ABIDING IN GOD'S JOY

HOW TO ABIDE IN GOD'S JOY

The followng steps assures God's joy as it fills our hearts and lives

1. Surrender (1 Samuel 1:15,2:1-10 Job 42:2,5 Acts 9:18,20)
2. Dependence (Psalm 33:20-22, John 16:24,1 Peter 5:7,Romans 9:16)
3. Rest (Psalm 4:8, John 14:1,27 1 Kings 5:4, Hebrews 4:10)
4. Obedience (John 14:15,John 15:10, Galatians 5:16,19-21)
5. Rejoicing (Psalm 5:11, John 15:11,Philippians 4:4,Romans 12:12, Joel 2:21)


Surrendering to God can be done in just 2 actions. First like Hannah and Job you have to recognize who and what God is(loving almighty life giving spirit). Second you have to be willing to give up your sorrows,troubles,thinking and ways like Hannah,Job and Paul. This is how God can help,bless,uplift,change and work through,with and for you.

Dependence like the scriptures say in Psalm and John is asking,trusting,waiting,knowing God for what you need. Placing your desires and needs on God because of His mercy, and that He cares for all of us is the right and only thing to do. Like in 1 Samuel when Hannah said "There is no rock like our God" He is our everything who else and what can we truly depend upon in good times and bad?

Rest is what we need from our jobs,families, thoughts, stress,problems, and all sorts of daily activities. Assurance of God's love,help and peace equals rest. Lets go farther: rest like in 1 Kings and Psalm is God taking care of our entire lives. No need like it states,in John 14 to be afraid or worried because belief and peace is our 'rest' assurance. We are taught why to rest and that we should like God did in Hebrews 4

Obedience is a life long opportunity to receive God's best for our lives. Why ask God for His help and advice to only forget and refuse to follow and obey it? That is a waste and it is a dangerous trap. In John 14 and 15 we are told to obey God if we love Him and want to abide in His love. There is no love for God and no good for our lives if we disrespect,and disregard all that He commands us to do. We are told in Galatians 5 about the things God despises of and what happens if we engage in such behavior. Why then should we not follow God's advice and commands- oh yea,so we can be trapped always in misery and fear- lack for things and never experience God's great blessing of working through us, reject eternal life with the King (wow,a privilege and gift for no true believer to throw away)


Rejoicing is the end result from following the other 4 steps. It is a celebration of our best life ever! Be happy and secure always like in Psalm 5 and Phil. 4 Remember why and how you can rejoice like it says in John 15 and Romans 12. Know to rejoice like in Joel 2 because He has and always will do great things for us - we just have to let God reign supreme and be first in our lives- Best reason ever to rejoice,Hallelujah!