Can’t work your way in. DO BElieve.
And receive. Turn and trust. Believe and receive. No charge.
Religion always says do this, be that, do works, be good...but never gives you the power to.
Christ is the way for you and me. He gives you the power to obey the Father. He didn't say you do this to get right, he said it’s finished. Religion says do, Christianity says done. BElieve. KnowGod.org
Yes, contrary to popular belief ..walkin', leapin', or while runnin'.. serving God is fun!
It's true, and I've found that if you're fun to be around instead of acting like Donnie or Debbie Downer, most unbelievers like hangin' out with you.
Ask yourself, who wants to hang with self-righteous know-it-alls or stiff religious folk ..those gripey complainers who are constantly unhappy, controlling others, or into doin' nothin' except finger-pointing? You know the answer.
Do people view you as a fun person, fairly active and full of vision so to speak.. or one righteous-couch-potato with a bad attitude?
I challenge you to have fun following the Lord with no spiritual compromise.
Have a healthy sense of humor too. First worship, yes seek him early, clearly hear his word. Choose to know Christ and then go have fun serving Christ. Others will want to know him too.
His name is Jesus. Sad hearts weep no more. He is able to deliver evermore. He has healed the brokenhearted, opened wide the prison doors.
Have you somehow got distracted away and lost your joy? Mary sat at Christ's feel to hear his word. Joy! Remember her sis, Martha. She got too busy serving to sit at his feet ..and she lost her joy. Listen, Jesus is able to deliver (from even too much of a good thing..). He is able to save from the uttermost to the guttermost. I say know him -- spend time with him and then serve him. He is our greatest blessing and JOY!
“Serve the Lord with gladness; come before His presence with singing. Know that the Lord, He is God; it is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; we are His people and the sheep of His pasture.” Psalm 100:2-3
You might not always have the nicest stuff in your life, or the best circumstances around you, or the coolest place to hang your hat and live, but did ya know that it can be really fun to serve God. What's nicer than him and that?
Much of the time too...it's fun and you can be happy in him. Can happen.
Perhaps you currently have a nice pad -- maybe you've got a bunch of nice friends and stuff?
May I ask.. Are you still lackin'? Are you still empty, guilty, lonely.. needing significance and purpose. How often do you feel afraid to die? Like out on our streets? What rules over you today? Are you addicted to something or to someone?
Listen, it’s an exciting adventure, a privilege, a JOY just to biblically know and walk with the Lord...... and the impact comes as a natural outgrowth of that relationship.
You loved now? Yes, he's never loved you more than he loves you today!
InJOY live with Christ as Lord -- know him well! And prayerfully go make him well known. That's a real JOY as well. I mean worldwide, starting at home! Cross the street to those who perhaps live cross, and cross an ocean too. Have you ever seen such division, violence and unrest in our cities? Our fervent prayers and His gospel of peace will address that.
"For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places." Ephesians 6:12
You can be apart of the Solution instead of part of the prob. Travel on purpose, he's got a specific plan for your life.
Sure, there are some trials, some temptations, some opposition, some testings and sufferings at times (false teachers lie about this stuff..), but you can still wear a smile, praise the Lord, HAVE JOY, and live happy in this healthy upbeat lifestyle I'm talkin' about! Yep, in him.
Sure, it's not always easy because you're often around some flawed people... like me... but it's indeed fun to know and walk with flawless Jesus who knows what to do and say.
Word of God speak, really want to hear you each day. Just to be with you.. means JOY!
Believer, want JOY in serving? Be filled.. or refilled with his Spirit. Ask.
I want to praise you, Lord, much more than I do. I want to know you, hear you, seek you, love you more, worship you, serve YOU ....much more than I do!
Yes, be still and know he's in that place near you. Ready to equip, empower and encourage you. Yes indeed, you can have inJOY serve Jesus!
Listen, believer, you are either advancing spiritually with joy or retreating as a so called follower of Jesus Christ. You are either gaining or losing ground. You are either going forward or backwards spiritually.
People are either cold spiritually (dead), lukewarm in their faith (carnal, egotistical, selfish. Saved yes, but they've sadly got too much of the world in em to be happy in Jesus, and yet enough of the word inside em to be happy in the world. Most miserable! Mugwumps -- they have their mug on one side of the fence and their wump on the other side), or red hot and growing in Jesus Christ (fully alive and spiritual). Read through first Corinthians, you'll see.
