Wondrous Words
"JOY TO JOY"
Lesson 7
JOYFUL--is something we all want to be in our lives. The dictionary says joy is a deep and spiritual experience. We want to see what the BIBLE says about joy. Where does it come from; what can cause us to lose it and how we can get it back.
We who are women experienced JOY when we had a baby--ENORMOUS JOY. Even the times we had to get up to feed the baby in the middle of the night, make baby bottles, and changed diapers, though tiresome at times, were all part of loving our babies. We took the good with the bad and that’s how we have to approach life.
"…every man should eat and drink, and enjoy the good of all his labour…IT IS THE GIFT OF GOD" (Ecclestiastes 3:13).
We have all enjoyed the experience of working hard at a job and being tired but feeling good at having accomplished something that is worthwhile. I grew up on a farm and we worked very hard, but we had JOY in working together as a family. (Read Ecclestiastes Chapter 3).
People who do not know GOD turn to drinking or dope in times of troubles. I can’t imagine not having GOD to turn to when troubles come. Having GOD brings joy.
"I have set the LORD ALWAYS BEFORE ME: because HE IS AT MY RIGHT HAND I SHALL NOT BE MOVED" (Psalms 16:8).
"Thou wilt show me the path of life: IN THY PRESENCE IS FULLNESS OF JOY; at thy RIGHT HAND THERE ARE PLEASURES FOR EVERMORE" (Psalms 16:11).
I have been studying the BIBLE for the past 45 years, and I never get tired of it, for it brings me joy and comfort, direction in my life. The BIBLE IS THE ONLY WAY WE CAN KNOW GOD, OUR PURPOSE FOR BEING HERE AND WHERE WE WILL SPEND ETERNITY.
"The law of the Lord is perfect, CONVERTING THE SOUL: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple" (Psalms 19:7).
"The statutes of the Lord are right, REJOICING THE HEART: the commandment of the Lord is PURE, ENLIGHTENING THE EYES" (Psalms 19:8).
When we fall into sin, we lose our joy. King David was the "Apple of God’s eye" but he took another man’s wife and then had her husband killed by putting him in the heat of a battle. God punished David by taking the life of the child from his adultery, so sin leaves us joyless. He repented so he received God’s forgiveness and prayed:
"HAVE MERCY UPON ME, O GOD ACCORDING TO THY LOVING KINDNESS ACCORDING UNTO THE MULTITUDE…OF THY TENDER MERCIES BLOT OUT MY TRANSGRESSIONS"
‘WASH ME THOROUGHLY FROM MINE INIQUITY, AND CLEANSE ME FROM MY SIN"
"FOR I ACKNOWLEDGE MY TRANSGRESSIONS;
AND MY SIN IS EVER BEFORE ME: (Psalms 51:1-3)
"CREATE IN ME A CLEAN HEART, O GOD; AND RENEW A RIGHT SPIRIT WITHIN ME"
"CAST ME NOT AWAY FROM THY PRESENCE; AND TAKE NOT THY HOLY SPIRIT FROM ME"
"RESTORE UNTO ME THE JOY OF THY SALVATION: AND UPHOLD ME WITH THY FREE SPIRIT" (Psalms 51:10-12).
Another way we lose our joy is when we fail to teach our children about GOD and lose them to the world.
"TRAIN UP A CHILD IN THE WAY HE SHOULD GO: and WHEN HE IS OLD HE WILL NOT DEPART FROM IT" (Proverbs 22:6)
"CHASTEN THY SON WHILE THERE IS HOPE AND LET NOT THY SOUL SPARE FOR HIS CRYING" (Proverbs 19:18).
There are times when we do all we can and still lose them, but we can be joyful in the knowledge that we "did our best". "The FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS LOVE, JOY, AND PEACE" (Galatians 5:22).
"BLESSED IS THE MAN THAT WALKETH NOT IN THE COUNSEL OF THE UNGODLY, NOR STANDETH IN THE…WAY OF WINNERS NOR SITTETH IN THE SEAT OF THE SCORNFUL"
"BUT HIS DELIGHT IS IN THE LAW OF THE LORD; AND IN HIS LAW DOTH HE MEDITATE DAY AND NIGHT" (Psalms 1:1-2).
BIBLE QUESTIONS Lesson 7
01. Man should enjoy the good of his labour, for it is the ____________of___________ (Ecclestiastes 3:13).
02. When you are troubled remember that "GOD IS AT YOUR______HAND and be not _______" (Psa. 16:8).
03. GOD will show you the _____________of life and in GOD’S presence is fulness of_________and at His right hand, there are___________for evermore" (Psalms 16:11).
04. The "LAW of the LORD is_____________________, __________________the soul: and testimony of the Lord is sure, making _____________ the simple" (Psalms 19:7).
05. "The STATUTES of the LORD are right, __________ _______________THE HEART: the commandment of the Lord is pure__________________the eyes" (Psalms 19:8).
06. When---King David sinned, he lost the___________of His salvation (Psalms 51:12).
07. "Training up a child" in the________he should go," not just telling them, is what will keep them from __________ from God and HIS WORDS (Prov. 22:6).
08. "CHASTEN thy son while there is hope" when they are young, and "let not thy soul spare for his ________________" (Proverbs 19:18).
09. "BLESSED is the man that walketh________in the ____________of the UNGODLY" (Psalms 1:1).
10. We should "_____________in the law of the Lord and____________on it day and night" (Psalms 1:2).
GRADED BY__________GRADE_____