I just wrote a post about having the Joy of Jesus in our lives. I referenced 14 New Testament passages with over 30 verses, which address the subject of joy in Jesus.
Joy is basic to the Christian experience for various reason, including the fact that joy is the fruit, the product of the Holy Spirit.
Joy is not like a summer shower. It is not intermittent, it is a continuous, constant and consistent outpouring from God. Joy is not dependent on circumstances.
A Paradox
However, there are people who cannot be happy unless they are miserable. I know, that makes as much sense as someone being "purely sinful." But you know what I mean. They never really know true joy because they are always unhappy about something.
A Paradox
However, there are people who cannot be happy unless they are miserable. I know, that makes as much sense as someone being "purely sinful." But you know what I mean. They never really know true joy because they are always unhappy about something.
When emotions are dependent on life's situations or when people are determined to have some emotional or relational upheaval, then they do not have real joy. Of course, those people can justify their dissatisfaction and claim to have joy, but the facts speak for themselves.
Good News? (not really)
Well, here is good news for those of you who want to always have a reason to be unhappy or dissatisfied or angry or jealous or suspicious or divisive.
Good News? (not really)
Well, here is good news for those of you who want to always have a reason to be unhappy or dissatisfied or angry or jealous or suspicious or divisive.
There will always be something in this life that bothers you, something that does not please you, something or someone who is not perfect.
You will always be able to be upset with someone, because other people have flaws (at least according to you), and as everyone knows, flawed people are inexcusable, unacceptable, unworthy of your love and kindness.
An Divine Caveat
Of course, you will not be able to go to heaven, since God hates grumbling and division and pride and anger and all the other stuff that goes with selfishness. But missing heaven is not a total loss for the people who cannot be happy unless they are miserable, because they are going to be cast away from God forever into a place of eternal torment, where they will always have enough misery to "make them happy."
The Upside To Being Down
"What is so good about the prospect of being lost forever," you may ask.
* Well, you will have more than enough to complain about when you are cut off from God, from loved ones, from love, from joy, from peace, from dignity and holiness, and you will have more than enough time, since it is forever.
* You will be in a place of eternal, "wrongness," and endless suffering, which will give you plenty to complain about, plenty to hate, plenty to criticize.
* Your hell will be the heaven, for which you always lived.
God Spoke About You In The Holy Bible
God told us that in the last days evil men would separate themselves from God by being complainers and fault finders. Therefore, you are expected to complain, and you have all eternity to look forward to endless complaining.
God Spoke About You In The Holy Bible
God told us that in the last days evil men would separate themselves from God by being complainers and fault finders. Therefore, you are expected to complain, and you have all eternity to look forward to endless complaining.
Jude 1:14-16
(14) And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,
(15) To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.
(16) These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage.
God's Promises Concerning Eternity
And just so you know that you could not be happy in the New Heaven and New Earth and New Jerusalem, God promises to wipe away all tears (vss. 1-7 in Rev. 21). Now, how could you ever enjoy unfettered misery if God took away all your sorrow?
But if misery makes you happy, God promises eternal suffering for all sinners who do not repent (vs. 8 in Rev. 21).
Revelation 21:1-8
(1) And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.
(2) And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
(3) And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
(4) And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away.
(5) And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.
(6) And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely.
(7) He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
(8) But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
As crazy as this sounds, your misery, even the misery you share with others (now and forever), will not give you comfort or joy.
