BE CHRIST READY IV

Take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts become burdened by excessiveness and drunkenness and anxieties of life, and that Day comes on you unexpectedly." (Luke 21:34 MEV)

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid! For behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:

(Luke 2:10 BSB)

"I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people:" Is the news of the second coming of Christ making us joyful or are we burdened with the excessiveness and anxieties of this life that we cannot recognize this joy.

The Greek word for joy is "chara" and is derived from the Greek word "Charis" which means grace. So this joy is not a human kind of happiness that is dependent on things of this world, it is the kind of joy God has. We only enjoy it in this world by his grace through the Holy Spirit. ( Galatians 5:22)

In John 17:13 the Lord gave us this same joy "But now I am coming to You; and I am saying these things while I am in the world, so that they may have My joy fulfilled within them."

Beloved, let us not lose this joy, especially in this wounded world. This joy is our strength in the tribulations of this world. The early church survived persecution because they have this joy. We can do the same and make it through this world.

That is with joy, we can "escape all these things that will happen and to stand before the Son of Man.”(Luke 21:36) because without joy we cannot draw water from the well of salvation.

MAY THE PEACE OF THE LORD BE WITH US ALWAYS.

WE PRAY FOR GRACE TO ABIDE IN HIM IN JOY AND BE CHRIST READY AT ALL TIMES TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER IN JESUS NAME AMEN!

THANK YOU JESUS!