I say biblically move forward today, regardless of how you feel get closer to the word, and experience his JOY!
Your peace, joy and family protection are worth fighting for ..on your knees. He will provide all you need!
Have we pretty much been seein’ spiritual warfare and the need for earnest prayer in our world lately? Yup.
You know how people of the night live for self, for money, for pleasure, for stuff, for fame and for sex.. no matter the cost or laws. They want more, much more, but are never satisfied with their looting etc. It doesn't fill that inner emptiness.. it doesn't address the pang of that inner void that is like yelling at them to act and find solace.
"Get all ya can, can all you get, and then sit on the can 'til ya kick the can. Sit on it so others won't get grab the can" -- JOYless, but that's the world's motto if ya will.
People of the light live for Christ no matter the cost. Not for mere works or religion. No matter how many local politicians try to keep em from church fellowship, those of the light inJOY loving Christian fellowship with the Lord and each other in God's family.
Sometimes believers and ministers stumble and fall. When that happens it's time to put and keep your eyes on Christ and follow him. Jesus never said follow my people, he said, "Follow me."
I've noticed that when they fall.. it’s been in the areas of the gold, the glory or girls. But you, focus on and seek Jesus the living word. In the word, you'll be okay and finish strong.
Yes, God has better things for you! Put God first, then your wife second, then your family, and then your secular or ministry work after that (sure it's all ministry for believers). Prayerfully, that's how we spell JOY in serving. Do it as unto the Lord - make all that you do pure worship unto him. It's a JOY!
I say walk after the Spirit, sow to the Spirit instead of to the world. Walk by faith in the Spirit and opt not to be all about worldliness, about self, about passivity or about gratifying the desires of the flesh.
Opt to deny yourself daily of what ain't necessary for you. Sure, we are called to crucify the flesh with its passions and desires -- yes, to say NO to our old nature, to sin and this world-system.
We can love God and our neighbor by his power instead.
Personally, with the Lord we like to go explore and share the Message as we go. Liney and I have been privileged to be sent out by a local church to share in about thirty lands. It's always a JOY! For the people who receive the Message and Christ as well. Go tell -- you can do this where he leads you!
Everyday is a great adventure of the Spirit, a venture of faith. Jesus also experienced JOY in daily serving his Father -- what a great example he is this man of sorrows! Yes, Christ's life had some sorrows, but he was led by the Spirit. He lived filled with purpose from the Father all along the way to the cross. The Bible says...
"He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, and like a root out of dry ground. He had no stately form or majesty to attract us, no beauty that we should desire Him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Like one from whom men hide their faces, He was despised, and we esteemed Him not. Surely He took on our infirmities and carried our sorrows; yet we considered Him stricken by God, struck down and afflicted.." Isaiah 53:2-4
Jesus served humankind in Spirit-led ministry. He had authority when he spoke. He healed the broken -- yes, the broken-hearted. He freed the oppressed. He returned sight to the blind people he met, and He delivered the captive people from their chains.
With JOY Jesus is still praying and ministering to humankind in our day.. from His heavenly throne. God is the same yesterday, today and forever.
Why? Cuz He really cares for you.. and for all those who have lost loved ones, whose hearts just ache from the separation.
He prays for those whose souls throb with the sorrow and pain of failure. He lifts up those crushed by life in this world here, those who are shattered inside, broken down outside, hurting disrespected and ill-treated.
This same Jesus of the Bible who walked on this earth, who calmed the seas with a word, also loves you by friend.
What does he do today? He opens our eyes to our wrong motives at times and to sins. He shows us God’s glory, and delivers us from evil. This Jesus delights to bless and use us. This Jesus who was crucified, bore the sins of the world, 100% died, and then on the third day 100% rose from death and that cave... wants to forgive you of your sins right now.
Sometimes it can be kinda hard to serve the Lord but there's still JOY to be had in the storms of life. I never say that it isn’t challenging, cuz it is. I am not saying there aren’t times when it is depleting for us. I am saying we can derive great joy in knowing and serving Jesus Christ! Appropriate by faith his joy, believer.
Contrary to what those of the world say... serving God in fellowship with other growing believers is gobs of fun. No, more fun than that even!
Take hold of Him by faith. Just receive Christ -- accept his love and free forgiveness right now. Now is good, not later or tomorrow.
He is the only way for you and me -- the "Way, the Truth, and the Life.”
