength. And I just want to encourage you, those of you who are listening to this podcast, that no matter what you're going through, God hears your prayer. God knows your need. He sees the brokenness in your heart and mind. He knows the challenges that you might be going through in your relationship, on your job, maybe on school campuses. This may be the struggles that you're having in your own heart and mind. Maybe you're struggling with shortcomings and addictions, alcoholism, just whatever. You heard that God loves you and that He has compassion and that He cares for you. Believe that. Stand on His word. Luke 11 and 28 in the King James Version, it says, Blessed, again, blessed and happy and joyful are they that hear the word of God and keep it. But read the word. Believe the word. Stand on the word. If your faith is shaky, ask God to increase your faith and He will do that. He will do that. When our relationship with God, our Father, when we're in the word, it brings light to our heart and mind. The light of His word brings light and it provides spiritual guidance in every aspect of your life by the Holy Spirit. In Psalms 84 and 12, it says, The Lord, again, is truly our rock, our strength. And you have to believe that when you stand on the word of God, it's a firm foundation. Acts 2 and 28 says, You have made known to me the paths of life. You will fill me with joy in your presence. So desire the presence of God, His word and hunger and thirst for His righteousness. Even in the midst of disappointments in life, financial difficulties or sudden illness or have faith. Believe, believe, believe God's word and continue to hold to His unchanging hand. God will honor His promise of peace in your heart that surpasses natural, human, natural understanding. And He will give unspeakable joy that overflows from the depths of our innermost being. In the presence of God is joy. To know God's love, grace and forgiveness is joy. Acceptance of God's plan of salvation in Christ Jesus is joy. It's healing in our soul, mind and body. That's in the name of Jesus. In the name of Jesus is joy. Now this Christmas season, we know that God so loved the world that He gave us Jesus. And Jesus came down in the form of flesh as a baby. And He knew His assignment. He knew that He was here to redeem man. He knew He was here to represent, be a part of the plan of salvation. He knew man in his simple state would never be happy, would never know joy, would never know peace, never know the righteousness of God. But He loved us and He brought joy to the world. Christmas songs are beautiful. Let us not forget the true meaning of Christmas. And that is that Jesus came that we might have life and that much more abundantly. Jesus came that we might know abundant joy. Jesus came that we might have peace in our hearts even in the midst of the storms of life. Jesus came that we might have a restored relationship with the Father. Jesus came that we might experience what true, true joy is even in the midst of what's going on. At this time, we're going to pray. We're going to praise the Lord for this Christmas season. We're going to praise Him for His love. We thank you, dear God, joy to the world. Even when you came over 2,000 years ago, the angels rejoiced because they knew that man was going to have a way to be reconciled back to their Father. Lord, we ask you, God, to help us not to take this season and rise it, Lord, to the place where we forget about you and we forget about the true meaning, that we forget about your love and compassion for man. Lord, we ask you, God, to hear our prayer this day as we lift our hearts and minds to you. We receive you into our hearts. We receive you into our soul and our mind. Lord, we thank you, dear God, for coming to earth. We thank you for bringing joy. We thank you for the angels, Lord, who celebrate your birth. We celebrate your birth today. We celebrate this season. It's not just giving gifts to one another, dear Father, but it's the greatest gift of all, receiving the greatest gift of all, and that's the gift of salvation, the gift of joy, the gift of peace, the gift of reconciliation to the Father. Thank you, Lord, for this day. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. This is Robin from New Generation Christian Family Matters. If you need prayer, please call us. We would be happy to pray with you. And if you have something to say, I promise we will listen. God bless.