Serving Jesus Is Fun!
1. Is God anti all fun and pleasure -- a cosmic killjoy?
Naww, never has been. So why does it at times seem like God doesn't want us to do anything that is fun?
2. What should I look for in a Christian girlfriend?
As a Christian, how is having a believing girlfriend any fun at all? Could this be a good thing for mutual edification, or is it merely a distraction?
3. Should Christians have fun playin' video games?
Should Christians have fun playing popular video games?
4. Is God opposed to fun and pleasure?
Is God opposed to pleasure? Why does it seem like God does not want us to do anything that feels good?
5. Are there seen and unseen consequences following the fun in things like gambling, worldly drug use, illicit sex, or drunkenness at a party? Yes. (Topical questions for ya).
What does the Bible say about stuff like that?
6. What does the Bible say about fun and entertainment?
I know there's sinful fun -- sin can be fun for a season. Is there any righteous fun for me? Is being happy and having some fun really a part of the Christian life?
7. What are ways I could serve / be serving in the church?
What different service opportunities are there?
8. Why should I want to serve God?
What does it even mean to serve him? Doesn't "serving" mean I'm being a slave of sorts?
9. Is the Christian life supposed to be boring?
Aren’t Christians restricted from doing anything fun?
10. What's so fun about servant evangelism?
Can you truly have fun listening to, asking questions, and with Scripture evangelizing someone by being a servant for them?
11. Does God want us to be happy?
Is God concerned about our happiness? Is being happy supposed to be a goal of the Christian life? I say go read the Bible and perhaps a book called "Happiness" by Randy Alcorn.
12. What does Psalm 137:9 mean when it says, “Happy is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks”?
“Happy" really?.. is the one who seizes your infants and dashes them against the rocks..what?
13. Is there a difference between joy and happiness?
Does having joy mean the same thing as feeling happy?
Ask yourself.. Am viewed legalistic where I can't even laugh at myself? Am I viewed as the uptight Christian who never has any fun, never jokes-clean or laughs, or even smiles? Hey, don't be. We are humans too, so find something to give thanks and praise to God for. Be grateful. Have a happy heart instead of a crushed one. Live cheerful, it's never so bad here you can't find something to laugh about. There’s nothing wrong with doing fun things with decent friends.
We believers don’t try to fit in with the worldly crowd or with fake friends that are into worldly parties, clubbing and sinning. As saved sinners we indeed are friends with sinners and carnal Christians, but close friends?.. where they pull us down into sinning? Nope. Limit your time with fools -- get away from em when they're pulling you down.
We are into makin' sure God is OK with our fun activities. If it’s something that Scripture goes against, then we should have no part of it. We live carefree, yet walk cautiously so we have solid footing. We used to make idols out of our fun hobbies, but now we reject putting a stumbling block in front of those we care about. At the end of the day we laugh a lot, have gobs of fun in the Spirit and enjoy it life. We are pro-life, pro good laughter and pro-eternal life. The cults and religious folk are all puffed up legalistic, saying that godliness is not about having fun.
- Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 - This is what I have observed to be good: that it is appropriate for a person to eat, to drink and to find satisfaction in their toilsome labor under the sun during the few days of life God has given them—for this is their lot. Moreover, when God gives someone wealth and possessions, and the ability to enjoy them, to accept their lot and be happy in their toil—this is a gift of God. They seldom reflect on the days of their life, because God keeps them occupied with gladness of heart.
- Ecclesiastes 8:15 - So I recommend the enjoyment of life, for there is nothing better on earth for a person to do except to eat, drink, and enjoy life. So joy will accompany him in his toil during the days of his life which God gives him on earth.
- Ecclesiastes 2:22-25 - What do people get from all of their hard work and struggles under the sun? Their entire life is filled with pain, and their work is unbearable. Even at night their minds don’t rest. Even this is pointless. There is nothing better for people to do than to eat, drink, and find satisfaction in their work. I saw that even this comes from the hand of God. Who can eat or enjoy themselves without God?
- Ecclesiastes 3:12-13 - I have concluded that the only worthwhile thing for them is to take pleasure in doing good in life; moreover, every person should eat, drink, and enjoy the benefits of everything that he undertakes, since it is a gift from God.
- 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22 - Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. Abstain from all appearance of evil.
- James 4:17 - If anyone, then, knows the good they ought to do and doesn’t do it, it is sin for them.
- Colossians 3:17 - And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
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